Plans for a third community garden in the area
Despite the 20 degree temperature, an enthusiastic crowd showed up at Winfrey Point on January 7th to discuss the pros and cons of establishing a Community Garden in the White Rock/Lakewood area.
Over 80 people attended the informational meeting to hear a proposal about the feasibility of creating of a third community garden in this northeast area of Dallas.
The Lake Highlands Community Garden, located behind the old Armory on Goforth, and the Highlands Christian Church garden on McCree Road are the two existing community gardens.
Kimberly Haley-Coleman organized the meeting. For the last several years, she’s been the initiator behind the effort to create a community garden in the White Rock area.
Also in attendance was Dirt Doctor Howard Garrett, responsible for drafting a master plan and lending his hand as consultant, Amanda Vanhoozier, the City Liaison for the Coppell Community Garden, and John Jenkins, Assistant Director of Recreation and Maintenance Services with the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department.
The purpose of meeting was to address the potential location for the new community garden and to provide an opportunity for residents to hear the overall concept, get their questions answered, and voice their concerns.
Over the last several years Haley-Coleman has been inspired to organize a community garden.
“I’m not a gardener, never have been. But my mother Margie Haley is an avid gardener - not just veggies but bees and chickens too! She has a plot at the Highlands Christian Church garden and takes my kids there. They love spending time with her at the garden and eating fresh veggies that they pick.”
She’s cataloged feedback from many neighbors interested in establishing a community garden, herself among them. “I’m not alone in my desire for a garden - there are many in our community who want to establish one, and there have been a number of attempts at establishing a community garden in this area, most notably by Jan Worthington.”
With a background in non-profit administration, Haley-Coleman took on the task of getting advice from organizers of established community gardens, securing Howard Garrett as a consultant, meeting with city officials, and raising private funding. And the funding is impressive.
“We have budgeted $200,000, all privately raised, with no burden to tax payers," she explains. "The majority of funds are committed by private Lakewood residents, with some committed by Texans interested in promoting more gardens."
"We want this to be the most gorgeous garden of its kind. And we’ve already got 501(c)3 status through a non-profit that Howard currently runs.”
Haley-Coleman was also determined to find a location that the city agreed would work, and that was no small task. The City axed the list of five or six locations she scouted. In turn, they gave her a short list, stressing that they didn’t want the proposed garden visible from main traffic access.
After 2 ½ years, an agreeable location was secured - a two acre plot of land, largely unused for the past 70 years. But it was the location, that made the January 7th meeting a contentious one, and the majority of the attendees were an organized group of detractors.
The proposed piece of land is located where Dalgreen deadends into Dominque in a subdivision known as Maplewood. It is bordered by trees on two sides, with an unused railroad median on a third side. It has one point of entry off of Dalgreen.
According to Haley-Coleman, there are about 110 supporters of a community garden in the Lakewood area, about 25 of them from within Maplewood itself. Maplewood is an older, well established neighborhood with about 90 homes, is off the beaten path, and residents there enjoy their privacy.
There are a few homes that abut the property, and it was these homeowners who were most vocal. While Haley-Coleman knew going in it would be a challenge to find a location that everyone could agree upon, those against this location made their displeasure clear even before she could complete her opening presentation.
Comments from the detractors included:
“There are lots of other places to put this garden. We want to keep our neighborhood left as it is.”
“Nobody in the neighborhood wants this.”
“We’re united on this issue.”
“If you try to come into our neighborhood, we will try to stop you any way we can.”
Jan 13 2010, 5:00 am by Marie-Mathilde Prates
Mathilde Prates heads back to France as a Wildcat
On January 9th, the Lake Highlands football banquet was a really good time for all who attended and a celebration for the great achievements the players and coaches had this season.
“The Moms” did a great job with the decorations and the organization of the banquet.
Coach Smith introduced his super coaches, who apparently do all the work for him and his players.
A number of individual awards were given to the awesome Wildcat players and another award to one of the coaches who apparently likes to drive buses for sport. Odd bunch - those American football coaches!
The event was special for all who attended; funny to some, sad for others, inspirational for all.
Even though a lot of seniors are graduating this year, I’m sure Lake Highlands will have a promising season next year.
One of my first experiences in Lake Highlands was actually a football game. It seemed impossible to me that a sport could galvanize a community like football seems to here in Lake Highlands.
I honestly couldn’t believe it when I attended my first Wildcat football game. I suppose it’s fitting I leave after attending the banquet to celebrate such a wonderful season.
Sports mean a lot to Americans. This truly is a great thing.
Sports provide goals to enable, dreams to fight for, and I know sports keep many who participate on the right path in life.
Though I didn’t know it at the time, my American dream had just started when I attended my first Pep Rally at Lake Highland High School. It was astonishing. I remember jokingly inquiring to my friend, Fabien, another exchange student from France, “We are not going back are we?”
What if I had not chosen to come to Texas? Would I have been the same person I am today? There is just something special about this place and especially Lake Highlands - a spirit, a support, a distinct fervor.
There definitely is something different - something that changed me. A piece of my heart will be left here this Friday when I return to France.
My host family, the Samuelsens, integrated me into their family and welcomed me more than warmly. That was just the beginning, though. They introduced me to the Lake Highlands community and helped me become part of it. I met so many extraordinary people at the high school, as well as in the Lake Highlands community who graciously shared their time and opened their daily lives to me.
I will never forget all those exceptional moments I enjoyed in Lake Highlands. Even though I truly wish I could stay and live here, I do have to return home
It’s coming a little bit closer every day, and every day it gets harder to say good bye to all the things I’ve grown to love so much.
