2016 May Lake Highlands

CLASS OF 2016:

REFUSING TO QUIT

Ready for the road ahead.

Clay Cooley’s multi-state automotive group began over 19 years ago on a dirt lot. The road to success comes with a few detours, but in partnering with LegacyTexas, Clay was able to adapt. As a result, he now has a company ready for whatever comes next.

WHAT’S YOUR LEGACY?

Discover the bank that invests in yours.

LegacyTexas.com

CLAY COOLEY’S LEGACY Owner, Clay Cooley Automotive Group

RISE ABOVE

ANONYMOUS H.E.R.O.E.S.

FAMILY BAFFLED BUT TOUCHED BY GIFT HONORING THEIR LATE SON.

WHAT TO DO?

ALL THE THINGS YOU’LL WANT TO DO IN LAKE HIGHLANDS THIS MAY. 12

TASTY HEART

HOWDY HOMEMADE DOESN’T ONLY SERVE ICE CREAM, IT SERVES COMMUNITY. 36

SONIC SHOOTING

NEIGHBORS RALLY AROUND YOUNG PREGNANT WOMAN WHO WAS SHOT AT SONIC.

46

CRIME STORIES

DRUG DEAL LEADS TO THE DEATH OF TWO TEENAGERS AS VIOLENT CRIME SPIKES.

These Lake Highlands High School students beat the odds.

(Photo by Danny Fulgencio)

ON THE COVER: Photo by Danny Fulgencio.

TROPHIES FOR EVERYONE?

WHY JUST SHOWING UP IS NO LONGER ENOUGH

Maybe it all started with the participation trophies so indignantly argued about these days, the awards everyone takes home after every youth sports season, win or lose and sometimes even without showing up much.

Maybe it started with ubiquitous cellphone communications, where no one really has to think for themselves because they can use an endless number of lifelines searching for help on even the most simple questions rather than being forced to figure things out on their own.

Or maybe I’m just mistaken: As those who know me best would be eager to tell you, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been wrong.

What I’m talking about is life, and the general success or lack thereof so often associated with it.

It’s been said that the hardest part of life is showing up. To me, showing up is the easiest part of life; the hardest part is what comes after you show up.

But to a new high school or college graduate, that thought doesn’t seem to resonate. For the most part, new grads seem to believe that by graduating, they’ve already accomplished the hardest part of life, and the rest will be a simple roll downhill.

The students we’re profiling in this month’s issue are neighborhood kids who were dealt a bad hand and kept playing anyway, surviving round after round of nail-biting stress simply to outlast high school.

It would be nice if the story ended right there: A good kid survives a tough time, and the rest is happily ever after. But happily ever after doesn’t seem to happen even in most movies anymore. Happy-for-now with storm clouds on the

Rick Wamre

horizon seems more to be the state of life these days.

Whether it’s politics of any sort or education or nonprofits or sports, the good news stories always seem overwhelmed by pending DUIs or spousal abuse or grade-school name-calling — all by people who seem to believe that showing up was all they needed to do to be successful.

Showing up isn’t enough anymore, if it ever was. Instead, life requires plodding along, day after day, pulling whatever weight we’ve been given in the general direction we believe is correct, and then picking up where we left off again the next day and the next day and the next, even when we aren’t exactly sure we’re pointed the right way.

Life seems a bit zombie-like when it’s stated like that, with a never-ending stream of tasks stacked higher than we can ever reach awaiting us day after day after day.

Attacking life in this way is what makes the students we’re featuring worth reading about. They knew the odds were stacked against them and yet they kept plugging away. They’ve reached that first stage of success; now they’ll have to reach back for more of the energy that brought them to this point. They need to stay after whatever it is they want to accomplish, because that’s the only way they’re ever going to get there.

If the hardest part of life is slogging forward day after day, regardless of the progress that is seemingly being made, they’ve already done a better job than most of us.

Now they just have to keep it up, as the rest of us know all too well.

is president of Advocate Media. Let him know how we are doing by writing to 6301 Gaston, Suite 820, Dallas 75214; or emailing rwamre@advocatemag.com.

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Brittany Nunn

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Elizabeth Barbee

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designers: Larry Oliver, Kris Scott

contributing editors: Sally Wamre

contributors: Sam Gillespie, Angela Hunt, Lauren Law, George Mason, Kristen Massad, Brent McDougal

photo editor: Danny Fulgencio

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contributing photographers: Rasy Ran, Kathy Tran

Advocate, © 2016, is published monthly by East Dallas Lakewood People Inc.

Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for the content of all advertisements printed, and therefore assume responsibility for any and all claims against the Advocate. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising material. Opinions set forth in the Advocate are 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.

At Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, we’ve been dedicated to the health of you and your loved ones since we opened our doors 50 years ago. With an experienced, compassionate staff and advanced technological care, we’re equipped to handle your needs. Whether that’s 24-hour emergency care, women’s health services, or sports medicine, we’re here for you like we have been for the last five decades.

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50 years of care for and from our community.

INSPIRED GIFT

DURING HIS BRIEF TIME IN THIS WORLD, NICHOLAS CALABRO MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE

Born with a debilitating condition, it was against all odds that Nicholas Calabro learned to eat, walk and enjoy life with his parents, Mike and Michelle, and his sister Jenna.

Mike Calabro describes the day of the Advocate photo shoot, when, for the first time, Nicholas met the paramedics who saved him.

“He hugged them. Now that might

PAYING IT FORWARD

Special education teacher Joshua Schilling founded H.E.R.O.E.S. 12 years ago and today is the executive director. His wife, Jackie, sidelined her career to stay at home with their children — Nicholas, now 20, who has multiple disabilities as well as chronic deteriorative medical conditions; Kiersten, 9, and Ethan, 6, who also has multiple medical and genetic disorders.

Part of the impetus for H.E.R.O.E.S. was the desire to offer opportunity to all people with disabilities, no matter how severe.

Nicholas first appeared in the Advocate in 2009, in a story about heroes — it featured two paramedics who saved Nicholas’ life after his dad found him floating face down in the family pool. Even after 15 minutes of unsuccessful CPR in the Calabros’ backyard, Kent Mandernach and Kelly Kovar did not give up.

“We both have sons that age and maybe, who knows, maybe that’s what made us keep working even though things looked so bad,” Mandernach told us at the time.

And en route to Presbyterian Hospital, Nicholas’ heart started beating again.

FIVE FULL YEARS

Nicholas lived another five years; a little more than three years ago, while a senior at Lake Highlands High School, he died suddenly at age 18.

But those years were a gift, his father says.

“We still celebrate him and all of the enlightenment he gave to everyone he encountered,” he adds.

not sound like much, but Nick’s condition, well, he did not hug people. And these were guys he couldn’t possibly remember, because he was not conscious. Yet he saw them, and there was this recognition.”

Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the whole family went to Disneyworld, a trip that was scheduled prior to the pool accident.

“It was the best vacation. I can’t tell you just how much we cherished it, after coming so close to losing him. That close call made every second we had together so special.”

But Nicholas’ absolute favorite part of those last few years was a summer camp called H.E.R.O.E.S., which stands for Helping Everyone Reach Outstanding Educational Success.

Nicholas loved H.E.R.O.E.S. Camp, where, surrounded by beloved peers and understanding adults, he spent six weeks each summer going to the movies, dining out and exploring museums, among other things.

“Director [Kim Reed] and I believe that students with any abilities can and will be successful if the right supports and accommodations are in place,” Josh explains. “We work on everyday life skills and how to be independent in the community” — that might mean buying their own lunch at a restaurant or going to Hawaiian Falls.

