A Cautionary Tale Of On-Street Parking /  by Michael Graves

Anyone who interacts with the Houston 311 system routinely, as I do, starts to receive notices about new 311 cases filed in the neighborhood. Mostly these are the same old kind of things; missed trash collection, potholes, overgrown yards, etc. Occasionally, they can be more interesting. This article was inspired by a recent report of a Mercedes G-Class SUV parked on East Woodland Street for an extended period of time.

According to Park Houston, “City Ordinance 26-93 states that a vehicle cannot legally park on the public street for more than 24 hours. This helps to reduce neighborhood blight and identify stolen vehicles.”

If a vehicle is parked on the street for an extended period someone can report it to 311. When that happens Park Houston will send a Parking Control Officer out to check out the situation. At the first visit, they put a warning on the window and mark a tire with chalk. This allows them to determine if the vehicle has been moved when they make a second visit a day or two later.

When the Parking Control Officer makes a second visit, a citation will be issued. On the occasion of a third visit, another citation is issued. If the vehicle is not moved in 48 hours after the second citation, it may be towed to impound.

The cost of each citation is a little bit greater. The cost to recover a vehicle from impound can be considerable.

At the time of this writing this Mercedes has been parked without moving for at least two weeks. A tire has been chalked. The notice and citations are on the windshield. It’s getting to the point where it may soon be towed.

WHCA had one of our constables run the plates. From that we found that the vehicle is registered to an owner who lives in 77007. It’s not been reported stolen.

We can only guess as to why it’s been parked there for so long. Perhaps they are on vacation with some friends who are Woodland Heights residents? And left the Mercedes parked on the street while they are away. If they’d left it parked in a driveway there’d be no issue at all. If this is the case, I fear that they’ll be in for a surprise upon their return.

Creature Feature & Paws Up For Chomps /  by Guest User

Introducing: Lady Champawat, First of Her Name, Duchess of White Oak Bayou, and Supreme Leader of the
Woodland Heights Fierce & Friendly Felines Council

First, I'd like to thank the editors for recognizing what has long been obvious. Despite your delay, I have directed my staff to waive my normal interview fees. You’re welcome.

Most mornings you'll find me conducting official inspections at White Oak Bayou Park. Someone has to make sure the birds are behaving, the bunnies remain humble, and the walking paths are suitable for the chariots of feline royalty. It's demanding work, but I accept the responsibility with grace.

After, I report back to my shop, The Kitty Bodega. While the humans insist on claiming they’re in “control”, everyone knows they're simply my support staff. I oversee quality assurance, treat testing, and the strict enforcement of playtime.

My afternoon constitutional usually takes me beneath the magnificent century-old oak trees that make our neighborhood so special. I enjoy watching the birds, greeting friendly neighbors, hissing at unfriendly dogs, and checking in on the porch cats. Recently one very rude human damaged one of these trees, but fret not! I have already obtained a Final Supreme Ruling of Permanent Banishment against this hiss-worthy creature! On behalf of the WH F&F Feline Council, I humbly request your forgiveness for the unfortunate incident. We expect, no, demand better behavior from our visiting humans!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've noticed an empty cardboard box that requires immediate occupation. My staff can only function for so long without proper executive supervision.

Chomps

New Business: A Big Welcome to the Kitty Bodega /  by Estella Espinosa

A Big WHCA Welcome to the Kitty Bodega

Woodland Heights neighbors we have a new business in town the Kitty Bodega. Located on Houston Avenue in the Woodland Heights Plaza, right next to Kumon Math and Reading Center.

The Kitty Bodega has been in Woodland Heights since late spring, with its opening day on May 2nd. According to owner Angela Ily, the Kitty Bodega is a cat-focused pet supply store, complete with a cat grooming salon. The space is larger than their former location in the Greater Heights, which means they now have room for dog products as well, though cats remain a main focus. Other amenities include a community room used for educational activities and outreach events. These have included TNR-related ( Trap-Neuter-Return) events with Space City Cats and classes on cat health.

"...we're more cat-focused because there are so many places that are dog-focused. Nobody really focuses on cats, and they need it. They don't get to go on walks every day. You know, most of them, they live their whole life in quarantine, you know, in a box. They don't get that enrichment that dogs do. So having a place to go where we can really help, based on what you tell us about your pet, guide you on how to get them a more enriched life to improve their mental health, your relationship with them, their relationship with the environment if they're being destructive, for example. So yeah, we are the whole thing, the whole body." Said owner Angela Ily.

According to one unbiased pup, El Dogo Julio, gives the new shop a 2-Paws-Up review. Especially for the treats he can't get enough of. (Editor note: El Dogo Julio is the editor's pup. He now insists on dropping by once a week to buy more treats.)

So if you happen to have a kitty or a treat hound like Julio, stop by to say hello and check out their selection of kitty and doggie food, treats, toys, and more. And if you're looking for someone to walk your kitty, give Angela a call; she and her kitty, Chomps, would welcome the company.

