Welcoming New Businesses Into The Neighborhood /  by Estella Espinosa

Our little slice of Houston doesn't really have a huge number of businesses that are actually within the Woodland Heights footprint. Our boundary lines are White Oak Bayou, Studemont/Studewood, 11th/Pecore Street (with some homes off of Keyes included), and I-45. So when new businesses move in it's nice to notice and let neighbors know who's moved in.

Cariño Coffee - 3024 Houston Avenue

There’s been a shortage of coffee in the Woodland Height following the closure of Uncle Beans on Houston Avenue and Bayland. But for all you caffeine deprived javaphiles … you can now get your caffine fill at Carinos Coffee. They've opened shop in the former Uncle Beans building (following a few updates).

This past week was a soft open time for them with hours running from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday except Wednesday. This Mexican inspired specialty coffee shop offers a selection of brews for you to try from Americano to Mexican Mocha, Latte to Café Con Leche as well as non-coffee drinks including Chocolate Caliente, Horchata, and seasonal tea. And for all the morning dog walkers they are dog friendly and offer puppuccinos! 

If you're looking for something to eat with your favorite beverage they also offer pan dulce, a Sincronizada tortilla sandwich, and El Bolillo sandwiches. We've been told hours may extend next week so keep an eye out for updates and in the meantime stop by and welcome the new business to our community. You can find them on Instagram. 

Rumor Has It - 3020 Houston Avenue

Right next door to Cariño Coffee rumor has it that Woodland Heights has a Day Spa – and it’s called Rumor Has It Day Spa. And this newcomer stepped up almost immediately to become a community sponsor for last years Lights in the Heights. Many thanks for their support.

Rumour Has It Day Spa offers a full range of services including: body therapies, soothing massages, nail packages, lash extensions and weight loss treatments. They also offer in Office Manicures and in Office Massage Chair Events for businessHealth Fares, special celebrations, or Team building events. You can find more information about Rumor Has it Day Spa on their website at https://www.rhidayspa.com/.

Cool Dog - 1606 White Oak Drive

One other opening this past summer is Cool Dog located off of White Oak in what used to be King Biscuit (for all you old timers like me who remember King Biscuit). Following renovations, the building is now home to a new barber shop,  the sister shop of East End Barber. They offer a variety of services from haircuts to shaves. You can find out more about their services on their website https://www.whatacut.com/. 

The Houston 311 System /  by Michael Graves

The Houston 311 system is simply the best way to interact with city of Houston services. CM Castillo and his team have made this case repeatedly. City departments are required to answer for their 311 case load. City council uses these metrics to appraise how responsive each department is being to residents.

There are certainly times when the 311 system can be a source of frustration. For example, opening 311 tickets doesn't fundamentally change the underlying reality of the issue Houston Solid Waste has had with heavy trash collection. If the issue at hand is not something that can be addressed, such cases get closed, often without a clear explanation.

That said, the 311 system can work well when the matter at hand is readily addressable. Several of my own recent experiences provide nice examples.

You may recall some months ago when I reported a pothole on Houston Avenue. It was repaired in just one week.

More recently, on January 27th I filed a case reporting that the water fountain on the west side of Montie Beach Park was continuously flowing. A cold snap had damaged the internals, creating a little geyser of sorts.

This is clearly not a high priority issue, but something that should be addressed eventually. An update to the case revealed that the repair was completed on January 30th. That's just 3 days later!

The 311 system is imperfect. It can be frustrating. But there are times when it works. And we should recognize that, too.

Spring Festival Season in Houston /  by Estella Espinosa

Spring Festival Season and Spring Break are almost here in Houston. If you’re looking for fun things to do, here’s a quick guide to some local events.

MARCH 2 – 22 – Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
Since 1932, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has been a city tradition. The world’s largest rodeo features professional competitions, nightly concerts, a large barbecue cookoff, and a midway. For more information, visit https://www.rodeohouston.com/.

MARCH 6 - 11 – 2026 World Baseball Classic
Daikin Park will host the World Baseball Classic for the first time during its sixth installment. For details, visit https://www.visithoustontexas.com/blog/post/daikin-park-will-host-world-baseball-classic-2026/.

MARCH 8 - 10 – Azalea Trail
The 88th annual Azalea Trail, hosted by The River Oaks Garden Club, features tours of seven gardens, including four private home gardens. Proceeds support local beautification, horticulture awareness, conservation, and related education projects. For details and tickets, visit https://www.tickettailor.com/events/azaleatrail/1856514.

