Young veterans adjust to life back home
AFTER THE WAR
LET OUR FAMILY Care for Yours.
Having a physician you can trust is one of the most important securities in life. When you can’t shake the flu or when you suspect you’re having a health issue, you want a doctor that you trust to take care of you.
Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake can help you in your search for a physician. We offer quick and convenient access to a team of experienced doctors on our medical staff and we can help you find the right physician for you and your family.
Give us a call at 800-887-2525 or visit us online at DoctorsHospitalDallas.com/Physician for a free physician referral.
We salute you
Hard knocks
A local director’s program about Cowboys great Tony Dorsett’s post-concussion trauma airs on Fox Sports.
Let’s talk Thai
Just north of our neighborhood, a couple with a knack for successful restaurants opened Pakpao Thai. 34
Raising Little Egypt
Two Richland College teachers are digging up Lake Highlands’ past and our whole community stands to learn something.
43
Doin’ business
Get your new-restaurant news, Lake Highlands Town Center updates and more. 53
Two killings
The war and
through the eyes of
veterans
Lake Highlands mourns two victims of ‘homicidal violence’.
Ripple effect
Angela Hunt takes on the city’s swimming pool plan.
Only in Lake Highlands
At a recent Lake Highlands High School pep rally, students, alumni and staff celebrated graduates who have played in the National Football League, including Matt Stover, Merton Hanks, Detron Smith, Wade Smith, Derrick Cullors, Reggie Newhouse and Rodd Newhouse. Three of them have Super Bowl rings. The Wilcats went on to beat Berkner High School 59-28: Photos by Danny Fulgencio
WHY I CARE™
Ask Dr. Clint Meyer if Alcon brand contact lenses and lens care products are right for you.
PERFORMANCE DRIVEN BY SCIENCE
We have enjoyed almost 15 years at our current location on Garland Rd near Casa Linda. Because of the trust that our neighbors in the White Rock Lake area have placed in us, we have outgrown our current space and need to expand to better serve you, our patients.
GRAND OPENING!
Come see us at our new location starting in JANUARY 2016!
7324 Gaston Ave STE 310 | Dallas, Texas 75214
We have a large selection of frames to choose from. Come by today to see our new line from SALT. We have the latest in contact lens technology, including DAILES TOTAL1® contact lenses.
Important information for AIR OPTIX® AQUA (lotrafilcon B), AIR OPTIX® AQUA Multifocal (lotrafilcon B), and AIR OPTIX® for Astigmatism (lotrafilcon B) contact lenses: For daily wear or extended wear up to 6 nights for near/far-sightedness, presbyopia and/or astigmatism. Risk of serious eye problems (i.e. corneal ulcer) is greater for extended wear. In rare cases, loss of vision may result. Side effects like discomfort, mild burning or stinging may occur.
Important information for AIR OPTIX® COLORS (lotrafilcon B) contact lenses: For daily wear only for near/farsightedness. Contact lenses, even if worn for cosmetic reasons, are prescription medical devices that must only be worn under the prescription, direction, and supervision of an eye care professional. Serious eye health problems may occur as a result of sharing contact lenses. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. Side effects like discomfort, mild burning, or stinging may occur. To help avoid these problems, patients must follow the wear and replacement schedule and the lens care instructions provided by their eye doctor.
Ask your eye care professional for complete wear, care, and safety information.
© 2015 Novartis 9/15 US-COP-15-E-0351
THE GOOD FIGHT
Veterans, we cannot thank you enough
Germany. Vietnam. Afghanistan. Korea. These and other far-off countries don’t begin to cover the places many of our neighbors have shipped off to as members of this country’s armed forces.
My dad was too young to suit up for World War II, but immediately after the conflict he spent time in Germany as a military policeman.
My father-in-law was a WWII lieutenant, serving in the U.S. Army Signal Corps first in England and later the Philippines. A couple of empty shell casings from those islands sit prominently in our living room as reminders of his duty. He was recalled when the Korean War broke out but had been on the receiving end of a head-on auto collision in East Texas just prior to receiving his invitation. The family informed the army that his leg had been crushed; the army invited him to show up for a physical anyway. When they saw his body cast, he was dismissed.
He died in 1996, and my mother-in-law passed along the flag draping his coffin to their grandson after that young man’s Marine Corps tenure.
My military action ended before it began: My draft number when graduating from college was high enough that I wasn’t drafted. I stayed home and let others do the job.
Our cover story this month honors those neighbors, men and women, who answered the government’s call or simply raised their hands and volunteered. Truth be told, the story offers only a glimpse of their experiences as medics, bombers, intelligence officers and the like.
No doubt the real picture is: “You had to be there.” Even so, most of us are glad we weren’t.
The day-to-day reality of military life is unimaginable for those of us who went about our business unaware. Watching the Dallas Cowboys, kicking back at movies, zoning out on video games, sleeping safely at night: The selflessness of a few neighbors makes these things possible for the rest of us.
They served for our benefit without knowing us, just as we don’t know most of them or their stories. They just went quietly about their business, and then they came home. No fuss. Not enough fanfare.
Their stories remind me of grizzled warrior Jack Nicholson’s snapback to mil-
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contributors: SAM GILLESPIE, ANGELA HUNT, GEORGE MASON, KRISTEN MASSAD, BRENT McDOUGAL
photo editor: DANNY FULGENCIO
itary desk jockey Tom Cruise in the movie “A Few Good Men”: “You have the luxury of not knowing what I know.”
What I know is how grateful I am to the people I walk by, drive past and live next to who made the life I lead possible.
If you have served, are serving or know a service person on duty now, a few words of thanks ring pretty hollow compared to the debt we owe you.
All the same, though: Thank you.
214.635.2121 / danny@advocatemag.com
contributing photographers: JAMES COREAS, RASY RAN, JENNIFER SHERTZER, KATHY TRAN, ANDREW WILLIAMS, SHERYL LANZEL
Thanks to Curiosities in Lakewood Shopping Center for lending props for our cover story.
those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s viewpoint. More than 200,000 people read Advocate publications each month. Advertising rates and guidelines are available upon request. Advocate publications are available free of charge throughout our neighborhoods, one copy per reader. Advocate was founded in 1991 by Jeff Siegel, Tom Zielinski and Rick Wamre.
No doubt the real picture is: “You had to be there.” Even so, most of us are glad we weren’t.
Radiation oncologist Dr. Asal Rahimi was the first physician in Texas to use advanced video monitoring (Vision RT™) to safely treat left-sided breast cancer patients by protecting the heart from excess radiation. Dr. Rahimi and her colleagues also are pioneering the use of CyberKnife for breast cancer. Using radiosurgical techniques, this state-of-the-art robotic tool pinpoints and treats cancerous lesions with extreme precision. This is UT Southwestern—where scientific research, advanced technology, and leading-edge treatments come together to bring new hope to cancer patients.
To learn more, contact: Radiation Oncology at 214-645-8525 | UTSWmedicine.org/radonc. Find us on Facebook
This is where we treat breast cancer differently.
DIGITAL DIGEST THE DIALOGUE
CITY ON LITTLE FREE LIBRARY: ‘MOVE IT OR WE WILL’
“We see dozens of unsafe and unsanitary multifamily complexes in Lake Highlands, many of whom are owned by out-of-state investors whose only concern is to shelter taxes from their busy professional practices.
I suggest that our mayor and Dallas City Council could benefit from guidance from you on how scarce city resources are being allocated and the concern that you have over the toxic impact on our quality of life from these grossly mismanaged and unsafe and poorly maintained apartment houses.” dormand
“I doubt the neighbor has any issue with a book exchange. They probably have an issue with the law being broken. Codes are in place for a reason — to keep the neighborhood orderly. We can’t break a law just because it suits our personal cause. What if somebody else wants to build their tool shed out on the curb, and call it a tool club? Maybe somebody else wants to put a chicken coop out there so everybody can get eggs. I know there is some cynicism in my comments. But you cannot make an exception. Otherwise, you have to make another. Eventually, you have too many and the neighborhood looks bad, property values drop.”
TXGSH
“You really have to wonder what kind of petty neighbor would get upset with someone helping others to read in an unobtrusive way.”
Darryl Dickson-CarrLAKE HIGHLANDS IS LEFT OUT OF CITY’S $32 MILLION POOL PLAN
“Dear City of Dallas, you keep your aquatic budget. In exchange, we separate from Dallas and become incorporated as Lake Highlands, Texas. We’ve already got our own school district. Oh, and we keep our Little Free Library. Deal?” 1st anon
Neighborhood director is up close and personal with sports legends
If you long to relive the Landry years the glory days, the 1977 NFC Championship, 1978 Super Bowl — keep an eye out for the next airing of “The American Dream,” on Fox Sports Southwest, which recounts the era through the eyes of Cowboys legend Tony Dorsett.
The show was co-directed and written
by Lake Highlands resident Madison Liane, who along with co-director Samuel L. McQueen, conducted interviews for the pilot episode; they spoke with Roger Staubach, Randy White, Daryl “Moose” Johnston, Dale Hanson, Coach Jackie Sherrill, plus doctors and other experts who discuss the level of physical
punishment endured by players at the highest level.
Liane and crew made “The American Dream” pilot episode relevant and timely with a focus on head injuries. White and Dorsett talk about concussions being a frequent occurrence when they played (statements supported with cringe-wor-
THE goods
thy game footage). They both face aftereffects today, and Dorsett delivers some heart-wrenching testimony about his struggle with the pain, depression, anger and dementia associated with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
The series was the brainchild of Liane’s friend, the show’s executive producer Eric Dunn. Liane joined the project about three years ago. “We had an incredible team working on this, and I really have to give Eric — and the rest — credit for seeing this through despite so many obstacles. I do not think many producers and filmmakers would persist through all of the things we went through,” Liane says.
The roadblocks, securing funding, changing formats (it originally was pitched as a reality TV program) and the amount of time spent producing, only made the final product more rewarding, he adds.
“It was an amazing feeling you can’t even describe,” he says of watching the premiere. “A lot of times you pour your heart into something and nothing comes of it. I’ve had that happen too. To have it actually happen, yeah, it is amazing.”
Liane lives in the Highland Meadows neighborhood and is married to Alana Liane. They have two children — Jackson, 7, a student at Hamilton Park magnet school and Naomi, age 4.
He and the team are working to put more episodes of “The American Dream” on air. “The next one we are working on is ‘The Game of the Century’,” Liane says, about the 1966 Notre Dame/Michigan State game, one of the greatest and most controversial in college sports history. The contest took place at the height of the Vietnam War overseas, and the civil rights war at home. “The episode will dig deep into the impact both had on the country and the civil unrest surrounding desegregation in college football,” Liane promises. —Christina Hughes Babb
MORE INFO For upcoming show times and other updates, follow facebook.com/adreamtv, twitter. com/adreamtv or Adreamtv.com.
WALTON’S GARDEN CENTER
Shop Walton’s to create a festive home for the holidays. Stop in for home decor, candles, gifts and more! Visit us for Partner’s card beginning Oct. 23rd. 8652 Garland Rd. 214.321.2387
YOGA MART
Meditation cushions available in many fabrics, colors, shapes. Many one of a kind handmade items on the self. Stop by soon for best selection. Gift Certificates available in any amount. 6039 Oram (at Skillman) 214.534.4469
yogamartusa.com
ADVOCATE ORNAMENT
Call 214.560.4203
THE STORE IN LAKE HIGHLANDS
Celebrate with HAPPY EVERYTHING! Designs that are inspired by the celebrations of life, with collectible pieces fit for every occasion. 10233 E NW Hwy @ Ferndale (next to Gecko) 214.553.8850 Mon-Sat 9:30-5:30 TheStoreinLH.com
ADVOCATE GOODS
More than 200,000 sets of eyes are checking out these items right now. Get your specialty items or featured products in front of your neighbors that love to shop local for unique items. Read online at advocatemag.com/digital
V I E W
CITY VIEW ANTIQUE MALL
The holidays are just around the corner. Vintage Thanksgiving & Christmas items are arriving daily. 6830 Walling Lane ( Skillman/Abrams) 214.752.3071 cityviewantiques.homestead.com
PAWS & CLAWS
Reading Lab
Here’s a dog who appreciates the finer things in life — long walks and windows-down car rides, and reading only the best local magazine. Wait, what? Well, her owner swears he “found her like this and snapped a picture.”
