In This Issue
Incoming HHA President's Message
General Meeting: Update/ Renovate - January 9
Planning for the Fire Station Continues - third Mondays
Heights Community Loses HHA Charter Member - Joe Dupuis
2012 HHA Officers, Directors, Chairs
Volunteer Appreciation and Awards Dinner - February 26
FYI The CIA Is Around The Corner!
Woman's Club Historic Marker Dedication and Open House
Deck The Heights - Holiday Home Tour Wrap-Up
Incoming HHA President’s Message
Happy New Year and Welcome to the January 2012 edition of The Heights. I hope your holiday season, be it Christmas, Hannukah, Diwali, Festivus, or Winter Solstice, was full of joy, great food, and rest.
With the New Year, I begin serving as President of the Houston Heights Association. When people meet me and learn I will be President, they tell me Congratulations, Condolences, or both. Fortunately for me, this year’s members of the HHA Board of Directors are energetic, enthusiastic, and excited about working to make Houston Heights an even better place for all of us.
Since meeting Deb Rouse, the woman who would become my wife, Houston Heights has been a part of our life. When we first met, Deb was living in a small bungalow on Lawrence with her two Pekinese, Smokey and Bandit. Two years later, when she finally came to her senses and fell in love with me, I was living in a small apartment off Harvard. Although we lived in Oak Forest for several years after we were married, we would visit Houston Heights often.
Whether for fun, like attending one of the Home Tours, for romance, such as a particularly memorable picnic dinner at Marmion Park, or in grief, when attending the funeral of my friend Suzanne Killian, Houston Heights always called to us.
Eight years ago, when it was time to find a new house, Houston Heights was where we wanted to live. We knew Houston Heights as a welcoming and warm place greeting everyone with open arms. The diversity in people, opinions, and styles made it even more inviting.
After a long search, we found the perfect home on 7 1/2 Street. During the holidays, you may have noticed the house with the blow-up snowdomes in front of it. That is where we live.
Houston Heights is a community that embraces and encourages the eclectic and eccentric. That’s why we fit in. Deb has one of the largest snowdome collections in Texas. When we first moved to Houston Heights, our house was featured on the Orange Show Eye Opener home tour. Like several other Heights residents, we host a house concert series featuring up and coming singer/songwriters. Our neighbors think the concerts are pretty cool and make every effort to attend. Houston Heights is a unique place, and I am happy and proud to call it home.
Before closing, all of us need to thank Bill Baldwin for his service last year as President of the Houston Heights Association. During his tenure, Bill served with energy, grace, and dignity few people can match. I have some very large shoes to fill.
Next month, the February 2012 edition of The Heights will include an article presenting my goals for the year.
General Meetings
Join us for an interesting and informative program at 7:00 PM on the second Monday of each month at the Houston Heights City Hall and Fire Station, 107 West 12th (at Yale).
January 9: Update/Renovate
Learn about everything from floors to doors to update and renovate your Heights home from local experts and guest speakers, including Rob Hellyer of Premier Remodeling & Construction and Paul Luccia of Cabot & Rowe.
February 13: Reaching New Heights - Chefs de Cuisine
Meet Heights Star Chefs with special guest Teresa Byrne Dodge of “My Table Magazine.” Teresa will enlighten everyone about the food scene of the Heights.
Planning For The Fire Station Restoration Continues
The Fire Station Master Plan Committee will be in full swing in 2012 with regularly scheduled meetings on the third Monday of the month at 5:30 PM - one hour before the Board of Directors Meetings - at the Fire Station.
The next phase of the plan will include the restoration of the downstairs area to the original open floor plan, allowing for the installation of two additional wooden garage doors and a more flexible space downstairs; an all-new air conditioning system will be installed, with the heavy equipment on the roof. During 2012, a more formal Needs Assessment will be completed along with a working document of a more formal Master Plan.
Please come out and be a part of this exciting renovation and restoration of our cherished and historic Fire Station. For more information, contact Bill Baldwin at Bill@YourBlvd.com.
Constable Program
Do you have your 2012 constable sign? Our elves have been busy getting signs and stickers out to the 2012 constable subscribers. If you are a new subscriber and don’t have a sign, please send us an email requesting one. If you an existing subscriber who has renewed and you do not receive a sticker for your yard sign by January 3, then please send us an email.