MARCH 9 – 13 – HISD Spring Break
For students in HISD schools, Spring Break is scheduled for March 9 to 13. More information is available at https://www.houstonisd.org/our-district/district-calendar?cal_date=2026-03-01.

MARCH 9 – 22 – Moon 2 Mars Festival
Space Center Houston’s Moon 2 Mars Festival, presented by Wellby Financial, offers opportunities to explore advanced space technology, visit NASA Johnson Space Center, and enjoy food and entertainment. All ages are welcome. For more information, including concert details, visit https://spacecenter.org/moon2marsfestival/.

MARCH 21 - 54th Annual Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta
Since 1972, the Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta has welcomed hundreds of participants to the city’s largest canoe and kayak race. The 15-mile paddle down Buffalo Bayou supports the Buffalo Bayou Partnership. For more information, visit https://www.paddlesignup.com/Race/TX/Houston/BuffaloBayouPartnershipRegatta.

MARCH 26 - HOUSTON ASTROS OPENING DAY
The Houston Astros open the 2026 MLB regular season at home against the Los Angeles Angels at Daikin Park. The four-game opening series runs from March 26–29. Hunter Brown has been named the Astros' Opening Day starter https://www.mlb.com/news/hunter-brown-astros-opening-day-starter-2026. 

MARCH 26 – 28 - NCAA March Madness South Regional
In 2026, the South Regional semifinals (Sweet 16) and finals (Elite Eight) will take place at Rice University's Toyota Center in Houston. For more information, visit https://www.toyotacenter.com/events/detail/ncaa-march-madness.

MARCH 27 - 29 - WHCA 2026 HOME TOUR "CROSSING THE THRESHOLD"
Six beautiful homes in historic Woodland Hieghts will be open to the public during the WHCA 2026 Home Tour! You can join us for the Sneak Peek Preview Home Tour Happy Hour on Friday, March 27, then continue the excitement all weekend, March 28–29. For more information and to buy your tickets visit https://www.woodland-heights.org/home-tour-2026

MARCH 28 - Annual Art Bike Parade and Festival
The Houston Parks Board, Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, and Houston Independent School District present this annual celebration of arts and culture, featuring community members and youth programs from across the city. The event encourages creativity, health, and wellness. For more information, visit https://www.artbikehouston.com/.

MARCH 28 – 29 - The Bayou City Art Festival
The Bayou City Art Festival Spring Edition will take place in Downtown Houston, showcasing the work of 250 artists across 19 categories. Attendees can enjoy live music, food, and entertainment while browsing and purchasing art. For more information, visit https://www.bayoucityartfestival.com/.

APRIL 11 – The Houston Art Car Parade
39 years old and going strong! The Houston Art Car Parade features 250+ vehicles from 23 states, plus Canada and Mexico with a live audience of over 300,000 spectators lining the street. This event is really a four-day citywide celebration of creativity called Houston Art Car Parade Weekend. For more information on all the festivities visit https://www.thehoustonartcarparade.com/history-of-the-houston-art-car-para

President's Report: Someone Should Do Something About The Trucks /  by Michael Graves

Last week saw a marked increase in the number of large trucks and tractor trailers going through the neighborhood. One neighbor called me directly. Another reached out via email. There was an outcry (or two) via NextDoor. Many people weighed in.

The overwhelming sentiment seems to be, "Someone should do something!" But who? And what exactly? Posting to social media is often just yelling into the void. There had to be something productive that could be done. Something that I could do.

So, I sent a note to CM Castillo's office. They advised me to file a 311 request asking for "No Thru Trucks" signage along the route the big trucks were following. The biggest problem seemed to be trucks going north on Studewood before turning east onto Bayland.

Only a couple of days later I received call from a city staffer who was on-site investigating. He reported that there already is such signage at Studewood and Bayland. That being the case, he would ask HPD to monitor the location for the next week or two.
 
At the start of the I-10 project we saw significant heavy truck traffic cutting through the neighborhood. Brian Edmondson, WHCA Director of Infrastructure, met with TXDOT's PR team. They toured the neighborhood looking for ways to improve signage, keeping the traffic on larger streets. As a result, the problem largely subsided.
 
Last week was a special case. The existing situation was compounded by the fact that I-10 eastbound was closed to allow repair of the Houston Avenue bridge. For a couple of days all traffic was diverted off I-10 at Shepherd, then ran along the feeder, finding its way towards I-45. Some turned north on Studewood. Others not until Watson. Thankfully, that closure was short-lived. By Sunday I-10 eastbound was back to normal.
 