It started out very small, Schilling says, but today they serve approximately 700 families and have a waiting list of about 100 students for the 2016 summer camp.

“We started with five kids. We still have all five of them participate in different ways, 12 years later.”

The directors also trained for and added unique courses to involve siblings, including a support network called Sibshops.

And in the near future H.E.R.O.E.S. will implement yearround programming.

But providing the necessary medical services, plus classes like yoga and Jazzercise that require professional instruction, is expensive, thus the camp costs about $400 per week.

Nicholas Calabro and his dad pictured in 2009 with his rescuers, paramedics Kent Mandernach and Kelly Kovar. (Advocate photo)

OUT & ABOUT

May 4

‘ARE YOU MY MOTHER?’

P.D. Eastman’s classic children’s book about a baby bird in search of its mother will come to life at 10:30 a.m. during this puppet performance.

Bookmarks at NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central Expressway, dallaslibrary.org, free

May 6

PIPP GILLETTE

Country musician Pipp Gillete is a self-proclaimed cowboy. He raises cattle on a ranch that his grandfather started in 1912 near Lovelady, Texas. Check out his tunes at 8 p.m. Singer-songwriter Mikki Daniel opens.

Uncle Calvin’s Coffee House, 9555 N. Central Expressway, 214.363.0044, unclecalvins.org, $15-$18

May 7

WHITE ROCK-N-ROLL

The Dallas Running Club’s White Rock-n-Roll 5-mile and 10-mile races start at 8 a.m. and are expected to draw more than 1,000 athletes. Stay for the after party, featuring live music, snacks and local craft beer.

Winfrey Point, White Rock Lake Trail, whiterocknroll.com, $30-$95

May 20-June 18

‘MOON OVER BUFFALO’

George and Charlotte Hay, a married couple, are the protagonists of this comedic play, set in the 1950s. Both are wannabe actors, hoping to impress director Frank Capra.

Pocket Sandwich Theatre, 5400 E. Mockingbird, pocketsandwich. com, 214.821.1860, $10-$40

May 15

GARDEN TOUR

Explore nine private gardens in Forest Hills, Little Forest Hills and Casa Linda Estates during this spring event. The tour also offers several opportunities to buy goods from local artisans. Various locations, whiterockgardentour.org, $12.50-$15

May 17

‘CURSE OF THE FLAMINGO’

This play by our neighbor Nancy Munger investigates how we make peace with the past and move forward with our lives. It was a finalist in Echo Theatre’s New Play Contest. See why at 7:30 p.m. and stay for a post-show discussion.

Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther, echotheatre.org, 214.670.8749, free

May 30

ART & PLAY FESTIVAL

Spend Memorial Day at the Lake Highlands Art and Play Festival. The event kicks off at 9:30 a.m. with 5k and 1k races. There’ll be bounce houses, face paining and a train for kiddos. Proceeds benefit Camp Sweeney, which serves children with diabetes. Lake Highlands Town Center, 7100 Wildcat Way, campsweeney.org, $25

Delicious

HOWDY HOMEMADE’S COOKIE MONSTER ICE CREAM. (PHOTO BY KATHY TRAN)

HOWDY HOMEMADE

Howdy Homemade isn’t just an ice cream parlor, it’s a revolution. Owner Tom Landis, a Lake Highlands resident, opened the shop late last year, because he wanted to create more jobs for people with special needs. Most of the individuals he employs have Down syndrome. “We want to play on our employees’ strengths,” Landis says. “They might not be the fastest, but, man, what they can do is be super friendly.” Friendliness is prioritized above all else at Howdy Homemade. Workers are encouraged to offer guests heaping samples of their favorite flavors — Dr. Pepper chocolate chip, Hot Tamale, cheesecake and avocado-lime. Kalin O’Brien, one of Landis’ first hires, says he is partial to Andes mint. He goes on to share that he was recently given a key to the store and has ambitions of opening his own business. Landis says he has “no doubt” that O’Brien will succeed. He’s similarly supportive of all his employees, partially because they’ve given him a sense of place. “I’m a total outsider,” Landis explains. “I don’t fit in anywhere except here. I fit in with these guys.”

— Elizabeth Barbee

HOWDY HOMEMADE

4333 LOVERS

469.930.8494

HOWDYICECREAM.COM

AMBIANCE: HAPPY AND RELAXED

PRICE RANGE: $2-$5

HOURS: 11 A.M.-9 P.M. MONDAY–THURSDAY, 11 A.M.-10 P.M. FRIDAY-SATURDAY, 2 P.M.-9

P.M. SUNDAY

FORGOTTEN RECIPE: YORK STREET SALAD

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Dash of garlic powder

Dash of onion powder

Dash of salt and pepper

DID YOU KNOW: Tom Landis says roughly 30 people have already contacted him about franchising Howdy Homemade. Be on the lookout for more stores soon.

Some of Dallas’ favorite restaurant recipes can no longer be tasted — their doors have closed and their menus are all but forgotten. Take York Street, a staple of the White Rock area ‘til 2010 when owner Sharon Hage shuttered the shop for personal reasons after buying it in 2001 (it originally was opened by Mike Shaw in the mid-1980s). The closure was a blow to the local foodie scene. Hage was nominated for five consecutive James Beard Foundation awards for Best Chef Southwest during her time at York Street, when the restaurant was also named by Gourmet magazine as one of the 50 best in the country. So take a bite back in time and try the famed York Street salad, which was so popular that people demanded it be put back on the menu when York Street tried to retire it.

INGREDIENTS:

Dijon vinaigrette

4 egg yolks

1-1/2 cups soy oil

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

4 tablespoons whole grain mustard

DIRECTIONS:

In a mixing bowl, separate the egg yolks and add the two mustards. Slowly whisk the soy oil into the egg/mustard mixture until the consistency is creamy (about a minute). Then whisk in half the vinegar, adding the rest according to your taste preference. (Some prefer a tangy vinaigrette, others like it milder.) Then whisk in the other spice, again to taste.

Salad

4 to 5 bunches frisee (or curly endive)

3 tomatoes, chopped

6 to 8 mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

12 slices of apple smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled

Red onion sliced in rings

DIRECTIONS:

Toss the first five ingredients gently, coating evenly with the vinaigrette. Garnish the top with overlapping onion rings.

(Photo By John Bonelli)

dining SPOTLIGHT

Enchilada’s

Voted by Advocate Readers as Best Date Night in Lake Highlands

Come Celebrate Cinco De Mayo with a Big E Margarita along with Tex Mex favorites

Register for the Enchilada Eating Contest!

enchiladasrestaurants.com

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For Catering Call The Fiesta Line 214.691.1390

BREAKFAST/LUNCH

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

DINER

Circle Grill

Join us for Home-style Breakfast or Lunch with your family & friends today! Book your Party, Business Meeting or Alumni Group with us.

Our Banquet Room can accommodate parties up to 100 people!

Breakfast & Lunch 7-days-a-week. Dinner Thurs-Sat

3701 N. Buckner Blvd. 214.327.4140 www.facebook.com/CircleGrill www.thecirclegrill.com

SMOKED MEATS

One90 Smoked Meats

Offering bbq combo plates, sandwiches, tacos, sides, desserts & a wide variety of locally smoked meats, including Brisket, Bison, Turkey, Chicken, Pork, Salmon, Duck, Lamb & Tenderloins.

Hours:

Mon. Closed , Tues.-Sat. 11am-8pm Sun. 11am-5pm

10240 E. Northwest Hwy. one90smokedmeats.com 214.346.3287

TACOS

Palapas Seafood

Bar

Come see why we were voted one of the best patios in Dallas for 2016. Experience our special flavorings & recipes from Mexico’s seafood capital Sinaloa. Enjoy our Happy Hour from 4-7pm.