Yard of the Month: Erin May - 935 Euclid /  by Ryan Taylor

Erin May, her husband Ben and son Joe have lived at 935 Euclid for about 3 1/2 years, moving in to the neighborhood in time for the 2022 Lights In the Heights holiday event.

"They both indulge my gardening. Joe likes the bugs and picking tomatoes (and giving them to me to eat). He also helps me pick plants. He picked the Rue because it’s a host for swallowtails. I just realized I didn’t mention the tomato. I put a cherry tomato in the middle of the frogfruit and hope to add some more food in the front in the future." Erin commented when we first spoke with her about her garden and its plantings.

Since moving to the Woodland Heights Erin's been busy working on her yard concentrating on native plantings. Her favorite part of her yard is the beds between the sidewalk and the street. Her front yard is where her love of native plants is most apparent. Here you'll find a large variety of native plants including  Frogfruit, Milkweed (aquatic & green), Turk’s cap, Mealy blue sage, Texas lantana, Esperanza, Lanceleaf coreopsis,  Goldsturm coneflower (type of black-eyed Susan), Flame acanthus, Texas rock rose, Common selfhea, Bitterweed, Gulf vervain, Coastal germander, American germander, Prairie coneflower (Mexican hat), Giant coneflower, Purple coneflower, Horse herb,and Purple muhly grass. (Just to name a few).

"I have raised beds in the back along the fence but they don’t do as well as the front with the full sun," she continued. When asked where she shops for her plants Erin responds, "Mainly Buchanan’s but I also shop at Joshua’s and the Audubon Society and Native Plant Society sales."Though she does have non native plants in her yard including Vitex (Texas lilac), Bicolor iris, and Lespedeza.

"I like all of these and they’ve done really well but they were all planted by builder. They’re not native and I’d replace them if they didn’t do well. But they look nice! And I think the iris and vitex are considered adapted. I don't know the names of everything." She continued, "I think the thin tree opposite the oak is a jacaranda (Buchanan’s sold it to me and said it would do better than a Mt. Laurel). It should be full of purple blooms... one day. I’ll buy butterfly host plants that aren’t native, too. There is a common rue fighting for its life between the lantana and Esperanza in the middle of the frogfruit. Common rue  is a host plant for Swallowtails, but none yet!"

Her variety of plants makes her garden very attractive to all types of flying and crawling bugs and flying insects.

Yes, many pollinators and lizards! The frogfruit is full of bees!! Carpenter bees like the Esperanza and mealy blue sage. We also have wasps and flies—who are also pollinators. Aphids on the milkweed attract ladybugs. We (like everyone) mostly have brown anoles (which are invasive), but there is at least one green one on the gate, near the lespedeza. And of course butterflies! I wish I could tell you all the species. I’d love to catalog species the way my friend and mentor Lauren Simpson has.at St Julian's Crossing."

Erin is a firm believer in the benefits of native plants, "My recommendation is to replace anything that has died with a Native, once it’s established it is most likely to survive a neglectful gardener and whatever weather Houston throws at it."

When asked if she was born with a green thumb, Erin said "Not at all! I’m not very proficient at all. I have to thank Humberto Bolanos of Bella Terra Landscape Resources  for the excellent bed prep and installation, and Lopez Landscaping for edging and mowing helping keeping things from getting too overgrown. My mom is a Master Naturalist in San Antonio and enjoys moving plants around and bringing me volunteers from her yard. I love my yard because it reminds me of my mom. She lives in San Antonio but may work in my yard as much as I do. The credit really goes to the species—go native and let them take care of themselves. And enjoy the benefits of supporting the local ecosystem!"

Though she has no favorite, there are a few she does hold a special place in her heart for, "I love all my babies! I really love Gregg’s mist flower, but haven’t had success, yet. I've tried it a couple times amongst the frogfruit, but hoping to have more success once I expand the beds. I love Turk’s caps, they’re beautiful and you can eat the fruit (like little red berries). I also plant them hoping to lure hummingbirds. For the plants that came with the house I love the native purple muhly grass and the adapted Vitex. I love purple! My favorite flowers are actually dahlias, but it's way too hot, here."

"Her inspiration for her yard comes from, "My mom’s garden in San Antonio, St. Julian’s Crossing in Garden Oaks and Oak Forest, and my wonderful Euclid neighbors Mac Funk (943) & Freddie Bartels (946). My Flame acanthus, Turk's cap, and rock rose are from my mom’s garden in San Antonio. The coneflowers and Mexican hat and rain lilies are seeds and bulbs from my neighbor Mac. I think I forgot to mention the rain lilies earlier. I doubt they’re native but I love them! They’re bubble gum pink and mostly currently hidden under the germander and coneflowers in the driveway bed."When asked about the number of hours she spends in her garden she responds, "Not many nor near enough! That’s the beauty of Natives. I do aspire to spend more time (when it cools off!)." 