Ideally, large trucks trying to get to I-45 should follow Studewood north to Pecore before making their eastward turn. That has them effectively skirt the perimeter of the neighborhood. Of course, people always follow signs, right?

CM Castillo's office has since followed up, arranging for a representative from TXDOT to address a future WHCA Member's Meeting.
 
Enough about what's been keeping me busy distracted. What have you been up to? In fact, I have some suggestions I'd like you to consider.

In May we'll hold another round of WHCA board elections. Several positions are available. If you think that "someone should do something"...why not you?

City seeking public comment on plan to add speed bumps along White Oak Drive /  by Michael Graves

Woodland Heights residents have started to receive a public notice about a plan to add some new speed bumps along White Oak Drive near Stude Park. The plan proposes to add a total of six (6) new traffic cushions along White Oak between Studewood and Taylor. Also, one new traffic cushion on Usener between White Oak and Taylor.

The project has been in the works for a long time. It’s the result of neighbors pressing for improvements along a known dangerous stretch of road. It’s being funded by Council District H.

City of Houston Public Works is obligated to seek public comment on the plan. They are specifically required to seek comments from neighbors who live within 0.5 miles from the project location. Neighbors within that radius will receive a mailing with a comment form.

The WHCA board urges everyone within the survey area to file a comment in support of the project. Public comments will be accepted until February 25, 2026.

Neighbors within the survey area can opt to file a comment online. To file a comment online:

  1. Visit: http://popms.houstontx.gov/ntmp/rptFeedback_Pub

  2. Select the project name, which is 7440-25 Woodland Heights C.

  3. Enter your street address

If your street address is within the survey area you will be shown a listing for your home, with a Select link to access the online feedback form (as pictured above.)

If your street address is not within the survey area, you cannot file a comment.

Board Elections - Nominations /  by Estella Espinosa

What does the WHCA do?

The Woodland Heights Civic Association (WHCA) works to improve and preserve the historic Houston neighborhood by serving as a voice for residents, addressing safety, beautification, and quality-of-life issues, and celebrating the area's unique heritage.

When was the WHCA founded?

In 1986, a group of neighbors filed incorporation papers with the State of Texas to create the WHCA. The organization was created to work for the ‘civic betterment and social improvements in the Heights area of Houston, Texas.’

Since then, the WHCA, through it’s elected board of volunteer directors, have worked to support the neighborhood with programs like the WHCA Constable Patrol in partnership with Harris County Precinct 1, organizing major volunteer driven events like "Lights in the Heights," the bi-annual Woodland Heights Home Tour, managing neighborhood deed restrictions, advocating with city government for infrastructure improvements that benefit the Woodland Heights neighborhood, and fostering a neighborhood community through newsletters and social activities.

WHCA Board Composition

The WHCA Board is composed of 9 volunteer board members elected by WHCA members. The Board members are elected to 2-year terms, with staggered election terms. This means every year, an election is held for half of the board.
This year’s elections will be held during the May WHCA member's meeting Tuesday, May 12, 2026. The following positions are up for election:

  • President – Coordinates and presides over General and Board Meetings; acts as a liaison with the neighborhood and other civic associations; acts as a government liaison to maintain contact with city and state officials.

  • Director of Beautification – Oversees the maintenance of the green spaces overseen by the WHCA, including the Norhill Esplanade, Ley Plaza Pollinator Garden, the Watson Street Esplanade, and the Houston Avenue Esplanade.

  • Director of Communications – Oversees the WHCA website, monthly newsletters, and additional WHCA publications, graphic needs, and literature.

  • Director of Security - liaisons with Precinct 1 on the WHCA Constable Patrol, coordinates the 4th of July neighborhood kids parade, and arranges the National Night Out events.

All nominations for board positions must be received by Monday, May 4, 2026. To submit a nomination for a board position for yourself or someone else, use the nomination form to add yourself to the mix. Nominations should be submitted to Sara Smithey at secretary@woodland-heights.org.

WHCA Board Nomination Form

Paws Up Times 2 /  by Guest User

Submitted Arta Salehi written by JJ

Hi Woodland Heights! My name is JJ, and I’m a one-and-a-half-year-old Mini Schnauzer-Frenchie mix with a very important job: making sure my parents are never too far away from me. In my professional opinion, we should all be together at all times. Separate rooms? Suspicious. Leaving the house without me? Unacceptable. But I forgive them eventually.

You’ve probably seen me around the neighborhood. I take four walks a day (yes, four – my parents love me very much) so I like to think of myself as a full-time Woodland Heights resident and part-time celebrity. A lot of you already know me, and if your dog barked at me at first, don’t worry that’s normal. I win dogs over every time. Give it a week or two and suddenly we’re best friends.