To learn more about the program, visit the web site Security page. Email questions to HeightsPatrol@houstonheights.org.
Constable Statistics
| Oct | Nov | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Arrests | 5 | 3 |
| Citizen Assists | 0 | 0 |
| Citizen Contacts | 106 | 111 |
| Vacation Watches | 305 | 387 |
| Court Citations | 41 | 45 |
| Alarm Responses | 10 | 9 |
| Suspicious Vehicles | 47 | 59 |
| Park Checks | 93 | 74 |
| Disturbances | 12 | 10 |
| Major Accidents | 1 | 0 |
| Criminal Offenses | 7 | 9 |
| Miles patrolled | 3,307 | 2,457 |
Platinum Sponsors
The Houston Heights Association gratefully acknowledges the support of the following 2012 Platinum sponsor:
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2012 HHA Administration
Officers
At the Organizational Meeting of the 2012 HHA Board, the following officers were elected to serve this year.
- President: Lindsey Lee
- President-elect: Dave Steitz
- V.P. Communications: Kelly Simmons,
- V.P. Community Affairs: Keith Crane
- V.P. Community Relations: Andrea Sharp
- V.P. Events: Dave Steitz
- V.P. Finance & Operations: Bill Baldwin
- V.P. Home Tours: Paula Swain
- V.P. Sponsorships: Chris Silkwood & Kelly Simmons
- Secretary: Stacey Courville
- Treasurer: Matt Bedingfield
Directors
The following members will be serving on the HHA Board of Directors this year. Numbers in brackets are the year each Director’s term expires.
- Bill Baldwin [2012]
- Matt Bedingfield [2014]
- Donna Bennett [2013]
- Keith Crane [2013]
- Mike Easley [2013]
- Rob Hellyer [2014]
- Lindsey Lee [2012]
- Bill Pellerin [2012]
- Alan Ratliff [2014]
- Andrea Sharp [2014]
- Becky Standridge [2012]
- Dave Steitz [2014]
- Paula Swain [2013]
- Bart Truxillo [2012]
- Vacancy [2013]
Committee Chairs
The following people will be serving as committee chairs or the equivalent this year.
- Awards Dinner: Bill Baldwin
- Bicycle Rally: Donna Bennett
- Boulevard Maintenance: Jim Bennett
- Business Committee: Becky Standridge
- Community Improvement Awards: Anne Culotta
- Constable Patrol: Lanna von Baden, John Ridgway
- Education Committee: Stephanie Babb
- Elections & Officers: Keith Crane
- Finance Committee: Matt Bedingfield
- HHA Properties: Bill Baldwin
- Land Use Committee: Bill Pellerin
- Membership Committee: Andrea Sharp
- Newsletter Editor: Mark Williamson
- Programs: Angela DeWree
- Sponsorships: Chris Silkwood, Kelly Simmons
- Spring Home Tour, Candlelight Dinner, and Auction: Gilbert Perez, Lina Fairchild, Hillary Cobb
- Super Neighborhood Delegate: Mark Williamson
- Urban Forestry: Angela DeWree
Contract Employees
- Paul Carr, Property Manager
- Lauriel Hindman, Business Manager
Heights Community Loses HHA Charter Member
On December 6, Joe Dupuis, Heights businessman and charter member of the Houston Heights Association, died. Joe was one of the Heights businessmen recruited by Marcella Perry to start HHA in 1973. Joe followed his mother Mildred Dupuis as the owner and operator of the Yale Pharmacy. In the early days of the Association, the Yale Pharmacy was frequently used for HHA committee meetings. For many years, Joe and the pharmacy hosted the planning meetings of the volunteers that put on the Heights Festival.
Joe followed his mother when he received the Marcella Perry Award in 1997. Mildred Dupuis had received the award in 1993. Joe’s wife, Neva, was HHA Treasurer for many years. She received our Citizen of the Year award in 1981. Joe also worked on many Heights Community projects as a long-time member of the Heights Rotary Club.
His community service boots will be hard to fill. He will be missed.
Donations
Our thanks to the following donors for their generous support of the programs of the Houston Heights Association.