Unlike many gardeners, Erin's favorite part of gardening is one thing many gardeners count as their least favorite thing to do, "Weeding! And weeding. I enjoy weeding, but find it painful to decide who has to go. I enjoy watching what happens, who blooms, who reappears after a freeze, and all the critters that live there. I like the bugs as much as the plants! I (hardly) ever spend more than $10 on a plant so if it doesn’t work out I’m never too upset. I like trading plants with friends/family & neighbors, too!"

In terms of how it felt to be recognized as WHCA Yard of the month, she responded. "Amazing!! The native beds in front were prepared and planted with mostly plugs just 14 months ago. I can’t wait to expand! And am so glad that others (or at least Ryan) enjoyed my yard. Ha!"

Tales from the Tundra: North Street Bridge /  by Guest User

Take North Street east from Houston Avenue and you will come upon the North Street bridge crossing I-45N. Like the Cottage Street bridge, I’ve always wondered why TxDOT elected to construct bridges connecting relatively minor neighborhood streets. Not surprisingly, it turns out that they have a history tied to the early days of Woodland Heights.

Before the interstate was constructed, smaller wooden bridges (in those approximate locations) crossed Little White Oak Bayou so farmers could move their goods from farm to market.  During the 1960’s, these routes were maintained with updates to I-45.

Approaching North Street Bridge Heading NE

Our personal use of the North Street bridge is an occasional auto crossing but mostly to check out the highway when it floods or when we walk to catch a show at White Oak Music Hall. I imagine with local neighborhood decline and gentrification over time that the bridge traffic has been used for purposes both good and bad.

July 8, 2024 - Flooded I-45 looking NW from North Street Bridge 

TxDOT proposes to remove the bridge when I-45 improvements begin in our area. They plan to replace it with a pedestrian bridge that either goes over or under the new highway section. There are pros and cons to both options and a slightly more detailed explanation of the options can be found on the COH Planning Department website and on TXDOT's website.

Photo courtesy TxDot - Proposed design change: pedestrian bridge

Personally, I tend to favor its removal so long as some connection to the north side neighborhoods is maintained.  A quick note on where and how to learn more about our neighborhood’s history.  There are several very knowledgeable contacts in our neighborhood who hold a wealth of information including Louise Moss, Pat Rutledge, and Debbie Hall (please forgive me if I have missed others).  Also, there is an amazingly researched book about our neighborhood written by Omar Holguin, Jr. entitled Recollections: A History of the Woodland Heights and Surrounding Communities.  I purchased my copy on Amazon.

BASH 2026: Boots & Bowties /  by Estella Espinosa

Yee-haw, partner!

Grab your fancy boots and bolos, dust off that saddle leather, and Save the Date for the 2026 LITH Boots & Bow Ties Bash on Thursday, October 15th, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at The Historic Heights Fire Station located at 107 West 12th Street, 77008. 

Sponsors and Auction Items Needed

But before the LITH Boots & Bow Ties Hootenanny can begin we need trail bosses and generous riders to back the brand with hard cash or you can throw your best gear into the pot for the grand auction haul. Every last coin raised goes straight to funding the December LITH festivities.

So Partner! If you aim to throw your weight behind this brand with hard-earned coin or trade goods for the auction, send your lightning-fast telegraph straight to head wrangler Nikki Haley at bash@woodland-heights.org.

She’s fixin' to lay on the finest shendig this side of the Brazos, so give her a holler if you want to ride along! Yee-doggie it's gonna be alot of fun! Don't forget to keep your eyes peeled on the horizon, for more details about tickets. And watch that trail like a hawk for the next big announcement!

(Translation for everyone who doesn't speak cowboy - Save the Date LITH Boots & Bow Ties Thursday, October 15th, volunteers, auction items, and sponsors are all needed. If you're interested please contact Nikki Haley at bash@woodland-heights.org. Cowboy talk will resume now).

Ornamentally, my dear Watson: Thinking about LITH in July /  by Michael Graves

In July every year WHCA picks a logo design for the coming edition of Lights in the Heights. This logo is typically used in event branding, signage, etc. It’s also turned into a cloisonné tree ornament that we sell online. This series of ornaments has offered for almost a decade. Proceeds from all the merchandise sales help to support the event.

In order to have the new ornaments ready for Lights in the Heights the logo design needs to be selected in July. It takes the company that makes them a considerable time to turn the design to something they can implement in cloisonné. Once the design proof is approved, they go on to produce and deliver the ornaments. Our aim is to have them available for pickup at Friday Night Lights.

Over the years, there have been various approaches to arriving at an event logo. For some time, we were able to get the cooperation of art teachers at neighborhood schools, such that local kids created the designs. Sadly, our outreach to HISD for participation went unanswered.

Undeterred but wanting to involve neighborhood youth in the design process, we decided to hold a contest, inviting kids from area schools via social media and our newsletter to submit their designs. It was limited to students, but not strictly to Woodland Heights schools. To make it a little more interesting, we decided to offer a modest prize for the top three submissions.