When I’m not walking the neighborhood, I’m usually sleeping on my back like a human, head on a pillow, paws in the air. It’s my signature move. Beauty rest is important when you’re this cute. People tell my parents all the time that I look like a movie puppy. I don’t know what that means exactly, but I assume it involves snacks and attention. I might need a little training first – I’m very much my own person with lots of sass.

Humans seem to love me. So much, in fact, that people will literally pull over their cars just to ask what breed I am. (Again: Mini Schnauzer-Frenchie mix. You’re welcome.) I take this fame very seriously and try to represent Woodland Heights well.

I have a few hobbies too. I love chasing squirrels – though I’ve never caught one – and honestly, I’m not sure what I’d do if I did. Cats, however, are terrifying. I try to act brave, but if one looks at me the wrong way, I’m out of there.

Mostly, I just love my people, my walks, my naps, and my neighborhood. Thanks for saying hi, thanks for loving me, and thanks for making Woodland Heights such a great place for a pup like me.

Love,

  JJ 🐾

Submitted by Kate Cartwright

Meet Haley, a 7-year-old Australian Shepherd who is 50 pounds of pure fluff, spunk, and personality. As a new resident of Woodland Heights, she’s quickly learning the ropes and making friends everywhere she goes.

Haley’s favorite pastime is a long walk to any coffee shop willing to hand out a pup cup, and she loved her first holiday season filled with night walks to admire the neighborhood Christmas lights.

She’s a champion neighbor-greeter, an enthusiastic chicken spectator, and a proud front-porch guardian. If you hear her big bark, don’t be alarmed, Haley takes her job very seriously and just likes to make sure everyone knows she’s on duty. She adores kids and will happily help distract a crying baby…especially if it increases her chances of earning an extra walk.

February is National Spay & Neuter Awareness Month /  by Michael Graves

Spay & Neuter Awareness Month is a nationwide initiative aimed at educating the public and pet owners about the benefits spaying and neutering provide to pets and people alike. A key part of responsible pet ownership, the procedure not only provides health and behavioral benefits to your furry friend - it also help control pet over population and reduces shelter strain.

The ??? owes it's creation to Doris Day, a top box-office star the '50s and 60s known for romantic comedies and musicals and  Aalife-long animal lover and advocate . In 1978 following her acting career she founded the Doris Day Animal Foundation. In 1995 to help combat pet overpopulation, her organization created World Spay Day, to promote spaying and neutering of pets to reduce euthanasia in shelters. Today, the month of February continues her original legacy with the same goal to riase awareness about the millions of unwanted pets and to encourage responsible pet ownership through sterilization.  

WHCA Venerable Home Designation /  by Guest User

Since 2020, WHCA has been offering historic designation yard signs for homes that are at least 100 years old. Currently, we have installed 142 signs all over the Woodland Heights.

In order to participate, the homeowner must be a current member of the WHCA and have a home that qualifies by being 100 + years old. This year we can approve signs for homes that were built in 1926 or before that date. We have many homes that qualify but have not contacted us about getting a sign. We would love to put a sign in your yard.

One of our objectives is to recognize and celebrate our older homes that are original to the neighborhood. If you are interested in getting a sign, please contact Debbie Hall by email (debhall945@gmail.com) or cell (713-927-7407).

2026 Home Tour: "Crossing the Threshold" /  by Louise Moss

The 2026 Woodland Heights Home Tour “Crossing the Threshold” is scheduled for March 27-29. You can buy your tickets today from the Woodland Heights Store for both the Home Tour itself or get an early look by buying Preview Happy Hour Tickets!

This year, six historic homes, along with a special feature local landmark, will be open to tour-goers. The ever-popular “preview happy hour” scheduled for Friday, March 27, from 5 to 7:30 p.m., will feature self-guided sneak peeks at the homes. This happy-hour preview offers no waiting lines and wine and cheese at each stop.

Preview Home Tour Happy Hour $50 online
or at 114 Byrne ticket booth, Friday night

 Home Tour tickets $30 online in advance
or $35 during tour weekend online or
at the ticket booths located at 114 Byrne and
at the Norhill Esplanade (corners of Norhill and Bayland)

We're excited to welcome you! Advance ticket holders MUST pick-up their tickets tour weekend from one of the two ticket booths. See the website or your receipt for specifics and ticket booth hours.

