2018 October Lake Highlands

9 IMPRESSIVE STORIES ONLY TO BE OUTDONE BY A LIFETIME OF EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES

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Photo by Danny Fulgencio

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ABOUT THE COVER

Lake Highlands Park’s playground was installed in 2012 and cost the City of Dallas $128,800. Before then, the park only was home to three soccer fields.

by Danny

Photo

Fulgencio

Park, MD

AIA Tour of Homes

Explore some of Dallas’ most stunning residential architecture, including a home on Vanguard Way in Urban Reserve.

When: Oct. 27-28

Where: Various locations

More info: hometourdallas.com

Time travel

Follow three Victorian travelers through space, time and history in WingSpan Theatre Company’s “On The Verge or The Geography of Yearning” by Eric Overmyer.

When: Oct. 4-20

Where: Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther Drive

More info: dallasculture.org

Garden tour

See some of the best-tended yards in Dallas when the Dallas County Master Gardeners showcase their work. All proceeds benefit the master gardeners, who tend school and community gardens, in our neighborhood.

When: Oct. 13

Where: Various locations

More info: dallascountymastergardeners.org

Inside the studio

The 26th-annual White Rock Studio Tour highlights the workspaces of more than 50 artists in the area.

When Oct. 13-14

Where: Various locations

More info: whiterockartists.com

Pirates of Western England

Adventure the high seas, with swordfights, acrobatics, magic and puppetry, at “Treasure Island Reimagined.”

When: Sept. 23-Oct. 21

Where: Dallas Children’s Theater, 5938 Skillman St. More info: dct.org

Photo by Dror Baldinger, AIA

Hike it Baby North Dallas

Closed Group · 743 members

HOW LINDSAY

‘Not the Senator’ GRAHAM

FOUND HIS VOICE

He was running an audio company when a startup called Wondery offered him a gig — the rest is history

Story by CHRISTINA HUGHES / Photo by DANNY FULGENCIO

UP FRONT

Back in high school, Lindsay Graham aka “Not the Senator” was your standard geek with a penchant for listening to, writing and making music. His genre partialities run the gamut — Beatles, Stones, Zeppelin, Miles Davis, Tom Waits — and inspired his life’s soundtrack.

He launched a local music podcast long before Ira Glass made the medium mainstream. Graham played (primarily) guitar in Timmy and the Sinister Clan, a teenage “circus-y rock band” that coined seven original songs and played exactly two shows, Graham says. These ventures, as such, propagated little popularity or prosperity, but his passion-driven pursuits put him on a path leading there.

Serendipity and imprecise preparation proved pivotal to Graham’s current success as the host of the hit podcast “American History Tellers.”

Perhaps it arose with Comedy Central’s “Drunk History,” wherein a cast of celebrities reenacts historical events while an inebriated guest-star narrates, or Lin-Manuel Miranda’s portrayal of Alexander Hamilton as a plucky, sharp-witted, rapping/singing, swaggering badboy romantic.

Whatever the root, history went hip.

“I hadn’t thought about the history-as-beingtrendy angle,” Graham says, considering the suggestion. But he is aware of a closely related societal shift: “The acceptance of nerd culture.”

He expounds, “You can be as geeky as you want today. We have license to publicly show enthusiasm for history” … or science and topics once reserved for dudes who sat alone at lunch.

Then there was the great podcast craze of 2014. It came some years after Graham graduated University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia (the town fueled his fascination with American lore).

Graham’s aforementioned audio outfit operated in an East Dallas home and secured work for Wondery, a podcast network started in 2016. Today it claims some of its industry’s biggest buzz building shows.

But this was before Wondery became the “prominent podcast producers,” as USA Today puts it. Eventually the Wondery crew beckoned Graham and his inviting baritone voice to narrate “American History Tellers.” He could compose the score, an essential piece of podcast production, too. He recognized the catchiest podcasts “possessed a certain musicality,” proper pacing, he says.

A paid opportunity to combine his foremost obsessions and skills? “I grabbed it,” he says. Graham dubs the series “pop history, rooted in entertainment.”

Its stupendous reception is a testament to powerful storytelling.

“Imagine you’re a tavern keeper in Liverpool in year 1776 …” “Imagine it’s 1794. You’re a Scottish immigrant …,” — this is Graham’s trademark intro. What follows is an examination of critical events, eras and people that shaped the United States, delivered by your coolest-ever and most sanguine professor — he maintains this infectious faith that we still can learn from our past and live better.

Graham — and his relatively small team of researchers, writers, editors — turns lessons about the Cold War, space race and prohibition, for example, into dramas with complex characters, binge-worthy plots. Storytelling sans imagery can be challenging, he says. He feared the National Parks episode might be a bore without those majestic visuals Ken Burns had at his disposal. He was wrong. Now a six-part series, “It turned out amazing.”

He voices episodes out of the East Dallas studio and lives near White Rock Lake with wife Libby and 3-year-old daughter.

He doesn’t plan to move to L.A. seeking superstardom, he says, though he did fly there once to meet the Wondery team. “That was a great experience,” he says. “It upped everyone’s motivation.”

A new podcast, “American Scandal,” is on the horizon. “The format will be similar [to AHT], but we dive deeper into scandalous, salacious events,” Graham says. Think steroids corruption, Eliot Spitzer, Iran Contra.

“I got in early,” he says. “It’s been a ride.”

“You can be as geeky as you want today. We have license to publicly show enthusiasm for history.”

HOW HOT ARE WE, LAKE HIGHLANDS?

FIRST, THE GOOD NEWS: IT’S FINALLY FALL.

Temperatures are decreasing. We survived the hottest July 19 — a scorching 109 degrees — in the history of North Texas.

And even that could’ve been worse. In 1936, temperatures reached 110 in Dallas-Fort Worth and an all-time high of 120 in Seymour, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.

Engineer Willis Carrier, who invented the air conditioner in 1902, deserves infinite praise.

Now here’s a less-than-uplifting truth: Dallas’ lack of trees also increases the temperature outside.

Places like parking lots, plazas and sidewalks absorb heat and cause surface temperatures 50 to 90 degrees warmer than the air, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

By ELISSA CHUDWIN

It’s called the urban heat island effect, and it increases energy consumption, air pollutants and greenhouse gases.

Janette K. Monear, chief executive of the Texas Trees Foundation, explained the phenomenon in a Dallas Morning News editorial.

“When the weather forecaster says, ‘Today we will reach 108 degrees,’ that doesn’t take into consideration the radiant heat coming off the surface of the ground in the city of Dallas,” Monear wrote. “On July 19 at 3 p.m., the Texas Trees Foundation recorded surface temperatures on the plaza at Dallas City Hall at 142.5 degrees and surface temperatures at Fair Park of 151 degrees.”