1418 Greenville Avenue 214.824.3000 palapasseafoodbar.com

Nature’s Plate

Plant-based meals, snacks, and treats to go!

• Order online for weekly pick-up

• Sign up for a meal plan – lots of options to fit busy schedules

• Stop by our store and choose from what we have – we cook fresh meals every day!

Like us on Facebook for daily news

Resident Taqueria

We boast fresh, made-to-order tortillas, slow-braised meats, seasonal & local produce, and a margarita that elevates the concept of Happy Hour.

New! Breakfast Tacos available during business hours.

Now Open Mondays Open Mon.-Sat. 11am-9pm Family Friendly.

Lake Highlands Plaza 9661 Audelia Rd. Suite 112 ResidentTaqueria.com 972.685.5280

13th Annual 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament benefiting Lake Highlands area schools

Special thanks to all of our 2016 Hoops in the Highlands Sponsors

Benefitting LJHJ, Northlake Wallace and WRE Schools

DARK PAST BRIGHT FUTURE

RECOGNIZING LAKE HIGHLANDS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES WHO OVERCAME ADVERSITY

Caring for a dying parent, surviving alone and homeless, living on four hours of sleep per night, holding down a full-time job and paying the household bills — teenagers here and everywhere deal with hardships, but few do so while remaining on the academic honor roll and emerging as leaders among their peers.

STORIES BY CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

PHOTOS BY DANNY FULGENCIO

REBUMA KEDIR’S FAITH LEFT HIM LIVING ON THE STREETS

After that first night sleeping in the park, Rebuma Kedir flicked grass off his jeans and bits of leaves from his short dreadlocks and went to school like any other day. He attended Advanced Placement physics and the rest of his classes, then walked to the Audelia Road Library where he finished his homework. When it closed, he returned to his spot among the trees, under the stars, where he prayed, on his own terms.

It went on like this for a few days. His sister, a fellow senior, Rohda, brought him clean clothes and cried when she saw him.

His mom visited the school office once after he left home for good, to make sure he was OK and in class.

“I haven’t heard anything [from her] since then,” he says in a soft voice that seems to quiet further when

discussing painful topics.

Rebuma, who says he never knew his biological father, was a young child when he went to live with his grandmother in Ethiopia.

Three years ago his mother invited him to live in Dallas with her and her fiancé. He came, for a better education and more opportunities.

His English needed polishing, but he worked hard — now he makes A’s and is a member of the National Art Honor Society.

He joined AVID, a college preparation program that he says changed his life for the better.

“Not only with getting into college, but it helped my self-esteem and communicating with people,” he says.

While many his age keep parents awake at night with worry, Rebuma did everything right, it seemed.

But religious differences with his mom’s fiancé, a strict Muslim, led to insurmountable problems at home.

“I was born Muslim, yes, but I was raised by my grandmother who was an orthodox Christian,” Rebuma says.

His grandmother never pushed him into any religion. She just loved him, cared for him and lived in a manner that appealed to him. So at 13, he decided he was what she was, a Christian.

But his mother’s husband-tobe made clear that everyone in the household was expected to follow Islamic tradition. He made it a point to tell Rebuma and his sister stories about his one relative who had rejected Islam — her loved ones, even her parents, had shunned her. The message was clear: If the Kedir children did not comply, the same would happen to him.

“I went along with it at first,” Rebuma says. For two years he studied the Quran and recited requisite ritual prayers.

But then his grandmother died, devastating him. In his pain, he longed more than ever for the comfort he found in her Christian faith.

It is clear from the catch in his throat when he speaks of her that he desperately misses her.

He sees now that she bestowed on him a gift — of both spirituality and choice — that he wants to reclaim.

“I am happy with my decision,” says Rebuma, though it cost him his home.

Today he lives at Promise House, a shelter for young adults located in North Oak Cliff.

Even during the most turbulent times, he seemed not to miss a beat academically, says guidance counselor Culus Williams.

“Most of us would be crazy if this happened to us,” Williams says. “But he just takes it in stride, like, ‘OK, this is where I live now. It’s OK. It’s OK’ — that’s what he always says to us [counselors], no matter what. He is amazing.”

Rebuma says his grades did suffer. “I didn’t make straight A’s that semester,” he notes. (Williams responds with a speechless head shake as if to say, “see what I mean.”)

When students at LHHS are facing risk or turmoil, they are encouraged

to contact Communities in Schools (CIS), a nonprofit organization with offices in 77 area schools. That’s what Rebuma did. When he explained his situation, he says LHHS leaders sprung into action.

CIS staffers Marcus Taylor and Yvonda Akers; his counselor, Williams; and his AVID instructors Rebecca Wood, Pamela Gayden and Matthew Morris, rallied together to find him a safe place to sleep that night.

“He went for days sleeping in the park and getting dressed and brushing his teeth in the school restrooms. He didn’t tell anyone and, looking at him, you never would have known,” says Akers. “I asked him why he waited so long to tell us. He only came to us after it started raining and he said he thought about the weather getting cold and knew he would need some kind of shelter. He is not the kind of kid who asks for anything. But he is grateful for everything.”

He leaves Promise House around 6

a.m. each weekday and always arrives at campus early. He works 20-hour weeks at a Taco Cabana near the shelter. On Sundays he rises early and rides the buses to his church in Garland.

He has been accepted to several universities. He chose University of Texas at San Antonio, whose recruiter was exceptionally responsive and helped him apply for financial aid, he says.

“I can’t wait to graduate,” he says. He plans to study engineering. But first, he will spend the summer working and saving.

Fittingly, he says it is prayer that keeps him feeling strong even when the loneliness from the loss of his family bonds feels overwhelming. When he sees his sister, with whom he is still close, he suggests she do the same.

“I say I don’t care what god she is praying to. Pray to whatever god you want. Don’t ever let anyone push you into something you don’t want to be.”

MEMORIAL DAY MAY 30, 2016

LAKE HIGHLANDS TOWN CENTER

CAMP SWEENEY 5K

BIKE ADVENTURE

LOCAL ARTISANS

LIVE MUSIC

FOOD TRUCKS

KID ZONE

SIGN UP FOR 5K

CampSweeney.org/5K

TO LEAD BORN

When she was just 6 years old, Sui Cer (now known as Mercy) fled Burma (now known as Myanmar) with her mom and dad. The large population of Burmese refugees in Lake Highlands was sparser then. Hers was one of the first Burmese families at Wallace Elementary. Early on, language barriers and culture shock stifled Mercy’s naturally bright and outgoing personality. One memory from first grade stands out more than any; the experience shaped her academic future, she says. “It was a spelling test. My teacher called out the words, and everyone started writing things down. I just sat there and turned in a blank page. I got a zero.”

She was mortified, she says. And motivated. She recruited an older family friend to tutor her, and she never again made less than a 100 on a spelling test. In fact, she’s made straight A’s ever since. She will graduate in the top 10 percent of her

traits at school and in the community. Winners are nominated by the LHHS faculty and, according to club officers, are “students who serve as peer role models … and are reliable and trustworthy.”

She is “academically gifted,” according to teacher Rebecca Wood, who also describes her as “kind, intelligent, and driven to succeed.”