For faster entry, please bring your receipt, even though we'll have a list of purchaser names. Babies and toddlers carried by their parents join for free, but please note: no strollers are allowed in homes.

Every ticket supports Woodland Heights! All Home Tour proceeds go to the Woodland Heights Civic Association, helping preserve and beautify our vibrant community.

The tour is made possible by hundreds of volunteers, both committee chairs who spend months planning, and the many "weekend warriors" who make the tour possible as docents at the individual homes or cashiers working the ticket booths. Please consider volunteering to help. A three-hour shift earns you a free home tour ticket! You can choose where and when to volunteer here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C49A9A823A5FA7-61657407-2026#.

Check out the Woodland Heights websiteor via www.whcahometour.org for more details.

President's Report: January 2026 /  by Michael Graves

Here we are at the end of January already. Lights in the Heights is now well behind us. Immediately following our neighborhood event, the holiday season hit like an avalanche. There was barely time to recuperate before the first WHCA board meeting of the year.

The board met on Tuesday, January 6th. On this occasion, we invited the various committees involved in Lights in the Heights to participate in an after-action-analysis of the event. There was much discussion of the various aspects of the event. Who did what? What were the processes? What were the problems? Where are the opportunities for improvement?

On the whole, the collected parties felt the event ran well this past year. It was an incremental improvement over last year in some ways. We also jotted down some ideas for ways to evolve both the event and the organization, to make things easier, and potentially more remunerative, in the future.

I’d like to personally thank everyone who participated, from start to finish. Lights in the Heights is a huge event, involving dozens of volunteers. In the end, most of the work falls to a handful of extremely dedicated neighbors, who invest a huge amount of the time and energy.

January also finds WHCA holding the first Member’s meeting of the year. That gather was Tuesday, January 13th at Zion Lutheran Church. While we did go through some of the normal business of the civic association, the major draw was a presentation by Jim Parsons, Director of Special Projects at Preservation Houston. 

Jim’s talk, “Time & Place: Unlocking the History of Your Home or Building” was both enlightening and entertaining. He described the various available resources and paths of investigation that could reveal the history of older homes. His slides were tweaked to show historic maps of Woodland Heights, so many in attendance could see references to their own homes!

The presentation drew a crowd of about 40, which is well above average for a Member’s Meeting. After the formal presentation there was about 15 minutes of Q&A from a very engaged audience.

We had an inkling this would be broadly of interest to the neighborhood, so we recorded Jim’s part of the presentation. If we can get a copy of his slides, we’ll try to make this part of the meeting available via the WHCA web site.

That said, if you have any interest in this subject, and missed our January meeting (tsk!) you can sign-up for their next formal presentation, which is Tuesday, February 10, at PH Studio in the Preservation Houston office, 3907 Main Street. Registration is $10 for Preservation Houston members and $15 for non-members.

Jim was referred to us by Debbie Hall, a former WHCA board member, who oversees the Venerable Home Project. That project sets out to recognized homes in the neighborhood that have been verified as 100 years old.

Planning for the 2026 WHCA Board /  by Michael Graves

The holiday period presents an opportunity to reflect upon personal goals. I’ve given up on the notion of “resolutions” but there’s usually a list of things I’d like to change, things I’d like to revisit and new things I’d like to undertake. I’d like to offer a suggestion; give some thought to how you engage with your neighbors, and the neighborhood at large.

The neighborhood is a busy place. There’s always things to do. WHCA is constantly in need of volunteers. There are tasks of all sorts, great and small, just waiting for someone who has the time and cares enough to want to help.

In May, there will be an election for several members of the WHCA board of Directors. The board is comprised of nine members, each of whom serve a two-year term. Thus every year about half of the board is elected.

This year the following positions will be up for consideration:

  • President

  • Director of Beautification

  • Director of Communications

  • Director of Security

At this point it’s not known if any of the current directors intend to return. That doesn’t really matter. The election itself is your opportunity to step-up and have a say in how the organization is run. There’s no more direct way to help guide the activities of the civic association in its mission to “bring about civic betterment and improvements” in the neighborhood.

Download a nomination form

Use the nomination form to add yourself to the mix. Nominations should be submitted to Sara Smithey at secretary@woodland-heights.org

Holiday Pups This Month's Pet of the Month! /  by Estella Espinosa

This months pet of the month features some of the pets who took a seat in the Santa Chair that was on the Norhill Esplanade. 

Following LITH Simone setup the Santa throne at the Norhill Esplanade for neighbors to drop by and take photos of their pups or familythe weekend before Christmas. Many people took the opportunity to snap a photo or two with their favorite pup. 

