New 20 Mile Route for Heights Bicycle Rally

This year’s Heights Bicycle Rally, scheduled for Sunday October 5th will travel a new 20 mile route. The new route will take riders on city bike trails through the Heights, Montrose, South Hampton, Morningside, Braeswood, Texas Medical Center, Herman Park, Midtown, Downtown and Norhill. Unlike last year when there were 16 and 24 mile routes, there will only be one route this year.

Mystery sites for the scavenger hunt will be located along the entire route. This years rally maps will also include food and drink options along the route.

The September General Meeting of the Houston Heights Association will be dedicated to bicycling. There will be presentations on bicycle trails, types of bicycles, bicycle maintenance and the Heights Flyers Bicycle Club. For details on the Bicycle Rally visit the Rally web page or contact Rally Chairman Paul Carr at 713-869-0505.

Educator to Judge Scavenger Hunt

Anna Pi, an instructor at the Kumon Math & Reading Center, located at 2500 Yale St. has volunteered to judge this year’s Heights Bicycle Rally Scavenger Hunt. Over forty mystery objects or sights are scattered along the 20 mile course of the bicycle rally. The challenge is for the bicyclist/detectives to locate as many as possible. Prizes will be awarded at the awards ceremony at 4:00pm., at the fire station on Sunday, October 5th.

End of Bicycle Rally Celebration

The Heights Bicycle Rally and Scavenger Hunt awards ceremony will be a big party. Thanks to HHA member Mitch McFarland, entertainment will be provided by Big Al’s Blues Band. The music should start about 3:30pm. Around 4:00pm, this year’s MC, Martin Piké, will start issuing awards and the drawing for prizes will begin.

Every child (12 & under) that finishes the rally will receive a prize. There will be a separate drawing for adults.

The Heights Bicycle Rally & Scavenger Hunt will start at 7:30am at the fire station, on Sunday, October 5th. It is not a race. Participants can start at any time, as long as they finish by 4:00pm. Over 200 entrants are expected this year. For info, visit the Rally web page or call rally chair, Paul Carr at 713-869-0505.

Student-Volunteers Double Up

A group of Imanuel Lutheran School students will perform double volunteer duty on October 4th & 5th. The group, led by Cathleen Chevallier, will work at the school’s annual fall festival from 11:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday, October 4th. Then on Sunday, October 5th, they will man the Heights Bicycle Rally check point/water station at Root Memorial Park from 8:30am to 3:30pm.

Root Memorial Park is located near the Toyota Center. Imanuel Lutheran School is located at E. 15th & Arlington St. For festival information, call 713-861-8787. For Bicycle Rally information, visit the Rally web page.

Bicycle Rally Needs Prizes and Volunteers

The Heights Bicycle Rally Committee is near accomplishing its goal of having a prize for every child that completes the rally. But they are very short of prizes for adults. They are looking for merchandise or gift certificates for services and entertainment.

The bike rally also needs volunteers. There are two check point/water stations on the rally route. Volunteers are needed to work an hour & 45 minute shift. The check points are located at Braeswood Park (Kelving & Morningside) and Root Memorial Square on Austin St. near the Toyota Center. It is possible to work a shift and also ride the rally. Every volunteer receives a Heights Bicycle Rally T-shirt.

If you can volunteer or can contribute a prize, e-mail Rally Chair, Paul Carr at torturet@aol.com or call 713-869-0505.

The Great Cell Phone Drive

Helping the Children of Kabul, Afghanistan

The Houston Heights Association has joined forces with the Rotary Club of Houston Heights and the Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce in a goal to collect 5,000 used, inactive cell phones over the course of two days-September 13 and 14. Money raised will be used to buy desperately-needed medical supplies and equipment for a pediatric hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, which is staffed by our brave men and women of the Armed Forces, but tragically under-funded as to life-saving medical supplies and equipment. We commend R. G. Musgrove of the Rotary Club of Houston Heights for this endeavor and need your help to make this drive a success.

Please gather up your old and forgotten cell phones (no accessories or chargers, please) and take them to the following drop-off locations on Saturday or Sunday, September 13 or 14. Please consider asking your friends, neighbors, family, and co-workers to donate their unused phones as well. If you do not have a cell phone to donate, you may drop off new, unopened, and current over-the-counter children’s medications and supplies instead.

Many thanks to these local businesses that have generously volunteered to facilitate the cell phone drive:

• Buchanan's Native Plants, 611 E. 11th Street
• Heights Funeral Home (Saturday only, 9 a.m. to noon), 1317 Heights Boulevard
• Jubilee, 321 W. 19th Street

Let’s do our part in making the lives of these sick and injured children a little more bearable.

For more information, you may call R. G. Musgrove at 713-992-1899, or Kelly Simmons at 713-864-2474.