After a slow start, we received a total of 7 entries. These were presented to the neighbors attending the July WHCA Member’s meeting. Those in attendance were invited to rank the designs.

Lights in the Heights 2026 Logo Design Submissions

After the ranking we discovered there had been in fact an eight submission. It was submitted on time but got misplaced in a mass of email. It was not presented at the meeting but is nonetheless a strong contender. At next week’s WHCA board meeting we're hoping to find out from the manufacturer if the 1st ranked ornament works for their manufacturing processes. Once that is clear then all who made submissions will be notified of the results and we'll let you know as well.

This is the first time that we’ve ever done this sort of contest. We’ve learned a few things along the way. If we do this again, the process will be tweaked to give kids a more concrete sense of the design parameters. Even so, we’ve got some great designs, so we’re happy to be able to go forward with one (or maybe two!) of the best designs.

Houston-Galveston Area Council Transportation Priorities Plan Survey /  by Brian Edmondson

Target Transportation Priorites For Federal Funding

The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is currently conducting the North Houston Communities Transportation Priorities Plan (NHCTPP) survey. This is an opportunity for our neighborhood to highlight issues we face and help guide future federal funding to fix major traffic and safety issues right here in Woodland Heights.

The data gathered from this survey will guide which local infrastructure projects get prioritized, funded, and built by the City and County. The more they hear from our neighborhood the more likely we will get prioritized.

Why This Matters for Woodland Heights

With ongoing regional highway construction, freeway spillover and high-speed cut-through traffic are growing challenges for our neighborhood context. We need to speak with a unified voice to ensure our streets remain safe and walkable.

When you fill out the survey, please consider highlighting these key neighborhood priorities to maximize our collective impact:

  • Target Critical Corridors: In the corridor-specific section (Question 10), make sure to select Studewood Street and 11th Street / Pecore Street, which serve as the central spines of our community.

  • Demand Traffic Calming: In the ranking sections, prioritize physical infrastructure that forces cars to slow down—such as pedestrian refuge islands, high-visibility crosswalks, and bulb-outs.

  • Put Pedestrian Safety First: Emphasize that our community's top priority is safe pathways for walking families, children, and cyclists over high-speed vehicular throughput.

The survey is completely anonymous and takes less than 5 minutes to complete https://engage.h-gac.com/nhctpp.

Thank you for taking a few moments to help us advocate for a safer, more connected Woodland Heights!

How to Keep the Water Flowing: Adopt-A-Drain /  by Estella Espinosa

Adopt-A-Drain

What do ‘Raccoon Highway,’ ‘The Secret Tunnel,’ ‘Jerry’s Big Gulp,’ ‘Here Comes The Sun,’ and ‘Stormy Daniels’ have in common?

No, they’re not the newest titles at your local bookstore or kindle titles on Amazon. They’re a bit more down-to-earth than either of those options. And I really mean down-to-earth. Or to be more specific down-under-the-earth.

They are all nick names for adopted drains here in our Woodland Heights neighborhood. By adopted I mean neighbors, just like you, who have decided to pitch in and volunteer to keep clean of debris. They adopted their drains through the COH Adopt-A-Drain program.  

Now before you say keeping the drains clear should be a COH job not mine you should know that there are roughly 250,000 individual curb inlets, grates, and manholes in the city's closed system located all across the city. Not to mention the Can you image how much time it would take to visit each drain to make sure they are clear of trash, leaves, and yard clippings? We might not get any other things done before the next rain came through. So there’s an adoption program that asks for ordinary citizens to help keep these drainage systems clear of clippings, leaves, limbs, and other garden debris so that nothing obstructs the flow of stormwater. Keeping the stormwater flowing is how we can help combat flooding that seems to occur in Houston when heavy rains or hurricanes pour down over our city.

Just imagine what a little helping hand addressing a storm sewer near you could do to keep the water flowing down our storm sewers keep our drains flowing clean and water out of our houses.

It doesn’t take that much more time to bag up your yard clippings and keep the drainage system clear. And the added bonus is you can come up with your own nickname for your storm sewer … just image what cool title you can bestow on your adopted storm sewer.

To find out more about how you can join the program visit the adopt-a-drain website to see where the available drains open for adoption in our neighborhood are.

A Blast From the Past: Beauchamp Springs /  by Estella Espinosa

The WHCA newsletter archive is now live and online! You can find all the newsletters we have copies (that we scanned) on and the current issues as well on the WHCA website under the About Us button on the front page of the our website. This story from the October 1997 issue tells the story of Beauchamp Springs.

There is much more to be found regarding Beauchamp Springs and the man who it was named after Thomas D. Beauchamp who immigrated fro Kentucky to Texas and settled in the bayou area buying a 54 acre tract of land from the Allen brothers on the south bank of White Oak Bayou which included the free flowing springs that would be named Beauchamp Springs along with a community he tried named Beauchampville. 