Dallas’ lack of trees increases the temperature outside.

Image Courtesy of Texas Trees Foundation. Illustration by Ashley Drake.

LAKE HIGHLANDS: HOT OR NOT?

The Texas Trees Foundation conducted a study in 2017 to determine the hottest areas of Dallas and what will happen as development increases. In case you were wondering, the Medical District, Love Field and the U.S. Highway 75 corridor are the most sweat inducing.

Most of Lake Highlands’ parkland surrounds its trails, according to Robert Kent, North Texas area director of the Trust for Public Land.

Harry S. Moss, Flag Pole Hill, Fair Oaks and Olive Shapiro parks account for the majority of our green space. Despite having several trails and White Rock Lake in our vicinity, City Council District 10 comprises only 3 percent of Dallas’ 23,464 parkland acres. North Lake Highlands and Vickery Meadow are some of the city’s most prominent “park deserts,” Kent says.

But what Lake Highlands lacks in parkland it makes up for in mature trees, thanks to its well-established residential areas. “Lake Highlands and Lakewood are definitely up there” in terms of green space, says Matt Grubisich, TTF’s director of operations. In other words, we are sweating less than Northwest or South Dallas, although we shouldn’t congratulate ourselves quite yet.

The study also imagined what would happen if Dallas lost 10 percent of its tree canopy. The impact could be dramatic, particularly near Interstate 635, according to Grubisich. “We just can’t plant enough trees is what it comes down to,” he says.

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EAST COAST ATTITUDE, SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

TONY’S PIZZA AND PASTA KEEPS IT ALL IN THE FAMILY

Story by ELISSA CHUDWIN Photos by KATHY TRAN

Meat-lover’s pizza

THE ONLY BEACH Tony Zhuta sees is the ocean waves, jagged cliffs and coastal villas painted onto the walls of Tony’s Pizza and Pasta.

Between making pizza dough and homemade sauce, chatting with customers and supervising the waitstaff, Zhuta has little time to relax, much less take a vacation.

His mother, Amdije, his brothers and he devote their days to the restaurant that his father, Mirfit, gifted the family 16 years ago. “He trusted us and gave us this opportunity, and we’ll never forget it,” Zhuta says.

Mirfit is an ethnic Albanian who emigrated from Macedonia to New Jersey. He noticed that Italian restaurants flourished on the East Coast, but he didn’t like the region’s crowded urban vibe.

After relocating to Dallas, he opened a small, upscale Italian eatery in Denton, where Zhuta and his brothers learned to bus tables and take orders.

One day, when Zhuta was about 14, the restaurant’s chef, Stevie Rodriguez, announced he was tired of making meals for the teen. So he taught Zhuta how to cook. Decades later, the two work together at Tony’s.

“I don’t cook quickly or half-assed because I want people to enjoy it,” Zhuta says.

TRY THIS

The tortellini bolognese ($8.95) combines Tony’s alfredo and marinara sauces, poured over ricotta-filled tortellini. The meat-lovers pizza ($11.95$13.95) is topped with pepperoni, hamburger, pork sausage and Canadian bacon.

The bond between the family and their regulars are what Zhuta says motivates them. Customers adopted Amdije, known as Mama Dia, as an extension of their own family. They criticize Zhuta for not giving her enough breaks but complain that they miss her during her occasional days off.

Zhuta was the troublemaker as a kid, and he hasn’t lost his knack for being the instigator. He has no problem making fun of customers, regardless of their age. When two children lost a bet with Zhuta during the NBA playoffs, they had to wear white chefs coats and mustaches while bussing tables one night.

Their parents thought it was just as funny as Zhuta did, and the kids’ photo hung on the walls for years.

“Knock on wood, it’s been great for us so far,” he says.

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The Band Next Door

BY ELISSA CHUDWIN

PHOTOS BY DANNY FULGENCIO

This is your father's rock band.

Epic rock REDEFINED

John Kenny, Philip Peeples and Jim Cocke are on the hunt for epic rock songs created after 2000.

The three Lake Highlands bandmates debate songs for future setlists while finishing lunch at a back table inside Fish City Grill. Cocke says it’s their responsibility to define epic rock music for future generations.

Queen? Absolutely. Radiohead? Divisive. Fall Out Boy? Hopefully not, but millennials love it.

Kenny laments that pop music rules the radio, and Cocke accuses him of being a cantankerous old man.

“What makes a song epic?” is a common conversation topic among members of Epic Unplugged, a cover band that reimagines popular rock music. The eightpiece outfit follows an atypical model, swapping an electric guitar for its acoustic counterpart and adding a string quartet and a piano.

“We do ‘Cashmere’ by Led Zeppelin,” Kenny says. “It’s a different song hearing it live with strings. People are like, ‘Whoa, this is cool.’ That’s the wow factor.”

With only four shows to their name, Epic Unplugged already has booked 10 gigs throughout the fall, including the House of Blues and Lake Highlands

EPIC UNPLUGGED

Oktoberfest, slated Sept.29. All eight members are professional musicians, and two are household names in Dallas’ music scene.

Peeples is a drummer for the Old 97s, a 25-year-old alternative country act. Kenny is the guitarist for Graceland Ninjaz, the self-proclaimed “King of Party Bands.”

Thanks to their credentials, booking gigs is seamless, although juggling several projects often is chaotic.

“Only with the quality of players we have could we get ramped up so quickly,” Kenny says.

The inception of Epic Unplugged spurred from a conversation between electric violinist Lance Youts and Kenny. Youts wanted to cover his favorite music, and Kenny wanted to sing again.

They opted to add a bass, piano and drums.

“Then it became, ‘What if we got a string quartet?’ ” Kenny says. “ ‘What if we get a harp? … You know what? Let’s stop there.’ ”

Sans harp, Kenny enlisted longtime musicians Cocke and Peeples. Next, they drafted a rotating cast of violinists, cellists and a viola player for live performances.

Now all that’s left is to narrow down their setlist. Peeples rattles off their choices: the Beatles, the Eagles, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, MGMT, Black Sabbath.

“We might be the first people on the planet to play ‘War Pigs’ and ‘Immigrant Song’ unplugged,” Kenny says.

Left to right: Philip Peeples, John Kenny and Jim Cocke

From fire departments TO

Justin Phillip Brooks has told stories onstage the majority of his life.

His father was a church music director who sang at several churches, often bringing his family onstage with him. As a seventh-grader, Brooks performed with a 60-year-old church organist named Miss Betty in the Beaumont’s fire department’s band. She loaded a drum set into her car for the mini concerts.

Music and faith have always been intertwined in Brooks’ life. “It’s the lens by which we look at everything,” says his wife, Tiffany, who also is a singer.