Though she was young when she lived in Burma, Mercy recalls enough to know to never take for granted the luxuries of urban America. Things like electricity and clean water were scarce in Myanmar. “When I came here, I did not even know what a toilet was. And laundry. That was one of the most exciting things.” She speaks without a detectible accent. She says that her experiences have been benign compared to those of some other Burmese refugees at school. Her friend Biak (whose story is on p. 22), for example, came in

say she is always supportive, especially to newer Burmese girls who are following in her footsteps.

class, a member of the Mu Alpha Theta mathematics honor society and the National Honor Society. Among her many accolades has been the Lake Highlands Exchange Club’s Character Counts award, given to students who display strong character

2010; her journey and acclimation proved much more difficult. “She is the biggest inspiration to me,” Mercy says of Biak. Biak calls Mercy her first and best friend — they share a culture and can talk about any problem. Mercy’s teachers and counselors

Today Mercy is on track to become an influential woman abroad as she is at school and home, where she is the oldest of six siblings. “I have to be the one to set an example,” she says.

She emulates the attitude and behavior of her role models including Aung San Suu Kyi, a politician and opposition leader who has fought and suffered for women’s rights in Myanmar. Mercy’s understanding of the struggles of the people in Myanmar, where her grandfather still lives, has inspired her to return, she says, maybe even before she finishes college.

“I don’t want to completely change the way they do things, necessarily,” she says, “but I do want to bring awareness about movements like feminism.”

She served on the student council last year but this year she says she chose to save her money. (Yes, like in real life, it apparently is expensive to run for a high school office). Her interest in politics, while keen, probably won’t translate to a career, she says. She would rather earn a psychology degree and use it to help people. At time of publication she was still contemplating where to attend college after being accepted to multiple universities and garnering hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships.

“When I came here, I did not even know what a toilet was. And laundry. That was one of the most exciting things.”

Sui Cer (Mercy) helps care for six younger siblings, four pictured above, along with her mom.

IS MORE THAN A CLICHÉ FOR

NEVER GIVING UP BIAK REM CHIN

Biak Rem Chin is a seasoned adult living in the tiny-framed body of a teenager. Her porcelain-smooth face and shy smile reveal youth, but as she tells her story, it becomes easier to accept her claim that sometimes visitors mistake her for the mother of her younger sibling.

“When they come to the house, people sometimes say, ‘Are you the mom?’” Biak says, sighing. “And I say (sigh) ‘no.’ ” But for several of her formative years — after her family fled Myanmar, formerly Burma, and her mother became seriously ill — she did play the mom role.

Growing up in a village of 400 or so, she never turned on a light, sipped bottled water or took a shower — those are among the indulgences she appreciates now.

Her parents, for whom she translates English, smile politely as they describe the journey from Myanmar to Malaysia and eventually the United States as refugees.

For more than a week they trekked much of the thousand

miles across southern Asia with Biak and her little brother in tow — traveling in crowded backseats and truck beds when rides were available, hiding from authorities and sleeping on farmland.

While camping overnight, a venomous snake bit Biak’s hand, causing unforgettable agony as poison racked her body. Luckily a traveling companion knew how to treat the wound and keep her alive, her parents explain.

Even a difficult existence in the United States is “heaven compared to my country,” she says.

They arrived in America in 2010, and life here was thrilling but all new kinds of rough.

The seventh grade at Lake Highlands Junior High was an overwhelming, alien world. “I like school but I did not know any English at all except, ‘no’ and ‘yes.’ People were making fun of me.”

When her father saw her crying after school, he insisted that she hold her head high and pay no mind to what people say. Just be yourself, study hard and do the best you can, he advised.

Her dad is her hero, she says, and she held his words close to her heart. She would need the strength they gave her as life at home grew increasingly hard. Her mother developed excruciating kidney stones, which required multiple surgeries followed by long periods of incapacitation. Her mom eventually was also diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

“Every day I got home from school, cooked, cleaned, take care of my mom — help her shower and eat — make lunches for my dad and my brother then I pick up the Chin-English translation dictionary to study.”

In high school, she followed a similar routine; sometimes she didn’t begin her homework until 11 p.m., she says, and wouldn’t sleep sometimes until 3 or even 6 a.m.

Ask how she manages the

grueling schedule and bears heavy responsibilities placed upon her narrow shoulders, and receive a pragmatic reply. “I keep doing it. Do it everyday for three years, you get used to it.”

From the moment she arrived in Lake Highlands, she was an exemplary student. That’s how she eventually made friends — teachers praised her, and fellow students, especially others from her home country, often came to her for homework help.

Responsibilities weighed on her. There was a time, when her mom was at her worst, hospitalized and on a machine to help her breathe, doctors suggested the family consider pulling the plug, which would have almost surely meant death. “My mom wanted to die,” Biak recalls. “She told us she doesn’t want to live anymore. She is tired of being sick. The doctors told us to give up on her. They were going to cut the oxygen machine.”

But Biak wouldn’t hear of it. She couldn’t give up on the mother she adores.

Mom lived, and the hospital released her. But with her father’s long work hours, Biak continued to be the primary caretaker. She was “the second mom,” she says, attending to her 15-year-old brother and everything else. Though she was a straight-A student, a burnt-out Biak considered dropping out junior year. “Last year was completely down,” she says,

“the worst. I was so confused and crying all the time, so I felt like giving up school,” she says. “I thought I would get a job.”

Her dad and school counselors, especially her teachers from the AVID college preparation program, talked her out of it. They see in Biak a young woman determined to spend much of her future helping others, and an education is essential to maximizing her reach. “She is a sweet young lady who is definitely going places,” says teacher Rebecca Wood. “She learned English, and has excelled academically ... she helps her family, community and friends whenever she can.”

Remarkably, Biak finds time to coach the volleyball team at Agape Baptist Church, where she also leads a youth prayer and worship group. Everywhere she goes — school, church or volunteer gigs — she is a leader among her peers, always guiding by example.

Biak Rem Chin and her parents, Siang Nawn and Lai Uk fled Burma in 2010.

Her mom’s health has improved. She was up and walking around, chatting and grinning when we photographed the family in April.

“The medicine for the cancer is working,” Biak says. “We hope for not another operation.”

Acceptance into college was no problem, academically. She has applied for a dozen scholarships and is waiting for news. She badly wants to attend the University of Texas at Austin, but she chose Texas Woman’s University instead so she can remain closer to home. She’ll study social work. “Because I have a lot of experience about that,” she says.

It’s disappointing that she won’t be in Austin with her friends, but when she is tempted to feel sorry for herself, she tries to lend an ear to someone else going through a rough time — like her best friend, Sui (Mercy). They are always there for each other, she says.

Coming from anyone else, the words might seem idealistic if not neurotic, but, coming from Biak, you believe without question in their sincerity: “I want everyone to be happy. I just want to make everyone happy.”

“My mom told us she doesn’t want to live anymore. She is tired of being sick. The doctors told us to give up on her. They were going to cut the oxygen machine.”

W ILLIAM B. L ARSON , CPA, LLC

FULL

A LIFE

FIVE YEARS AGO, while living with her family in El Salvador, Karla Ruiz awakened to a nightmare. Her father could not be dead, she thought, despite what her weeping mother was telling her. They were supposed to watch the baseball game on TV, a favorite father-daughter pastime, and he had been late. She waited, and when the game ended she went to bed. Later that night, she swears, her dad cracked her bedroom door and whispered, “Lo siento. Buenas noches, te amo.” She accepted his apology and said she loved him too before drifting back to sleep. “It was weird,” she says. “I still think I remember him coming in and saying goodnight and that he was sorry for being late.” In reality, her father was killed on impact in a car accident on his way home from work.

Losing a parent is one of the greatest sorrows a young person can face, and for Karla it went beyond grief.