Looking back through the history of both Houston and our Woodland Heights neighborhood you can find mentions of Beauchamp Springs. For Houston the springs served as a "source of fresh drinking water" and its water was "sold downtown at market for 75 cents for a 30 gallon barrel" and was touted as " a welcome change to the often contaminated waters of Buffalo Bayou." In addition, Travis Elementary was originally named "Beauchamp Springs Public School."

We hope you'll enjoy this bit of history. If you want to learn more about one of Houston's first water sources you can visit any of these links.

Tales from the Tundra: The Scarecrow Cemetery /  by Guest User

New Newsletter Contributor - Welcome Aboard!

We're very happy to welcome a new feature to the WHCA Newsletter. It's called 'Tales from the Tundra.'  The new contributor is Gregory Roche.

Greg just finished helping us update our home count for the Sign Up Genius we use to recruit volunteers for things like passing out printed newsletters, home tour volunteers, and distribution of pamphlets and other printed material We've been trying to get this update done over the past couple of years. We've always been hampered by the amount of time needed to do this and Greg volunteered to take on the task. Many thanks to Greg for his hard work with Sign Up Genius' data base and for his new column!

We thank Greg for all that work and are very happy to see that he's now stepping up to offer contributions to the monthly newsletter. Welcome aboard Greg!

The Scarecrow Cemetery

Our youngest son attends St. Thomas High School so we have a familiar route to get him to school on time every morning. Barring excessive school crossing guards and the ubiquitous train crossing on Houston Avenue, we get him to school on time without too much fuss.

Before turning onto Memorial Drive for the final stretch and looking to the right under a shady pecan tree, you will find two grave stones.  Countless times I’ve passed them and wondered why and how they got there. I snapped a photo a couple of weeks ago and learned their story – you may already know of their origin. It turns out that the remains of Johnny Mack Chappell (1954-1996) and Dee Brown Hancock (1922-1973) are not located under that tree.

The headstones were placed there to deter vagrants from squatting and trashing the property. A third headstone, Sandra Ruth Howen (1939-1986), no longer lies next to Johnny and Dee. It’s not exactly clear why duplicate headstones were made for these deceased Houstonians. The lot is well maintained and the Chappell family have no problem with this landmark being another interesting Inner Loop tidbit that preserves his name. Stop by and check it out.

Pause Before You Squish /  by Estella Espinosa

Surfing social media you can find some interesting posts about all sorts of things including butterflies. This chart came from a post from Plants and gardening on facebook. The handy chart could be especially useful this summer when all your plants are blooming and growing and you begin to wonder "What is that bug" in my garden?"

First, it's not a bug - it's a caterpillar-the larval stage of a butterfly or moth. Aside from being beautiful as they glide through your garden they serve as important parts in the ecosystem. They serve as pollinators, a food source in the insect food chain, and as bio indicators regarding ecosystem health.

Your back or front yard gardens can help support butterfly populations. You hear a great deal about planting native plants in gardens because they will survive better in a climate that they are used to growing in. That's a good rule of thumb for plants and for butterflies and other beneficial things that fly or crawl in gardens. The Houston Arboretum has a great list of both nectar and host plants to help support butterflies in your garden. There are a number of garden centers who have native plants to help keep your garden a place where butterflies will visit and thrive. 

The North American Butterfly Association (NABA) provides a wealth of information on how to encourage butterflies to visit your garden, how to establish a butterfly garden, get it certified, and butterfly counts. The Houston Museum of Natural Science's Cockrell Butterfly Center and Brown Hall of Entomology are great places to see butterflies and bugs up close and personal as the flyand crawl through the indoor rain forest and bug habitats. Be sure to read the FAQ's about what is and is not allowed in the center. If you're looking for online information regarding everything about Monarchs visit Monarch Watch. It's a great place to find out how you can help monarchs from your own home.

I hope the handy chart above and the links in this article help you understand that all caterpillars and bugs are not bad - in fact they're all part of our ecosystem and you can help keep it healthy right from you're own home.

Yard of the Month - Jan Lyons, 627 Merrill /  by Ryan Taylor

Jan Lyons has lived at her home since April 2021. “I love the front flower beds - I change things seasonally but always try to have a mix of colors and textures,” she says. “I also love my backyard. It’s very small, but it's all garden - no grass –and it’s a peaceful place to read, sip a glass of wine, and watch the pollinators go to work!”

She regularly visits Buchanan’s Native Plants for her plant purchases. Planting natives in her garden in both the front and back yards. “I change things around at least quarterly, depending on what is in season, so it always varies."

When asked what  guides her choices for her garden, she says it has to do with her past experience while living across the pond. “I lived in London for a few years and was most inspired by the natural gardens there. When I moved back, I wanted to minimize grass, be surrounded by color, and create a great environment for the pollinators."

Her choices in plants are appreciated by pollinators that fly, crawl, and buzz about in her yard, saying there’s lots of flying activity in both front and back yards. “Tons of bees, some butterflies (would love it if there were more), and lizards all over the place.”