The Lake Highlands neighbors joined Liturgical Folk, a group that sets retired Anglican priest Nelson Koscheski’s poems to music. Now he and Tiffany — along with her brother Morgan Taylor — formed a folk trio under Brooks’ name.

“It’s almost like when you hear those instruments, you hear the ghosts of those stories and those people who passed music down from generation to generation,” Brooks says.

COFFEE SHOPS

This is their first time performing as a trio, and they can’t quite figure out why it took so long to collaborate.

“For me, it was, ‘Why haven’t we been doing this the whole time?’ ” Brooks says.

“It just kind of came together for us to do it,” Tiffany adds. “We’re doing what we love with the people we love.”

Tiffany and Morgan’s parents aren’t musical, although the two grew up singing and creating songs. Their grandparents, though, owned an antique accordion, harmonica and dulcimer, instruments sometimes highlighted in their songs. Family stories are a part of the lyrics, too. The song “Candle on the Shore” is about Brooks’ great-great grandfather, who ran the Bolivar Lighthouse near Galveston and sheltered people from hurricanes in the early 20th century.

“I wrote the story from the perspective of a survivor,” he says.

The trio are staples at Opening Bell Coffee and completed a Sofar Sounds sessions, where people buy tickets before knowing the location of the show, whether that be the back of a restaurant or someone’s living room.

“People are there strictly for the music,” Brooks says. “It’s really the environment we love.”

Like Brooks, his children, Taylor and Grayson, tag along with to watch their parents perform. Whether they think it’s cool, though, has yet to be determined.

“I was thinking about that the other day,” he says. “Do Bono’s kids think he’s cool? Do Frank Sinatra’s?”

Left to Right: Morgan Taylor, Justin Phillip Brooks and Ti any Brooks

Four lawyers and three retirees walk into a bar.

Instead of immediately grabbing beers — that happens later — they carry four guitars, a bass, keyboard and drums to a small stage at Lone Star Roadhouse. They check their mics.

Then, around 7 p.m., the Catdaddies launch into renditions of their favorite classic rock tunes, the ones that bandmates revered in high school and have performed the past 20 years.

“It’s more like a party when we play,” guitarist and singer Kent Hofmeister says.

The Catdaddies is Lake Highlands’ homage to the 1960s and ’70s classic rock. The band celebrated its 20th anniversary in mid-September. A line formed at the entry, former members joined for their favorite songs and wacky moves graced the dancefloor.

When the band formed in 1998, its members’ only goal was unrelated to success, longevity or money. Then members of the Dad’s Club at Lake Highlands Elementary, they were asked to perform in their children’s talent show.

The five-piece outfit chose a few favorites to play, including Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.” The competition was so fun that they kept practicing, says Mark Sales, the only remaining original member. The then five-piece outfit coerced their children into being roadies and trekked their gear to the school gym to practice.

LAWYERS, RETIREES AND ROCK ‘N’ ROLL Guilty as

charged:

THE CATDADDIES ABOVE: (Left to right) Christina Melton, Mark Sales, original member Sam Finklea, David Michno , Brad Young, Kent Hofmeister and Bryan Dunklin take the stage during the Catdaddies 20th anniversary show. BELOW: Drummer David Michno

A year later, they landed their first gig at Enchilada’s.

Juggling a family, fulltime career and rock band was time-consuming for most of the guys, so Sales sought out replacements. The lawyer recruited friends from the bar association, and now the seven-piece band includes Kent Hofmeister, Bryan Dunklin and Christina Melton, along with David Michnoff, Brad Young and Steve Rickey. Band members say they’re divided into two groups: members of the bar and guys who go to bars.

The band’s practice space has since relocated to Sales’ converted garage. The room is more sophisticated than that of a teen garage band, although it does have just as many posters. Images of Bob Dylan, Bob Marley and John Lennon line the walls. So does “Almost Famous” and Woodstock.

At a summer practice, weeks before their 20th anniversary show, songs like The Beatles’ “Birthday” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon” blare from Sales’ garage. Michnoff, the drummer, explains one of the band’s few rules: “We don’t do anything past early MTV.”

The Catdaddies have played at the arboretum and the Granada Theater. Every year they take their talents to Law Jam, a fundraiser for the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program. And one of their favorite shows was at the Christina Melton Crain Unit, a women’s prison named after their bandmate.

“The music is in our DNA,” Melton says. “It’s what makes us tick.”

SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT

IS LAKE HIGHLANDS LOSING INFLUENCE IN RISD?

Alawsuit that claims school-board election methods cheat minorities out of seats at the table could shake up neighborhood politics.

Three of seven elected Richardson ISD trustees live in Lake Highlands, and they could be pitted against each other if the lawsuit has its way.

And history is in its favor.

Attorney Bill Brewer, representing former RISD trustee David Tyson in two lawsuits against the district, has won every similar case he’s tried.

Brewer Storefront, the pro bono arm of Dallas-based Brewer Attorneys & Counselors, filed claims of voting injustice and won against three suburban school districts over the past decade.

The lawsuits ended at-large voting in Carrollton-Farmers Branch, Grand Prairie and Irving ISDs, and RISD could be next.

The two lawsuits against RISD allege violations of the federal Voting Rights Act and the Texas Open Meetings Act.

“We don’t think any of the assertions are accurate,” says RISD Board of Trustees President Justin Bono. “But we’re going to work on it through the legal process, which,

unfortunately, takes a long time.”

Tyson, the only minority who’s ever served on RISD’s board, claims that the district’s at-large election system discourages minority representation. He claims the all-white board members “prioritize [a] cluster of high-performing, primarily white schools at the expense of the rest of the community,” which has led to an “egregious performance gap” between affluent white students and others in the district.

“Maintaining the status quo at the highest levels of power keeps RISD frozen in time, lacks true democratic legitimacy, and inhibits the development of tools necessary to address the challenges of inequality and poverty that many of its students face daily,” Tyson states in the lawsuit.

In the second lawsuit, Tyson accuses trustees of meeting secretly to discuss business, in violation of Texas law, and then covering their tracks by erasing incriminating texts, emails and phone messages. As evidence, he points to more than 500 unanimous votes over the last seven years, “votes that appear swift and uncontested, but in truth have been choreographed behind the scenes.”

Story By CAROL TOLER Illustration by ASHLEY DRAKE

TWO LAWSUITS MAY RESHAPE WHETHER OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS SEATS AT THE TABLE

“Maintaining the status quo at the highest level of power keeps RISD frozen in time...”

BREWER STOREFRONT VICTORIES

Date filed:

2007

Defendant:

City of Irving

Lawsuit: Challenged the at-large election system that typically elected an all-white City Council, even though whites represent a little more than half the city’s population.

Date resolved: A federal judge ruled in July 2009 that Irving’s local elections had unfairly barred minority voters from winning.

