Inside Today: Rotary Club of Houston Heights to host Mayor Whitmire at community luncheon Page 5
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Saturday, March 8, 2025 • Vol. 70 • No. 10
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Oak Forest Uncorked Returns for Third Year: Raising funds for community safety and neighborhood connections By LISA MORALES The Leader News Contributor The Oak Forest Homeowners Association’s (OFHA) wine tasting event, Uncorked, is back for its third year on April 22, bringing together wine enthusiasts, community members, and local businesses for an evening of fun, flavor, and fundraising. The much-anticipated event will take place at the Sonoma Wine and Cheese Garden Oaks location,
offering attendees wine tastings, cheese pairings, door prizes, a wine pull, raffle items, and a silent auction—all in support of the Oak Forest Neighborhood Patrol Program. Organized by the dynamic duo of Gabriel Perez, OFHA Community Relations Chair, and Deena Alcorta, OFHA Director of Public Relations, the event has become a cornerstone of the Oak Forest community’s annual calendar. The proceeds from Uncorked
directly benefit the Neighborhood Patrol Program, which plays a crucial role in maintaining safety and security in the community. According to the OFHA website, Oak Forest is the third largest subdivision in Harris County with 5,526+ homes in 18 sections and 24,000 residents. “As the largest annual fundraiser for OFHA, Uncorked plays a vital role in raising essential funds See OFHA P. 2
Submitted photo
Uncorked will feature wine and cheese pairings, a silent auction, door prizes, wine pull and much more.
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Honoring Pioneers: Vollmer Cemetery receives Historic Texas Cemetery designation By CHRIS DAIGLE The Leader News Contributor
St. Ambrose shines at Houston Regional History Fair
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It’s back to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day: The Lucky 13 Pub Crawl
Page 6 Photo courtesy of University of Houston Law Center
Lauren Jansen Simpson, U of H Law Center instructor and pollinator enthusiast.
St. Julian’s Crossing: A pollinator haven in the heart of Oak Forest By LISA MORALES The Leader News Contributor
Comings & Goings: See what businesses are leaving or joining the neighborhood
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Pet of the Week: Meet Lulu, the party animal with a nap hobby
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For more than a decade, St. Julian’s Crossing Wildlife Habitat has been an urban sanctuary for pollinators and wildlife in Houston’s Oak Forest neighborhood. The brainchild of Lauren Jansen Simpson, a dedicated naturalist and educator, St. Julian’s Crossing is more than just a home garden—it’s a thriving ecosystem designed to support bees, insects, beetles, butterflies, birds, and other wildlife while educating the community about conservation. What started as a personal mission to create a sustainable garden after Houston’s drought in 2014 has blossomed into a thriving microcosm on just a few yards of land. With certifications as a Wildlife Habitat from the National Wildlife Federation, Butterfly Garden from the North American Butterfly Association, and Monarch
Submitted photo
Hoverfly on Texas native firewheel plant.
Waystation No. 10925 from Monarch Watch, Simpson’s efforts demonstrate how a small urban space can play a vital role in supporting native pollinators. Her garden has become a living classroom for anyone looking to transform their own landscape into a haven for wildlife. Unlike conventional gardens, St. Julian’s Crossing operates without pesticides or herbicides, allowing
nature to maintain its own balance. Instead of eliminating pests like aphids, Simpson has embraced them as an essential part of the habitat. “Like most wildlife habitat gardeners, we find various aphid species on our garden plants. In the past, I used to squish them or hose them off. But over time, I’ve learned why leaving aphids on my native plants can support a web of life in my garden, while allowing aphid populations to be controlled naturally,” she explains. Aphids, it turns out, are a critical food source for beneficial predators such as lady beetles, lacewings, and hoverflies, whose larvae can consume hundreds of aphids before pupating. Even hummingbirds feed on aphids, proving that a hands-off approach can actually strengthen a garden’s biodiversity.”A healthy garden is a balanced garden,” Simpson says. See ST. JULIAN P. 5
The shiny marble stands alone like a guardian on duty forever. Its message is the legacy of a life well lived. A last effort to promise a person’s place in the world. For these 32 stone sentries, the past is frozen in a world that speaks to the future every day. That world is the Vollmer-Niemann Family Cemetery. It’s on Foxwood in Timbergrove Manor with neighbors’ backyard fences meeting right up to it, but in the mid 1800s it was the final resting place for 32 German pioneers, farmers, craftsmen, street planners, and carpenters who picked up everything that would fit into a wagon and risked everything moving west. What could they have been thinking as they plodded across the prairie to an uncertain future? Hundreds of them came to land outside Houston near White Oak Bayou to build a church, build a school, build a community called Vollmer after John Vollmer made the first claim. There were blacksmiths and school teachers from families such as Hillendahl and Sauer, Hilton and Neimann, who worked tirelessly to put this area on the map. Their legacy helped create what we have today. These marble stones tell their stories to today’s curious. Spring Branch exists today because of pioneers like Conrad Sauer, and Henry See VOLLMER-NIEMANN P. 2
Photo by Chris Daigle
Dorree Colson and her son Walker admire the newly installed Historic Texas Cemetery marker at the Vollmer-Niemann Cemetery on Feb. 16. It completes a years-long effort to honor the pioneers there.
Jo’s Coffee expands beyond Austin with a new Heights location By LISA MORALES The Leader News Contributor
Community Calendar: Here’s what’s happening in and around town
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Houston coffee lovers have something new to wake up to: Jo’s Coffee has officially arrived in the Heights. The management company Bunkhouse Hotels is the driving force behind this beloved Austinbased coffee shop, known for its signature drinks, breakfast tacos, and community-driven atmosphere. Jo’s has now made its first expansion outside of Austin, opening its doors at 1023 Studewood Street. This new location, Jo’s Houston, is more than just a coffee shop—it’s a thoughtfully designed space that
blends the brand’s signature style with the charm of the Heights. Featuring a drive-through and a quaint seating area with floor-toceiling windows, Jo’s Houston offers both indoor and outdoor seating, accommodating 25 guests in an inviting space. Architect Hip.Hop.Design Studio, which previously collaborated with Bunkhouse Hotels, brought the vision to life, incorporating a mix of industrial elements and custom millwork. The interior is accented with terra cotta tile from Austinbased Clay Imports. In addition to vintage pieces such as timeless Tolix Chairs, Bunkhouse Hotels
stayed close to its Austin roots, sourcing custom interior and exterior furniture from RAD Furniture, a sustainably focused company that was founded down the street from the original Jo’s location on South Congress. Since its founding in 1999, Jo’s Coffee has been proudly brewing its own signature blend. The Houston location continues that tradition, partnering with La Colombe Coffee Roasters to create Jo’s House Blend, a smooth, medium-roast coffee with hints of milk chocolate, nuts, and honey. Guests can enjoy Jo’s coffee See JO’S COFFEE P. 5
Photo by Grant Pifer
Jo’s Coffee offerings include its signature breakfast tacos, pastries, teas and coffee.
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