Named Tressel, after former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel, this 8-yearold black Labrador spent 2011 through 2014 as a city dog in Manhattan. But she and her people are glad to be back in Lake Highlands.
What gives?
Small ways that you can make a big difference for nonprofits
Run ...
... the Dallas Running Club’s half marathon Nov. 1 at 8 a.m. The race, which starts and finishes at Norbuck Park, Northwest Highway and Buckner, benefits the Tal Morrison Scholarship Fund and For The Love Of The Lake. The former is named for the late White Rock Marathon and Dallas Running Club founder Tal Morrison and offers first-year college assistance to select local high school students who run cross country. FTLOTL is a well-known neigborhood nonprofit dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of White Rock Lake. If you are not fit for the full 13.1 miles, opt for the 3.1-mile course, or round up a team for a relay race. Cost for the half is $75 for members and $85 for non-members. The 5k runs $20 for members and $30 for non-members. For more information about the DRC, the race beneficiaries or to register, visit drchalf.com.
Bend your bod ...
... at Dallas Bikram Yoga at 6333 E. Mockingbird at Abrams, and benefit the Dallas Women’s Foundation, a local nonprofit that invests in women and girls. Register for the 90-minute hot yoga class online at yogadallas.com or show up and sign up before the class, which takes place at 3 p.m. Nov. 14. The class is $25 and all proceeds from the Positive Postures class go to charity. A second Positive Postures class benefitting Dallas Women’s Foundation will take place Dec. 12.
KNOW OF WAYS
that neighbors can spend time, attend an event, or purchase or donate something to benefit a neighborhood nonprofit? Email your suggestion to launch@advocatemag.com.
Out & About
November 2015
Nov. 21-Jan. 3
The Trains at NorthPark
Mini trains follow 1,600 feet of track in the exhibit benefitting Ronald McDonald House. The trains follow miniature cityscapes including Dallas, Washington, D.C., New York City and San Francisco, plus the Grand Canyon, the Fall foliage of New England and more. NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central, 214.363.7441, thetrainsatnorthpark.com, $3-$7
THROUGH NOV. 14
Día de los Muertos
Artists from all over Dallas show Day of the Dead-related artwork.
Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther, 214.670.8749, bathhousecultural.com, free
THROUGH NOV. 25
Autumn at the Arboretum
It’s your last chance to catch fall feelings at the Dallas Arboretum with 75,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash, plus 150,000 fall blooms, including chrysanthemums and impatiens. Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road, dallasarboretum.org, $10-$15
NOV. 7
RISD Spirit Run
Drum lines and jazz bands entertain walkers and runners on the 5k course. The race starts at 8:30 a.m., and afterward, participants can vote to
decide which high school wins the spirit trophy. Proceeds benefit Richardson ISD education programs.
Galatyn Park, 2351 Performance, 469.593.0241, risdspiritrun.com, $10-$35
NOV. 10
Native American history
Jiaan Powers and her lion puppet, Spike, tell animal stories from Native American cultures, from 6-7 p.m. Lochwood Library, 11221 Lochwood, 214.670.8403, dallaslibrary.org, free
NOV. 11
Barbecue for vets
A Veterans Day church barbecue honoring servicemen and women starts at noon. Call for a reservation. Lake Highlands United Methodist Church, 9015 Plano Road, 214.478.5070, free for vets and $7 otherwise
NOV. 12-15
Patriotic film fest
The second annual Stars & Stripes Film Festival, produced by Sons of the Flag, features about a dozen films and a lunch with guest speaker U.S. Army Gen. Tommy Franks. Proceeds go to the nonprofit’s mission of supporting military, first responder and civilian burn survivors by providing funding for research.
Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird, sonsoftheflag.org, $250 for a festival pass
NOV. 14-15
AIA home tour
This 10 a.m.-5 p.m. tour of architecturally significant homes all over Dallas includes one in the nearby Urban Reserve. Various locations, hometourdallas.com, $10-$30
NOV. 14 AND 28
Farmers market
Shop Good Local Market’s White Rock market from 8 a.m-1 p.m. The market is behind Half Price Books on Northwest Highway from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. every Sunday.
702 N. Buckner, goodlocalmarket.org, free
NOV. 20
Melanie
Melanie Safka, stage name Melanie, is known for her legendary Woodstock performance and has released more than 40 albums since 1968.
Uncle Calvin’s Coffee House, 9555 N. Central, 214-363-0044, unclecalvins.org, $30-$35
NOV. 20-DEC. 30
Miracle on 34th Sreet
Get into the season with this play by Valentine Davies, based on the classic 1947 holiday film. Dallas Children’s Theater, 5938 Skillman, dct.org, 214.978.0110, $15-$28
Delicious
PAKPAO THAI
7859 Walnut Hill Lane Ste. 150 214.484.8772 pakpaothai.com
AMBIANCE:
RELAXED/INTIMATE
PRICE RANGE: $8-$32 FOR ENTRÉES
HOURS:
11 A.M. – 10 P.M. MON. – THURS., 11 A.M. – 11 P.M. FRI. – SAT., 11 A.M. – 10 P.M. SUN.
DID YOU KNOW?
OWNERS RICHARD ELLMAN AND HIS WIFE, TIFFANEE ALSO OWN THE POPULAR DALLAS RESTAURANTS EL BOLERO AND OAK.
Richard
—Elizabeth Barbee
Ellman is all about saving you gas money. That’s why he opened the second location of his restaurant Pakpao Thai just north of Central Expressway at Walnut Hill. “There is a lot of residential density around here and it’s off a major highway,” he says. “We love our Design District location, but it’s more of a destination.” The menu, designed by celebrity chef Jet Tila, is pretty much the same at both sites. Appetizers include fresh spring rolls, steamed mussels and pork satay. For your main dish, order pineapple fried rice, salmon with green curry or crispy tamarind duck. The Chula Rita, a frozen drink made with lemongrass infused tequila, is also a big crowd pleaser. But perhaps some of the most interesting items at Pakpao aren’t on the menu, but the ceiling. Look up and you’ll see dozens of delicate, white kites. “Pakpao means kite [in Thai],” Ellman explains. “As far back as the 12th century in Thailand, kite flying has been part of the culture.” Bring on the wind.
Pakpao Thai’s pineapple fried rice, thai fresh spring rolls and salmon with green curry. Photo by
Rasy Ran6300 Skillman #156 thaiopal.com 214.553.5956
Another Broken Egg Cafe
It’s our passion to create exceptional dishes for breakfast, brunch and lunch that are “craveably” delicious with an artisanal flair.
Mon-Sun 7:00 -2:00 pm
Thai Opal
We strive to be the premier Thai restaurant in Dallas.
We have infused the classical Thai cuisine with a modern ambiance.
• Take out • Lunch Specials
• BYOB
• Delivery Available (5 mi. radius)
SEAFOOD
Palapas Seafood Bar
Come see why Dallas voted us Best Seafood Dallas & Top Ten Best new restaurant 2014. Experience our special flavorings & recipes from Mexico’s seafood capital Sinaloa. Enjoy our Happy Hour 4-7pm on one of our Palapa patios.
1418 Greenville Avenue 214.824.3000 palapasseafoodbar.com
DINER
Circle Grill
Still cookin’ after 60 years
Enjoy home-cooked meals with family, friends & neighbors for breakfast, lunch & dinner
Breakfast & lunch 7 days-a-week Dinner, Thurs.-Sun.
3701 Buckner Blvd. 214.327.4140 www.facebook.com/CircleGrill
BURGERS
Cindi’s N.Y. Delicatessen
Restaurant &
Enjoy authentic New York and Southern style favorites. Open 7 days.
Resident Taqueria
Now open in Lake Highlands, we boast fresh, made-to-order tortillas, slow-braised meats, seasonal & local produce, and a margarita that elevates the concept of Happy Hour. Community-based. Chef-inspired. Family Friendly. Lake Highlands Plaza 9661
Rd. Suite 112
Dugg Burger
“Easily one of the best and tastiest deals in town”
– Zagat
“Super delicious and well worth the trip from anywhere in Dallas”
– CraveDFW
“Best concept burger” – Dallas Observer
Casa Linda Plaza-Northeast Corner 9540 Garland Rd. #407 (Behind Wells Fargo) 214.584.6261 · DuggBurger.com
RETRO DESSERTS REBORN
Although we are always longing for the newest and trendiest desserts, it’s the old time favorites that never disappoint. Dust off your family recipes and bring back some vintage favorites to share for the holidays. Here is a blast from the past with a few retro desserts.
Ambrosia
A spin on a traditional fruit salad, ambrosia brings a little sweetness to the mix. Ink Foods brings this old favorite back to life by combining fruit cocktail, pineapple, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, nuts and coconut to make a fresh spin on this retro dish.
GROCERY LIST:
8-ounce package of cream cheese
2 cups sour cream
1 cup fruit cocktail, canned
1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
1 cup mandarin oranges
2 cups marshmallows
shredded coconut, garnish
chopped walnuts, garnish
maraschino cherry, garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature before mixing with sour cream; stir until smooth.
Drain juice from fruit cocktail and mix in the chopped pineapple and mandarin oranges before adding to cream cheese mixture.
Once fruit and cream cheese is combined, gently stir in marshmallows. Spoon into serving dishes and top with shredded coconut, chopped walnuts and a maraschino cherry.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
BAKED ALASKA
A classic ice cream bomb layered over a cake flavor of your choice makes this an all-time favorite. Keeping the ice cream frozen will be the key to covering the top in meringue and baking before serving.
JELLO MOLD
An American classic, Jello can be found in a vast amount of old-time desserts, including a classic Jello mold. With so many flavor options for every season, this recipe must be brought back to stay. Combining peaches, peach Jello and condensed milk is the perfect way to start.
They are, at least theoretically, the grandchildren of the Greatest Generation.
They’ve witnessed bloodshed and shouldered responsibilities unfathomable to even the most sympathetic civilians. They were not drafted, but chose lives of sacrifice, relinquishing the relative security and unimpeded educational opportunities enjoyed by most of their peers.
Veterans are struggling. Those we interviewed can rattle off stats (backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs): A million servicemen have been diagnosed with at least one mental illness, 22 veter-
ans per day take their own lives, 63,000 are homeless on any given night.
While so many are suffering, many also are working hard to build-up their families, communities, careers and fellow vets.
Like their World War II predecessors, this generation’s legacy will be as much about their contributions after war as their bravery in combat.
It is that post-war purpose — in addition to the love and support of family and community — that keeps these Lake Highlands veterans alive and, despite some personal battles, thriving.
“I wasn’t carrying out the most dangerous duties. That was the 19 and 20 year olds, a lot of the time. I saw a few explosions and sniper fights. But they were in the middle of it everyday.”
Jeff KingFull story, page 30
Jeremy Marx’s unit endured such bad luck, they dubbed themselves The Voodoo Platoon.
If a helicopter crash in Afghanistan didn’t take them, a car wreck or suicide often did, Marx says. He is able to say this sort of thing without obvious emotion, but the keepsakes around his Lake Highlands home expose his heartache.