Outcome: The City Council changed to six single-member districts and two at-large seats. Two minorities currently serve on the board.

Date filed:

2008 and 2013

Defendant:

Irving ISD

Lawsuit: Challenged the five singlemember districts and two at-large seats, which the storefront claimed did not benefit Hispanic voters.

Date resolved: A federal judge ruled in August 2014 that Hispanic voters were denied an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.

Outcome: The council changed to seven single-member seats. One is considered a “Hispanic-opportunity district,” although none have yet been elected.

Date filed: 2010

Defendant:

City of Farmers Branch

Lawsuit: Challenged the at-large voting system that “denied Hispanic voters the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the electoral process.”

Date resolved: U.S. District Court Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater ruled in August 2012 that the plaintiffs “have proved, under the totality of the circumstances, that Hispanics in Farmers Branch have less opportunity than other members of the electorate to participate in the political process and to elect representatives of their choice.”

Outcome: The City Council now includes five single-member districts,

Brewer Storefront has drawn proposed districts around Hamilton Park, majority African-American, and around the Central Expressway and Midpark area, majority Hispanic. Current RISD board members live outside of these districts and close enough to each other that, if a lawsuit prevails, they could be pitted against each other in board elections.

The cases could settle or go to trial, but Tyson’s attorneys propose changing from at-large voting to single-member districts.

That would make the way RISD school board members are elected look dramatically different.

Changing to single-member districts would require a voter map to be drawn to include at least two districts that likely would elect minority candidates, based on population statistics. The lawsuit proposes districts with lines drawn around Hamilton Park, majority African-American, and around the Central Expressway and Midpark area, majority Hispanic.

In that scenario, four of six current trustees could be forced off the board: Current board members Justin Bono, Jean Bono and Karen Clardy live in Lake Highlands near Moss Haven within half a mile of each other.

Kim Caston, Kristin Kuhne and Katie Patterson live within 2.5 miles in the J.J.

REAL ESTATE REPORT

area home values

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including a Hispanic-opportunity district. That seat is now held by Ana Reyes.

Date filed:

2013

Defendant:

Grand Prairie ISD

Lawsuit: Challenged the at-large system that elected an all-white male school board in a district where more than 60 percent of the student body is Hispanic.

Date resolved: Settled in September 2014.

Outcome: The board now consists of five single-member districts — two of which have a predominately Hispanic population — and two at-large seats. David Espinosa, a Latino candidate, now represents Place 5, and Gloria Carrillo was elected to Place 3.

Date filed:

2015

Defendant:

Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD

Lawsuit: Challenged the at-large system that elected an all-white school board where about 55 percent of the student body is Hispanic.

Date resolved: Settlement announced in September 2015.

Outcome: Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD now has a cumulative voting system. Plaintiff Guillermo Ramos replaced Trustee Nancy Watten on the board, and Candace Valenzuela was later elected.

Date filed:

2015

Defendant:

City of Grand Prairie

Lawsuit: Challenged six single-member districts and two at-large districts that allowed for an all-white city council and mayor, despite the city being about 44 percent Hispanic.

Date resolved: Settled in July 2015.

Outcome: The city redrew boundaries to include more Latino voters in Districts 3 and 5.

Reporting by Elissa Chudwin

going in with guns blazing.

Pearce feeder pattern along Campbell Road.

The three in Lake Highlands likely would be drawn into the same district, as would the Pearce three. They could run against each other or decline to run for re-election.

Though Justin Bono doesn’t agree with Brewer’s assertions, and RISD answered the voting rights suit by denying all of the allegations, Bono indicated this past summer that the district isn’t going in with guns blazing.

“We’re working diligently with our attorney, and we’ll hopefully find an outcome that is both agreeable to our board and to all our stakeholders in the district through this process,” Bono says. “At any point in time, there are twists and turns in litigation. It would

be inappropriate to discuss thoughts on litigation because it can change at any point in the process.”

Brewer says he refuses to settle unless the solution “provides adequate opportunity for representation from those parts of the community that have no representation now.” New electoral districts that accomplish this goal are not only possible, he says, referring to the maps his firm drew, but also required by the Voting Rights Act.

“When we file a lawsuit like this, what we’re hoping to do is effect meaningful change. We hope that can come through conversation and collaboration on what type of system is needed,” Brewer says. “But unless that occurs, we prepare for the worst, and the worst is not a bad alternative: We get ready to go to trial.”

School-board elections cheat sheet

At-large (current system): Members are elected to represent the entire school district. As a result, they can live anywhere within Richardson ISD’s boundaries and run for any open seat.

Single-member: Richardson ISD would be divided into districts, and members would represent the area in which they live.

Cumulative: Similar to the at-large system, candidates can run for any seat. The difference: Residents could have as many votes as there are available seats and cast them however they choose.

5/2: In Richardson ISD’s case, 5/2 voting would mean that two minority districts would be drawn, and the rest would remain at-large.

RISD Board President Justin Bono indicated this past summer that the district isn’t

By GEORGE MASON

Won’t you be my neighbor?

Acouple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary was asked the secret of marriage. She replied, “When he proposed, he got down on a knee, looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Will you have a conversation with me for the rest of our lives?’ ”

Twenty years ago this month I started a conversation with you about our life together in these parts of Dallas. It may seem to you that you are reading the musings of a minister as if listening to a sermon preached to no one in particular. But that isn’t how I have written these 240 columns thus far.

Each month, I have imagined you on the other end of a conversation, the Advocate in your lap, nodding in agreement or shaking your head in disagreement with my prose or my pose of this idea or that.

A favorite experience across these years has been bumping into you in the neighborhood and hearing your appreciation for the pieces. These columns have been a free gift, an expression of my love for our community and my desire for it to be all it can be.

It’s also been an exercise in public theology; that is, how religious convictions can contribute to the common good — how belief and community are tied together, even when beliefs conflict. Religion, after all, comes from a root meaning “to tie together, to refasten or rebind” what has been separated, broken or frayed.

Some people ironically and tragically use faith to dominate others and diminish them. Faith should drive us toward, not away from, one another. “Love your neighbor” is a universal religious duty. Faith is a way of seeing the world as it should be, and then it’s the courage to act with God to bring it to pass.

Too often faith is viewed as something strictly private. We wrongly assume the separation of church and state means we are on the polite side of the law only when

we keep our faith to ourselves. Authentic faith is always personal but never private. It fires our imagination about public life, about how we live with people on our street, in our state and across all borders. It expands the soul to embrace greater difference. It works to turn the other into another.