- Rich & Amanda Anhorn - Boulevard
- Cathy Bauguss - Boulevard
- Houston Zen Center - Parks & Boulevard
- Mark & Shawna Hudson - Boulevard
- Trudy Nelson-Donovan Park Playground, Fire Station Restoration, & Boulevard
- John Palmer Studios - Boulevard
- Linda Parker
- Julia & Vesa Koivumaa - Donovan Park & Playground
- Larry & Stacey Ziems
Silver Sponsors
The Houston Heights Association gratefully acknowledges the support of the following Winter 2011-2012 Silver sponsor:
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Volunteer Appreciation And Awards Dinner
Save the date for the 38th Annual Houston Heights Association’s Volunteer Appreciation and Community Improvement Awards Dinner on Sunday, February 26, 2012, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM.
The theme this year is “Heart of the Heights”; the event and attire colors will be red, black, and gold. This ceremony is held each year at the Heights Fire Station, 107 E. 12th (at Yale). Tickets are $25 per person and will be available approximately January 15. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are $25 per person or tables of eight for $200.
The evening includes a BYOB mix-n-mingle hour from 5:00 to 6:00 PM. Dinner by Zelko Bistro will be served at 6:00 PM, with desserts provided by Pie in the Sky Pie Co. At the awards ceremony from 6:30 to 8:00 PM volunteer award recipients, such as 2011 Citizen of the Year, Corporate Citizen of the Year, and the Marcella Perry Award will be revealed.
A committee of dedicated volunteers and architectural experts will also reveal their choices for Community Improvement Awards, including historic and new residential and commercial properties that have been renovated or constructed within the last three years. If you would like to nominate a property you believe should be considered for this award, please see the article at right.
Check the Awards Dinner page any time for the most current information.
FYI The CIA Is Around The Corner!
The 2011 Community Improvement Awards is a wonderful opportunity to recognize some recent examples of positive changes and additions to our neighborhood. Next time you pass that renovation, restoration, or new construction that you just love, whether residential or commercial, consider giving credit where credit is due. Nominate the project for a CIA! Submissions are due by January 15, 2012, and the Guidelines and Nomination Form are included in the printed editions of our December and January issues. Additional copies may be printed from here.
The nominations will be presented at the HHA Awards Dinner on February 26 at the Fire Station, and the winners in each category will be announced at that time. It’s a small way in which we can thank our neighbors who have given us one more reason to say, “The Heights is such a great neighborhood!”
Bronze Sponsors
The Houston Heights Association gratefully acknowledges the support of the following Winter 2011-2012 Bronze Sponsors:
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Holiday Story Winners
The 2011 Holiday Story Contest received a wonderful response this year! The winning authors read their stories to an enthusiastic audience on Saturday, December 10, in the beautiful Reagan High School Library. Congratulations to the winners below!
First Place: “A Corvair Christmas” by Bob Hargrove
Second Place: “The Tiny Holiday Ferret” by Melissa Quintanilla
Third Place: “The Little Saldana Girl” by Deion Williams
Story Winners Bob Hargrove, Deion Williams, and Melissa Quintanilla
Woman’s Club Marker Dedication and Open House
Houston Heights Woman’s Club (HHWC) is proud to invite community members to the Texas Historical Marker Dedication. The historical marker plaque will be dedicated at the HHWC Clubhouse, 1846 Harvard, at 2:00 PM on Saturday, January 21. Refreshments will be served following the ceremony. Speakers include past HHWC President Anne Sloan, as well as noted Houston historian and author Betty Trapp Chapman. Please join the Club to celebrate this momentous occasion.
On Sunday, January 22, the Houston Heights Woman’s Club will host its first Open House for 2012 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. The first ever Open House was held in early October 2011 and was a great success. The event was planned as a way for interested community members to find out more about the Club in a casual, no obligation atmosphere. Over 45 people attended. The Club looks forward to opening the doors of the historic Club House to current and prospective members again. This will be a wonderful year to become involved as the Club celebrates its Centennial with parties and other events.
New Members
Please welcome the following new members to the Houston Heights Association.