At the football banquet Saturday night, I realized that those goodbyes didn’t have to be that hard. There will always be those wonderful people to preserve all the incredible blessings that the Lake Highlands community possesses.
Seeing all those young kids, those coaches, and all the parents devoted to this same sport: Football, which has been such a big part of my journey here. All this volition shared by each one of them comforted me.
I will miss being on the field, taking pictures or simply being a part of the game as a fan.
I know I will miss my community of friends here in Lake Highlands when I get back home, but for now I’m just grateful for this experience and all those blessed moments that have enriched my life and changed me, forever.
In French, I leave you with a fond farewell. Un grand meci à lake highland pour m'avoir di chaleureusement accueillie dans leur communauté!
________________________________________________________________________
To view a complete list of 2009 LHHS Football Banquet Awards, All-District and Academic All-State click
here.
Stay tuned for more information on the planned Wildcat Football Video Premiere at Studio Movie Grill on February 11th. You can view the trailer for the video
here.
MHE announces its spring auction
Jan 12 2010, 12:00 am by Jodi Stewart
Mark your calendars for MHE fun and fundraising
Okay, we know what you’re thinking.
Isn’t it about time for the Moss Haven Elementary School Auction?
As luck would have it the annual event is scheduled for Saturday, February 6th, which is right around the corner.
This year’s theme is “From Moss Haven With Love – Get Your ‘Bond’ On!” and promises to be an exciting and glamorous evening full of great food, fantastic auction items, and Bond themed characters.
The auction is being held at the Double Tree Campbell Center at 8250 North Central Expressway and begins at 6:00 p.m.
General admission tickets are $45 and reserved seating is $75.
We know that you have been looking for an excuse to paint yourself gold or put on your best Bond tuxedo!
While you're at it you can pick up some terrific trips, restaurant certificates, and other great auction items all benefiting the Moss Haven Elementary PTA.
All the funds raised at the event will be used for academic enhancements and enrichments that address school-specific needs not otherwise met through the general operating budget.
Some examples include more comprehensive education programs, technology upgrades, continuing education for teachers and staff, and ongoing mentoring programs.
For information call 469-593-2200 or visit
http://www.mosshavenpta.org.
Flags are ready to fly in Lake Highlands
Jan 11 2010, 8:00 am by JJ Pair
Old Glory lines the streets of LH
With President’s Day coming up February 15th, Boy Scout Troop 707 is once again taking orders for the 2010 flag flying season.
Known as the Troop/Crew 707 Flag Project, the service was initiated in January of 2006 by Scouts Conor and Mason Puckett.
With the help of their dad Pete, these Scouts lead the project as a way to raise money for troop activities.
Since its inception, subscriptions to the service have grown so much that about 25 members of Venturing Crew 707 have come on board to help.
For an annual enrollment of $50, subscribers will awaken six times a year to a flag flying on a 10-foot pole in their front yard, near the street. On those days, the Scouts install the flags at dawn and remove them at dusk.
The poles are mounted in a sleeve which is inserted in the soil below the grass mow line. The uniquely designed sleeve that the poles are slipped into was the brainchild of Pete Puckett. It assures that all the flags fly at precisely the same angle.
The six holidays the flags are flown are: Presidents Day in February, Memorial Day in May, Flag Day in June, July 4th, September 11th, and Veteran’s Day in November.
The Scouts work hard in the deployment of these flags. The day before each holiday, they spend almost two hours prepping. When it’s time for installation, they meet at 5:00 am, gather all the flags which are stored at the Elks Lodge, and distribute them – a two hour process. They put in another hour when they pick them up again at dusk.
When the project was initiated, the flying flags were seen predominantly in the Lake Ridge Estates North Neighborhood, which is bounded by Audelia, Walnut Hill, Ferndale and McCree. But because the number of subscribers has grown from the original 15 solely on Greenfield Drive to about 150 houses, flags are now seen flying in a much larger area throughout Lake Highlands.
The Troop has received many positive comments from neighbors since the project began, particularly from new residents moving in and experiencing the flag display for the first time.
Says one neighbor, "This is such a great idea. We moved to the neighborhood in September and were so impressed with the flag display on 9/11. While we always put our flag out, it was so much more impressive when everyone did the same!"
According to Puckett, the economy hasn’t been a detriment to this popular service. “We’re so appreciative of the generous support we’ve received, despite the difficult year behind us. Our Scouts did a great job and look forward to campouts and other scouting endeavors made possible with the money raised from the flag project.”
If you’re interested in subscribing to the Troop/Crew 707 Flag Project, contact Pete Puckett at 214.850.9253 or
.
Shop LH Deal of the Week - Highlands Cafe
Jan 11 2010, 7:30 am by LHT Staff
Highlands Cafe Deal of the Week
When we set out to promote Lake Highlands businesses with our Shop Lake Highlands Deal of the Week feature, we didn’t have to look far to find a good story.
We partnered with Highlands Cafe last August for our first installment of our Shop LH Deal of the Week. (click
here to read the story)
This week, we’re excited to have them back for seconds!
Hard to believe it was over five years ago when Highlands Cafe first opened their doors, and things haven’t changed much since day one.
Locally owned and operated, great food and great service are all wrapped up in a clean family friendly atmosphere.
The cafe has a full selection of New American casual food on their menu and makes an assortment of soups on a daily basis.
For their second run as the LH Today Shop Lake Highlands Deal of the Week, Highlands Cafe is offering a “buy one get one at half price” offer.