Jan says she was not born with a green thumb...gardening takes practice. “I am learning and rely on the expertise of others and get tons of inspiration from all of the beautiful yards in our neighborhood.”

And unlike many gardeners, Jan enjoys one thing that most would disagree with, “I love pulling weeds!  Depending on the weather, I’ll spend 4 or 5 hours each week in the garden--most of that time is pulling weeds because it relaxes me.”

While most of her gardens are populated with native plants, Jan has one plant that holds a special place in her heart. “I have a Christmas cactus inside that is nearly 30 years old and belonged to my mother. She trusted me to take care of it when she moved into assisted living.”

She also has a couple of other favorites. “My favorite flower is peony (I haven’t tried to grow those yet), and I love it when the jasmine blooms!”

In terms of being recognized as yard of the month, Jan says, “It feels humbling! There are so many fabulous gardens all over this neighborhood. We are
blessed!

Congratulations, Jan, on your beautiful gardens and being this month's Yard of the Month in the Woodland Heights!

Preservation Houston /  by Estella Espinosa

We've Joined!

The Woodland Heights Civic Association has recently decided to join Preservation Houston. As one of Houston's oldest and among it's first suburbs with historic structures in Woodland Heights built between 1907 and 1925 remain. Many of these original homes reflect the Queen Anne, craftsman and English cottage architectural styles popular just after the turn of the century among the more modest middle class. These home styles are predominately bungalows, cottages and four squares with most featuring the generous front porches so important to the social conventions of the era and personal comfort in Houston’s pre-air-conditioned climate.

With this in mind it seemed fitting we should join an organization that works to "promote the preservation and appreciation of Houston’s architectural and cultural historic resources through advocacy, education and committed action, thereby creating economic value and developing a stronger sense of community."

We look forward to our relationship with Preservation Houston to help keep our historic homes and history for future generations.

President's Report: A Couple of Small Wins /  by Michael Graves

Getting Things Done

Sometimes it feels like it’s quite difficult to get anything done. That being the case, it’s really important to acknowledge the wins that we do manage to enjoy. So, I’d like to point out a couple of things that were recently accomplished.

Have you seen the new lights?

If you attended our March Member’s Meeting at Woodland Park you heard neighbor Jim Chambers call out a pet issue. He had been seeking changes in the traffic lights at the intersection of Studewood and White Oak Drive. More specifically, he argued that traffic turning from White Oak onto Studewood struggles to turn given the heavier, faster traffic on Studewood. This long que of cars would be reduced by providing protected left turns lights.

Council Member Castillo’s team helped us arrange a site visit with managers from the Traffic Light team at Public Works. It was going to take some time to investigate whether the existing switch gear would be up to the task. Happily, this turned out to be true. Appearing at our May Member’s meeting CM Castillo reported that the changes to the lights were anticipated by the end of May.

The installation took a little longer than that. Jim Chambers himself observed the working being done on Friday, June 19th. Two days later, on June 21st, WHCA Treasurer, Doug Carroll sent a picture of the new turn signals in action!

These new protected left turns should improve the flow of traffic transitioning onto Studewood during peak travel periods.

Major Pothole Patched on Bayland

This is really a small thing, but it feels like a good thing. Some work on a water main resulted in a 5-foot wide pothole at 623 Bayland. On June 9th I hit it hard enough to loosen a filling. Naturally, I opened a 311 ticket on the matter.

The following week, repeated rains kept making it deeper and more dangerous. I later discovered that the neighbor at 623 Bayland had also created a 311 report. She noted that she could hear cars hitting it hard from inside her house.

Just a week later Public Works patched the wannabe Marianna Trench on June 15th.

Storm Drain to Nowhere

On the 14th of this very rainy June I noticed the neighbor at 101 Parkview had a submersible pump deployed to at the corner of Parkview and Houston Avenue. Even though there’s a storm drain right there, the water was not draining away. Josh Pokluda was pumping the standing water across the street so it could flow to a storm drain that was flowing.

Julio and I approached Josh to inquire as to why this was necessary. He told a tale of woe, describing the fact that the storm drain nearest his home literally is not connected to any main storm drain line. Apparently, this was an error made some years ago when there was major work on Houston Avenue.

Taking pictures and filing a new 311 request, I was able to learn something about the trouble. Apparently, resolution requires a significant capital project. It appears that there is funding allocated in the coming city budget, which starts July 1. While the problem remains for now, there is it hope that it will be addressed. We'll keep an eye on it and keep pushing for the repair.

You may not always see it, but WHCA is always working behind the scenes. Doing what we can to enhance our little “Hometown Near Downtown.”