WORSHIP

BAPTIST

PARK CITIES BAPTIST CHURCH / 3933 Northwest Pky / pcbc.org

Bible Study 9:15 / Worship Services 10:45 Traditional, Contemporary, Spanish Speaking / 214.860.1500

ROYAL LANE BAPTIST CHURCH / 6707 Royal Lane / 214.361.2809

Christian Education 9:45 a.m. / Worship Service 10:55 a.m.

Pastor - Rev. Dr. Michael L. Gregg / www.royallane.org

WILSHIRE BAPTIST / 4316 Abrams / 214.452.3100

Pastor George A. Mason Ph.D. / Worship 8:30 & 11:00 am

Bible Study 9:40 am / www.wilshirebc.org

BIBLE CHURCHES

NORTH HIGHLANDS BIBLE CHURCH / nhbc.net / 9626 Church Rd.

Sun: LifeQuest 9:00 am / Worship 10:30 am / 214.348.9697

Wed: AWANA and Kids Choir 6:00 pm / Student Ministry 6:30 pm

DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

EAST DALLAS CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 629 N. Peak Street / 214.824.8185

Sunday School 9:30 am / Worship 8:30 am - Chapel

10:50 am - Sanctuary / Rev. Deborah Morgan-Stokes / edcc.org

EPISCOPAL

ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH / 9845 McCree Road / 214.348.1345

Worship 8 & 10 am / Family Service 10 am / Sunday School 9 am

Nursery Open for All Services. / StJamesDallas.org

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH / stjd.org

Worship: Sat 5:30 pm, Sun 8 & 10:30 am / Christian Ed Sunday Morning & Weekdays, see calendar on website / 214.321.6451 / 848 Harter Rd.

LUTHERAN

CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA / 1000 Easton Road

A Welcoming and Affirming Church / Pastor Rich Pounds

Sunday School 9:00 am / Worship 10:30 am / CentralLutheran.org

Faith teaches us that a flourishing life begins with divine gift, rather than human achievement. As the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins put it, “There lives the dearest freshness deep down things.”

There is enough for all of us. We don’t have to compete to live well; we only have to cooperate. Faith reaches out a hand to hold in comfort, to lift up in aid, or to shake in friendship.

Thanks to a recent documentary, we have been blessed by a revival of the spirit of Fred Rogers, who, through his PBS television show, helped children and parents alike learn the meaning of quiet kindness. His signature phrase is a good summary of my aspiration for these columns: Won’t you be my neighbor?

GEORGE MASON is pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church, president of Faith Commons and host of the “Good God” podcast. The Worship section is underwritten by Advocate Publishing and the neighborhood businesses and churches listed here. For information about helping support the Worship section, call 214.560.4202.

FIRST UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH (ELCA) / 6202 E Mockingbird Ln. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am / Call for class schedule. 214.821.5929 / www.dallaslutheran.org

METHODIST

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH RICHARDSON 503 N Central Exwy / fumcr.com / 972.235.8385 / Dr. Clayton Oliphint 8:45, 9:45, 11:00 am sanctuary / access modern worship 11:00am

LAKE HIGHLANDS UMC / 9015 Plano Rd. / 214.348.6600 / lhumc.com

Sunday Morning: 9:30 am Sunday School / 10:30 am Coffee Worship: 8:30 am & 11:00 am Traditional / 11:00 am Contemporary

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

LAKE POINTE CHURCH – WHITE ROCK CAMPUS

Classic Service at 9:30 & Contemporary Service at 11:00 am lakepointe.org / 9150 Garland Road

PRESBYTERIAN

LAKE HIGHLANDS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 214.348.2133 8525 Audelia Road at NW Hwy. / www.lhpres.org

9:00 am Contemporary, 9:55 am Christian Ed., 11:00 am Traditional

NORTHRIDGE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 6920 Bob-O-Link Dr. 214.827.5521 / www.northridgepc.org / Sundays 8:30 & 11:00 am Church that feels like church and welcomes like family.

‘Public theology’ is the purpose of George Mason’s monthly column

Each month, I have imagined you on the other end of a conversation, the Advocate in your lap, nodding in agreement or shaking your head in disagreement.

The Max 2018 IRS 179 business expense deduction is $1,000,000. Now that’s a big deal

Community Recycling & Shredding Event!

Community Recycling & Shredding

Saturday, October 20 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Community Recycling & Shredding Event!

Saturday, October 11 / 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Lake Highlands United Methodist Church 9015 Plano Road (Plano Road parking lot)

Saturday, October 11 / 9:00

Lake Highlands United Methodist 9015 Plano Road (McCree Road

Lake Highlands United Methodist Church 9015 Plano Road (McCree Road parking lot)

Recycling Drop-off - FREE

Recycling

Drop-off - FREE

Items Accepted: most electronics, toys, sporting goods, multimedia, books, and clothing

Recycling Drop-off -

Items Accepted: most electronics, sporting goods, multimedia, books,

Items Accepted: most electronics, toys, sporting goods, multimedia, books, and clothing

NOT Accepted: old TVs, old computer monitors, furniture

NOT Accepted: old TVs or old computer

Shredding - $5 / Box

NOT Accepted: old TVs or old computer monitors (CRTs)

Shredding - $5 /

Proceeds benefit LHUMC youth mission

Shredding - $5 / Box

Proceeds benefit LHUMC youth mission trip fund. Shred truck destroys documents on-site!

Shred truck destroys documents

Proceeds benefit LHUMC youth mission trip fund. Shred truck destroys documents on-site!

Note: Paper clips and staples are OK, but no binders, please. Visit www.lhumc.com, or contact Cindy Engel at 214-348-6835 or cindita_e@yahoo.com.

Note: Paper clips and staples are OK, but no binders, please. Visit www.lhumc.com, or contact Cindy Engel at 214-348-6835 or cindita_e@yahoo.com.

Note: Paper clips and staples are OK, but Visit www.lhumc.com, or contact at 214-348-6835 or cindita_e@yahoo.com.

AC & HEAT

Air Conditioning

Foam Encapsulation • Insulation Smart Home Solutions Service & Sales

Family Owned & Operated

integrity • innovative • impactful

214- 330 - 5500 iiirth.com

TACLB29169E

APPLIANCE REPAIR

JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE

TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898

BUY/SELL/TRADE

CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! All Makes/Models. 2000-2016. Any Condition. Running Or Not. Top $$$ Paid. Free Towing. We’re Nationwide. Call Now 1-888-985-1806

CABINETRY & FURNITURE

CABINETMAKER Design/Build Custom Furniture. Repair, Refinish. 40 yrs. exp. Jim 214-457-3830

SQUARE NAIL WOODWORKING

Cabinet Refacing, Built-ins, Entertainment/ Computer Centers. Jim. 214-324-7398 www.squarenailwoodworking.com

CLASSES/TUTORING/LESSONS

ART: Draw/Paint. Adults All Levels. Lake Highlands N. Rec. Ctr. Days: Mon & Wed. Students bring supplies. Nights: 1xt month workshop, supplies furnished. Jane Cross. 214-534-6829

CLEANING SERVICES

A MAID FOR YOU Bonded/Insured.Park Cities/ M Streets Refs. Call Us First. Joyce 214-232-9629

AFFORDABLE CLEANING Insd./Bonded. Move In/Out. Routine Cleaning. Reliable. Dependable. Residential/ Commercial. References. 28+yrs. Delta Cleaning. 972-943-9280.