All week, when you purchase any item on the menu, you can get a second item of equal or lesser value at half price! Soup anyone?
Anita Siegers, one of the general partners at the cafe, extended her gratitude for a great half decade of patronage from the Lake Highlands community.
“We are happy to be entering our 6th year of serving delicious, fresh food to our neighbors,” she says. “Thank you for supporting the ‘home grown’ restaurant that is Highlands Cafe!”
And, don’t forget Highlands Cafe for your catering needs! Available on the catering menu (click
here for menu) is an assortment of lunch salads, sandwich trays and gourmet box lunches.
To take advantage of this offer, simply print the coupon below and present when ordering.
PS - We’d suggest trying out some of Highland Cafe’s awesome soup during these cold January days!
Stay warm and Shop Lake Highlands!
Print Coupon for this Deal of the Week! (PDF)
Wildcat Wrestling: Grapevine Duals, CB Nationals
Jan 11 2010, 5:00 am by Steve Clary
Senior Isaac Grieder remains undefeated
The LHHS wrestling team competed in the Grapevine Duals this past weekend and despite several injuries, faired well, placing fourth out of a field of 22 teams.
Winning all 8 of their matches during the Grapevine Duals, and remaining undefeated on the season, were seniors Isaac Kinsella, Ebrima Njie and Isaac Grieder.
Grieder is now 35-0 on the season, Njie is 32-0 and Kinsella is 29-0.
Other notable performers during the duals were seniors Drew Llorett, Colman Vigil and junior Braden Fair.
Llorett and Fair finished with a record of 6-1, while Colman won all four of his matches.
The Wildcat wrestling team travels to Amarillo this weekend to compete in the State Duals.
Meanwhile, the Wildcat Wrestling Club, which currently has over 30 members ranging from 6 to 13 years of age, entered 13 Wildcat wrestlers in the Cotton Bowl Nationals tournament in Frisco on Saturday.
The CBN is a national tournament and attracts some of the top youth talent from around the country. Over 1,000 wrestlers competed in this year’s tournament.
Out of the 13 boys who entered the tournament, 9 placed in the top 5 in their respective brackets. Leading the pack was Connor Lilly who placed 1st in the 175lbs Division 4 rookie bracket.
Other Wildcats Club wrestlers who placed in the tournament:
Tyler Etri – 2nd, Division 1, Rookie, 45 lbs
Archer Fuqua – 2nd, Division 1, Rookie, 80 lbs
Jack Morgan – 2nd, Division 4, Rookie, 85 lbs
Travis Morgan – 2nd, Division 4 Rookie, 120 lbs
David Martinez – 3rd, Division 4, Open, 130 lbs
Jason Graham – 3rd, Division 3, Rookie, 65 lbs
Martin Taylor – 4th, Division 4, Rookie, 130 lbs
TJ Grieder – 5th, Division 5, Open, 125 lbs
“I thought all the boys performed well at the tournament,” said Head Coach Pete Grieder. “The future of Lake Highlands wrestling is bright.”
Congrats to all the Wildcat wrestlers!
GO 'CATS!
Group raises money in memory of LH resident
Jan 10 2010, 9:00 pm by Chris Bellew
White Rock Valley Park
Earlier this year White Rock Valley lost a great leader, advocate and friend when Pat O’Shea passed away.
Pat and his wife were instrumental in forming the White Rock Valley Neighborhood Association, a group dedicated to the betterment of this local neighborhood.
They both gave freely of their time and made major progress on improving the quality of life that so many have come to enjoy.
Pat’s legacy lives on in the accomplishment that he was most proud of, White Rock Valley Park, located at 9104 White Rock Trail.
Pat led the effort to turn this unused piece of property into a park for the neighborhood to enjoy.
However, he passed away before his entire vision could be complete - providing shade for the playground so that children can enjoy it during our hot Texas summers.
The WRVNA has taken up his cause and is raising money for a shade structure to be built that will cover the entire playground.
Once complete, the WRVNA will dedicate the playground in Pat’s honor.
The City of Dallas Parks Department is working with us to help make this project a reality.
With a total cost of $40,000, the WRVNA is asking all our Lake Highlands neighbors to pitch in and help make Pat’s dream a reality.
Together we can create a place to play that will be enjoyed year-round by all our children.
Donations to the project can be sent to:
WRVNA
Pat O’Shea Playground
9661 Audelia Rd, Ste. 333-2
Dallas, Texas 75238
For more information on the White Rock Valley Neighborhood Association, visit their website at
http://www.wrvna.org.
A special holiday treat at the Dallas Arboretum
Jan 08 2010, 6:30 am by Deborah Brown
Mrs. Laura W. Bush reads to local children
The Women’s Council of the Dallas Arboretum recently hosted a Children’s Christmas Tea.
The highlight of the December 13th event was a visit from special guest, former First Lady Laura W. Bush.
The tea was attended by mothers and their children to hear Mrs. Bush present her book
Read all About It!, which she co-authored with daughter Jenna Bush Hager.
Mrs. Bush invited all the children to sit below the stage so they could see the illustrations in the book as she read to them.
Of course, the children were enthralled with her story.
Their moms were enchanted with the storyteller, who graciously provided a few personal insights during the reading, as well.
After the presentation, a formal tea was served with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus who were also available for photos.
The event was held in Rosine Hall at the Dallas Arboretum, which was transformed into a Christmas wonderland by local florist Bruce McShan who donated all the table centerpieces.