Many thanks to Simone Adams and Cisco for sharing the beautiful display for pups and people to enjoy. 

2026 Starts With A Blowout! /  by Michael Graves

Early on January 1st Carl Sorenson (WHCA Co-Dir of Security) reported a ten-foot geyser of water on the east side of the Norhill esplanade. Apparently, overnight, some new year’s celebrants somehow toppled the protective housing for the backflow preventer that’s part of the irrigation system. Unfortunately, that protective wire cage was not secured. So, the passing miscreants accidentally snapped off the 1-inch PVC supply line to the irrigation system.

While these passersby may have been seeking a place to sit for spell, I’m willing to bet they were surprised! Also, they very likely got drenched.

In the morning, when the problem came to light, Norhill neighbors Tiffany Tyler and Charles Kuffner managed to find the shutoff for the city water and get it turned off. Many thanks to them for taking action to end the Bellagio-esque display. It was shut off by the time I passed by to take this picture of the damage.

As of this writing, another neighbor is venturing out to see about making a repair. It’s PVC so it may be quite simple, but supplies may be difficult to get on New Year’s Day.

WHCA aims to do these things cost effectively. If we can enact a DIY solution, that’s our preferred approach. However, as Harry Callahan once quipped, “…a man’s got to know his limitations.” While I have some skills with tools, I am no plumber.

In the time that it took me to write this, Jonathan Moore, husband of Julie Moore (WHCA Dir of Deed Restrictions,) managed to successfully make the repair.

WHCA is all about neighbors doing things!

Bright Future For Dinos! /  by Estella Espinosa

Save the Dinosaurs

Many thanks to all the neighbors who responded to the Save the Dinosaurs from Extinction Campaign! Total funds raised from the 2025 campaign were $3480. These funds covered the cost of installing, storing, and maintaining the dinosaur display for the 2025 LITH event. The cost to install, remove and store the dinos was just over $3000 this year, and thanks to your generous contributions we were able to cover the cost and have some funds remaining for maintenance! Your continued support will be needed to ensure the dinosaurs return to the esplanade in 2026.

And Speaking of Maintenance

A long term plan is in the works to keep the dinosaurs maintained and grow the number of volunteers who can help with the maintenance – while learning the art of dinosaur making! A win win for everyone! Not only do you get to learn how the display is made – you also get to meet neighbors who are interested in artwork as well! Some of this work is better attempted while the dinosaurs are still hanging. Other work may be best for next year just before the dinosaurs are brought out from storage to be installed again.

Additionally, we are starting a graphic library of all our dino designs. This will make it easier when a rebuild is needed so there’s good documentation on what colors go where, etc. If you or any member of your household has graphic talents, we would love to talk to you about helping with the design library.

And finally, we need for volunteers who are available and interested in either working on some maintenance or being part of a build workshop.

The maintenance for this year will happen over the first 2 weekends in January, but the build workshop could come any time. We would likely design something smallish to get folks used to the methods of the build.

If you would like more information on dino builds, how you can help or on volunteering email dino@woodland-heights.org.

January 13th - WHCA Members Meeting /  by Michael Graves

Did you know that the Woodland Heights neighborhood is one of the oldest and historic neighborhoods in the City? It was originally establish in 1907 by the William Wilson Realty Company in 1907. The homes were designed to be 'upscale, yet affordable for middle class families.' Homes in the neighborhood were built in the Queen Anne, Craftsman, and American Four Square designs. 

Keeping this history in mind and also as a precursor to the Woodland Heights Home Tour coming up later in the spring - we thought it only fitting to invite Preservation Houston to our member's meeting to learn more about our neighborhood and their organization. We hope you will all join us as we welcome Jim Parsons, the Programs and Communications Director for Preservation Houston. His talk will center around Preservation Houston and tin particular the historic nature of the Woodland Heights.It'll be a great way for long-time residents and new neighbors to learn more about our 'Hometown Near Downtown Since 1907.'  We hope you will join us!

DATE:
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 
TIME:
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
LOCATION:
Zion Lutheran Church
3606 Beauchamp St, 77009

President's Report December 2025 /  by Michael Graves

Lights in the Heights 2025 has wrapped! The past few weeks are literally a blur. There’s just so much that goes into planning and staging Lights in the Heights. It’s time to look back at the events and acknowledge the efforts of those passionate neighbors that made it all happen.

The Bash
Lights in the Heights starts with the Bash. While that’s some weeks in the past, it was nonetheless a critical first step in the process. The Bash committee was co-chaired by Lauren Snead and Danielle Garcia, with the assistance of; Nikki Hanley, Amanda Dinitiz, Ashley Allison, Jim Chambers, Christa White & Christina Thiele.