ALTOGETHER CLEAN

Relax ...We’ll Clean Your House, It Will Be Your Favorite Day! Bonded & Insurance. Free Estimates. 214-929-8413. www. altogetherclean.net

CINDY’S HOUSE CLEANING 15 yrs exp. Resd/Com. Refs. Dependable. 214-490-0133

TWO SISTERS & A MOP MAID SERVICE

Reliable Quality Work.Best Rates. 23 Yrs. Exp. 214-283-9732

WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM

Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134

WINDOW WASHING & HOUSE CLEANING Call Sunny @ 214-724-2555

COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS

ALL COMPUTER PROBLEMS SOLVED

MAC/PC Great Rates. Keith. 214-295-6367

AT ODDS WITH YOUR COMPUTER? Easily Learn Essential Skills. Services include Digital Photo Help. Sharon 214-679-9688

BILL’S COMPUTER REPAIR

Virus Removal, Data Recovery. Home/Biz Network Install. All Upgrades & Repairs. PC Instruction. No Trip Fee. 214-348-2566

CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let a seasoned pro be the interface between you & that pesky Windows computer. Hardware/Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $60/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 972-639-6413 / stykidan@sbcglobal.net

CONCRETE/MASONRY/PAVING

BRICK & STONE REPAIR

Tuck Pointing / Crack Repair. Mortar Color Matching. Don 214-704-1722

BRICK, BLOCK, Stone, Concrete, Stucco. Gonzalez Masonry. 214-395-1319

BRICK, STONEWORK, FLAGSTONE PATIOS

Mortar Repair. Straighten Brick Mailboxes & Columns. Call Cirilo 214-298-7174

CONCRETE, Driveway Specialist Repairs, Replacement, Removal, References. Reasonable. Chris 214-770-5001

EDMONDSPAVING.COM Asphalt & Concrete Driveway-Sidewalk-Patio-Repair 214-957-3216

FLAGSTONE PATIOS, Retaining Walls, BBQ’s, Veneer, Flower Bed Edging, All Stone work. Chris 214-770-5001

R&M Concrete

Concrete • Driveways Retaining Walls Brick & Stone Work Stamped Concrete 214-202-8958

Bonded & InsuredReferences & Free Estimates

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricofdallas.com 50 Yrs. Electrical Exp. Insd. 214-328-1333

BRIGHT LIGHT ELECTRIC • 214-553-5333

TECL 31347 Brightening Homes and Businesses

LAKEWOOD ELECTRICAL Local. Insured. Lic. #227509 Call Rylan 214-434-8735

TEXAS ELECTRICAL • 214-289-0639

Prompt, Honest, Quality Service. TECL 24668

TH ELECTRIC Reasonable Rates. Licensed & Insured. Ted. E257 214-808-3658

WHITE ROCK ELECTRIC All Electrical Services. Lic/Insd. E795. 214-850-4891

EMPLOYMENT

AIRLINE MECHANIC TRAINING Get FAA certified. Approved for military benefits. Financial aid if qualified. Job placement assistance. Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-453-6204

AVON AGENTS WANTED StartAvon.com.

Reference Code; CHASKIN

PET SITTERS, DOG WALKERS reply to http://www.pcpsi.com/join

EXTERIOR

CLEANING

G&G DEMOLITION Tear downs, Haul. Interior/Exterior. 214-808-8925

FENCING & DECKS

4 QUALITY FENCING • 214-507-9322

Specializing in Wood, New or Repair.

AMBASSADOR FENCE INC. EST.96

Automatic Gates, Fences/Decks Ambassadorfenceco.com 214-621-3217

FENCING & WOODWORK oldgatefence.com . 214-766-6422

HANNAWOODWORKS.COM

Decks, Pergolas, Patio Covers. 214-435-9574

KIRKWOOD FENCE/AUTOMATIC GATES facebook/kirkwoodfence&deck 214-341-0699

LONESTARDECKS.COM 214-357-3975

Trex Decking & Fencing, trex.com

All Wood Decks, Arbors & Patio Covers

Northlake Fence and Deck

Locally owned and operated by the Mccaffrey family since1980

214-349-9132

www northlakefence.com

FOUNDATION REPAIR

• Slabs • Pier & Beam

• Mud Jacking • Drainage

• Free Estimates

• Over 20 Years Exp.

972-288-3797

We Answer Our Phones

GARAGE SERVICES

IDEAL GARAGE DOORS • 972-757-5016 Install & Repair. 10% off to military/1st responders.

ROCKET GARAGE DOOR SERVICE - 24/7. Repairs/Installs. 214-533-8670. Coupon On Web. www.RocketDoor.com

UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES Res/Com. Locally Owned. 214-251-5428

GLASS, WINDOWS & DOORS

LAKE HIGHLANDS GLASS & MIRROR frameless shower enclosures • store fronts replacement windows • mirrors 214-349-8160

PRO WINDOW CLEANING prompt, dependable. Matt 214-766-2183

ROCK GLASS CO Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 214-837-7829

HANDYMAN SERVICES

ALL STAR HOME CARE Carpentry, Paint, Doors, Sheetrock Repair, and more. 25 yrs. exp. References. Derry 214-505-4830

BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

HANDY DAN The Handyman. ToDo’s Done Right. handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

HANDYMAN SPECIALIST Residential/ Commercial. Large, small jobs, repair list, renovations. Refs. 214-489-0635

HOME REPAIR HANDYMAN Small/Big Jobs + Construction. 30 Yrs. Exp. Steve. 214-875-1127

HOMETOWN HANDYMAN All phases of construction. No job too small 214-327-4606

HONEST, SKILLED SERVICE With a Smile. General Repairs/ Maintenance. 214-215-2582

FLOORING & CARPETING

CALL EMPIRE TODAY To Schedule A Free In -Home Estimate On Carpeting & Flooring. 1-800-508-2824

DALLAS HARDWOODS 214-724-0936

Installation, Repair, Refinish, Wax, Hand Scrape. Residential, Commercial. Sports Floors. 30 Yrs.