National Night Out

The Houston Heights Association, in conjunction with the Milroy Park Advisory Council and the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department, invite you to participate in National Night Out activities on Tuesday, October 7 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Milroy Park. Milroy Park is located at 1205 Yale, on the northwest corner of 12th and Yale Streets. Turn on your porch lights and come meet your fellow Heightsites in Milroy Park.

The History of National Night Out

National Night Out was founded in 1983 by Matt Peskin in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, and is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW). It is expected that National Night Out 2008 will involve over 10,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities, and military bases around the world. Last year’s National Night Out campaign involved citizens, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials from 11,310 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide. In all, 35.4 million people participated in NNO 2007.

National Night Out is designed to: (1) Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; (2) Generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs; (3) Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, and (4) Send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

The National Association of Town Watch was pleased to announce that for the first time in its twenty-five year history, they will be instituting an alternate test date in 2008 for the State of Texas. This date will enable law enforcement agencies and communities to officially participate in NNO 2008 during a cooler time of the year and remain a part of the NATW team. Along with the traditional display of front porch outdoor lights and front porch outdoor vigils, National Night Out will be celebrated by neighborhoods and communities with a variety of events and activities such as: block parties, cookouts, parades, flashlight walks, contests, youth programs and visits from local police.

The city of Houston first participated in National Night Out in 1985 as part of the Houston/Harris County team. Over the years, Houston/Harris County has obtained numerous awards and placements from NATW.

HHA Restoration - Historical Committee
meeting at 1218 Heights Blvd., Thursday, September 25th

The next Houston Heights Association Restoration/Historical Committee meeting will be held at 1218 Heights Blvd. on Thursday, September 25th from 7:30 to 9:30 PM. This meeting will be at the recently restored prestigious Heights Blvd. bungalow home and studio of contemporary artist, John Palmer. John’s concept was to renovate the existing bungalow and add another 3,000 square feet rather than tear down and totally rebuild in this historic neighborhood. By keeping the bungalow, his new residence has kept several very artistic elements including the original wood ceilings and glass French doors. The Height’s community has played a vital role in supporting John’s ever-growing artistic career, thus he strongly felt the Houston Heights should be his home.

Mr. Palmer’s career began 10 years ago. After studying in Florence, Italy at the Santa Reparata International School of Art, his travels and studies took him to Greece, Mexico, Canada, France and Tokyo. He describes his work in more emotional than technical terms. His art, and his path, are free, full of light and alive with energy and movement. Current works are displayed at fine art galleries across the country including New York, Scottsdale, Seattle, New Orleans and Boston. John has upcoming exhibits at Neiman Marcus in the Houston Galleria, London and Paris.

John and his architect, Sam Gianukos with Creole Designs, strongly felt that restoring one of the diminishing number of well built, beautiful Heights bungalows saves the environment by not recycling the tear-down construction materials to a dump site and overall restoration contributes to neighborhood historic preservation. John also used the construction magic of Terri Robinson’s Construction by Design company for make the total project come together.

This meeting will highlight an example of recycling a historic Houston Heights property from days past with discussion of updates for current use. Overall the original exterior beauty and character of this historic property has been kept intact. For those interested in history or how a historic property can be modified, this meeting will be a must. Also, for those wanting to meet some neighbors and have an enjoyable evening, do attend.

The Houston Heights Restoration/Historical Committee meetings are open to the public quarterly to learn about history and restoration in keeping with the appreciation of the historic nature of the Houston Heights. Please let Committee Chairman, Dean Swanson, know if you have a restoration project, historical structure under restoration or historical information or photos pertaining to the Heights to share at future meetings. Contact Dean at restoration@houstonheights.org or telephone him at (713) 880-2832.

Donations

The Barone Family

Simon & Linda Eyles — Boulevard

Denise Martin & Anita Goff — Parks

Kevin Grice — Boulevard

Mary & Ross Murdoch — Boulevard

Trudy Nelson — Boulevard

Maria & Mike Onufrow — Parks

Allen G. Pike — Parks, Boulevard, Flower Gardens

Noelle Reed — Boulevard

Susan Schorre — Graffiti Abatement

Members of Houston’s Historic Districts Gather

Mayor Bill White pledged his ongoing support for historic preservation during a first of its kind party for property owners from Houston’s historic districts. The August 14 gathering at downtown Houston’s Magnolia Ballroom, owned by Houston Heights resident Bart Truxillo, was held to celebrate Houston’s 172nd birthday. It was the first time owners of historic properties in all of the city’s historic districts had been invited to gather and meet each other. Mayor White, joined by his new Special Assistant for Cultural Affairs Minette Boesel, noted how far Houston has come in the area of preservation during his administration.

Truxillo donated the use of his ballroom for the event and the delicious food and beverage were generously underwritten by an anonymous donor. Another Houston Heights resident, Realtor Tim Womble, donated the birthday cakes.