She lived in an area controlled by gangs, she says.

After he was gone, she realized that her dad had been protecting the family from danger.

Paying off gangs to leave you alone or to shield you from harm was a way

mother and sister occupied the other.

“My mom always tells me I had it better in San Francisco, but all I wanted was her.”

Karla happily shares a room now with her sister and mother. “It’s fun, actually,” she says.

The space looks a little like a college dorm room — three twin beds line the wall, two overrun with stuffed

got robbed.”

But warmth permeates the inside of the tidy, colorful, welcoming flat. On a weekday afternoon in spring, mom is cooking in the kitchen and spicy aromas waft across the living room where the TV is set to a Spanish game show. Framed family photos occupy shelves and walls, and pink playthings stand in neat piles (that is until Karla’s 2-year-old niece barrels in and attacks them). Karla’s textbooks, folders and papers form towering kitchen-table skyscrapers. With precision, she has inked important dates onto a handmade wall calendar — Nov. 5 is the anniversary of her dad’s death. June 5 is graduation day.

of life where she came from, Karla explains. It was something that her mother could not handle alone.

“After he was gone, all of the sudden, there were days when we couldn’t go to school, when my mom would say it wasn’t safe to leave the house.”

Adding to the stress, insurance did not pay enough on the accident to keep the family financially afloat. Karla’s mom worked tirelessly but couldn’t sustain. So she sent Karla to live in California with cousins she had never met.

In San Francisco Karla enjoyed relative safety, a good education and comforts such as her own bedroom. It took the bright teenager less than a year to learn English. She had one especially good teacher, Mrs. Ramirez, she says, but still her heart was breaking. She remembers the anniversary of her dad’s death, sitting in a room alone, grieving.

“That was a turning point where I told my mom I could not live without her. If she did not come to the United States, I was going back to El Salvador.”

Meanwhile, her mom had sought asylum and, not long after Karla’s ultimatum, she resettled in Texas where she rented a two-bedroom apartment in Lake Highlands. It was crowded — Karla’s older brother and his wife and baby lived in one room while Karla’s

animals. A tattered Eeyore doll is the last gift Karla’s father gave her, she says, and hugs it tight. “I don’t want to wash it. I think I can still smell his cologne. My mom says I can’t, but I think it is still in there.”

Photos and notes from the special education students Karla tutors are pinned above her pillow.

In mostly Advanced Placement classes she is making all A’s, says her counselor, who made Karla exchange one AP class for its standard version because she was working more than 40 hours a week.

Karla gives half of her earnings from serving at the Olive Garden to her mom for rent. She gives an allowance to her younger sister, and she recently emptied out her savings account to help her brother when he encountered serious financial trouble. “It’s OK,” she insists, “because I have my brother.”

Ostensibly their apartment isn’t much — outside, brown paint is peeling and stray dogs have the run of the parking lot. The crime rate is high — when Karla parks at the far reaches of the complex late nights after her shift, she sprints from the car to front door.

“I have never had any crime happen against me,” she says. “But I know it happens. We had a neighbor who just

She was accepted to all eight colleges for which she applied. She credits the AVID program and exceptional instructors including her chemistry teacher, Steve Kim and AVID teachers like Pam Gayden. “I never expected I would ever get into college, go to college, get scholarships, and all of this happened thanks to them.”

Despite her demonstrated drive and talent, Karla is humble, her guidance

counselor Donna Lambeth says. “She had to retake an easy algebra class because of some transfer technicality, and she finished in record time with no complaints. Then she makes great greades in super-hard classes.”

Karla plans to double major in psychology and special education at University of North Texas in Denton. There is an Olive Garden near campus, she says. She will transfer, continue waiting tables and paying a share of her family’s household expenses.

Gratitude seems to be the magic that propels this young woman.

She misses her father terribly, she says, but is grateful for the path on which the tragedy put her. And she has what she wants most — “My family, all together. As long as we are together, I can deal with anything else.”

“After he was gone, all of the sudden, there were days when we couldn’t go to school, when my mom would say it wasn’t safe to leave the house.”

Karla Ruiz (middle) sacrificed comfort to stay with her family in Texas.

RL GI power

Camila is on the student council and a member of the Young Republicans. In club meetings her peers openly discuss support for Trump and his promise to build a massive wall

hough she has been in the United States since she was an infant, Camila Melero is proud of her Mexican roots. That can be tough, she admits, in a world where hundreds of thousands of Americans support presidential candidate Donald Trump.he says will help keep undocumented Mexican immigrants from entering our country.

It sometimes hurts, she says. It is hard to not take it personally.

“I grew a pretty thick skin.”

“Trump doesn’t like Mexicans, and my family is all Mexicans,” she says. “My mom has her own business and pays taxes. She never had welfare. I

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Camila — who is intelligent and glamorously nerdy in dark-rimmed glasses over deep, observant, longlashed eyes — shrugs most of it off. She has her sights set on more controllable things. In quick, clipped sentences she describes her plan to become a coder and work for Apple, though “Google would be OK too,” she says.

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“I had a lot of problems growing up so I grew a pretty thick skin,” she says. “I try not to stress about those things I can’t do anything about.”

The hardest time of her life, she says, was during her sophomore year, when her mother had to travel to Mexico to “deal with immigration-status issues.”

“I was basically alone my whole sophomore year, making sure my sister is OK.”

Her sister was in eighth grade at the time and Camila had to act as mom despite her young age. She worried about her sister, she says, because the women in her family had a history of alcohol abuse. She knew her sister was nearing an age of temptation and needed a role model.

“I’ve seen in my family how alcohol can ruin lives. It starts as a game and then it takes your life.”

She says her family’s problems were rooted in alcoholism. Her mom,

who had drinking problem, is recovering.

But while she tried to be there for her sister, who was there for her?

“I felt really lonely without my mom, because my mom is my best friend.”

Her stepfather was in charge, but he was always gone at work or elsewhere, she says. She only saw her biological father once a month, she says.

“When you don’t have a parent around, choosing to come to school, especially in elementary school and junior high, can be hard. I am proud of myself for being motivated to succeed and make it through all of my education, through senior year.”

Camila not only made it through that and subsequent years, she thrived, remaining on the academic honor roll and playing forward on the girls soccer team. Her teacher Rebecca Wood says she feels lucky to know Camila. “I think she is inspirational because she refuses to be defined by where she comes from, but instead focuses on where she is going,” Wood says. “She also is a great friend to all of her peers who count on her for advice, laughs, and support.”

The day of our interview, she is decidedly giddy. “Tonight is senior night. It’s our last home game and the night where the seniors are recognized. I’ve been waiting for it for four years.”

to advertise call 214.560.4203

High school can be a crowded, confusing and difficult-to-navigate world, even for kids who have a supportive family. For students whose parents or guardians can’t help them, however, it often proves impossible. When daily life is a battle, temptation to drop out often mounts, and dreams of attending college can crumble. The high school seniors we interviewed this year had a few major things in common — all will graduate with honors next month; each is set to go on to college, armed with scholarships and financial aid, despite having faced opportunity-destroying adversity; and, during their years at LHHS, each took advantage of valuable programs such as Communities in Schools (CIS) and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID).

CIS is a nationwide organization founded by Bill Milliken in inner city New York about 40 years ago. The idea was to bring social resources into public schools, where they would be accessible and coordinated. “It’s relationships, not programs, that change children,” Milliken announced at the time. “Young people thrive when adults care about them on a one-to-one level, and when they also have a sense of belonging to a caring community.” CIS at Lake Highlands High School is true to that mission, says Yvonda Akers, one of two full-time CIS caseworkers. She has an education background, and her co-counselor Marcus Taylor has experience in juvenile probation. They make a good team when it comes to identifying issues and offering assistance to students, she says.