FENN CONSTRUCTION Manufactored hardwoods. Stone and Tile. Back-splash Specials. 214-343-4645

HASTINGS STAINED CONCRETE New/Remodel. Stain/Wax Int/Ext. Nick. 214-341-5993. www.hastingsfloors.com

WILLEFORD HARDWOOD FLOORS 214-824-1166 • WillefordHardwoodFloors.com

MINTON HOME REPAIRS Handyman & Remodeling Services. 214-862-1019

ONE CALL WEEKEND SERVICES Contractor & Handyman. Remodels, Renovations . Paint, Plumbing, Drywall, Electrical.469-658-9163

WANTED: ODD JOBS & TO DO LISTS

Allen’s Handyman & Home Repair 214-288-4232

Your Home Repair Specialists

Drywall Doors Senior Safety Carpentry Small & Odd Jobs And More! 972-308-6035

HandymanMatters.com/dallas

Bonded & Insured. Locally owned & operated.

WHERE CAN I FIND LOCAL ...?

HOME SECURITY

SAFES For Guns, Home or Business. We Offer a Large Selection Plus Consultation & In-Home Delivery. Visit Our Showroom. 972-272-9788 thesafecompany.com

HOUSE PAINTING

1 AFFORDABLE HOUSE PAINTING and Home Repair. Quality work. Inside and Out. Free Ests. Local Refs. Ron 972-816-5634

A+ INT/EXT PAINT & DRYWALL Since 1977. Kirk Evans. 972-672-4681

BENJAMIN’S PAINTING SERVICE Professional Work At Reasonable Prices. 214-725-6768

RAMON’S INT/EXT PAINT Sheetrock, Repairs. 214-679-4513

TONY’S PAINTING SERVICE Quality Work Since 1984. Int./Ext. 214-755-2700

TOP COAT 30 yrs. exp. Reliable, Quality Repair/Remodel Phil @ 214-770-2863

VIP PAINTING & DRYWALL Int/Ext. Sheetrock Repair, Resurfacing Tubs, Counters, Tile Repairs. 469-774-7111

JUNK REMOVAL

JUNK LEADERS Complete Junk/Trash Removal Service. junkleaders.com 903-742-5865

KITCHEN/BATH/TILE/GROUT

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS LLC

Complete Kitchen And Bath Remodels. Tile, Granite, Marble, Travertine, Slate. Insured. 214-563-5035 www.blake-construction.com

FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. dallastileman.com 214-343-4645

MELROSE TILE James Sr., Installer, Repairs. 40 Yrs. Exp. MelroseTile.com 214-384-6746

STONE AGE COUNTER TOPS

Granite, Quartz, Marble For Kitchen/Bath-Free Est. stoneage.brandee@gmail.com 940-465-6980

TK REMODELING 972-533-2872

Complete Full Service Repairs, Remodeling, Restoration. Name It — We do it. Tommy. Insured. dallas.tkremodelingcontractors.com

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

#1 WHITE ROCK TREE WIZARDS

Professionals, Experts, Artists. Trim, Remove, Cabling, Bracing/Bolting. Cavity-Fill Stump Grind. Emergencies, Hazards. Insd. Free Est. 972-803-6313. arborwizard.com

A BETTER TREE MAN Trims, Removals, Insd. 12 Yrs Exp. Roberts Tree Service. 214-808-8925

LAWNS,

LAWNS,

Call Mark Wittlich 214-332-3444

Looking for local services and don’t have an Advocate magazine handy?

CHECK OUT OUR UPDATED DIGITAL CLASSIFIED ADS

Online ads have long been a part of our classifieds, but we at Advocate magazine are always looking for ways to improve. What’s new? Our digital ads now include photos and logos of companies. Plus, they are searchable on Google.

Support your neighborhood by contacting these local companies, who are ready to help you with home and professional services, tutoring, lessons and more.

Pull up our lakehighlands.advocatemag.com, then click on the Marketplace tab. Search the category that you want, then start contacting local services. Thanks for supporting our classified section.

LEGAL

classifieds.advocatemag.com

LAWNS, GARDENS &

CHUPIK TREE SERVICE

TREES

Trim, Remove, Stump Grind. Free Est. Insured. 214-823-6463

DALLAS GROUNDSKEEPER Organic Lawn Maintenance designed to meet your needs. 214-471-5723 dallasgroundskeeper.com

DALLAS K.D.R.SERVICES • 214-349-0914

Lawn Service & Landscape Installation

HOLMAN IRRIGATION

Sprinkler & Valve Repair/ Rebuild Older Systems. Lic. #1742. 214-398-8061

MAYA TREE SERVICE Tree Trim/Remove. Lawn Maintenance. Resd/ Commcl.Insd. CC’s Accptd. mayatreeservice.com

214-924-7058 214-770-2435

NEW LEAF TREE CARE

Honest, Modern, Safety Minded. 214-850-1528

PAT TORRES 214-388-1850 Lawn Service & Tree Care. 28 Yrs. Complete Landscape Renovation. New Fence Install & Brick Repair. Concrete Removal and Gutter Cleaning.

TAYLOR MADE IRRIGATION Repairs, service, drains. 30+ years exp. Ll 6295 469-853-2326. John

U R LAWN CARE Maintenance. Landscaping. Your Personal Yard Service by Uwe Reisch uwereisch@yahoo.com 214-886-9202

IRISH RAIN

MOVING

AM MOVING COMPANY Specialty Moving & Delivery. 469-278-2304 ammovingcompany.com

PEST CONTROL

A BETTER EARTH PEST CONTROL Keeping the environment, kids, pets in mind. Organic products avail. 972-564-2495

MCDANIEL PEST CONTROL

Prices Start at $85 + Tax For General Treatment.

Average Home-Interior/Exterior & Attached Garage. Quotes For Other Services. 214-328-2847. Lakewood Resident

PET SERVICES

DOGGIE DEN DALLAS Daycare, Boarding, Grooming, Training. 6444 E. Mockingbird Ln. 214-823-1441 • DoggieDenDallas.com

THE PET DIVAS Pet Sitting, Daily Dog Walks, In Home/Overnight Stays.Basic Obedience Training. thepetdivas.com 817-793-2885. Insured

PLUMBING

AC PLUMBING Repairs, Fixtures, Senior Discounts. Gary Campbell. 214-321-5943

ANDREWS PLUMBING • 214-354-8521

# M37740 Insured. Any plumbing issues.

HAYES PLUMBING INC. Repairs. Insured, 214-343-1427 License M13238

NTX PLUMBING SPEC. LLLP 214-226-0913

Lic. M-40581 Res/Com. Repairs & Leak Location

POOLS

CERULEAN POOL SERVICES

Operated. Weekly maintenance, Chemicals, parts & repairs. CeruleanPro.com 214-557-6996