He’s pulling memorabilia from drawers and cabinets when he stops and furrows his brow.
“Where are Jason’s dog tags?”
He disappears from the room.
“Some things got lost in the move,” Jeremy’s wife, Jessi, offers, by way of explanation. A few minutes later, she seems relieved when Jeremy returns clutching a chain attached to an ID that displays the name Jason Santora. Jeremy places it alongside two bracelets with William Rudd and Ben Dillion’s names, birthdates and Killed In Action (KIA) dates respectively etched into them.
They are mementos from a few of the many buddies Jeremy has lost since becoming an Army Ranger and medic in 2004.
The men he fought with were his brothers, but Jeremy wound up in the same platoon as his biological younger sibling, Bryce (now an investment fund analyst in New York City), a rarity.
Jeremy is four years older, but his preparation, which included advanced training for Army medics, the Ranger indoctrination program and Special Operations Combat Medical School, took substantially longer. So the brothers were assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment right around the same time.
It was interesting, recalls Jeremy. For one thing, it meant filling untold hours with a person with whom he’d already lived most of his life. “You spend every waking moment
together. I got married around that time, and for the first three years, I spent more time with those guys than with my wife.”
Also, it can be difficult to be responsible for the health-care of people you love. It’s why doctors don’t operate on family members.
“It was hard enough treating the guys in my platoon, who were like brothers.”
Still, the brothers deployed together several times.
Bryce knows the situation weighed on his brother. “I was the younger brother for one. I also was the guy kicking in doors. I mean, we were in the same place, but I am sure he, as a medic, thought about it more.” It was nice to have someone there to vent to when things grew stressful, Bryce adds.
One night in Afghanistan Jeremy received word that a soldier was shot in the face. The wounded man was initially unrecognizable. Could it be Bryce? It wasn’t, though Bryce says he was nearby and will
never forget it.
“I specifically remember the sound of Jeremy’s voice as he worked on our buddy. You could hear the anxiety in his voice.”
Their regiment regularly pursued and frequently obliterated high-value targets, and they were officially commended for their efforts. But they earned nicknames (they had multiple) like Bad Luck Detail.
Their hairiest tour featured a storm of gunfire, IED explosions, the death of a squad leader — and that was the first week.
“I treated 35-40 casualties in less than 100 days,” Jeremy recalls.
The wellbeing of his brother taxing him, Jeremy finally asked to be moved to a different section of the unit.
Jeremy enlisted after he graduated from Lake Highlands High School in 2002. He received a Falcon Foundation Scholarship and enrolled in the Air Force Academy. But after the 2004 death of Pat Tillman, who famously quit the NFL to join the war, Jeremy dropped everything to sign up.
There was a sense of urgency, he explains. He did not know the war would go on another decade, plus.
In between deployments, Jeremy married Jessi, and their daughter, Caden, was born. Having a baby made deployment harder, Jessi says. “I grew up in a military family, so I knew what to expect, but when you have a child saying, ‘Where’s Daddy?” it makes it a little harder.”
Later in his Army Ranger medic career, Jeremy began experiencing back pain. Doctors diagnosed degenerative disc disease. During his last couple of deployments, he
worked in an administrative role.
Today, after scoring in the 91st percentile on his MCAT, he is preparing to enter medical school, where he plans to focus on traumatic medicine.
“I still have ideas, once I am board certified, of going back overseas,” he says.
He recounts the night one of his fellow Rangers was killed — after treating a profusely bloody torso wound, Jeremy got the man to the hospital.
“I remember handing him off to the surgeon. I think I could be that guy who saves the injured soldier,” he says. “I could see myself working in a war zone hospital.”
Jeremy says his faith keeps him sane in the wake of so much suffering. So do the strong relationships he formed in the service.
“The Rangers I’ve become close to will be friends for life,” he says.
Jeremy and Bryce were fortunate to have the support of family and community, they say. It allowed them to come home and live productive, meaningful lives and help others.
Jeremy’s greatest fear is that those who died will be forgotten.
“There are more names than I can list right now — we lost a lot. Guys died in combat. Others came home — some committed suicide, one died in a car wreck,” he says, adding that the same qualities that drive a person to service might also steer them toward destructive situations. “I wonder if they will be remembered.” he says. He gestures to his collection of keepsakes. “I keep these things so I will remember what happened. I want people to remember.”
“You spend every waking moment together. I got married around that time, and for the first three years, I spent more time with those guys than with my wife.”
UNBREAKABLE
War is
West of Kandahar, Afghanistan, during his second deployment in 2010, Capt. Hendon’s company saw regular combat. It was ugly.
“In my battalion, 18 men left 27 limbs in the valley. There were IED fights, gun battles, several times a week.”
But it was the waiting, all the while thinking, “I might die today,” that really tormented the soldiers psychologically.
“You’re thinking, ‘Shit, I wish it would just happen.’ There is this constant buildup of anxiety. When you fight, at least that is a release.”
Hendon was drawn to the military experience as a youngster.
“Texas boys like to play shoot ‘em up,” he says. “But for me, it didn’t go away when I got older.”
WWII veterans were his heroes.
“My grandfather, he died before I got to know him, but he fought in WWII and Korea. My grandmother worked a civilian administrative job for the Special Forces schoolhouse. They were part of the Greatest Generation.”
Hendon insists his trials don’t match up to those of his predecessors.
“I’ve seen two [air quotes] combat deployments. But could I ride a boat up to Omaha Beach and get off? I don’t know if I have the cojones to do what 40,000 of them did,” Hendon says. “When one of those WWII vets says he’s proud of you, that’s like Stephen Hawking calling you smart.”
Early on, the military attracted his competitive spirit.
“I always saw it like sports — I like a challenge, doing what others won’t do because it’s too hard.”
Terrorists hit New York City’s Twin Towers during his junior year at Lake Highlands High School. His mom was a flight attendant, he says, and the incident frightened and angered him and made him want to “go start shooting terrorists.”
As a student at the United States Military Academy, he says, he began to see a more holistic view of what it meant to serve.
Being cut from the football team at the academy nearly derailed everything, Hendon
recalls. He considered transferring to Texas Christian University, where he might continue his collegiate sports career.
“That was when I really had to think about what I wanted to do. Ask myself, why did you come here? To play football or to serve? You either want to serve or you don’t,” he says, “and I did.”
With the free time previously dedicated to football, he joined the Combat Weapons Team and became a competitive shooter.
He graduated in 2007 and deployed to an area near Sadr City, Baghdad in 2008. It looked nothing like the war movies of his youth.
He led a platoon charged with polic-
ing a neighborhood, trying to maintain relationships and prevent crimes. “And you drove around all day hoping you didn’t hit an EFP.” Explosively formed projectiles, warheads (supplied by Iran) designed to penetrate armored vehicles, peppered the area. “A guy in our platoon was killed by one right before I got there,” Hendon says.
The patrols — through disconcerting terrain, past bombed-out businesses and raw sewage in the streets — represented “a new way of fighting” in Hendon’s mind.
He did not like it. But, he says he typically followed his orders and tried to be
hell. Waiting can be worse. That’s how Army veteran Clay Hendon sees it.
a good leader to the 19- and 20-year-olds in his charge.
“Combat is the kind of thing everyone wants until they get it,” he adds.
Eventually, he got it. It was mid-summer when he deployed that second time to the Arghandab River Valley, an area north and west of Kandahar city known as the Taliban’s birthplace, Hendon says. “This place was a sanctuary for the Taliban.” Despite the rampant fighting, the hours in wait still tortured him.
“Even with regular firefights, you’re spending 98 percent of your time playing XBOX, being bored and trying not to
think about it. It’s like 2 percent terror and adrenaline.”
Though he endured steady violence, knew men who lost multiple limbs and others who accidentally detonated devices that blew up their friends, Hendon managed to survive and not lose anyone in his platoon.
Is it possible for service men and women to return home and lead a normal life after months and years of physical and mental turmoil? The experience of war has a profound effect, Hendon says. But he believes that in many cases, war-related PTSD and mental illness is “a preventable disease.”
Preparation, he explains, is one deterrent.
“I studied trauma beforehand. I knew what I was going to see and experience, to some extent. That made it easier to deal with.” Purpose, outside military service, is also key.
“A squad leader from my company took his life last Thanksgiving,” Hendon says. “I think a huge reason veterans are killing themselves is a loss of purpose. It is easy to get lost in patriotism and put everything into the military. Then the moment you leave — no purpose.”
Today Hendon serves on the board of the nonprofit Legacies Alive, which supports families of fallen veterans and ensures that those who died are remembered. The biggest fear of those who have lost loved ones is that they will be forgotten, he says. Hendon advocates for families who are trying to build memorials or somehow commemorate the departed.
“We’ve lost 7,000 in the war on terror, and the idea is that every one of these people matter enough to be remembered forever.”
“A squad leader from my company took his life last Thanksgiving. I think a huge reason veterans are killing themselves is a loss of purpose. It is easy to get lost in patriotism and put everything into the military. Then the moment you leave — no purpose.”
UNBREAKABLE
He hopes to impress his wife, Andrea, who is taking nighttime psychology classes at Richland College. “She is a phenomenal cook,” Lee raves. “I want to show her what I can do.”
Andrea wants to work with psychologically injured war veterans, he adds.
Today both Lee and Andrea serve in the National Guard, and live just outside Lake Highlands.
Lee was not one of those kids who wanted to fight a war, he says. “I thought it was all dumb.”
But as a student at Stephen F. Austin, he had a change of heart. He had an ROTC friend who introduced him to the adventures like learning rock climbing, rappelling and other skills —the armed forces might offer.
The next summer, he says, a recruiter captured his heart and mind. “He had me at ‘You get to blow things up.’”
It was the year 2000 and he had no idea it would mean going to war.
“I was coming up on the end of my contract when 9-11 happened,” he says. “I could have gotten out then. I had no orders yet, but I couldn’t live with myself if I left and my friends went to fight.”
Still, Lee was a reluctant soldier.
“I vividly remember being scared the day before getting on that plane. It was stressful. Luckily the camaraderie with fellow soldiers got me through.”
He remembers the first explosion outside his tent. “I panicked, but they said, ‘It’s no big deal. Happens everyday.’”
It was true, though it typically was from controlled detonations.
Just as his nerves began to settle, an enemy bomb nearly took him out.
“It was Feb. 15, 2005. On a convoy patrol, a humvee that was 15 feet from mine hit a landmine. Boom, there it goes. There were injuries, but no one died. I think at that point it fully sunk in. All the warnings became very real. From that point on, you become hypervigilant.”
After that first tour in Iraq, he returned to Afghanistan in 2009.
While he served the infantry in Iraq, he had a different job in Afghanistan. It involved communicating with the Afghani citizens.
“Basically I collected intelligence, worked with infantry forces, talked to people — trying to get the bigger picture.”
He started in Kandahar, moved up to
Ghazi and traveled to Gaza, collecting whatever intel he could.
A major quandary of the Middle East wars was distinguishing the good guys from the bad, and it was safest to assume everyone had nefarious intentions.
“Not everyone was bad, though. Many were just farmers, concerned with their farms and their families. I started to understand
Lee Russell doesn’t seem like a fighter. As he answers questions about his war experience, he is preparing a dish of Italian sausage in a mildly spicy sauce.
“What I would tell those hurting is that, you are not alone. When you get to the abyss, you have to look back and know there is a whole group of people in the same boat. And we are all equally important.”
that. I gained a better understanding of their culture.”
The consistent violence and stress tore at Lee, but he suppressed it and did his job.
When he returned home, however, something arose inside him.
“I had some anger issues,” he says. “I went around like that for a couple months. At the time, post-traumatic stress wasn’t as recognized as it is now.”