- Shannon & Mitch Ackal
- Vanessa Beter & Gilberto Palafox
- Peggy Celano
- Change Your Latitude Travel, Erin Peters
- Bill & Rosanne Davis
- James & Kristin Dawson
- Chuck, Tammy, Valerie, & Brandon Frey
- Regan & Brian Gillett
- Joseph Goetz
- Michael Gonzalez
- Julia & Vesa Koivumaa
- Tom & Russelene Lewis
- Tom & Dawn McCarthy
- Michael McEnrue & Claire Connors
- Alan & Linda Muyskens
- Barry & Patricia Nixon
- Linda Parker
- Jeremy & Suzanne Peltier
- Deborah Perl
- Richard Proto
- Jonathan Rao & Melinda Finch
- John & Barbara Richards
- Karen Sheffield
- Michael & Christine Shopoff
- Bryan Smalley
- Allison & Vincent Spencer
- Urbanscapes, LLC, Steven Acquard
- Lauren Whitehead
- Tim Womble
Deck The Heights
HHA Holiday Home Tour & Patron Party Ring In The Holidays With Record Numbers
The beautiful historic William A. Wilson mansion at 205 Bayland Avenue was decked out in all its holiday glory for the Third Annual Holiday Home Tour VIP Patron Party on Thursday, December 1, and raised approximately $13,000 for the Houston Heights Association. 125 sparkly guests casually toured the six spectacular Holiday Home Tour homes then proceeded to the season’s party of the year, graciously hosted by the home’s owners, Bill Baldwin and Joe Gonzalez. A gourmet feast was generously donated and catered by several of our amazing local restaurants and establishments, including Berryhill in the Heights, Dacapo’s Pastry Café, Escalantes, Glass Wall, Happy Fatz, Ibiza, Shade, Stella Sola, and Whole Foods. A small silent auction raised money for a local school scholarship with donations from Carol Welter, D’Amicos Italian Market, the Holiday Home Tour & Patron Party Committee, Revival Market, Stella & Dot/Andrea Sharp, and The Four Seasons Hotel. When the evening concluded, guests were treated to delightful holiday gifts from Kristal Kirksey and her fabulous boutique on 19th Street, Jubilee. Next time you visit one of these local businesses, please let them know you appreciate their support of our neighborhood (and we encourage everyone to support all of our cherished businesses by shopping local year round).
The HHA Holiday Home Tour was equally successful raising $40,000 for the neighborhood organization. Thanks to all who attended, and we want to especially thank this year’s homeowners, who worked months to get their homes in tip-top condition and decorated to the nines for this event: Christian Clark, Bill and Judy Cummings, Arlen and Gayle Ferguson, Thomas Gribble & Phil Eaton, Kristal Kirksey & Kevin Tate, and Richard Proto. Being on the home tour is a fun and memorable experience, but it is also a huge sacrifice of time and resources for these very special people. Thank you all for your participation.
Once again, our local florists stepped up and added flowers and flair for the finishing touches to the beautiful homes. The Houston Heights Association would like to thank HEB Central Market, Heights Floral Shop, Killion Milam Florist, Red Oak Landscaping, and Strong Landscaping. Thanks also to the HHA business members who sold tickets leading up to the tour: Another Place in Time, Buchanan’s Native Plants, Davis Hardware, Jubilee, Heights Antiques on Yale, and Write Now!.
Without a group of dedicated leaders and volunteers, this event could not happen. Eternal thanks to this year’s Executive Chairs Andrea Sharp and Christine Spin and to Committee Chairs Stacey Courville, Marylou Erbland, Joe Gonzalez, Lauriel Hindman, Honi Knowles, Carol Welter, and Darrell Sharp (aka Santa). Head Docents for the homes were Rita Blanchard, Nick Eronko, Stasi and Damian Ogier, Gilbert Perez, Kelly Simmons & Keith Crane, and Mark & Kathleen Williamson. Special thanks to Bill Baldwin, John Baldwin, Tracy Englet of WebExtra, Susan Love Fitts Communications, Lindsey Lee, John Ross Palmer, Julie and Byron Pettit, Elizabeth Poirrier, and Ralf Brehm of Sign-a-Rama. Last, but certainly not least, the event just doesn’t happen without the hundreds of volunteers who give their time to docent, sell tickets, and help coordinate the shuttle buses.
Thanks to all of you who attended and volunteered! Plans will begin soon to bring another dazzling Holiday Home Tour event to you again next year.