McShan also created a festive living room scene for the stage, complete with a Christmas fireplace and mantle for Mrs. Bush to use to present her book.
Proceeds from the event will benefit development and on-going funding of the world renowned Woman’s Garden at the Dallas Arboretum.
The Women's Garden continues to draw visitors from all over the world.
To learn more about the Dallas Arboretum Women's Council, readers can visit the group's website at
http://www.womenscouncildallasarboretum.org.
LH sees record drop in violent crime
Jan 07 2010, 6:00 am by LHT Staff
Crime on the decline in Lake Highlands
36.61% is a big number.
With regards to the decrease in violent crime in Lake Highlands, it’s actually a record number.
LH Today caught up with the Northeast Deputy Chief of Police Tom Lawrence to discuss these latest crime statistics.
“These reports go back 5-6 years, and two years ago the District 10 stats certainly weren’t what I would consider very good,” says Chief Lawrence.
“As you can see by the report, violent crime reduction in District 10 is down over 36% from 2008 to 2009, which represents the biggest drop in the city.” (click
here to see the report for District 10.)
According to Lawrence, this reduction in violent crime can be attributed to a variety of factors.
"It’s a combination of police work and community activism," he says. "The ongoing effort at Forest and Audelia has certainly attributed to the reduction."
"We have a lot of dedicated officers who do a great job, but the Lake Highlands community deserves a lot of credit, as well."
While crime across the board saw a significant decrease year over year, vehicle burglaries ticked up a bit in specific areas around Lake Highlands.
“It’s important to keep your personal belongings out of sight,” says Lawrence. “It’s not often a car will get burglarized when there's nothing in the car the thief can see.”
For all you GPS lovers out there, that means you. GPS devices sitting in windows are a calling card for any thief looking to make a quick buck, and they've become a very popular item for crooks.
In response to the City Council Briefing Report, District 10 Representative Jerry Allen was quick to point out the obvious - "it’s takes a village."
“It all boils down to a big team effort and an especially hard working police department,” says Allen.
“While the police force deserve a ton of credit, the residents of Lake Highlands are the best weapon we have against crime. All the volunteers in the VIP program and the home owners associations have done an incredible job of helping educate the people of Lake Highlands about crime issues and prevention.”
Another bit of good news for LH residents is the fact that Wednesday, January 6th marked the first day on the job for 36 new Dallas police officers.
“We are excited to have the increased man power for the division,” says Lawrence. “I believe we are currently at 3600 officers in our division.”
As we reported in December, Chief Lawrence recently interviewed for the Chief of Police position in Clearwater, Florida. Fortunately for the people of Lake Highlands, Deputy Chief Lawrence is staying put for now.
“No, I didn’t get that job," reports Lawrence. "I guess they decided to go in another direction."
While he would like to serve as Chief of Police one day, Lawrence won’t be interviewing for just any position.
“Ultimately I’d like to be Chief of Police one day, but I’m especially particular about the type of job I’d pursue," he says.
"It would really have to be an ideal situation for me to leave, because it will certainly be hard to top my current position here in Dallas."
Hats off to Deputy Chief Lawrence and all the hard working police officers of the NE Division, as well as the countless volunteers in the LH community who work hard to help our community as safe as possible.
To read our in-depth interview with Chief Lawrence in December, click
here.
Real Estate trends in Lake Highlands
Jan 07 2010, 5:00 am by Robin Norcross
LH Real Estate making gains in 2009
While many metroplex neighborhoods experienced declining property values and increased foreclosures in 2009, Lake Highlands was one of the few bright spots in the area.
Based on 2009 stats from Marketmetrics, and using all single family home sales in zip codes 75231, 75238 and 75243, the average home price rose slightly last year.
“We continue to see buyers singling out Lake Highlands for its value, sense of community, great schools and proximity to the lake and downtown,” says local Realtor Glen Christy.
“Having less inventory on the market lead to more competition for homes that were listed,” Christy adds.
First time home buyers taking advantage of the stimulus tax credit accounted for many of the buyers this past year.
Many of those were single women, a trend that is noted at the national level as well.
LH grads continue to return to the area and accounted for many of the first time home buyers last year. “It’s always fun to help my children’s friends buy their first home and buy it right,” says Christy.
Lake Highlands also saw more high-end new builds begun in 2009, as homeowners considered neighborhood real estate a good long term investment.
Chad Senn of Nobility Homes, a custom home builder in LH adds, “I have clients currently building who have long ties to this community, as well as those who are attracted to the neighborhood for the schools, topography and location.”
Also noted are an increase in extensive remodels especially in kitchen, baths and master suites.
As the value of the land itself increases, coupled with the fact that Lake Highlanders want to stay put, it makes financial sense to tackle upgrades like these.
2009 also had its fair share of homes selling fast - extremely fast. In fact, several homes sold their first day on the market or to the first buyer who looked at the home.
“Working with a Realtor that is tuned in to a buyer’s needs, ingrained in the community and utilizing not only the latest technologies but also the grapevine is just as important as ever to help buyers get the house they desire,” says LH Realtor Jason Thomas.
For more information about local real estate trends, or you're considering buying or selling a home, you can contact the Christy|Norcross|Thomas team at Ebby Halliday by clicking
here.
Sports update: Basketball, Wrestling & Soccer
Jan 07 2010, 5:00 am by Steve Clary
Senior Ricky Zorn on point against Berkner
After a holiday reprieve from District 9-5A action, both the boys and girls basketball teams faced off against district rival Berkner Tuesday night.