LEAFCHASERS POOL SERVICE Chemicals/Repairs. Jonathan. 214-729-3311

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

ACCOUNTING/TAXES Small Business/Individual

Chris King, CPA 214-824-5313 chriskingcpa.com

C.A.S. BOOKKEEPING SERVICES

Personal/Small Business. Payroll, Accounting, Organizing, Consult. Cindy 214-577-7450

REAL ESTATE

OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE Plano/Miller Rd. 1,800 sf. Updated. Jerry. 469-233-1806

REAL ESTATE & INT. DESIGN SERVICES

contact John Cramer, Realtor w/ FireHouse Real Estate Services 214-212-6865

REMODELING

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS, LLC

Complete Remodeling, Kitchens, Baths, Additions. Hardie Siding & Replacement Windows. Build On Your Own Lot. Insured. www.blake-construction.com 214-563-5035

BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

GREEN LOVE HOMES Turnkey Renovations,Kitchens, Baths, Floors, Windows. Free Estimates. greenlovehomes.com 214-864-2444

INTEX CONSTRUCTION Specializing in int/ext. Remodel. 30 Yrs Exp. Steve Graves 214-875-1127

MP ARCHITECTURAL Design & Construction. mattandpaul.com 214-226-1186

O’BRIEN GROUP INC. Remodeling Dallas For Over 17 Years www.ObrienGroupInc.com 214-341-1448

RENOVATE DALLAS renovatedallas.com 214-403-7247

ADDITIONS • BA THROOMS • KITCHEN REMODELING

CREATIVE

Construction & REMODELING

BARRY O’BRIEN

General Contractor

Bonded & Insured • Excellent References 972-342-7232

See our excellent work at:

www.ccrbarr y.com

Bob McDonald Company, Inc. BUILDERS/REMODELERS

30+ Yrs. in Business • Major Additions Complete Renovations • Kitchens/Baths

214-341-1155 bobmcdonaldco.net

ROOFING & GUTTERS

BERT ROOFING INC.

Family owned and operated for over 40 years • Residential/Commercial • Over 30,000 roofs completed • Seven NTRCA “Golden Hammer” Awards • Free Estimates www.bertroofing.com

214.321.9341

Residential • Commercial (214) 503-7663 www.scottexteriors.com

SERVICES FOR YOU

25 DRIVER TRAINEES NEEDED NOW Earn $1000 per week. Paid CDL Training Stevens Transport Covers All Costs. 1-877-209-1309 drive4stevens.com

A PLACE FOR MOM The Nation’s Largest Senior Living Referral Service. Contact Our Trusted Local Experts Today. Our Service is Free/No Obligation. 1-844-722-7993

CARS/TRUCKS WANTED. 2002 And Newer. Any Condition. Running Or Not. Competitive Offer. Free Towing. We’re Nationwide. 1-888-416-2330

DISH NETWORK. $59.99 For 190 Channels. $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation. Smart HD DVR Included. Free Voice Remote. Some Restrictions Apply. 1-855-837-9146

DONATE YOUR CAR TO VETERANS Help And Support Our Veterans. Fast-Free Pick Up. 100% Tax Deductible. 1800-245-0398

EARTHLINK HIGHSPEED INTERNET As Low As $14.95/month.(first 3 months) Reliable High Speed Fiber Optic Technology Stream Videos, Music & More. 1-855-520-7938

IRS TAX DEBTS? $10K+ Tired Of The Calls? We Can Help. $500 Free Consultation. We Can Stop The Garnishments. Free Consultation, Call Today. 1-855-823-4189

LIFELOCK Identity Theft Protection. Do Not Wait. Start Guarding Your Identity Today. 3 Layers Of Protection. Detect, Alert, Restore. Receive 10% Off. 1-855-399-2089

MY OFFICE Offers Mailboxes, Copying, Shipping, Office & School Supplies. 9660 Audelia Rd. myofficelh.com 214-221-0011

SPECTRUM TRIPLE PLAY TV, Internet & Voice For $29.99 Each. 60 MB Per Second Speed. No Contract or Commitment. More Channels, Faster Internet. Unlimited Voice. 1-855-652-9304

START SAVING BIG ON MEDICATIONS Up To 90% Savings from 90daymeds. Over 3500 Medications Available. Prescriptions Req’d. Pharmacy Checker Approved. Call For Free Quote 844-776-7620

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AIRLINE

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TEA: LAKE HIGHLANDS SCHOOLS FALL TO BOTTOM OF RISD RANKINGS

IN AUGUST, THE ADVOCATE REPORTED that Lake Highlands has the lowest performing schools in Richardson ISD.

We said: “The Texas Education Agency has released accountability ratings under their new A-F grading system, and Richardson ISD has earned a solid B with an overall score of 88. But with the lowest ranking high school, the lowest ranking junior highs and seven of the nine elementary schools which scored below 78 in RISD, Lake Highlands has a serious case of sibling rivalry.”

The story prompted a response from Richardson ISD, which posted a statement to their website. RISD claimed the article was not comprehensive and failed to mention improvements the district has made. They said: “Making judgments about schools based solely on the state’s new, one-time snapshot without reporting the growth that has been made the past several years is only telling part of the story.”

Carol Toler, who wrote the article, explained why the rankings are worth noting. She said: “I said that RISD earned a solid B, and I said the district’s grade is worth crowing about. I also indicated something I believe Lake Highlands residents ought to know: Schools in our feeder pattern were outperformed by schools in the other three areas based on this measure. As a parent, a homeowner and a person who cares deeply about my community, this concerns me.”

Stay updated visit lakehighlands.advocatemag.com

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You said:

“As voters: Call your representatives and demand more funds for public education! Say no to vouchers! Join your PTA and come to Rally Day with us! Vote in November for those who support public education! We need the state to invest more into our teachers and students!” —Meredyth Childress

“Zero parent involvement at most of the schools. Kids being sent to school dirty, hungry and exhausted, or they don’t know a word of English. Or all of the above. That’s Lake Highlands.”

—Stephanie Oulundsen

“Please, PLEASE do not overreact to these rankings. I can already feel my blood pressure rising at the mere thought of this utter garbage. It is pretty easy to look at the range of scores and understand why they are what they are. Ranking schools like this, against each other and using standardized testing, does a huge disservice when trying to get young families to move into certain school areas.”

—Matt Fulls

—Angela Petersen Lee

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“Many LH residents moving to Lakewood for the schools — many are IB, not offered by RISD. A stunning reversal over 35 years ago. Woodrow earned seven of seven stars; LHHS earned only two.”

— Kyle Rains

“This is a huge concern for all of Lake Highlands as our schools are the key attraction for this community! My children graduated in the ’90s from a very proud tradition!”

DAN “THE COMPUTER GUY” Computer Repair

-Tucker Thomas, LHHS Senior and Wildcat football player