Then he talked to a buddy who had the same problem. He found a therapist at the Veterans Assistance hospital. Lee did the same. “She was a nurse who worked in Vietnam, so she understood exactly,” he says. “Between her and the yoga classes I started, everything turned around.”
He says the military can always do a better job of assisting veterans, but he believes that if you reach out, there is help.
“What I would tell those hurting is that, you are not alone. When you get to the abyss, you have to look back and know there is a whole group of people in the same boat. And we are all equally important.”
LAKE HIGHLANDS’ MILITARY MOMS
Last fall, Lake Highlands families filled a hundred boxes with toiletries, clothing and other donated goodies. The event has been a feel-good holiday tradition for the past 10 years. In the last few, as the number of active Lake Highlands soldiers dwindled, the volunteers mailed the packages anyway. Recipients included any troops serving alongside a Lake Highlands soldier. Rhonda Russell launched Military Moms, the group that organizes the drive, in 2005 as a way to cope with her own son’s deployment to the war in the Middle East. She continued the project long after her son, Lee Russell, returned from Afghanistan. The group still meets once a month, sometimes inviting speakers to talk about issues facing veterans. “Our main objective for these meetings is to provide moral support to our families left at home,” Russell says. “At these meetings, we do still send care packages overseas every other month and particularly on holidays. We also participate at various events throughout the year to promote patriotism, as well as partner with schools to help them in their care-package events.”
“That was the 19 and 20 year olds, a lot of the time. I saw a few explosions and sniper fights. But they were in the middle of it everyday.”
The 1994 Lake Highlands High School graduate first deployed to Iraq in 2006, after finishing South Texas College of Law. Compared to his 2008 deployment, this was the more eventful. Just outside of Fallujah, in an area dubbed the “wild west” of the Middle East by the day’s media, King was stationed in Sadam Hussein’s abandoned vacation compound.
“It was not nice when we were there, but you could see the remains of a palace all around,” he says.
The lawless region was the epicenter of
Iraq’s deadly insurgency, according to reports from 2005. Here in this area — beleaguered by roadside bombs, regular firefights and insurgents who wouldn’t think twice about exploding themselves if it meant taking out their opponents too — King advised Marines about the rules of engagement and communicated with and compensated Iraqi civilians whose land and property were destroyed in battle.
“I actually attended town council meetings and listened to stories from the Iraqi citizens, and then and there, we would pay them accordingly, in cash, for damaged property. I actually had a guy with me who would carry a backpack of money,” King explains. “We were trying to win over the
people, to do the right thing. Sometimes they would try to take advantage, but not typically.”
And his role meant dealing with devastation beyond the material.
When civilians were injured or killed, he had to address that as well. Such situations were tragic — for the victims and their families, of course, but to lesser extent, for the American soldiers involved. Some people think that our troops accept accidental casualties as a cost of war, King says. “But I’ll tell you, civilians were killed — I did not see a lot of these, but it happened. And when it did, these guys were torn up about it.”
Anytime a civilian casualty occurred, he says, “We had to conduct an investigation… in our battalion, all were eventually cleared.”
Insurgents’ deception made the war more difficult. Several veterans we interviewed recalled frustration over how easy it was for bad guys to impersonate good guys.
“You had people disguised as civilians who were car bombers, suicide bombers.
Though he worked in a reportedly out-of-control region during a deadly era of enemy insurgency, Capt Jeff King was safer than many of his fellow soldiers. As a Marine judge advocate, he wasn’t carrying out the most dangerous duties, he says.
The Marines were highly trained to evaluate hostile intent they really wanted to do the right thing,” King says.
The violence was such during his eightmonth deployment that 24 Marines in his battalion of about 800 lost their lives.
After high school, King joined the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets but opted for law school over the military. When his passion for the military reignited a couple of years later, he says he investigated all branches. They all encouraged him, he says, except it was a little different with the Marine recruiter. “He told me to meet him the next morning at 0600 hours for a fitness test. That’s what I wanted.”
He attended officer training between his second and third year of law school. Shortly after that, the United States went to war and the “landscape of the military changed entirely it was an exciting time to be a Ma-
rine,” he says.
Today, King works on the third floor of a stylishly remodeled West End loft, the walls peppered with military memorabilia (his dad’s decorations from Vietnam, his grandfather’s flag from WWII). He practices criminal defense and military law.
“I feel like I know my military clients when I am speaking with them. There’s a saying as a Marine judge advocate that you’re a Marine first and a lawyer second. I kind of take that attitude into the courtroom with me… I think people who might be going through the darkest period of their life need that.”
in December 2013, King married his wife, Jaclyn, who he met after returning from his second deployment in 2010
A new rewarding yet challenging era of their lives began eight months ago when Jaclyn gave birth to their first child, Vivian.
“We were trying to win over the people, to do the right thing. Sometimes they would try to take advantage, but not typically.”
Radio resurrection
A little part of KBOX lives on Story
by Christina Hughes BabbIn the 1960s, there was no Internet, iTunes or Spotify, so it was the radio that shaped musical tastes. The disc jockeys at KBOX, spinning The Shirelles, Chubby Checker or Dee Dee Sharp, influenced many young Dallasites, especially those Lake Highlands kids who walked past the station’s Radio Park each day on the way to school.
KVIL was a big competitor, neighbor Mark Davis recalls, “but all the teenagers and easily influenced younger people listened to KBOX.”
KBOX’s plain red building sat on a sprawling green hilltop at McCree and Audelia. Shrubbery shaped into the letters “K-B-O-X” lined its brick and stone facade.
Young groupies frequently would gather around a shade tree at the back corner of the property, hoping to catch a glimpse of KBOX’s celebrity radio personalities such as Dan Ingram or Frank Jolle.
KBOX aired its last broadcast Nov. 14, 1982, and the Highland Hills subdivision has replaced all traces of the building and its four lofty transmission towers.
But a piece of KBOX radio survived.
Former KBOX newscaster, Jay Ward, who
will be inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame Nov. 14, has lived the past 44 years with his wife Linda in a modest abode near Berkner High School.
Past their kitchen, above a door that should lead to a garage, is a retro-looking “On Air” sign.
AM control room, the sound mixer, tape machines, Super 55 microphones, newscast reels, towering shelves loaded with vintage vinyl and CDs — Jay bought it all when the station shuttered, and not simply for nostalgic purposes. He still uses most of it.
In his made-for-broadcasting baritone voice, he explains that he works with a friend, John Colwell, who does the Saturday Night Sock Hop show on KAAM 770.
“I do station breaks. We have also worked together on his Friday night Internet radio show — we’ve done a Motown show, folk music and some stuff on the ‘60s, so far,” Jay explains.
In retirement, he still puts his skills to work helping mix sound for the annual musical production at his church, Lake Highlands United Methodist.
Jay was a student at Kimball High School (class of ’66) when he began his radio career at WRR, where he earned his first newscasting gig. His voice and ability to read tricky names eventually landed him a morning shift at KBOX, which, at the time, was a top-40 station with regular news spots. It later changed to a county music format.
“I loved going to work every day,” he says. “I loved doing the news because something was always happening.”
“We were like a family there,” he recalls, citing the day his oldest child was born for example.
“Alan and Penny called me to check in on how the baby and Linda were doing, and they put me live on the air.”
Jay worked fulltime in radio until he was 40.
“I didn’t really leave the business. It left me,” he says, noting the quick and broad changes within the industry in the mid to late 1980s.
“It still works,” Jay says.
Instead of a garage, there is a windowless studio outfitted predominantly in equipment that once filled KBOX’s production rooms, including a broadcasting console that, if you look carefully, still bears marks left by KBOX’s old “Peck and Penny” morning show stars.
“You can still see where Alan Peck or Penny (Reeves) would slice the morning newspaper,” Jay says pointing to slashes in the board.
Base and turntable cabinets from the
He enjoyed a full second career with the Dallas County Sherriff’s Department as a dispatcher and later a constable.
He loved all eras of his life — radio and constable alike. And today he lives the dream, traveling with Linda and tinkering in radio, but he “misses KBOX to this day,” he says.
“If KBOX was still there, I’d probably still work there.”
SEE A DISPLAY Some of Jay Ward’s KBOX memorabilia will be on display throughout November at the Audelia Road Branch Library, 10045 Audelia.
“I didn’t really leave the business. It left me.”
Think like an Egyptian
How a college class is virtually rebuilding a vanished black neighborhood, and what it can teach the residents of today
Story by Christina Hughes Babb | Photos by Rasy Ran
Even as upper middle class subdivisions sprouted up around it in 1961, the post-Civil War black community known as Little Egypt persisted, atop dirt roads and without running water or sewage systems.
“Look at this. It is astonishing,” Richland College professor Clive Siegle says, pointing to a map depicting a bird’s eye view of the Little Egypt area as it looked 55 years ago (see image p. 36).
“There are brand new homes, with all the
modern conveniences, going in all around. A new shopping center, restaurants, service stations. And here you can see the Egyptians are still using outhouses. Imagine, going out there at night, in the winter. It had to be far enough from the house … well, and they probably had to move them from time to time because the pits would fill up …”
Sure enough, close inspection shows a straight path leading from a house to a tiny
structure that can only be its outdoor toilet.
There are important lessons to be learned by studying local history, and Little Egypt is a fascinating case, Siegle says.
That’s why he and his honors history class, in collaboration with an honors anthropology class taught by professor Tim Sullivan, aim to virtually bring the historic neighborhood to life.
The land that once housed Little Egypt, just north of Northwest Highway between Ferndale and Audelia, now includes Northlake Shopping Center and a larger area that showcases beautiful mid- and late-century homes amid rolling hills and towering trees.
Siegle moved to a neighborhood flanking the former Little Egypt in 1964, when he was a teenager, but at the time he had no idea
Little Egypt had ever existed.
“If I had, I would have been incredibly interested in it,” he says.
He now lives on Shoreview and recently learned enough about Little Egypt to leave him hungry for more history.
Curiosity was piqued when Siegle, out for a walk, noticed that the concrete and surrounding terrain on his street changed dramatically from one spot to another.
“I asked my neighbor, who actually lived here in the ‘60s, about it, and he’s the one who told me about Little Egypt, which he remembers from when he was a teenager. He told me about the fact that right next to his neighborhood of $40,000 homes (pricey in the ‘60s) was this neighborhood of houses with no running water … the change in the pavement is the spot where the dirt roads of Little Egypt began,” he says. “And I thought, ‘You have to be joking!’ I just couldn’t believe it.”
Creating the college course that challenges students to dig up all the information they can on Little Egypt wasn’t easy, Siegle says.
Policy dictates that classes must have a textbook, so they created one using a basic Texas history text and adding hyper-localized
“He told me about the fact that right next to his neighborhood of $40,000 homes was this neighborhood of houses with no running water.”
material, all provided by Richland faculty.
The students will use historical documents, census data and interviews with people who lived in and near Little Egypt to tell its story.
“It might take one, two or several semesters to get the whole picture,” Siegle says.
He and his students are “beating the bushes” in an attempt to find interview subjects.
The oral histories are going to be a vital piece of the puzzle, he says, so they want to locate anyone who has memories about Little
Egypt — no detail is too small, Siegle stresses.
So far the class has tracked down a couple of people who grew up in Little Egypt, others who lived in neighboring areas and some who have studied local history.
Barbara Johnson, who wrote a thesis paper on the subject, guesses that in the day outsiders considered it a slum.
“But the people worked very hard to maintain their homes,” she notes. “The men did yard work while the women babysat, ironed and worked as maids to make a living.”