“Students might need food, school supplies, health care, counseling … help with schoolwork or college applications, or they just need a positive role model — that’s what we are here for,” Akers says.

When a student is in immediate crisis, CIS collaborates with guidance counselors and school principals to secure appropriate assistance. For example, when senior Rebuma Kedir became homeless, he went to CIS. He was on the street for a few days, Akers says, “but as soon as he let us know about it, we immediately found him a shelter and got him a DART pass. They do have to come to us. They have to let us know what is going on, or we can’t help,” she adds.

According to a recent CIS Texas study, 94 percent of high school seniors who take part in CIS graduate on schedule. Although CIS of Texas programs are in part legislatively funded, the majority of each program’s budget is raised from local communities and businesses, notes a CIS Texas spokesperson. Learn how to donate money or supplies to CIS students at cisoftexas.org.

AVID, which is offered to Richardson ISD junior high and high school students as an elective class, also is vital to dropout prevention and continued education. The program prepares young people — those who are willing to work hard — for college. AVID is open to all students, but usually AVID members will be the first in their families to attend college, and many are from low-income or minority families. Learn more about AVID at avidonline.org.

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When Nicholas died, his parents requested donations to the camp in lieu of flowers.

In response, an anonymous donor created a scholarship to fund six weeks of summer camp that year. And again the next year, the same person anonymously funded the Nicholas Calabro Memorial Scholarship.

“We have not guessed who it is,” Mike Calabro says. “But I can tell you, we don’t have very many rich friends. This is just an incredible thing.”

Schilling and Reed, who know the secret donor, expect the scholarship to continue annually into perpetuity. “Nicholas touched a lot of lives,” says Schilling, who met the boy years ago while teaching Extended School Year, a service provided by public school districts to individuals with disabilities.

“He will always be with us, and this annual scholarship is a renewed reminder of how special Nick is,” Schilling says.

Nicholas’ parents read all the

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scholarship applications each spring and select the recipients. One year, when they could not choose between two finalists, H.E.R.O.E.S. leaders decided to fund a second Nicholas Calabro scholarship for that summer.

A charity golf tournament led by Reed each spring raises about $30,000 for additional scholarships. “We do not want anyone to miss out for financial reasons,” Schilling says, and thanks to the scholarships, they do not have to.

Learn more about H.E.R.O.E.S. at heroesdfw.org

A child enjoying H.E.R.O.E.S.

BUSINESS BUZZ

THE LOWDOWN ON WHAT’S UP WITH NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES

BRAGGING ON BRAGG

Captain Jack R. Bragg Jr. retired from the Dallas Police Department recently after more than 41 years of service. We interviewed Bragg in 2014 about his role as dive team commander. When there was a suspected drowning at White Rock Lake or another local body of water, Bragg typically was first on the scene, after Dallas Fire-Rescue personnel. He was one of only two people in the entire Dallas Police Department with the title of captain. Despite the gloomy nature of his work, Bragg’s colleagues say he always has a cheerful disposition.

100 WOMEN WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

A new group for women is passionate about our neighborhood and ready to write a checks for good causes that impact it. Members of 100 Women of Lake Highlands will each give $100 per quarter, pooling their money to do the most good. No bake sales, no raffles. “No shifts to work, no booths to man,” explained founder Crispin Denealt at a recent introduction meeting. Deneault, along with founding board members Beth Arnold, Amy Timmerman, Veronica Deats, Claire Reyes, Lynsey Purl and Gabi Buehring, say they adhere to the old adage by Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” At quarterly meetings, members will be invited to make pitches on how to spend the pot. The program is modeled after “100 Women Who Care in St. Louis” and other similar programs. Enrollment for 2016 closed in April, but visit the Women of Lake Highlands Facebook page to learn more about future participation and other news.

SONIC SWEETNESS

Last month, we reported that a car hop named Duyen “Daisy” Tran, had been shot during an attempted robbery at Sonic on Audelia and Royal. We recently learned that she was pregnant. While in good condition, all things considered, Tran was put on bed rest for several weeks. After learning about her situation, Lake Highlands resident Jim Roberts wanted to help by setting up a bank fund for the injured woman. Tran was grateful but initially resistant to the idea. She told Roberts in an email that

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she couldn’t accept the money because there were other people who could probably use it more. Her humility and polite efforts to decline only reinforced Roberts’ determination to help Tran and her growing family, so he solicited the help of neighbor Becky Williamson, who knows Tran personally. Roberts says Williamson helped “convey Lake Highlands’ giving spirit and concern about this brave young lady.” When Williamson learned that the community had decided to set up an account for her anyway, she cried happy tears.

FINALLY, MOVEMENT AT LAKE HIGHLANDS TOWN CENTER

It finally seems as though things are coming together at Shops at Lake Highlands Town Center, formerly known simply as lake Highlands Town Center. Watercrest Park, The Haven apartments and Artistik Edge hair salon are in place; Sprouts and Argyle Residential’s new multifamily complex are officially on the way; and other projects are under consideration. It’s all being documented on the center’s new website, lakehighlandstowncenter.com.

DREAM CAFE OPENS

After months of anticipation, Dream Cafe has opened its third location in our neighborhood, right at the corner of Abrams and Mockingbird., filling the space formerly owned by Fuzzy’s Taco. Owned by Christine Lott, the restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner with a menu based on made-in-house favorites. Their best known for their popular brunches at sister locations in Addison and Uptown. The outdoor patio has been updated with large tables and twinkle lights to create a comfortable and casual new neighborhood spot.

Dallas City Plan Commissioner Neil Emmons died in his sleep last month. Emmons, 45, had been a city plan commissioner for more than a decade and believed in the importance of historic preservation. In lieu of flowers, Emmons’ family requests that charitable donations be made to the Dallas Endowment for Endangered Properties (Attn: Amanda Surret at Veritex Community Bank, Lakewood Branch, 2101 Abrams Road, Dallas, TX 75214).

Blake Cronin , a senior at Lake Highlands High School, was recently included in an elite list of local scholar athletes by the National Football Foundation’s Gridiron Club of Dallas. Blake is one of 66 students from schools around North Texas who was honored at the club’s eighth-annual awards banquet in Addison last month. Seven collegiate athletes were also recognized.

EDUCATION

Lake Highlands High School got a brand new, state-of-the art digital marquee last month. It was a gift from the Excellence in Education Fund (bett 1er known as Wild for Cats) and the Lake Highlands Women’s League. Messages displayed on the marquee are computer programmable through Dallas ISD’s network. This is thrilling to many. “No more climbing the ladder and praying that no one gets hurt,” Principal Frank Miller quips.

VOLUNTEERS

The Lake Highlands Art and Play Festival, scheduled for May 30, is on the hunt for local artists. If you’d like to display your work, stop by the new Public Improvement District office at 8676 Skillman at Royal near Tom Thumb, email Executive Director Kathy Stewart at lakehighlandspid@att.net or visit lhpid.org. The Lake Highlands Public Improvement District will underwrite the cost of tents for the first 20 artists who sign up.

Impeccable Service

HIGHLANDER SCHOOL

9120 Plano Rd. Dallas / 214.348.3220 / www.highlanderschool.com Founded in 1966, Highlander offers an enriched curriculum in a positive, Christian-based environment. By limiting class size, teachers are able to build a strong educational foundation to ensure confidence in academics, athletics, and the creative and performing arts. Highlander offers a “classic” education which cannot be equaled. Monthly tours offered; call for a reservation.