Attendees included several members of the Houston Heights Association Board of Directors; residents from nine of Houston’s 12 historic districts and two pending districts; Houston City Controller Annise Parker, who owns a historic home in the Westmoreland Historic District; members of the Houston Archeological and Historical Commission; staff from the Houston Planning and Development Department and David Bush from the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance.

There are two City of Houston Historic Districts in Houston Heights, and a third is pending for the Freeland area just south of White Oak Drive on Frasier and Granberry Streets. The Houston Heights Historic District East generally encompasses the area bounded by 11th, Heights Boulevard, 20th and Oxford Streets. The Houston Heights Historic District West is generally bounded by 11th, Allston, 16th and Ashland.

Despite the designations, demolitions are not declining. 14 historic structures, 12 in the east district and 2 in the west district, have been targeted for demolition or relocation since the new districts were established about a year ago. An in depth analysis of activity since 1994 shows a significant acceleration of demolitions and relocations in the last three years. A total of 84 original buildings, 32 in the west district and 52 in the east district, have been lost just since 2005. That is an annual rate of loss of 14 structures in the east and about nine buildings in the west, more than double the annual losses in the ten years prior to 2005. If the current rate of deterioration continues, it will be about nine years before there would no longer be enough historic inventory to qualify for City of Houston Historic District designation.

2008 Habitat Highways Training Series:

Creating and Restoring Habitats for Wildlife in Urban Settings

Every year, more and more natural areas are being turned into urban landscapes. Right now the national estimate is 40 million acres, roughly the size of Pennsylvania. Wildlife habitats are being fragmented or even lost, leaving birds, butterflies and other creatures isolated with no place to turn for precious food, water and shelter. The good news is that our landscapes and green spaces can help to fill that gap by becoming habitat havens, creating ribbons of vibrant areas through which wildlife can continue their travels.

The Habitat Highways Training Series, in its second year, will continue to train advocates to create and restore wildlife habitats as a way to shorten the distances, “connect-the-dots”, between restored and existing habitats. As a project-focused group, participants will learn wildlife habitat basics, habitat landscape design and implementation, WaterSmart irrigation and rainwater harvesting for wildlife habitats, and eco-system specific landscape construction. Led by Chris LaChance of the WaterSmart Landscaping Program (a program of TX AgriLife Extension Service and TX Sea Grant Extension) and Mark Bowen of Urban Harvest, the classes will be held on October 9th, 14th, 21st, and 28th, 9:00-3:30 each day at the United Way of Greater Houston, 50 Waugh Drive, Houston, 77007. Two hands-on classes will be held on November 6th and 20th at a location to be announced. Cost is $150, including materials and space is limited. Participants must be prepared to attend each session.

Help give wildlife uninterrupted travel along habitat corridors with the Habitat Highways initiative.

For more information, contact Chris LaChance at 281-218-0721, c-lachance@tamu.edu or www.watersmart.cc.

Opera in the Heights Announces their 2008-09 Season

Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini

Sept 25, 26, 27, Oct 2, 3, 4, 10, 11 at 8:00pm

A clash of cultures in an exotic locale is the backdrop for this story of the gentle geisha and the American naval officer. Everyone will feel the sorrow of “Poor Butterfly,” betrayed and abandoned to some of the most heartfelt music ever written.

Two Faces of Donizeti by Gaetano Donizetti

Nov 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22 at 7:30pm

Enjoy two helpings of Donizetti’s most delicious music tonight: both comedy and tragedy are served with the magic of melody as only a master of bel canto can. Act I of Lucia di Lammermoor will be presented in concert form, and then Don Pasquale will be fully staged in its entirety.

Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi

Jan 29, 30, 31, Feb 5, 6, 7, 13, 14 at 7:30pm

Shakespeare’s drama interpreted by Verdi is a treasure trove of powerful music as well as incomparable poetry. This story of unbridled ambition, bloodshed, and sorcery is as timely today as it ever was. Its electrifying score will galvanize each and every listener.

Falstaff by Giuseppe Verdi

Mar 26, 27, 28, Apr 2, 3, 4, 10, 11 at 7:30pm

Falstaff is the supreme, ultimate, transcendental comedy in music. Maestro Verdi at 80+ years old wrote music for the ages. Enjoy seeing the tables get turned on old “Sir John” as, in the end, we will agree: “All the world is a burlesque and man is born a jester.”

Calendar of Events for September-October 2008

HHA headquarters: The Fire Station is on the corner of Yale and 12th Streets.

Community Calendar

Events planned by other community organizations.

Every Wednesday and Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Historic Houston’s salvage warehouse is open. Call 713-522-0542 or visit their web site www.historichouston.org.

Future History

October 5, Bicycle Rally

December 5-6, Holiday Home Tour

February 22, 2009, Awards Dinner

April 3-5, 2009, Spring Home Tour

April 18, 2009. HHA Camp-Out & Music Fest

June 6, 2009, Heights Fun Run