On the boys side, Berkner is the team to beat in district play this year and is ranked 12th in the state.
Facing ranked teams is nothing new for the Wildcats.
So far this season, the ‘Cats have played no less than five top 20 teams, and in only one of those games were the Wildcats not positioned for an upset with seconds to play.
Led by junior Trey Bingham and senior Tevin Elmore, who combined for 19 first half points, the ‘Cats dominated early on. Heading into the locker room at halftime, the ‘Cats enjoyed a 39-27 lead.
Unfortunately, the hot hands of Bingham and Elmore wouldn’t carry over to the second half, with the entire team only managing 14 points in the final two quarters of play.
Meanwhile, Berkner’s starting forward, Glenn Till led Berkner’s second half charge and scored eight of Berkner’s 18 third quarter points. The ‘Cats relinquished their lead with 7:00 to go in the game and weren’t able to recover.
What Berkner couldn’t accomplish on the football field, they made up for on the hardwoods. Final score, 53-58.
Leading scorers for the game:
Lake Highlands
Trey Bingham 14
Tevin Elmore 13
Ricky Zorn 7
Berkner
Brandon Joseph 15
Glen Till 14
Kendall Harris 12
The boys now have an overall record of 7-12 and are currently 1-2 in district play. Richardson High School is next on the schedule.
Tip-off is scheduled for Friday at 7:30 p.m. at RHS.
Local consignment store files for bankruptcy
Jan 05 2010, 4:30 pm by M.E. Clary
Red Cat Boutique closes its doors
The Red Cat Consignment Boutique certainly looked to have a good thing going.
Open for only a few months, this small business was attracting a growing base of local consignors looking to make a few extra dollars on the resale of their decorative and household items.
Located in the Lake Highlands Village shopping center, best known for the Green Spot and ever-popular White Rock Local Market, the store was enjoying walk-up customers, as well.
Monday morning proved an unwelcome wake-up call for Jan Jeffress, however, who came to find out Red Cat had recently filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Jeffress, a Lake Highlands resident, along with her husband Scott are now left searching for answers, and the owners who seemed to have skipped out.
"The store has been completely cleaned out," she explains. "We went by and were met by a woman who would only identify herself as a person contracted by the bankruptcy court, and she said she couldn't help us."
Jeffress, along with several other local residents, had a number of consigned items at the Red Cat, including chairs, lamps and a table.
To make matters worse, in her effort to figure this out, she's learning that the answers you get depend on who you ask.
According to other local publications - Jeffress enlisted the help of several outlets to try and get some help - the owners of the boutique, Marukh and Steve Hall, are claiming the landlord locked them out the property and confiscated everything in the store.
Vicky Gillispie, the property manager for Lake Highlands Village Shopping Center, is looking to set the record straight, however.
"The Halls were current on their rent and had a lease that runs through March of this year," she says. "We've been left in the lurch like everyone else. In fact, I even had items of my own consigned with the Halls."
"Our corporate office hasn't even had to time respond because we were only alerted to them closing up the business on Monday."
Seems another consignor came by the shopping center's leasing office looking for answers just yesterday. "We found out about the bankruptcy filing the same day as everyone else," says Gillipsie.
"Anyone saying that we're responsible for locking the doors and confiscating people's property is absolutely wrong."
So where does this leave Jan and Scott Jeffress? Unfortunately, without much leverage.
Seems this is the second business to go under for the Halls, who made a run at an Internet Cafe several months back in Little Forest Hills.
The difference this time is they're taking other people's things with them on their way down.
Calls to Steve Hall at his current business, Hall's Landscape Company, went unanswered.
Vicky Gillispie expects the bankruptcy notice to be posted on the door at the Red Cat within a few days.
She hopes the bankruptcy court will steer consignors in the right direction, because the Lake Highlands shopping center owners certainly weren't responsible for closing down the Red Cat.
LH Today will continue to follow this story, in hopes we can help these local residents get some honest answers.
Angel Tree project makes a difference
Jan 05 2010, 8:00 am by LHT Staff
Counselor, Jessica Hume, and her students
December 4th found a large holiday delivery being made to Skyview Elementary here in Lake Highlands.
That's the day that a total of 132 Angel Tree gifts made their way to students in need at this local school.
The Lake Highlands Junior Women's League began the project to help provide much needed uniforms to the children at Skyview.
"Each child was supposed to receive a long sleeve shirt, a pair of pants, and a pair of shoes suitable for P.E.," explains Tiffany Fairbanks, board member with the LHJWL.
"But a large majority of our members provided more than one set of uniforms or included a toy or game for the child as well."
"I was overwhelmed with the generosity of the Lake Highlands Junior Women’s League members, and thankful to many who volunteered to provide for more than one student," says Fairbanks.
"I was also impressed that so many of the members took their own children shopping with them to help pick out the uniforms and toys. It certainly went a long way toward helping teach them the importance of giving during the holiday season."
This is the second year the Junior Women's League has participated in the Angel Tree project, and the program continues to offer a wonderful opportunity to give back to children that live right here in Lake Highlands.
Celina Cardenas, Community Relations Coordinator for the RISD Communications and Partners Program, helped members of the LHJWL set up this partnership with Skyview Elementary.
Members from the League were then put in touch with Jessica Hume, the school counselor at Skyview.
"Mrs. Hume has been instrumental in getting this project off the ground," says Fairbanks. "She identified the students in need, determined their sizes, and distributed the gifts. These are certainly not small tasks considering this very busy time of year!"