LAKEHILL PREPARATORY SCHOOL

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.

SPANISH HOUSE

Four East Dallas Locations / 214.826.4410 / DallasSpanishHouse.com Spanish Immersion Program in East Dallas! Nursery, Preschool, Elementary and Adult Programs available. Our new K-5 Dual-Language Elementary School will be opening in August 2016 at 7159 E. Grand Avenue. Please visit our website (DallasSpanishHouse.com) or call 214.826.4410 for a tour.

ISCOPAL 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.

UT DALLAS CHESS CAMP

800 W. Campbell Rd., Richardson 75080 / (972) 883-4899 / utdallas.edu/chess ) 2016 Summer Chess Camp Campers learn while they PLAY. Chess develops reading, math, critical and analytical skills, and builds character and self-esteem. Just don’t tell the kids…they think chess is fun! Join beginner, intermediate or advanced chess classes for ages 7 to 14 on the UT Dallas campus. Morning (9am-noon) or afternoon (1-4pm) sessions are available June 13-17, June 20-24, July 18-22, July 25-29 and extended playing classes. Camp includes t-shirt, chess board and pieces, trophy, certificate, score book, group photo, snacks and drinks. Instructors are from among UT Dallas Chess Team Pan-Am Intercollegiate Champions for 2010-2012!

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.

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.

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DALLAS CHESS TEAM HAS BEEN 1ST IN 10

THE UNSPOKEN SHADOWS OF BLESSING

WORSHIP

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

WILSHIRE BAPTIST / 4316 Abrams / 214.452.3100

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

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

BIBLE CHURCHES

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

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

Wed: AWANA and Kids Choir 6:00 pm / Student Ministry 7:00 pm

DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

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

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

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

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 & 11:00 am Traditional / 11:00 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

Sundays: 9:00 am Early Service, 11:00 am Celebration Service

For every flower of spring that blossoms forth from seed in fertile ground, God knows how many failed to come to life. God knows, but some others know this secret, too, in a more personal way.

There’s a hidden pain in church pews each spring as Easter bursts with praise of new birth from nature’s womb and death’s tomb. Our language of teeming life runs poetic. Images of propagating bunnies everywhere seem apt, until they’re not.

Those who suffer the disappointment of infertility, the grief of miscarriage, the agony of early childhood death, the longing for marriage and parenting, or the mixed regret and relief of abortion all live in the quiet shadow of these celebrations of life. Many of them inhabit our church pews Sunday by Sunday.

Doctors, support groups and friends often are helpful. An online community, called Project Pomegranate, offers helpful spiritual and practical encouragement to individuals, families and religious congregations. The Grief and Loss Center of North Texas stands at the ready, also.

In churches like mine that dedicate babies and in churches that christen them instead, tears fill the eyes of sentimental worshippers. There’s something about the innocence of an infant and the unqualified promise of a new life being held up before us that speaks of blessing. The world is blessed, the parents are blessed, the church is blessed, the child is blessed.

Some tears in the congregation, though, come from longing and loss. While talk of blessing surrounds every infant, does the lack of one suggest cursing? When we say that a child

George Mason

is a gift from God, do we also mean that being childless is a sign of God withholding a gift from some?

All religious rituals have an unspoken shadow side, and none more so than a baby dedication. A few times through the years, I have called attention to this by doing a childless dedication. I put the burp cloth on my shoulder as I normally do, and I walk around the church with arms shaped to hold an infant not present. I speak the pain of childless women and men (both!). I remind the church that flesh and blood does not inherit the kingdom of God, and that the family of spirit is what endures eternally.

I ask church members to make promises to those among us who do not have children of their own, just as I ask them to make promises to those who do. The promises are different, but the aim is the same: that we would be a community of faith for all, and that we would be sensitive to the pain of some while we celebrate the joy of others.

We need to take care with our words and deeds toward those who suffer silently. We want to offer our blessing to them, too, and that without empty promises that their day will come or that God knows best or that we know how they feel when we really don’t.

Couples going through these experiences need all the understanding and support they can get. Yes, there may be medical solutions for some, and adoption may be a wonderful option for others. In time.

In the meantime, remember that love is sometimes best expressed by simply being present without the need to have an answer.

is pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church. The Worship section is underwritten by Advocate Publishing and the neighborhood businesses and churches listed here. For information about helping support the Worship section, call 214.560.4202

THE POWER OF ONE

HOW NEIL EMMONS CHANGED THE FACE OF EAST DALLAS Comment.

East Dallas neighborhoods are not known for being quiet. We’re active, we’re engaged and we make our voices heard at Dallas City Hall on issues that affect us. Most importantly, we fervently believe that the destiny of our neighborhoods should be determined by us, the residents who live here and have the most at stake.

You can see this philosophy in issues large and small across East Dallas, whether it’s an expansion of a shopping center, a proposed restaurant at White Rock Lake, parking areas for the Dallas Arboretum or improvements to Lower Greenville.

The idea that residents are in the very best position to know what is best for them is called “neighborhood self-determination,” a concept I first learned from a City Plan Commissioner named Neil Emmons. It’s the common-sensical notion that the people who are most affected by an issue should have the most say in the matter – not Dallas City Hall, not some hired consultant, not a wealthy developer. But the neighbors who actually have to live with the decision.

The notion that a city should be built from the ground up, not top down, is essential for strong neighborhoods and has proved critical to the success of Old East Dallas. Our area of town has thrived when neighbors’ voices were heard (witness our proliferation of successful historic and conservation districts), and done less

well when decrees were issued by City Hall over our objections (the destruction of Gaston and Ross avenues).

Neil Emmons was an ardent champion of neighborhoods. I first met him in the early 2000s, when our M Streets neighborhood was trying to become a conservation district.

Neil was serving on the City of Dallas Plan Commission – the city board that decides zoning matters – and he educated our neighborhood about the conservation district process, community engagement and how to navigate Dallas City Hall.

Zoning was totally new to me, and Neil taught me about that, too. I learned that zoning regulation determines what gets built where, how big it can be and what it can be used for. Developers sometime seek zoning variances, often to build bigger and taller than what the current zoning allows. I learned from Neil that neighbors speaking in one voice can have a remarkable impact on this most fundamental of city regulations.

Neil was a bit of an evangelist about neighborhood participation, and for good reason. He had seen neighborhoods get bulldozed, both figuratively and literally, when they were disengaged and uneducated, and he worked to make sure neighbors were armed with information, history, knowledge of process, and understood the political dynamics of City Hall.

After I was elected to the Dallas City Council in 2005, Neil agreed to stay on as plan commissioner for District 14, and we worked together for four years. The Plan Commission’s job is to make recommendations to

the council on each and every zoning case, and I could count on Neil to thoughtfully analyze zoning applications, to work closely with residents

He had seen neighborhoods get bulldozed, both figuratively and literally, when they were disengaged and uneducated, and he worked to make sure neighbors were armed with information, history, knowledge of process, and understood the political dynamics of City Hall.

and developers in finding compromise, and (most importantly) to have the fortitude to say “no” to bad zoning requests.

I mention all of this because Neil passed away just a few weeks ago at the young age of 45. It is such a loss for our city and especially for our neighborhoods. Neil leaves behind a remarkable legacy: countless new development projects in Uptown and Oak Lawn and East Dallas that he tweaked and molded to ensure their compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods.

But Neil will be remembered for much more than better buildings and improved edifices. His legacy can be seen in the many community leaders he inspired to be fierce guardians of our neighborhoods, to organize and voice our will to the city, to accept nothing less than our seat at the table when important decisions are being made. His impact on our neighborhoods will be a lasting one. What a great gift to leave our city.