A 1961 Dallas Morning News article, “200 Little Egypt residents leave ‘bondage’ today,” describes the Little Egyptians finally selling their land en masse to developers. They prayed at church the night before their exodus that the rain would hold off (showers turned their dirt streets to impenetrable mud). According to the article, they were happy to move to more modern abodes with comforts heretofore unknown. Two hundred of them left all at once, with the assistance of 37 moving trucks.
The city had always neglected the neighborhood, but resident Sarah Robinson told a reporter that the homes in Little Egypt could have been condemned at any time, because owners could never afford the required upkeep. That is why they chose to “do it, and do it quickly,” she added.
For further background, Siegel hands over a packet of course information with newspa-
per articles, papers, pictures of Little Egypt residents and historical documents, including a copy of the original deeds signed by several of the first property owners.
“I’m going to give you this with the caveat that there is a lot of misinformation in here. It’s OK. We’re going to fix that.”
For example, everyone calls Little Egypt a Freedmen’s Town, but do we even know that for sure? “We are going to find out,” he continues.
Students are instructed to start by learning about Hannah and Jeff Hill, the original Little Egypt landowners.
“Who was this guy? Mr. Hill? We are going to use genealogy to figure it out as much as they can. We are going to get to know the Egyptians, and maybe we find out: they are not unlike me.”
Anthropology combines various approaches — historical, archeological, cultural and sociological research, Sullivan adds. “Our emphasis will be on adding the social and cultural dimensions to help bring the story of Little Egypt back to life. In our we hope to gain some insight on kinship, focusing on tracing lineages, and understanding what role this played in bringing families together and providing the social structure of the settlement,” he says. “We hope this will be a community project in the broadest sense, bringing students and surrounding communities together as we gain a sense of pride in our shared past.”
There are few physical remnants of Little Egypt, which students might examine — there is Fields Cemetery on Skillman, where some Egyptians are buried, including former Little Egypt schoolteacher Joe Giddings. There is the Little Egypt Missionary Baptist Church in Oak Cliff, which grew out of the erstwhile Little Egypt Baptist Church in Lake Highlands. And there’s that variation in the sidewalk that caught Siegle’s attention.
“This is a perfect example of, if you are going to teach people about history, how fragile it is,” Siegle says. “The fact that it astonished me, who lived here in 1964, only two years after it was gone, yet it was here decades and decades before that, goes to show that we have no idea of our surroundings, but we should. A lot of lessons in this.”
SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE
If you lived in Little Egypt or remember it, help Siegle’s class by emailing csiegle@dcccd.edu or calling 972.238.6121.
Lakewood Office Space
Giving
The Lake Highlands High School cheerleaders donated $1,000 for Healing Hands Ministries. They raised the money selling T-shirts for the annual Red Out football game against Berkner. Herb’s Paint and Body has been donating T-shirts for the fundraiser for decades.
People
Paul Reyes, who came some 30 votes short of becoming our District 10 city council representative, is the Lake Highlands Area Improvement Association‘s new executive director of the Alliance of Neighborhood Homeowner Associations. The bulk of his experience revolves around working with HOAs. Reyes serves as executive vice president and chief legal officer of Associa, the largest residential real estate management firm in North Texas.
Four students recently were recognized by the Lake Highlands Exchange Club for their outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements. Choir member DeVonte Fluellen, son of Kendra and Patrick Fluellen, and violinist Aiyanna Huntsberry, daughter of Brenda Anderson, earned Character Counts awards. Eagle Scout and National Merit finalist Mark Garwood, son of Kirsten and Wesley Garwood, and honors student and tutor Karla Ruiz, daughter of Mayra Herrera, were named Youth of the Month. They all will be in contention for scholarships and end-of-theyear awards.
Katie Jenkins Norris, a 30-year-old Lake Highlands High School grad debuted her second feature length documentary, “The Luckiest Man,” at the Angelika last month. She also produced “Travis: A Soldier’s Story.”
Preservation
A 149-year-old cemetery made Preservation Dallas’ list of the city’s most-endangered historic places. McCree Cemetery is situated between an apartment complex and a neighborhood of single-family homes on Estate Lane. Its 300 or so graves date back to the mid-19th century. The purpose of the historical society’s list is to “recognize significant properties that make up our neighborhoods and reflect the lives of community leaders, important architects and builders, and the families who made Dallas their home… places that are important to the diverse history of our city and… tied to the neighborhoods and communities where they are located.”
HAVE AN ITEM TO BE FEATURED?
Please submit news items and/or photos concerning neighborhood residents, activities, honors and volunteer opportunities to editor@advocatemag.com. Our deadline is the first of the month prior to the month of publication.
THE market
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HIGHLANDER SCHOOL
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Leading to Success. 2720 Hillside Dr., Dallas 75214 / 214.826.2931 / lakehillprep. org Kindergarten through Grade 12 - Lakehill Preparatory School takes the word preparatory in its name very seriously. Throughout a student’s academic career, Lakehill builds an educational program that achieves its goal of enabling graduates to attend the finest, most rigorous universities of choice. Lakehill combines a robust, college-preparatory curriculum with opportunities for personal growth, individual enrichment, and community involvement. From kindergarten through high school, every Lakehill student is encouraged to strive, challenged to succeed, and inspired to excel.
THE LAMPLIGHTER SCHOOL
11611 Inwood Road Dallas TX 75229/ 214-369-9201/ thelamplighterschool.org
Lamplighter delivers serious education wrapped in the wonder of childhood. The Pre-K through fourth grade years are fleeting, but filled with pure potential. What we, as parents and educators, ignite in these primary years establishes the trajectory of a child’s future. Lamplighter helps set children on a path toward rewarding lives as forever learners. The independent, co-educational school promotes academic excellence through innovative curriculum that merges fine arts with language arts, math, environmental science, social studies, physical education, and Spanish
SPANISH HOUSE
4411 Skillman 214-826-4410 / 5740 Prospect 214-826-6350 / DallasSpanishHouse.com
Spanish Immersion School serving ages 3 month - Adults. We offer nursery, preschool, elementary and adult programs at two Lakewood locations. Degreed, native-Spanish speaking teachers in an “all-Spanish” immersion environment. Call for a tour today!
ST. BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX
1420 Old Gate Ln. Dallas / 214.321.2897 / stbernardccs.org St. Bernard of Clairvaux School has educated children in Forest Hills, Casa Linda and White Rock neighborhoods since 1948. We encourage each student to develop an inquisitive mind, strong moral character and a love of learning that lasts a lifetime. The experienced teaching staff is dedicated to academic excellence with a challenging curriculum and individual attention. We offer affordable tuition, PK through 8th grade, wireless slate technology, extracurricular activities, and after-school care. Please call to schedule a tour.
ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
848 Harter Rd., Dallas 75218 / 214.328.9131 / stjohnsschool.org Founded in 1953, St. John’s is an independent, co-educational day school for Pre-K through Grade 8. With a tradition for academic excellence, St. John’s programs include a challenging curriculum in a Christian environment along with instruction in the visual and performing arts, Spanish, German, French, and opportunities for athletics and community service.St. John’s goal for its students is to develop a love for learning, service to others, and leadership grounded in love, humility, and wisdom. Accredited by ISAS, SAES, and the Texas Education Agency.
WHITE ROCK NORTH SCHOOL
9727 White Rock Trail Dallas / 214.348.7410 / WhiteRockNorthSchool.com
6 Weeks through 6th Grade. Our accelerated curriculum provides opportunity for intellectual and physical development in a loving and nurturing environment. Character-building and civic responsibility are stressed. Facilities include indoor swimming pool, skating rink, updated playground, and state-of-the-art technology lab. Kids Club on the Corner provides meaningful after-school experiences. Summer Camp offers field trips, swimming, and a balance of indoor and outdoor activities designed around fun-filled themes. Accredited by SACS. Call for a tour of the campus.
YORKTOWN EDUCATION
5170 Village Creek Drive Plano, 75093 972-733-0800 YorktownEd.com Yorktown
Education is an independent, academically challenging private school for grades first -12. With a customized “Do What You Love” curriculum, students are educated with higher standards at earlier ages. Education is based on performance and not on age or grade levels. Yorktown graduates are in the top 1% of the country for SAT & ACT results and have a 100 percent college acceptance rate, with an average of over $100,000 in college credit and scholarships. Enrolling first through 10th grade for the 2015-2016 school year. Parent tours and student visits are available.
ZION LUTHERAN SCHOOL
6121 E. Lovers Ln. Dallas / 214.363.1630 / ziondallas. org Toddler care thru 8th Grade. Serving Dallas for over 58 years offering a quality education in a Christ-centered learning environment. Degreed educators minister to the academic, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of students and their families. Before and after school programs, Extended Care, Parents Day Out, athletics, fine arts, integrated technology, Spanish, outdoor education, Accelerated Reader, advanced math placement, and student government. Accredited by National Lutheran School & Texas District Accreditation Commissions and TANS. Contact Principal Jeff Thorman.
ANGLICAN
ALL SAINTS EAST DALLAS / allsaintseastdallas.org
Sunday worship service at 5:00 pm
Meeting at Central Lutheran Church / 1000 Easton Road
BAPTIST
LAKESIDE BAPTIST / 9150 Garland Rd / 214.324.1425
Sunday School 9:15am & Worship 10:30am
Pastor Jeff Donnell / www.lbcdallas.com
PARK CITIES BAPTIST CHURCH / 3933 Northwest Pky / pcbc.org
Worship & Bible Study 9:15 & 10:45 Traditional, Contemporary, Spanish Speaking / 214.860.1500
PRESTONWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH / “A Church to Call Home”
Sundays at 11:00 am
12123 Hillcrest Road / 972.820.5000 / prestonwood.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 / www.nhbc.net / 9626 Church Rd.
Sunday: LifeQuest (all ages) 9:00 am / Worship 10:30 am
Student Ministry: Wednesday & Sunday 7:00 pm / 214.348.9697
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
LUTHERAN
CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA / 1000 Easton Road
Sunday School for all ages 9:00 am / Worship Service 10:30 am
Pastor Rich Pounds / CentralLutheran.org / 214.327.2222
FIRST UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH / 6202 E Mockingbird Ln.
Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am / Call for class schedule. 214.821.5929 / www.dallaslutheran.org
METHODIST
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 & 10:50 am Traditional / 10:50 am Contemporary
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 / Welcomes you to Worship
8:30 & 11:00 am / Church School 9:35 am / Childcare provided.
UNITY
UNITY OF DALLAS / A Positive Path for Spiritual Living
6525 Forest Lane, Dallas, TX 75230 / 972.233.7106 / UnityDallas.org
10:30 am Sunday - Celebration Worship Service
COUNSEL FOR THE ‘BELIEBERS’
When it comes to faith, don’t try to go it alone
Justin Bieber says he “just wanna honestly live like Jesus.”
Good for him. Good any who wanna honestly live like Jesus. Justin says: “Jesus created a pretty awesome template of how to love people and how to be gracious and kind.” Yes, and we need more love, graciousness and kindness.
The 21-year-old pop star was reared by a Christian mother but admitted he has veered off course. He couldn’t handle the juxtaposition of faith and fame. That’s hard for anyone, let alone someone as young as he. His often bizarre behavior was good fodder for tabloids and good business for paparazzi.
So let’s applaud this renewed spiritual direction for someone who is refocusing his life and can be a positive role model in the years ahead. The question I have is whether he can sustain his intentions. Like so many others these days, Justin views his relationship with Jesus as personal and individual. He and Jesus are going it alone.
Justin’s take: “You don’t need to go to church to be a Christian. If you go to Taco Bell, that doesn’t make you a taco.”