LHJWL member Ruth Gluck helped transport the gifts, and one class of Skyview elementary 6th graders helped carry the gifts into Mrs. Hume’s office at the school.
"The students were so friendly and excited to help," adds Fairbanks.
The Lake Highlands Junior Women's League is an auxiliary group of Lake Highlands Women's League.
LHJWL is a social organization for young women to establish roots and relationships in the neighborhood, while at the same time having a positive impact on the community.
To learn more about the group, visit
http://www.lhjwl.org.
LHHS Soccer kicks-off 2010 season
Jan 04 2010, 5:30 pm by Steve Clary
Wildcats soccer begins 2010 campaign
Soccer season officially gets underway this week with the girls playing at JJ Pearce tonight, while the boys team will host Mesquite Horn on Tuesday.
The boys squad has high hopes for the 2010 campaign with nearly all the starters from last year's squad returning.
The ‘Cats finished 4th in District 9-5A last year and were bi-district finalists.
Entering his 9th season as the Wildcats Head Coach, Hanes Brindley is excited to get the season started.
“We certainly look forward to competing for a district championship and a spot in the playoffs,” says Brindley. “We have a good group of guys with great camaraderie and are excited for the opportunity to compete.”
2009-'10 Boys Varsity Roster:
Myles Osborn – Sr. (Captain)
Luke Stringer – Sr. (Captain)
Emmet Kumeh – Jr. (Captain)
Madison Chapman – Jr.
Miller Mason - So.
Isaac Garcia – Sr.
Jonathan Esselin – Jr.
Reagan Dunk – So.
Murphy Short – So.
Ben Toler – Sr.
Jack Blanton – Fr.
Carter Bredehoeft – Jr.
Reid Walter – Sr.
Michael Potter – Jr.
Chase Davis – Sr.
Joel Mendoza – So.
Andrew Donica – Jr.
Travis Patrick – Jr.
Abdoulaye Faly – So.
James Kpandeyenge – Sr.
Asst Coach: Spencer Moorhead
Boys host Mesquite Horn Tuesday night at the Boneyard. JV starts at 5:30 p.m., followed by Varsity at 7:00 p.m.
You can read more about the LHHS boys soccer team at
http://www.lhhswildcatsoccer.com.
LH Exchange Club presents 2009 Awards
Jan 04 2010, 8:00 am by Steve White
LHEC honors local heroes for 2009
The Exchange Club of Lake Highlands recently presented its Police Officer and Firefighter of the Quarter awards.
These awards provide the Lake Highlands community the opportunity to thank those who risk their lives daily to make our neighborhoods safer.
Police officers and firefighters are recognized for their dedication, skill and professionalism to their departments and to the community.
Lieutenant Allen Buil of the Dallas Police Department presented Sergeant Robert Harmon the Police Officer award. Officer Harmon serves as a patrol officer at the Northeast Sub Station.
In his introduction, Lieutenant Buil said, “The night before Rob was nominated for this award he made four felony arrests of gang members who were suspected of multiple robberies and a shooting."
"Because of his actions, we made the arrest, got a gun off the street, and recovered stolen property. He leads by example for other officers.”
Chief Billy Robertson presented the quarterly Firefighter award to Captain Eric Cliburn.
“Cliburn is considered one of our best officers, and we are very proud of his service,” said Chief Robertson.
Captain Cliburn was recognized for his leadership and commitment to the department. He has worked for 22 years with Dallas Fire Rescue.
“It’s an honor to recognize the accomplishments of such great men,” said City Councilmember, Jerry Allen. “The Firefighter and Police Officer of the Quarter are held in great esteem in Lake Highlands.”
Sergeant Robert Harmon and Captain Eric Cliburn were both presented a plaque in honor of their service.
During the December 11th meeting, Lindsey Rider, Interim Manager of the Lake Highlands North Recreation Center, was also awarded the Unsung Hero Award.
“Lindsey supports the Lake Highlands community 100%,” said Galen Busse, Exchange Club Director of Community Services.
“Her efforts ensure that events, including the 4th of July Parade and the Halloween Carnival, are enjoyed by everyone."
"She even works on her day off to guarantee success,” added Busse.
The Lake Highlands North staff works year-round providing leisure and educational activities and programs, while preserving and promoting natural resources.
Ms. Rider was presented a plaque and honored along with the Police Officer and Firefighter of the Quarter at the December 11th Exchange Club breakfast.
“What an asset to the City of Dallas and in particular our community,” said Councilman Allen.
“In these tough economic times, she and her staff are being asked to go above the call of duty. They never miss a beat and they do it with a can-do attitude.”
For more information about the Exchange Club of Lake Highlands, visit them online at
http://www.lhexchangeclub.org.
Happy New Year - welcoming 2010 in LH
Dec 31 2009, 5:00 am by LHT Staff
Ringing in the New Year, 2010
As the first decade of the 21st century draws to a close, we've compiled a list of a few New Year's events in the area.
Whether you're staying in and watching the ball drop or heading out for a night on the town, everyone will enjoy witnessing the first blue moon in almost 20 years.
The New Year's Eve blue moon will be visible in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Africa.
According to reports, a full moon occurs every 29.5 days, so most years have one full moon per month.
On average, an extra full moon in a month - i.e., a "blue moon" - occurs every 2.5 years, so your last opportunity to witness one was in the spring of 2007.
A New Year's Eve blue moon, however, hasn't occurred in since 1990, so you can enjoy this rare event no matter where you choose to celebrate.
One local option for ringing in the New Year is to party with Lake Highlands locals, the Pit Pops.