Calendar of Events for January-February 2012
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Sunday |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
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1 New Year’s Day |
2 HHA Land Use, 6:30 PM, Fire Station |
3 PIP meeting, 7:00 PM, 1602 State Street |
4 |
5 - garbage and recycling Deadline for next newsletter |
6 |
7 |
|
8 |
9 HHA General Meeting, “Update/Renovate,” 7:00 PM, Fire Station |
10 |
11 |
12 - garbage |
13 |
14 |
|
15 |
16 Fire Station Master Plan Committee, 5:30 PM, Fire Station HHA Board Meeting, 6:30 PM, Fire Station |
17 Greater Heights SNC (SN15), 6:30 PM, Fire Station |
18 |
19 - garbage and recycling |
20 |
21 electronics recycling, Yale at Center |
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22 |
23 HHA Education Committee, 7:00 PM, Fire Station |
24 |
25 |
26 - garbage |
27 |
28 |
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29 |
30 |
31 |
February 1 |
2 - garbage and recycling Groundhog Day |
3 |
4 |
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5 Deadline for next newsletter |
6 HHA Land Use Committee, 6:30 PM, Fire Station |
7 PIP Meeting, 7:00 PM, 1602 State Street |
8 |
9 - garbage |
10 |
11 |
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12 |
13 HHA General Meeting, “Heights Chefs,” 7:00 PM, Fire Station |
14 Valentine’s Day |
15 |
16 - garbage and recycling |
17 |
18 electronics recycling, Yale at Center |
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19 |
20 President’s Day Fire Station Master Plan Committee, 5:30 PM, Fire Station HHA Board, 6:30 PM, Fire Station |
21 Greater Heights SNC (SN15), 6:30 PM, Fire Station |
22 |
23 - garbage |
24 |
25 |
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26 Volunteer Appreciation & Awards Dinner, 5:00-8:00 PM, Fire Station |
27 HHA Education Committee, 6:30 PM, Fire Station |
28 |
29 Leap Day |
March 1 - garbage and recycling |
2 |
3 |
HHA headquarters: The Fire Station is on the corner of Yale and 12th Streets.
Community Calendar
January 21, 2:00 PM, Houston Heights Woman’s Club historical marker dedication, 1846 Harvard. See article above.
January 22, 2:00-4:00 PM, Our Savior Lutheran School will be holding an open house for prospective students and families at 5000 West Tidwell. For more information, visit www.oslschool.org.
January 22, 4:00-7:00 PM, Houston Heights Woman’s Club open house, 1846 Harvard. See article above.
January 26-28, February 2-5, Opera in the Heights presents Donizetti’s Anna Bolena in Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Blvd. For more information, visit www.operaintheheights.org.
February 17 - March 3, UpStage Theatre presents The Beverly Hillbillies at Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Blvd. For more information, visit www.upstagetheatre.org.
Future History
April 13-15, Spring Home Tour
June 2, Heights Fun Run
October 7, Bicycle Rally
November 30 and December 1, Holiday Home Tour
December 11-12, Holiday Food Baskets [tentative dates]
At The Properties
Heights Tai Chi Association meets Saturdays 9:00 AM and Wednesdays at 7:00 PM in Marmion Park, Heights at 18th.
Heavy Trash Notes
January is a “Tree Waste Only” month; February is a “Junk Waste” month. For dates in your area, visit the City Solid Waste site.
Copyright and Submissions
The Heights is published monthly by the Houston Heights Association. Its purpose is to acknowledge achievements and to inform HHA members of events.
Copyright © 2012, the Houston Heights Association and/or the authors unless otherwise noted.
Newsletter inquiries, suggestions, or submissions should be directed to:
Editor, The Heights, 107 W. 12th Street, Houston, TX 77008-6907;
email editor@houstonheights.org; or leave a message on 713-861-4002.
Staff and Contributors
Editor: Mark R. Williamson
Assistant Editor: Kathleen S. Williamson
January contributors:
Paul Carr, Anne Culotta, Angela DeWree, Lauriel Hindman, Lindsey Lee, John Ridgway, Kelly Simmons, Viula Torgerson, Lanna von Baden, Maureen Weyel.