Hmm. Since he opened the analogy, let’s just go with it. You are what you eat. When you consume tacos, you are nourished (or malnourished) by them. Your body changes in response to what you take in. The spiritual principle is the same: When you eat the bread and drink the cup at the Lord’s Table in church, you are feeding on the food of Christ’s eternal truth, goodness and beauty. You begin more and more to reflect what you have consumed.
Our culture has a dismissive attitude toward the church, and the infrequent attendance of many church members reflects at least a “take it or leave it” attitude.
To some degree, the church itself is to blame. We like to draw bright lines about who’s in and who’s out. We are often as sinful within the church as those we point fingers at outside it. Our churches spilt and splinter more than a piece of dry wood. We deserve some disdain.
Nonetheless, where else will you go to find the company that will accompany you
all the way to heaven? “Bad company corrupts good morals,” St. Paul said, quoting an ancient Greek playwright (or was it my mother?). Church is where we help each other persevere in the way of Christ.
Christianity is communal. We need each other. I admit it: I’m a pastor with a vested interest in the link between personal faith and congregational life. But is it really possible to be a Christian for long on your own? Won’t a flaming ember die quickly when blown from the fire?
Jesus is not just a historical figure to be emulated; Christians believe he lives now in and through his body on earth, the church.
A body is not bunch. Take an onion out of a bunch; the bunch will hardly miss it and the onion will still be an onion. But separate an arm or a leg from a body, the whole body will be impaired and the limb will soon die from being cut off from the source of life.
Praying for Justin and all the “Beliebers” out there trying to go it alone in faith. We’re keeping a pew warm for you.
“Bad company corrupts good morals,” St. Paul said, quoting an ancient Greek playwright (or was it my mother?).
BUSINESS BUZZ
The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses
Send business news tips to livelocal@advocatemag.com
$30 million ends Town Center stalemate
Lake Highlands Town Center owner Cypress Real Estate Advisors surrendered its shot at $30 million in future tax reimbursements in an effort to hasten the arrival of anchor tenant Sprouts Cypress arrived at a stalemate with the City Design Studio/ Urban Design Peer Review Panel over the site plans for the portion of the development that includes the grocery store. By giving up the $30 million, Cypress no longer is required to pass its designs through the board, although it must conform to zoning regulations. The company will receive $10 million in TIF money for fulfilling its obligation to complete the WaterCrest Park and the Haven, plus leasing 60 percent of the ground floor retail at the Haven. Cypress expects to break ground by spring.
Two new restaurants, one star sighting
The new Resident Taqueria (9661 Audelia) boasts fresh, made-to-order tortillas, slow-braised meats, seasonal and local produce, and “a margarita that elevates the concept of Happy Hour.
Chef Andrew Savoie has worked at fine restaurants in New York, New Orleans and Napa, and possibly more impressively, he is married to the sister of Annie Clark, a nationally famous musician from Lake Highlands. Clark worked the floor
on the restaurant’s opening day, causing much buzz.
Meanwhile, at Walnut Hill and Plano, the new Mely’s Bistro is serving up Greek, Italian and American fusion.
Barbecue fans unite
Neighbors showed support for OinkMoo BBQ, Lake Highlands High School alumnus David Hunt’s food truck business, after it went up in flames in September. A smoker caught fire, right before OinkMoo’s busiest season, and caught the kitchen on fire. A $50,000 gap between the insurance payout and actual recovery costs could prevent the truck from reopening. But fans of the truck have donated hundreds of dollars via an online fundraising campaign at gofundme.com, which is ongoing.
Reverse food truck
The NorthPark Presbyterian Church has a new food truck. The two-tone blue truck doesn’t offer artisan sliders or authentic bahn mi, though. This is the Reverse Food Truck. If you see it parked in front a neighborhood grocery store, expect a volunteer to ask for your donation of groceries. Shoppers can buy food to help financially struggling families or use a virtual food menu to make monetary donations. The church gives 100 percent of donations to its partners, including Vickery Meadow Food Pantry to “put hunger in the rearview mirror.”
PRIME LIVING
A New Chapter
In today’s youth-obsessed culture, referring to midlife as the “golden years” seems counterintuitive. But think about it: career and family responsibilities have made way for an exciting time where you actually have time to pursue interests you’ve put off for years, such as living a more active lifestyle, volunteering and making new friends.
The time is now for Dallas-area seniors to begin this new chapter of life, and these independent and assisted living communities have the resources to make it happen.
Situated on 20 acres of land near the shores of White Rock Lake stands C.C. Young, a continuing care retirement community where as Russell Crews, C.C. Young president and CEO, says, “People don’t come to retire: They come to live.”
And that they do — the faith-based, not-for-profit community boasts eight buildings and offers services from independent and assisted living to memory care, home health and hospice for those age 55 and better. Since 1922, C.C. Young has been dedicated to helping seniors enjoy an active, fulfilling lifestyle by providing personalized care and support.
“Beyond providing living and health services, C.C. Young offers a variety of programming intended to educate and enrich the lives of those it serves, both on campus and in the community,” says Jennifer Griffin, director of communications and public relations with C.C. Young.
“One way to see if C.C. Young is a good fit is to participate in activities at The Point, Center for Arts and Education, which offers memberships for residents and non-residents,” Griffin says.
Memberships include discounts for educational programs and computer classes, and free monthly art gallery shows.
A recent lecture, free and open to the public, was titled, “Art and Alzheimer’s: A Personal Journey.” It featured Cognitive Dynamics foundation founder/president, Dr. Daniel Potts; Meredith Pond, a master trainer with the Alzheimer’s Association’s memories in the making program; and Molly Middleton Meyer, founder of Mind’s Eye Poetry.
But the opportunities for life enrichment at C.C. Young don’t stop there.
Senior Living Near White Rock Lake
JENNIFER ASHY OWNER & STATE LICENSED ADMINISTRATOR Visiting Angels
CERTIFICATIONS: Department of Aging & Disability Services
Licensed Administrator, Certified Senior Activity Planner, Visiting Angels
Palliative Care Certified, Alzheimer’s Life Care Navigation Certified
AWARDS: Only home care agency to ever win Angie’s List Super Service Award.
BBB A+ rated
Visiting Angels is a senior home care agency focused on keeping the elderly safe and independent in their own home. Providing in-home senior care is a 24x7 endeavor. There is no closure to the day as our agency does not use an on-call service. Having the opportunity to impact an entire family makes the mission worth it, and warms my heart.
“Through a collaboration with over 60 area and national organizations, C.C. Young has enhanced its services so that each individual can grow in body, mind and spirit, no matter their life circumstances or limitations,” says Denise Aver-Phillips, vice president of community outreach.
These partnerships within the local community are a high priority at C.C. Young, connecting seniors to everything that Dallas has to offer. Additional partners include Bass Performance Hall, Dallas Zoo, Dallas Museum of Art and Nasher Sculpture Center, to name a few.
Community engagement is further enriched by volunteers of all ages and beliefs from church, youth and school groups, as well as community volunteer organizations.
“Volunteers help out with everything from Mardi Gras parades and Academy Award red carpet makeovers to painting fences, planting and beautifying the campus — generally just spreading the love,” Aver-Phillips says.
Speaking of beautifying, C.C. Young recently unveiled a brand new sculpture pavilion within the community’s central park. The pavilion, which is open to the public, was dedicated at the annual Grandparents Day celebration.
Monticello West is another retirement community in Dallas where opportunities abound for seniors to pursue community engagement and personal development. The recently expanded activities department now boasts two fulltime activities directors for independent living and assisted living, plus another one for memory care.
“Our goal is to get residents out in the Dallas area to enjoy marvelous opportunities such as the Perot Museum, Dallas Arboretum, The Meadows and Klyde Warren Park,” says sales and
9
FOR STAYING SOCIAL AS WE AGE Volunteer
marketing director Nan Mulvaney.
Monticello West has been a leader in senior care and assisted living in Dallas since 1970. The community is operated by Life Care Services, which manages more than 28,000 people residing in senior living communities across the country.
A Park Cities Classic in Senior Living
A Park Cities Classic Senior Living
A Park Cities Classic in Senior Living
• Gracious assisted living with privacy when you want it, support with daily activities when you need it
“Critical to the overall atmosphere is the combined sense of community with high-quality healthcare,” Mulvaney says.
“When you meet with the staff at Monticello West, you immediately realize the difference, such as the tenure of staff.”
ver the past 30 years, one senior living community has earned a reputation for exceptional care in the heart of the Park Cities. Monticello West. It’s a classic! But better. With up-to-date amenities and the latest innovations in supportive assisted living and memory care.
Over the past 30 years, one senior living community has earned a reputation for exceptional care in the heart of the Park Cities. Monticello West. It’s a classic! But better. With up-to-date amenities and the latest innovations in supportive assisted living and memory care.
Over the 30 years, one senior living community reputation exceptional care in the heart of the Park Cities. Monticello West. It’s a classic! But better. With up-to-date amenities and the latest innovations in supportive assisted living and memory care.
• Gracious assisted living with privacy when you want it, support with daily activities when you need it
• Gracious living with privacy you want it, support with daily activities when you need it
• Innovative memory care featuring the nationally recognized Heartfelt Connectionstm Memory Care Program
• Exceptional senior living in the prestigious Highland Park neighborhood of North Dallas
Staff members provide a foundation for the high quality care, which is noted by the industry’s coveted five-star rating and strong family loyalty to the community.
Monticello West provides the full range of care — including all levels of assisted living to advanced memory care — so residents remain in a familiar environment.
Recently, Kate Marshall was named director of memory care at Monticello West, further enhancing the guidance and quality of care available onsite.
“Our team has an average tenure of 13 years, and some employees who have been with us for more than 20 years,” Mulvaney says.
“The special attention we provide to our residents is what sets us apart.”
For example, Monticello West chef Taylor Self works to get to know residents’ food preferences to provide clean, healthy menu choices. Self was trained at the world-renowned Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Learn more:
ccyoung.org
monticellowestlcs.com
• memory featuring nationally recognized Heartfelt tm Memory Care Program
• Innovative memory care featuring the nationally recognized Heartfelt Connectionstm Memory Care Program
Discover the timeless appeal of Monticello West. Call (214) 528-0660 or visit MonticelloWestLCS.com.
• Exceptional living in prestigious Highland Park neighborhood of North Dallas
• Exceptional senior living in the prestigious Highland Park neighborhood of North Dallas
5114 McKinney Avenue • Dallas, TX 75205
Discover the timeless of West.Call (214) or visit MonticelloWestLCS.com.
Discover the timeless appeal of Monticello West.Call (214) 528-0660 or visit MonticelloWestLCS.com.
DIR/NewLifestyles/7-15
5114 Avenue • 75205
MAG/Advocate/2-15
Firework!
On a recent school day, representatives from the Make-AWish Foundation surprised Merriman Park Elementary student Hannah English, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 2013, with a trip to Puerto Rico for a Katy Perry concert.
Pictured is MPE principal Katie Barrett with Hannah, Cole, Lisa and Jeff English, representatives from Make-A-Wish, and fellow leukemia survivor Beth Lyons.