They'll be performing at the Knights of Columbus, and for $50 a person you can enjoy dinner, champagne and dancing until midnight. For tickets, call 214-348-7940.
If you hurry, you might still be able to get a New Year's reservation at The Grape, the ever-popular Greenville Avenue restaurant and wine bistro.
The Grape is owned by Lake Highlands residents, Courtney and Brian Luscher. Brian is the Executive Chef, while Courtney runs the front of the house as resident Master Sommelier and General Manager.
They'll be hosting a 3-course dinner for $65 per person, with an optional upgrade that offers Courtney's wine pairings for an additional $20. You can reach the restaurant at 214-828-1981.
And, of course, no New Year's celebration would be complete without the obligatory day of football, friends and family.
This New Year's Day football line-up shouldn't disappoint.
Outback Bowl
Auburn vs. Northwestern
10:00 a.m. ESPN
Capital One Bowl
Penn State vs. LSU
12:00 p.m. ABC
Gator Bowl
FSU vs. West Virginia
12:00 p.m. CBS
Rose Bowl
Ohio State vs. Oregon
4:00 p.m. ABC
Sugar Bowl
Cincinnati vs. Florida
7:30 p.m. Fox
Happy New Year, Lake Highlands!
‘Cats Basketball begins holiday tournament action
Dec 29 2009, 10:00 am by Steve Clary
'Cats battle in holiday tournament play
With holiday celebrations behind them, the LHHS basketball teams are swinging back into action this week as both teams participate in local tournaments.
The Lady ‘Cats are playing in the Sandra Meadows Classic in Duncanville, while the boys squad competes in the State Farm Insurance Plano Wildcat Holiday Classic.
Both teams entered holiday tournament action following district wins against Sunset last Tuesday night.
Coach Wylie and his LHHS Wildcats began tournament play a little short-handed with a couple starters sitting out the first game against Rowlett.
Senior forward Aaron Mazibuko is currently out with an injury, while junior guard Trey Bingham was sick and didn’t suit up for the game.
With a couple key contributors out, Rowlett took advantage of the ‘Cats small line-up early on and jumped out to an 11-4 first quarter lead.
Led by senior guard Ricky Zorn, the ‘Cats made a quick come back and tied the game 17-17 early in the second quarter.
Zorn scored 12 of the ‘Cats 27 second quarter points and helped the ‘Cats take a commanding 43-35 lead at the half.
By the end of the third quarter, the ‘Cats held a 16 point lead and ended up winning the game 84-65.
Zorn scored a season high 28 points, was a perfect 8 for 8 from the charity strip and also drained four 3-pointers.
Junior guard James Prestion contributed 13 points off the bench, including a 1st quarter 3-point buzzer beater.
With Bingham and Mazibuko out of action, sophomore Travis Hornstein was called up from the JV squad and contributed 6 points in his first varsity action.
Other contributors for the ‘Cats included: Demarcus Bernard – 6 points; Luke Coughlin – 6 points; and David Harris – 5 points.
The ‘Cats face off against the Mesquite Skeeters today. Mesquite beat Arlington 61-51 in their first round game yesterday. The Skeeters are currently 11-3 and ranked 12th the state.
Today's game will be a rematch following a very exciting game between the two squads earlier this season, which ended with Mesquite winning on a last second shot.
Unfortunately, the Lady ‘Cats didn’t fare as well in tourney play, losing their first two games in the Sandra Meadows Classic yesterday.
Frisco dominated the first round game against the ‘Cats, winning 75-33. The ‘Cats fell to Colleyville Heritage in the second round game, 68-47.
Junior Tierra Scott led scoring for the Lady ‘Cats in both games with 14 and 16 points respectively.
Sophomore Mary Potter had 8 points against Frisco and added 5 points against Colleyville, while junior Hannah Wedding went for 13 points against Colleyville.
On the injury front, the Lady ‘Cats are again playing without senior captain Sam Couch, who is out with yet another knee injury.
Tournament play continues through Wednesday, December 30th. Stay tuned for more game coverage.
Defense and Veterans Affairs Committee update
Dec 29 2009, 9:29 am by State Rep. Allen Vaught
State Representative Allen Vaught
As a continuation of the last article, I am going to look at some of the interim charges for the Defense and Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
I was appointed to this committee earlier this year and currently serve as the Vice-Chairman.
The Defense and Veterans’ Affairs Committee has jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to the relations between the State of Texas and the federal government.
These matters include anything involving defense, emergency preparedness, and veterans issues; the various branches of the military service of the United States; the realignment or closure of military bases; the defense of the state and nation.
Additional matters include terrorism response issues; emergency preparedness; veterans of military and related services; and the following state agencies: the Adjutant General’s Department, the Texas Veterans Commission, the Veterans’ Land Board, the Texas Military Preparedness Commission, the Division of Emergency Management, and the Emergency Management Council.
There were six charges presented to the committee, one of which was discussed last week regarding the veterans court programs in Texas. (You can read that article
here.)
Another charge is simply to monitor the agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction which are listed above.
Additionally, there are four additional more specific charges which I will summarize for you here.
Land surrounding military installations
“Investigate strategies to address incompatible land use surrounding Texas military installations. Study approaches that minimize conflict with neighboring landowners.”
Preventing the encroachment of military installations has become one of the top priorities of the U.S. Department of Defense. To ensure the military’s ability to maintain operational readiness in defense of the United States, it is necessary to foster compatible land use between military installations and neighboring communities.