President's Report: May 2026 /  by Michael Graves

“Time keeps on tick, ticking, ticking, into the future.” - Steve Miller

By Michal Graves

Meet the new Board, Same as the old Board

As I sit down to write this, two weeks have passed since our May Member’s Meeting. It seems so long ago. As was noted in a prior email, there were no eligible nominations for the board seats that were open. However, the four directors in those positions all agreed to stand for another term. So, the WHCA board remains unchanged for the coming year.

Given this fact, I thought that the May Member’s Meeting might be smaller and shorter. That was fine, since Zion’s ongoing renovations meant that the gathering had to be held in the smaller room they call the “Chapel.” The WHCA board had met in that space once in the recent past. As I’ve presided over a couple of larger than usual Member’s Meetings, the thought of a smaller, shorting meeting was attractive.

Alas, it proved elusive. On Tuesday, May 12th some two dozen neighbors filled the Chapel. With the sun blazing in through the west-facing windows the meeting went a full 90 minutes, starting a presentation by District H Council Member Mario Castillo.

District H Update

CM Castillo highlighted a number of issues of interest to the neighborhood. He encouraged neighbors to participate in the various City budget workshops and meetings that were just then getting underway. As this newsletter is going into production, those processes have concluded.  However, neighbors can still make their voices heard by appearing before council during the open sessions each Tuesday.

CM Castillo further noted that he’s sponsoring two “Shred Days” where neighbors can bring documents for secure disposal.

  • 5/30 9-12pm at Denver Harbor Community Center

  • 6/20 9-12pm at Local 51 Union 

Traffic remains a concern. There was some discussion of the reduced, yet ongoing, heavy truck traffic though the neighborhood. A neighbor noted that a Waymo was seen running a red light. Constable Wesley Hurt advised that Waymo can be pulled over, but there’s little consequence to that action.
 
CM Castillo noted that the city has approved changes to the street lights at the intersection at White Oak Drive and Studewood. Traffic from White Oak turning onto Studewood will soon have protected left turn signals in both directions. He suggested that these changes may well be implemented by the end May. This is something that arose out of discussion at our March Member’s Meeting. A big shout out to neighbor Jim Chambers who championed the issue.

Constable Patrol Update

Precinct One Constable Wesley Hurt made his first appearance at this meeting. Constable Hurt is our new afternoon shift constable. His previous experience includes assignments in River Oaks and Houston Heights. With respect to some of our traffic concerns, he noted that Constables can write traffic tickets.

He further warned about issues of identity theft and fraud. He described how some people where receiving phone calls from people posing as police. They claimed to be following up on a neighbor having missed a jury duty. They claimed the neighbor could pay the fine by issuing a payment using Google Play cards or Apple cards. This is plainly fraudulent! For such issues, law enforcement will only reach out to you via certified mail.

Home Tour 2026 Wrap

Louise Moss presented a summary of the results from the 2026 edition of the WHCA Home Tour. The statistics of the event are as follows:

  • 132 Volunteers (could have used 14 more!)

    • 17 florists

    • 16 committee members

    • 7 house captains

  • 560-806 go through the homes, 

  • 26 sponsors (raised $20k)

  • Ticket sales generated $30k

  • Net proceeds = $41k (!)

The next Home Tour will be in 2028.

Q&A

The meeting ended with an animated Q&A session. One issue stands out from that discussion. Karen Webster asked about the possibility of reducing the speed limit in the neighborhood from 30 MPH to 25 MPH. This had been considered some years ago, but at the time state law prohibited such action.

Karen noted a pair of 2025 state bills known as the “Safe Neighborhoods Streets Law.” Here’s an overview presented by the Chronicle. We promised to investigate further.

At the time of their introduction, some news outlets wrongly presented these bills as already being enacted into law. A quick check of the Bill Tracker revealed that both bills died in committee during the last session.

That means the effort will need to be revisited in the next session of the TX legislature.

Toward a More Social Neighborhood

WHCA by laws mandate that we have meetings. And we certainly try to make them useful and informative. But formal meetings alone can be tiresome. So, on Tuesday April 28th we held a “social” at EZ’s Liquor Lounge on White Oak Drive.

This more informal event presented an opportunity for neighbors to engage in conversation over a pint or cocktail. Around two dozen neighbors came out to the event, basically taking over EZ’s back patio for a couple of hours. It was certainly a good time. Also, a great way to ingratiate ourselves with one of the most recent new sponsors of Lights in the Heights.

The WHCA LITH Bash date has been set, so mark your calendars! /  by Woodland Heights Civic Association

The WHCA LITH Bash date has been set, so mark your calendars!

We are excited to host this year's event at the Historic Heights Fire Station again and look forward to filling the venue with friends of WHCA.

The LITH Bash fundraiser helps cover the costs associated with putting on Lights in the Heights each December. Your support helps WHCA continue one of the most beloved holiday traditions in our neighborhood and beyond.

Be on the lookout for more details on this annual event, ways you can contribute, and information on event tickets.