The process started back in January, when Lauren Snead, Bash co-chair, was still pregnant. We’d barely cleared away the mess from New Years when she was chasing me about confirming the Old Heights Fire Hall as the new venue for the event.

Lauren and the team went about securing food and drink sponsors, and dozens of donations for the silent auction. Then built a party around that core. An overview of the event was already published in the November newsletter, which can also be found on the web site.

The Bash was well received and very successful, raising over $15,000 towards other LITH events including Friday Night Lights and LITH. That’s about half the cost of the main Lights in the Heights event.

Sponsorships
Starting in September, Dallas Jagneaux-Boyle and I began chasing down a long list of companies to find sponsors for the event. We tweaked the sponsorship tiers to make them simpler, and set out to befriend businesses all around the area. This year was more challenging than last year, but in the end we managed to find enough sponsors to ensure that we’d be showing black ink in the final analysis.

We’re grateful to each and every one of our sponsors for their support. You should be, too! Please make them your first call whenever you need what they offer.

Judging

LITH Committee chair Ashley Allison thought it would be good to invite a larger group to judge the decorations this year. So we put out the word in a limited fashion. It would be easy to have vastly too many people, making the process impractical. We ended up with a group of 15. That’s the largest group of judges in memory.

The sheer number of judges presented a new challenge. How to proceed with the mechanics of the judging? Judges need to navigate the neighborhood as a group, with the opportunity to stop and examine the houses as desired. Ideally, some kind of open transport is required. A shuttle bus or stretch limo just isn’t appropriate.

Given the number of judges involved we settled upon a fleet of golf carts. There were three available from amongst the group of judges, and two more we rented. The judging went quite smoothly, taking about three hours on a cold evening. Several of the judges made a further path through the neighborhood to refine their notes, before passing them to the committee head.

One neighbor had written, imploring us to publish the results before the event, so they could know how to plan their evening. The results were tabulated and published to the web site on Saturday, with beginning of a photo gallery of the winning homes. That gallery was completed a couple days later.

Sara Smithey, Leah Patrick, Alyssa Holub, Kate Cartwright, Julie Moore, Michael Graves, Estella Espinosa, Kerry & Justin Blackmon, Andrew & Ashley Allison, Brian Edmondson, Connor Allison, Cash Laney, Norah Blackmon, and Keaton Bollmann.

Friday Nights Lights
Friday Night Lights is the smaller, family-focused LITH event for neighbors. Held on the Norhill Esplanade this year’s edition of FNL went very smoothly. FNL is organized by Beth Sorenson, with help from her husband Carl.
 
Attendees enjoyed music by the Cosmos Street Band, while making smores. Sponsor Eureka Heights Brewery provided hydration. Memorial Herman Greater Heights was there with a photo booth. Boy Scout Troop 30 from St Mark’s Church was selling wreaths and snacks, while the younger kids got to visit with Santa and Mrs Claus.

Alyssa Holub, WHCA manager of merchandise, was on site delivering orders of LITH & WHCA merchandise. The  2025 LITH  and generic WH holiday ornaments actually sold out! If you didn’t get yours, fear not! We are reordering both to make sure every order is fulfilled.

For me, the highlight of FNL was recognizing Ward and Susan Pennebaker for their many years designing and crafting the electric dinosaurs that ring the Norhill Esplanade. WHCA and CM Castillo had the city create an official proclamation, declaring Friday, December 13th as Pennebaker Day in Houston! The proclamation was presented with the help of Thomas Wheaton (CM Castillo’s staff) Tiffany Tyler and their son, Matt Pennebaker.

All of that was enough to make me work up an appetite. So, I was glad that Wokker was there to meet that need. Special thanks to WHCA board member Ryan Taylor for providing the flatbed trailer was used as a stage for the band.

Lights in the Heights 2025: The Main event
I think that everyone has their own, unique experience of Lights in the Heights. I’m happy enough to share ours, which was very positive this year. Stella and I walked the entire route in about 90 minutes. The weather was good. The crowds were moderate in size and well-behaved, as far as we could tell. There were quite a few young people out. Also, quite a number of dogs. At no point in our meander did we find ourselves in a “crush” of people, as occasionally happened in the past.

The houses and yards were bright and cheery. I especially like it when neighbors wrap the old oaks on the boulevards. While the single best wrapped tree was at 912 Woodland, the 900 block of Bayland impressed with many old oaks wrapped in white, and colored lights strung across the street. That takes considerable effort.