The committee will look at various ways to go about creating compatible use, including analyzing the recently law that allows defense communities to establish and fund a regional military sustainability commission that regulates this kind of development (HB 2919).
Additionally, Texas voters passed a constitutional amendment last month that would authorize the Legislature to allow cities and counties to issue bonds in order to purchase areas around military installations for constructing roadways, utilities, or other infrastructure that could protect or promote the military installation (HJR 132). The committee will look at this amendment, now part of the Texas Constitution, during the interim as well.
Moss Haven welcomes future students
Dec 28 2009, 11:30 am by LHT Staff
MHE celebrates with the Pony Club
Moss Haven Elementary is on board with a new initiative aimed at reaching out to the littlest members of its community.
The Pony Club was created last year, with the purpose of promoting MHE and early childhood readiness to preschoolers in the Moss Haven attendance zone.
To date, the number of participants continues to grow.
"We consistently have close to 50 people at each event," says program volunteer coordinator, Christina Klein.
"Through PTA sponsored socials and Moss Haven faculty participation, we welcome the families of incoming enrollees in hopes of bridging a connection between the community and our elementary school."
The Pony Club's recent Winter Solstice celebration was a festive and successful occasion, with more than 90 people participating, including future Mustangs decked out in their pajamas.
"The hour was filled with holiday narratives, music, dance, cookies and great conversation," says Klein.
Jen Meisenheimer, together with her children, attended the event.
"My son loves it," she explains. "Will is very familiar with the school, and he enjoys seeing all his buddies who will be in Kindergarten with him next year."
"This is a great way to get him excited about school, and it’s a good way to get all the families together," says Meisenheimer.
"It's nice for the elementary schools to have these programs because the transition becomes that much easier for everyone."
Moss Haven Elementary joins other local schools, including Merriman Park, Wallace and Lake Highlands Elementary, who have started pre-school outreach groups aimed at increasing neighborhood participation and Kindergarten readiness.
The Pony Club will host its next event during Jump for the Heart on February 9th at 2:00 p.m.
For more information regarding Moss Haven's Pony Club please contact Christina Klein at
; or Erin Rosebery at
.
LHE celebrates a successful Book Fair
Dec 28 2009, 11:00 am by JJ Pair
LHE Principal Kim Sullivan readies the pie
When Wanda Meader, Lake Highlands Elementary Librarian, challenged her 600 students to meet the goal of purchasing 500 books during the school’s annual Book Fair in October, she sweetened the pot. Literally.
On the suggestion of Book Fair sponsor Scholastic Books, Meader agreed to take a pie in the face if the students met her goal.
And the LHE students indeed bought books!
The challenge was met – and surpassed – with 675 books purchased.
So on December 17th, Principal Kim Sullivan called an assembly on the playground, and Meader donned goggles and a towel to await her just desserts.
Sullivan, with the help of Science Teacher Hilary Puckett, filled a pie pan with mounds of whipped cream.
Once Meader was in position atop a picnic table, the kids started chanting, “Pie in the face, pie in the face…!”
Puckett, being the tallest teacher at school, did the honors and expertly plastered the librarian’s face.
Meader was a good sport all the way and said, “Of course the kids love this but it’s something they’ll remember too. It’s a great way to promote reading!"
"We’re so proud of our students because they know when they buy books during the Book Fair, it means the library also receives money to buy more books. They love that idea!”
Congratulations to Lake Highlands Elementary and one really good sport - Ms. Wanda Meader!
Photos courtesy of Cindy Engel.
Taste of White Rock begins January 2nd
Dec 27 2009, 4:00 pm by Mel Cyrak
Taste of White Rock coupon books still available
Just in time to help ring in 2010, the Taste Of White Rock (TOWR) Dinner Club will be starting its fourth year.
Sales began December 11th, but there's still time to participate in this popular program.
The TOWR is a buy one, get one free dinner club that partners with twelve locally-owned neighborhood restaurants to support White Rock Lake Park.
The dinner club books cost $10 each and are valid from January 2, 2010 until October 31, 2010. Very few restrictions apply.
Proceeds from the sale of the books benefit the non-profits at the lake, as well as the neighborhood groups that sell the books.
With the drastic budget cuts recently adopted by the City of Dallas, it is more important than ever to help fund improvements at White Rock Lake with private money.
This program is one important source that aims to help the lake.
Participating restaurants for 2010 are Terilli’s Italian Restaurant, Highland Park Cafeteria, Lakewood Tavern, Bonnie Ruth’s (Casa Linda), Bangkok City (Greenville), Barbec’s, Angelo’s Italian Grill, White Rock Sports Bar & Grill, Trinity Hall Irish Pub, Mexico Lindo, Sol’s Nieto Mexican Grill and Another Broken Egg.
The books may be purchased from the Albertson’s at Casa Linda, Albertson’s on Mockingbird, Albertson’s at Northwest Highway and Ferndale and at the Green Spot Market on Buckner at Northcliff.
In the past the beneficiaries have been For The Love Of The Lake, the White Rock Lake Foundation, the White Rock Lake Volunteers In Patrol, the White Rock Lake Dog Park, the Friends of the Bath House Cultural Center, and the White Rock Lake Conservancy.
The TOWR is sponsored by the Peninsula Neighborhood Association, an all-volunteer organization. The area is comprised of homes between Buckner Blvd. and White Rock Lake.
For more information, or to purchase the TOWR coupon book, please contact Mel Cyrak, Fundraising Chair for the Peninsula Neighborhood Association at 972-533-1144 or
.