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,
FARMERS BRANCH AQUATICS CENTER Visit our new natatorium. Begin swim, fitness classes & open swim. fbh2o.com
GET READY, GET SET Get Ahead With Mathnasium. 214-328-MATH (6284) mathnasium.com/dallaslakewood
GUITAR OR PIANO Patient Teacher. Your Home. 12 Yrs Exp. Reasonable rates. UNT Music Grad. Larry 469-358-8784
MAKERS CONNECT Craft Classes & Workshops. Led by & for Local Makers. Check Schedule: makersconnect.org/classes
PIANO LESSONS Experienced, Dedicated Piano Teacher References. Call Pat.214-827-7076
EMPLOYMENT
PET SITTERS, DOG WALKERS reply to http://www.pcpsi.com/join
EMPLOYMENT
SEEKING OFFICE MANAGER for Lakewood Residential Real Estate Co. Peachtree/Quickbooks Knowledge, People Skills Preferred. Flexable 15-20 hrs wk. Depending on Experience Salary $15-$18 hr. w/ 90 day probation. Email resume: hegwoodjamie@gmail.com
SERVICES FOR YOU
AT ODDS WITH YOUR COMPUTER? Easily Learn Essential Skills. Services include Digital Photo Help. Sharon 214-679-9688 CARGO BICYCLES Custom Built, Hand Crafted. For You/ Business In Oak Cliff. 214-205-4205. oakcliffcargobicycles.com
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 214-660-3733 / stykidan@sbcglobal.net
DISH TV Starting at $19.99/month (for 12 months) Save! Regular Price $34.99. Ask About Free Same Day Installation. Call Now. 877-477-9659
MY OFFICE Offers Mailing, Copying, Shipping, Office & School Supplies. 9660 Audelia Rd. myofficelh.com 214-221-0011
A FREE CONSULTATION Wills/Probate/Guardianships. MaryGlennAttorney.com 214-802-6768
A SIMPLE WILL. Name a Guardian for Children. Katherine Rose, Attorney 214-728-4044. Office Dallas Tx.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
ACCOUNTING, TAXES Small Businesses & Individuals. Chris King, CPA 214-824-5313 www.chriskingcpa.com
BOOKKEEPING NEEDS? Need Help Organizing Finances? No Job Too Small or Big. Call C.A.S. Bookkeeping Services. Cindy 214-821-6903
MIND, BODY & SPIRIT
NEXGEN FITNESS Call Today For Free Session. 972-382-9925 NexGenFitness.com 10759 Preston Rd. 75230
UFC GYM WHITE ROCK Workout Blues? Train Different. Power/ endurance/results. 469-729-9900 ufcgym.com/WhiteRock
PET SERVICES
DOGGIE DEN DALLAS Daycare, Boarding, Grooming, Training. 6444 E. Mockingbird Ln. 214-823-1441 DoggieDenDallas.com
POOP SCOOP PROFESSIONALS Trust The Experts. 214-826-5009. germaine_free@yahoo.com
BUY/SELL/TRADE
BEST TASTING PORK & LAMB from local farmers, no chemicals, hormones or antibiotics. Pasture raised. Heritage Red Wattle.Time to fill your freezer for the holidays. Laraland Farms 214-384-6136
CASH FOR CARS Any Make Or Model. Free Towing. Sell It Today! Instant Offer. 1-800-864-5784
TEXAS RANGERS AND DALLAS STARS front row seats. Share prime, front-row Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars tickets (available in sets of 10 games). Prices start at $105 per ticket (sets of 2 or 4 tickets per game available) Seats are behind the plate and next to the dugouts for the Rangers: seats are on the glass and on the Platinum Level for the Stars. Other great seats available starting at $60 per ticket. Entire season available except for opening game; participants randomly draw numbers prior to the season to determine a draft order fair for everyone. Call 214-560-4212 or rwamre@advocatemag.com
ESTATE/GARAGE SALES
CLUTTERBLASTERS.COM ESTATE SALES Moving & DownSizing Sales, Storage Units. Organize/De-Clutter Donna 972-679-3100
College-bound
The Lake Highlands Exchange Club honored four outstanding students, all members of “AVID,” Advancement Via Individual Determination, which prepares them for college success and careers. From left to right: Lake Highlands High School Principal Frank Miller and students Chauncy Newel, Ronda Kedir, Mercy Cer, Josue Corzo with Exchange Club vice president Chris Brown.
972-274-2157
TACLB29169E 972-216-1961
APPLIANCE REPAIR
APPLIANCE REPAIR SPECIALIST
Low Rates, Excellent Service, Senior Discount. MC-Visa. 214-321-4228
JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE
TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898
CLEANING SERVICES
ALTOGETHER CLEAN
Relax ...We’ll Clean Your House, It Will Be Your Favorite Day! Bonded & Insurance. Free Estimates. 214-929-8413. www. altogetherclean.net
AMAZON CLEANING
Top To Bottom Clean. Fabiana.469-951-2948
CINDY’S HOUSE CLEANING 15 yrs exp. Resd/Com. Refs. Dependable. 214-490-0133
MESS MASTERS Earth friendly housecleaning. 469-235-7272. www.messmasters.com Since ‘91
WANTED: HOUSES TO CLEAN Windows, too! Great Prices / Refs. Family owned. 20 yrs. Reliable. Call Sunny 214-724-2555. grimestoppershere.com
WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM
Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134
COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS
ALL COMPUTER PROBLEMS SOLVED MAC/PC Great Rates! Keith 214-295-6367
BILL’S COMPUTER REPAIR
Virus Removal, Data Recovery. Home/Biz Network Install. All Upgrades & Repairs. PC Instruction. No Trip Fee. 214-348-2566
CONCRETE/MASONRY/ PAVING
ALL EPOXY COATINGS, CONCRETE Countertops, Stamping, Staining & Designs, Floor Demo and Overlays
Landscape Designs Call 214-916-8368
BRICK & STONE REPAIR
Tuck Pointing / Crack Repair. Mortar Color Matching. Windows And Door Cracks Etc. Call Don 214-704-1722
BRICK, BLOCK, Stone, Concrete, Stucco. Gonzalez Masonry. 214-395-1319
ELECTRICAL SERVICES
ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricofdallas.com
50 Yrs. Electrical Exp. Insd. 214-328-1333
LAKEWOOD ELECTRICAL Local. Insured. Lic. #227509 Call Rylan 214-434-8735
TEXAS ELECTRICAL • 214-289-0639 Prompt, Honest, Quality. 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
EXTERIOR CLEANING
G&G DEMOLITION Tear downs, Haul. Interior/Exterior. 214-808-8925
FENCING & DECKS
#1 COWBOY FENCE & IRON CO. Est. ‘91. 214-692-1991 www.cowboyfenceandiron.com
4 QUALITY FENCING Call Mike 214-507-9322
Specializing in Wood, New or Repair.
AMBASSADOR FENCE INC. Automatic Gates, Iron & Cedar Fencing, Decks. Since 1996. MC/V 214-621-3217
FENCING & WOODWORK oldgatefence.com charliehookerswoodwork.com 214-766-6422
HANNAWOODWORKS.COM
Decks, Pergolas, Patio Covers. 214-435-9574
KIRKWOOD FENCE & DECK New & Repair. Free Estimates. Nathan Kirkwood. 214-341-0699
FLOORING & CARPETING
THE TEXAN FLOORING SERVICES Wood, Laminate. Remodel Showers, Bathrooms. thetexanflooringservices.com 214-680-0901
Restoration Flooring
Hardwood Installation · Hand Scraping Sand & Finish · Dustless
25+ Years Experience
469.774.3147
restorationflooring.net
Willeford
hardwood floors
Superior Quality: Installation • Refinishing Repair • Cleaning & Waxing Old World Hand Scrape 214-824-1166
FOUNDATION REPAIR
• Slabs • Pier & Beam
• Mud Jacking • Drainage
• Free Estimates
• Over 20 Years Exp.
972-288-3797
We Answer Our Phones
GARAGE SERVICES
DFW GARAGE PRO Garage Organize/Reorganize. Painting, Shelving, Cabinets, Storage, Disposal. 303-883-9321
823
2629
CABINETRY & FURNITURE
SQUARE NAIL WOODWORKING
Cabinet Refacing, Built-ins, Entertainment/ Computer Centers. Jim. 214-324-7398 www.squarenailwoodworking.com
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.
AFFORDABLE, PROFESSIONAL CLEANING
A Clean You Can Trust
Staff trained by Nationally Certified Cleaning Tech. Chemical-free, Green, or Traditional Cleaning. WindsorMaidServices.com 214-381-MAID (6243)
BRICK, STONEWORK, FLAGSTONE PATIOS
Mortar Repair. Straighten Brick Mailboxes & Columns. Call Cirilo 214-298-7174
CONCRETE REPAIRS/REPOURS
Demo existing. Stamping and Staining Driveways/Patio/Walkways
Pattern/Color available Free Estimates 972-672-5359 (32 yrs.)
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
Swimming Pool Remodels Patios Stone work • Stamp Concrete 972-727-2727
Deckoart.com
LONESTARDECKS.COM 214-357-3975
Trex Decking & Fencing, trex.com
All Wood Decks, Arbors & Patio Covers
EST. 1991 #1
COWBOY
FENCE & IRON CO.
214.692.1991
SPECIALIZING IN Wood Fences &Auto Gates
cowboyfenceandiron.com
FLOORING & CARPETING
ALL WALKS OF FLOORS 214-616-7641
Carpet, Wood, Tile Sales/Service Free Estimates
DALLAS HARDWOODS 214-724-0936
Installation, Repair, Refinish, Wax, Hand Scrape. Residential, Commercial. Sports Floors. 30 Yrs.
FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. www.dallastileman.com Back Splash Specials! 214-343-4645
ROCKET GARAGE DOOR SERVICE -24/7. Repairs/Installs. 214-533-8670. Coupon On Web. www.RocketDoorService.com
UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES Res/Com. Locally Owned.214-826-8096
GLASS, WINDOWS & DOORS
EAST DALLAS WINDOW CLEANING Power Wash. Free Est. Dependable. Derek. 214-360-0120
GREENGO Replacement Windows & Doors. 214-755-6258. 25 Yrs Experience.
LAKE HIGHLANDS GLASS & MIRROR frameless shower enclosures • store fronts replacement windows • mirrors 214-349-8160
ROCK GLASS CO Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 214-837-7829
DEC. DEADLINE NOV. 4
HANDYMAN SERVICES
A R&G HANDYMAN Electrical, Plumbing, Painting, Fencing, Roofing, Light Hauling. Ron or Gary 214-861-7569, 469-878-8044
ALL STAR HOME CARE Carpentry, Glass, Tile, 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
FRAME RIGHT All Honey-Dos/Jobs. Crown mold install $125/rm. Licensed. Matt 469-867-9029
GROOVY HOUSE Is A Different Handyman Experience! Find Out Why At www.groovyhouse.biz 214-733-2100 • 19 Year Lakewood Resident
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
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
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
HOLIDAY DECORATING
HOME INSPECTION
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS 214-632-0372
Call Today for us to handle all your holiday lighting installations!
WWW.6ALARMLIGHTS.COM
KITCHEN/BATH/ TILE/GROUT
FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. www.dallastileman.com Back Splash Specials! 214-343-4645
MELROSE TILE James Sr., Installer, Repairs. 40 Yrs. Exp. MelroseTile.com 214-384-6746
Irrigation tip:
Tim Green, LSI Lawn Sprinklers
HOUSE PAINTING
1 AFFORDABLE HOUSE PAINTING and Home Repair. Quality work. Inside and Out. Free Ests. Local Refs. Ron 972-816-5634
#1 GET MORE PAY LES Painting. 85% Referrals. Free Est. 214-348-5070
A+ INT/EXT PAINT & DRYWALL Since 1977. Kirk Evans. 972-672-4681
ALL TYPES Painting & Repairs. A+ BBB rating. Any size jobs welcome. Call Kenny 214-321-7000
BENJAMIN’S PAINTING SERVICE Quality Work At Reasonable Prices. 214-725-6768
MANNY’S HOME PAINTING & REMODEL Int./Ext. Sheetrock. Manny 214-334-2160
RAMON’S INT/EXT PAINT Sheetrock, Repairs. 214-679-4513
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
LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES
CHUPIK TREE SERVICE
Trim, Remove, Stump Grind. Free Est. Insured. 214-823-6463
DALLAS GROUNDSKEEPER Comprehensive services designed to meet your needs. 214-504-6788 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
LSI LAWN SPRINKLERS “Making Water Work” Irrigation system Service & Repair. Specializing In Older Copper Systems. LI #13715. 214-283-4673
THE POND MAN Water Gardens
Designed & Installed. Drained & Cleaned. Weekly Service. Jim Tillman 214-769-0324
TRACY’S LAWN CARE • 972-329-4190
Lawn Mowing & Leaf Cleaning
WHITE ROCK TREE WIZARDS Professionals, Experts, Artists. Trim, Rmv, Cable Repair, Cavity-Fill Stump Grind. Emergency Hazards. Insd. Free Est. 972-803-6313
LSI Lawn Sprinklers “Making Water Work” Tim Green 214-283-4673
KITCHEN/BATH/ TILE/GROUT
STONE AGE COUNTER TOPS Granite, Marble, Tile, Kitchen/Bath Remodels. 972-276-9943.stoneage.dennis@verizon.net
TOM HOLT TILE 30 Yrs Experience In Tile, Backsplashes & Floors. Refs. Avail. 214-770-3444
YOUR TREES could look like a WORK OF ART, I Guarantee It.