The performers seemed reasonably distributed across the route. Coordination of locations and performers was handled by former WHCA board member Stephanie Frey. It’s a daunting task, placing bands on porches. Trying to make space for a choir or bell chorus between the DJs and electric bands. It’s not easy. Especially when neighbors occasionally surprise us by hiring a band without letting us know.

The performers were a diverse lot; some very good, others at least interesting. I admit that I am of a certain age where loud is not the same as good. But if the players are good, I don’t mind it loud. As long as the PA equipment itself isn’t suffering. The Brazilian Blues Band at 504 Woodland was notably good, drawing a correspondingly large crowd.

I do enjoy the young musicians. I was especially impressed by the band from Bojangles Music School. On the porch at 925 Bayland, they were a group of young people with a lot of heart, playing classic rock songs from my era. And doing a decent job of it. They had amassed quite a group of appreciative onlookers when we passed by.

In a similar vein, I was interested to hear the band from the School of Rock who were the Norhill Esplanade. Alas, they were on a break as we passed by.

While at that eastern end of the route we chatted with the folks from Bike Houston, who reported over 100 bikes in their supervised lockup. Big thanks to Joy Roth and Bike Houston for their efforts.

At various points along the way I made a point of chatting up neighbors on porches without performers, to get their sense of the event. Everyone I talked to was enjoying the event. None reported any misbehavior. I also said hello to a number of the police officers working the event. One officer said she lived in the Woodlands, and this was her first time in Woodland Heights. From her perspective, everything was going very well.
 
Close
Countless neighbors have told us that Lights in the Heights is important to them. It’s part of what draws people to Woodland Heights. Such a long-running festival, run entirely by volunteers, is a sign of a strong and caring community. A hearty thank-you to our sponsors and everyone involved in planning and staging the events, also the many neighbors whose decorations literally light the way. 







2025 LITH Home Decorating Winners /  by Michael Graves

Thursday night a team of Lights in the Heights Judges (all volunteers) made their way through the neighborhood on a train of golf carts. They stopped here and there to figure out which homes were naughty or nice. The results are in! Everyone is nice, but some were nicer than others so here’s the list of 2025 LITH Home Decorating Winners.

  • Most Crafty – 405 Highland

  • Most Colorful - 809 Bayland

  • Most Creative – 205 Bayland

  • Most Wattage – 2905 Beauchamp

  • Most Traditional – 720 Bayland

  • Best Theme – 3511 Oak Ridge

  • Most Historical – 1116 E. 6 1/2

  • Pick of the Night – 1020 E. 7th

  • Ho! Ho! Ho! – 423 Bayland

  • Most Musical – 629 Woodland

  • Best Movie Theme – 1031 Bayland

  • Best Tree – 912 Woodland

  • Scary Christmas! – 308 Woodland

  • Most Yummy – 814 Woodland

  • Best Single Color – 508 Euclid

  • Best Block – 1000 Woodland

  • Best Team Theme - 413 and 423 Woodland

  • Best Demogorgon - 3218 Beauchamp

The Gallery

Friday Night Lights /  by Beth Sorensen

Kick off your Lights in the Heights weekend at Friday Night Lights on Friday, December 12 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm on the Norhill Esplanade. Join your neighbors around the campfire and toast marshmallows under the glow of the Jurassic Christmas displays.

Favorite beverages include ... adult brews courtesy Eureka Heights Brewery, a Lights in the Heights sponsor, and hot chocolate for all the kiddos. Music will be provided by The Cosmos Street Band. We’ll have a ‘rockin good time’ listening to the Cosmos cover Classic Rock and Blues hits.

Joe Reyes provides vocals, Big Mo Cavazos and Joe Amador add their voices as well as Bass and Guitar to the mix. Then Johnny Cavazos hits the Drums while Drew accompaniess them all on Keyboards! All combined The Cosmos will fill the esplanades with great sounds that might move you to sing along and take a turn to their tunes under the twinkling holiday lights.

You can pick up your LITH ornaments from the LITH booth - and add to your shopping bag with new purchase of more merch which will be on sale all night, so be sure to grab your private party signs and other keepsakes. Some of our generous sponsors will also be at the event to spread the holiday cheer.

And while you are enjoying all the fun, keep your eyes and ears tuned to hear the sound of sleigh bells which could only mean Santa and Mrs. Claus have arrived! Photos will take place at their booth. They’re expected to arrive at 5:30 pm.

- Beth Sorensen, Director of Security