Nikki Hanley
LITH Bash Chair

Mrs. Garrison: Nurse Cat, Retired /  by Guest User

Hi, my name is Mrs. Garrison: "Mrs. G" or "Garrison" for short. (Yes, my people love "South Park".) I began my life in early 2005 in the Woodland Terrace community as a feral kitten with my siblings and mama in the old garage rafter storage space.

My people discovered us because of their sweet chihuahua who insisted she heard us hiding in the garage rafters. I know they meant well by bringing us down one by one into a soft, covered bed. But mama wasn't so sure and quickly moved us back. She did compromise and allowed them to feed us as long as it was in the place she selected.

All of us are jet black (classic Halloween) cats and we grew up safe and secure in our garage home. Sometime after all of us had grown enough to be independent, mama said goodbye and moved away, because she knew our people would feed and care for us. But before that we (mama too) were kidnapped while sleeping and taken somewhere where masked people performed unspeakable medical experiments on us! After a time, however, we all healed and continued our lives as young cats.

My brother and sisters liked to roam and explore a bit, initially never too far from home. I, however, was very content with staying very close to the patio and back yard. I've always felt safe here, and it is rare for mean cats to bother or hurt me so close to my people's back door.

One by one my siblings disappeared and never returned. And I can only assume they found places to stay that they liked better. I, however, decided I would stay indefinitely. Hey the meals are great and well-timed, my bed is soft and clean, in the summer they run the ceiling fan, and in the winter they set up my electric heater (and sometimes light the fireplace). It isn't unusual on real cold winter nights that some of my neighbor friends spend the night with me: a cat slumber party. When a nice large electric blanket is often set down as a pallet.

Throughout the year I even get occasional evening visits from my friends, the opossums and raccoons who like to eat my dinner leftovers.

My people refer to me as a peaceful mellow soul and say I am even tempered. Don't like to hunt (why would I?) and I'm very content to just observe the comings and goings in my world. I don't let things bother me, as I truly live and let live. I am afraid of floods though, as a storm they called "Harvey" forced me to scurry up a tall plant trellis in the rain when my patio was covered with water. Lucky for me the nice lady I live with climbed a ladder and freed me from the dense vines in the trellis, after the water receded. I wasn't very gentle with her, but she understood, and she healed quickly.

As I mentioned some of my neighbors like to come and visit me on occasion. And this led to my career and vocation in life. Over the years as my neighbors (fellow cats) aged, I found that they spent more time at my home. Their people didn't abandon them; they just seemed to gravitate toward me and my place. So, I took care of them. Looking after them, walking with them when they became frail, hard of hearing, and had lost their vision. I always made sure I was inbetween them and the edge of the pool. As no cat likes to get wet; we are very poor swimmers! I had my people put extra bedding down plus food and water, so my guests/patients felt safe and comfortable as they aged.

Word must have gotten out because over the years I have cared for 4 or 5 older cats in this way. I never got upset or cross with them; I was just happy I could help.

I'm the old timer now, although my people seem to be a step slower as well if truth be told. I don't have the services of a "nurse cat" myself but my people do a decent job of caring for me. I'm fully retired from work; hey I'm 21 years old (100+ in cat years)! My hearing is extremely weak, and my vision now is very limited. But I get around just fine, as I know my territory like the back of my paw. I sleep a lot but what's wrong with that?

 Live and let live has always been my motto. Let it be yours, too.

Yard of the Month: Pat Walzel at 1117 Omar Street /  by Ryan Taylor

Pat Walzel has lived in her home off of Omar for 20 years. And even though she has no favorite plant they are all meaningful to her.
 
“Everything in my garden has a story and is meaningful to me.” Is how Pat Walzel describes her garden. “I have lots of milkweed because I have a Monarch butterfly house. I have released over 60 butterflies so far this year!”

Her local nursery is Buchanan’s Native Plants and her garden is filled with natives and flowering plants that attract birds butterflies and bees. When asked to list some of the blooms that fill her garden she responds,

“Many varieties of wildflowers, Texas Crag Lily, and Texas Star Hibiscus, Zinnias, petunias, pansies, gerbera daisies, gazanias, coleus, day lilies, amaryllis, bird of paradise, and Brachyscome” to name a few. She continues, ”My amaryllis were given to me by neighbors. Those amaryllis came from their mothers or grandmothers’ gardeners. I have 3 different varieties from these different neighbors.”

Though Pat claims to not have a favorite she does have a fondness for one particular species of plant, “I love day lilies. Actually, I have several types of lilies, day lilies, spider lilies, Easter lilies, tiger lilies, Lily of the Nile and rose lilies.”

But if you’re a weed watch out, “I Despise weeding but Love to plant. “I am in my garden first thing in the morning & last thing in the evening. I see God’s love for us in the garden.”
 
Pat says she’s honored to have her garden featured as Yard of the Month though her plan has always been the same.

“My main goal was to create a flowering garden. Something has to be flowering every season of the year. Camellias in the winter, Gardenias, orchid trees and red buds in the Spring. Crape Myrtle in the summer. Bottle brush & roses in the fall.”