Call Mark Wittlich 214-332-3444
•
•
www.allsurfacerefinishing.com
A BETTER TREE MAN Trims, Removals, Insd. 12 Yrs Exp. Roberts Tree Service. 214-808-8925
AYALA’S LANDSCAPING SERVICE Call the Land Expert Today! Insured. 214-773-4781
Just Trees ”WE CARE ABOUT YOUR TREES” On Staff: • 4 - Certified Arborists • 1 - Tex- Tech Degreed Ag • 1 - Tex A&M Degreed Forester • 3 - Certified Applicators 214-327-9311 FULLY INSURED Commercial/Residential www.holcombtreeservice.com IRISH RAIN SPRINKLER SYSTEMS REPAIR SERVICE RETAINING WALLS CUSTOM STONE 25+ Yrs. Exp. Licensed by State of Texas #2738 214-827-7446 Discover DRAIN PROBLEMS? We Can Help. 214.560.4203 TO ADVERTISE Home is online too! LocalWorks.advocatemag.com LocalWorks.advocatemag.com Irrigation System Repairs LSI
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
PLUMBING
A2Z PLUMBING 214-727-4040
All Plumbing Repairs. Slab Leak Specialists. Licensed & Insured. ML# M36843.
AC PLUMBING Repairs, Fixtures, Senior Discounts. Gary Campbell. 214-321-5943
ANDREWS PLUMBING • 214-354-8521
# M37740 Insured. Any plumbing issues. plumberiffic69@gmail.com
Sewers • Drains • Bonded 24 Hours/7 Days
*Joe Faz 214-794-7566 - Se Habla Español*
ARRIAGA PLUMBING: General Plumbing
Since the 80’s. Insured. Lic# M- 20754 214-321-0589, 214-738-7116, CC’s accepted.
HAYES PLUMBING INC. Repairs.
Insured, 214-343-1427 License M13238
M&S PLUMBING Quality Work & Prompt Service. Jerry. 214-235-2172. lic.#M-11523
NTX PLUMBING SPEC. LLLP 214-226-0913
Lic. M-40581 Res/Com. Repairs & Leak Location
SPECK PLUMBING
Over 30 Yrs Exp. Licensed/Insured. 214-732-4769, 214-562-2360
PLUMBING
REMODELING
Bob McDonald Company, Inc. BUILDERS/REMODELERS
• 30 Yrs. in Business • Angie’s List
• Major Additions • Complete Renovations
214-328-7371
MetroFlowPlumbing.com
Lic.# M16620
• Kitchens/Baths
214-341-1155
www.bobmcdonaldco.com
Chandler Design Group
Design / Build / Renovate we'll turn your vision into reality
Heath Chandler 214.938.8242
www.chandlerdesigng roup.com
POOLS
ADAIR POOL & SPA SERVICE
1 month free service for new customers. Call for details. 469-358-0665.
REMODELING
BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730
FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. www.dallastileman.com Back Splash Specials! 214-343-4645
O’BRIEN GROUP INC. Remodeling Dallas For Over 17 Years www.ObrienGroupInc.com 214-341-1448
RENOVATE DALLAS renovatedallas.com 214-403-7247
ROOFING & GUTTERS
A&B GUTTER 972-530-5699
Clean Out, Repair/Replace. Leaf Guard. Free Estimates. Lifetime Warranty
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
Jeff Godsey Roofing
Roof Repair Specialist
• Exterior Repair & Re-Roofing
• Insurance Claims
• Custom Chimney Caps
• Licensed & Fully Insured Jeff Godsey 214-502-7287
ADVOCATE PUBLISHING does not pre-screen, recommend or investigate the advertisements and/or Advertisers published in our magazines. As a result, Advocate Publishing is not responsible for your dealings with any Advertiser. Please ask each Advertiser that you contact to show you the necessary licenses and/or permits required to perform the work you are requesting. Advocate Publishing takes comments and/or complaints about Advertisers seriously, and we do not publish advertisements that we know are inaccurate, misleading and/or do not live up to the standards set by our publications. If you have a legitimate complaint or positive comment about an Advertiser, please contact us at 214-5604203. Advocate Publishing recommends that you ask for and check references from each Advertiser that you contact, and we recommend that you obtain a written statement of work to be completed, and the price to be charged, prior to approving any work or providing an Advertiser with any deposit for work to be completed.
Residential • Commercial (214) 503-7663 www.scottexteriors.com
A BLOODY OCTOBER DAY NEAR WHITE ROCK LAKE
Two homicides in one October day rocked our neighborhood. Zoe Hastings, an 18-year-old Lake Highlands resident and 2014 Booker T. Washington High School graduate,
was found dead alongside the family minivan in the 11700 block of Dixfield the morning of Monday, Oct. 12. Hastings’ parents reported her missing when she did not show up for a missionary class at the family’s Mormon church that Sunday night. Police reported that Hastings died of “obvious homicidal violence,” although no suspect had been arrested as of press time. Police say Hastings may have been
at Walgreens on Peavy between 4:30 and 5 p.m. Sunday, and they are looking at surveillance video. She was the eldest of five children and daughter to a teacher at Merriman Park Elementary school. Oak Farms has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for Hastings’ death. Anyone with information is asked to call the Homicide Unit 214.671.3584.
In an unrelated crime, police say a marathon runner, 53-year-old David Stevens, was stabbed to death with a machete on the White Rock Creek Trail near Harry Moss
Park at about 8 a.m. Oct. 12. Multiple trail users witnessed the homicide, and a former Texas A&M University football player and Skyline High School graduate, 21-year-old Thomas Johnson, admitted to killing Stevens. Johnson, who has a documented history of bizarre behavior, told police he he was angry. “It appears Mr. Johnson picked this victim at random. Absolutely random,” Deputy Chief Rob Sherwin said at a press conference. Stevens’ wife, Patti, wrote in a statement that she is “devastated with the loss of such a wonderful man” and requested privacy for her family.
DIVING INTO THE CITY’S AQUATICS CENTER PLAN
Neighbors speak up and the city takes notice
COMMENT. Visit lakehighlands.advocatemag.com and search Last Word to tell us what you think.
One year ago, I wrote about the City of Dallas 2012 Aquatics Master Plan, the blueprint for all pools and spray grounds throughout the city. My concern was that the plan at that time called for closing all neighborhood pools — including Tietze and Lake Highlands and replacing them with a small number of regional water parks. It was a one-size-fitsall plan that failed to take into ac-
save our pools. I concluded my article with the following call to action: “Now is a good time for East Dallas and Lake Highlands residents who care about Dallas’ aquatics system to become engaged and let their voices be heard.”
Lake Highlands facilities constructed years before their counterparts.
count the varying popularity levels of neighborhood pools across the city.
Under the old plan, East Dallas lost out in a big way: Not only did we lose our very popular neighborhood pool at Tietze Park, we didn’t even get a nearby regional water park in return. We lost out coming and going. Unsurprisingly, many residents, especially in East Dallas, were very upset at the prospect of losing their neighborhood pools for faraway amusement parks.
Fortunately, I wrote, there was still time to change the plan and
I’m happy to report that the residents of Dallas did just that. As a result of direct citizen input, the Dallas Park and Recreation Board recently passed an updated version of the Aquatics Master Plan and this version of the plan keeps our neighborhood pools open. It also includes major upgrades for nine of the city’s 17 existing pools. (Full disclosure: My husband, Paul Sims, was appointed to the park board in 2013 by Dallas City Councilman Philip Kingston, and has been a major proponent of keeping our neighborhood pools open.)
Over the past year, residents made it clear that they did not support the old plan’s cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all solutions. Under the new plan, the city will construct three large “regional” water parks, several medium-sized “community” facilities and a number of smaller “neighborhood” pools.
Using money the city made from the sale of Elgin B. Robertson Park, this is no pie-in-the-sky proposal. Implementation of the Aquatics Master Plan will begin next year. Both Tietze and Lake Highlands pools are included in the nine pools slated for upgrades, and both pools are members of a select group set to receive their upgrades in the first of two rounds of funding. This is an important distinction that will see the Tietze and
Of all new facilities slated for redevelopment, replacing Tietze’s 68-year-old pool with a modern facility may prove the most challenging. The first obstacle is limited space, as Tietze is the smallest pool selected for redevelopment. Tietze’s new pool must balance aquatic features that residents and families will enjoy, without building an oversized facility that will strip the park of its neighborhood character or overcrowd the park.
Second is the natural setting at Tietze Park. Numerous large shade trees dot the landscape, limiting the pool’s potential footprint. Some trees will undoubtedly have to come down, but planners have been charged with keeping as many trees intact as possible and integrating the new facility into the existing environment.
The final design challenge is accommodating Tietze Park’s historic buildings. The stone pavilion that abuts the current pool was constructed in 1934, and was an early project of the Works Progress Administration. Fortunately, Willis Winters was appointed as director of the Dallas Park and Recreation Department in 2013. A noted architect and preservationist, Winters has vowed to protect Tietze’s historic buildings.
It’s exciting to see the City of Dallas listen to its citizens and change course so dramatically on one of its signature programs. It’s a testament to both engaged residents and a park department that was willing to listen.
Over the past year, residents made it clear that they did not support the old plan’s cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all solutions.
LAKE HIGHLANDS
10204 MAPLERIDGE DRIVE
Offered for $359,000
4 Beds | 2 Baths | 2 Living Areas 2-Car Garage
Charming Lake Highlands traditional home on beautiful lot. Spacious living spaces with four bedrooms and an office. Main living area with view of large backyard. Lots of light throughout the home. Master bedroom, bath suite with extra dressing area and vanity. Hardwood floors throughout and well appointed sized kitchen with gas cooktop. Pride of ownership evident in this home in the Richardson Independent School District.
SUSAN BLACKBURN 214.912.2455
susan.blackburn@alliebeth.com
214.521.7355 | alliebeth.com
LAKE HIGHLANDS
8043 MOSS MEADOWS DRIVE
Offered for $360,000
4 Beds | 2 Baths | 2,039 Sq. Ft.
Updated home in the heart of Lake Highlands in highly sought after Moss Meadows and Moss Haven Elementary! Great, open floorplan with master split from the other bedrooms. Lots of large, neutral ceramic tile flooring, Spacious master bedroom, large kitchen with granite countertops, gas cooktop, stainless steel appliances & built in microwave. 50 year roof with radiant barrier and cute backyard.
SHELBY JAMES
214.533.7650
shelby.james@alliebeth.com
KATHERINE McCULLOUGH
214.868.7757
katherine.mccullough@alliebeth.com