ANGELA HUNT is a former Dallas City Councilwoman in East Dallas. She writes a monthly opinion column about neighborhood issues. Her opinions are not necessarily those of the Advocate or its management. Send comments and ideas to her at 6301 Gaston, Suite 820, Dallas 75214; FAX to 214.823.8866; or email ahunt@advocatemag.com.

Visit lakehighlands.advocatemag.com and search Angela Hunt to tell us what you think.

Soccer stars

The Dr. Pepper Dallas Cup, a youth soccer tournament that attracts thousands of spectators each year, took place at a variety of fields throughout the city. Referees came from far and wide. Twelve hailed from the British Isles. Those men bunked with nine Lake Highlands families during the event. Here, some of the out-of-towners tour the School Book Depository.

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,

CREATIVE ARTS CENTER More than 500 adult art classes/ workshops from metal to mosaic! www.creativeartscenter.org

MAKERS CONNECT Craft Classes & Workshops. Led by & for Local Makers. Check Schedule: makersconnect.org/classes

EMPLOYMENT

AVIATION GRADS Work with JetBlue, Boeing, Delta and Others. Start Here With Hands On Training For FAA Certification. Financial Aid If Qualified. Aviation Institute Of Maintenance. 866-453-6204

EMPLOYMENT

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

US POSTAL SERVICE NOW HIRING 1-800-269-9731. $21hr avg. W/Fed. Ben. incld. to start. FT/PT. Not affiliated w/USPS

SERVICES FOR YOU

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

LEGAL SERVICES

A FREE CONSULTATION Wills/Probate/Guardianships. MaryGlennAttorney.com 214-802-6768

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

NEED A

NEW WEBSITE?

Cena-mania

WrestleMania brought the world’s best in the ring to Dallas, along with fans from all over the world. Lake Highlands wrestling fans lined up for hours at the JCPenney on Skillman for a chance to meet wrestler-turned-actor John Cena, who has been flexing his comedic muscles in films like “Trainwreck” and “Sisters.”

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

DONATE

BUY/SELL/TRADE

FREE RANGE PORK & LAMB from local resident’s farm. Hormone & antibiotic free.Heritage Red Wattle pigs. Stock up now. laralandfarms.com 214-384-6136

SHARE FRONT ROW

Texas Rangers, Stars & Mavs seats. Tickets are available in sets of 10 games (sets of 2 or 4 tickets per game available). Participants randomly draw numbers prior to season to determine a draft order fair to 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

ORGANIZEANDREJUVENATE.COM

Declutter/Files/Feng Shui. 972-816-8004

AC & HEAT

WINDOW AC TUNE UP Repair, Cleaning, Etc. Buy/Sell 214-321-5943

Family Owned & Operated

Serving the Dallas area for over 30 years

We raise our kids here, too!

972-274-2157

www.CrestAirAndHeat.com

TACLB29169E

APPLIANCE REPAIR

JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE

TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898

CLEANING SERVICES

MESS MASTERS Earth friendly housecleaning. 469-235-7272. www.messmasters.com Since ‘91

TWO SISTERS & A MOP Move in/Out. Reliable/Dependable 20 Yrs Exp. 214-283-9732 twosistersamopmaidservice.com

WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM

Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134

COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS

BILL’S COMPUTER REPAIR

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

ELECTRICAL SERVICE

EXPERIENCED LICENSED ELECTRICIAN Insd. Steve. TECL#27297 214-718-9648

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.

FLOORING & CARPETING

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

Serving your Neighborhood Since 1993

Repairing: Refrigerators •Washer/Dryers

• Ice Makers •Stoves • Cooktops • Ovens 214✯823✯2629

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

$100 off 1st clean for new weekly/bi-weekly clients. Staff trained by Nationally Certified Cleaning Tech. Chemical-free, Green, or Traditional Cleaning. WindsorMaidServices.com 214-381-MAID (6243)

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

CLEANING LADY ALSO WINDOW GUY

110% Always! Great Prices & Refs. Experienced, Dependable. Sunny 214-724-2555

JUNE DEADLINE MAY 11 214.560.4203 TO ADVERTISE

CONCRETE/ MASONRY/PAVING

ALL CONCRETE RESTORATION & Decorative Designs. Staining 214-916-8368

BRICK & STONE REPAIR

Tuck Pointing / Crack Repair. Mortar Color Matching. Windows,Doors, Cracks Etc. Don 214-704-1722

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

BRICK, STONEWORK, FLAGSTONE PATIOS

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

CONCRETE REPAIRS/REPOURS

Demo existing. Stamping and Staining Driveways/Patio/Walkways

Pattern/Color available

Free Estimates 972-672-5359 (36 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

ELECTRICAL SERVICE

ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricofdallas.com

50 Yrs. Electrical Exp. Insd. 214-328-1333

BRIGHT LIGHT ELECTRIC • 214-553-5333

TECL 31347 Lighting and Electrical Services

AMBASSADOR FENCE INC. EST. 96 Automatic Gates, Fences/Decks, ambassadorfenceco.com 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

LONESTARDECKS.COM 214-357-3975

Trex Decking & Fencing, trex.com

• Over 20 Years Exp. 972-288-3797

We Answer Our Phones

GARAGE SERVICES

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

EST. 1991 #1

COWBOY

All Wood Decks, Arbors & Patio Covers 214.692.1991

FENCE & IRON CO.

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.

HASTINGS STAINED CONCRETE

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

THE TEXAN FLOORING SERVICES

Wood, Laminate. Remodel Showers, Bathrooms. thetexanflooringservices.com 214-680-0901

EAST DALLAS WINDOW CLEANING Power Wash. Free Est. Dependable. Derek. 214-360-0120

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

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

G & P HANDYMAN Plumbing, AC, Electrical, Painting, Roofing, Fix Appliances. 214-576-6824

HANDYMAN SERVICES

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

KITCHEN/BATH/ TILE/GROUT

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS LLC

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

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

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

Tip: All pest animals must have 3 things: food, water and a place to hide. Prevent pests from making your home theirs:

1. Inspect roof and gutters for leaks, making sure any water is away from the foundation.

2. Prune all trees several feet from the roofline.

3. Don’t leave pet food exposed outside.

LAWNS, GARDENS &

TREES

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

HOUSE PAINTING

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

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

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

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

• Exterior Painting

• Interior Painting

• Cabinet Makeovers

• Fence Stain

• Fence Repair

www.CertifiedPaintersCo.com

214-500-1021

LocalWorks.advocatemag.com

LocalWorks.advocatemag.com

KITCHEN/BATH/ TILE/GROUT

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

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

STONE AGE COUNTER TOPS Granite, Marble, Tile, Kitchen/Bath Remodels. 972-276-9943.stoneage.dennis@verizon.net

SQUARE NAIL WOODWORKING Expanding to do Kitchen/Bath Remodels. squarenailwoodworking.com 214-324-7398

Since 1995

TOM HOLT TILE 30 Yrs Experience In Tile, Backsplashes & Floors. Refs. Avail. 214-770-3444

LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES

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

A&B LANDSCAPE Degreed Horticulturist. Landscape & Stone Work. 214-538-9625

AYALA’S LANDSCAPING SERVICE

Call the Land Expert Today! Insured. 214-773-4781

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

LIGHT IT UP DALLAS

Your lighting specialists. 972-591-8383

Parties, Weddings, Patios, Landscape.

LSI LAWN SPRINKLERS “Making Water Work”

WE REFINISH!

• Tubs, Tiles or Sinks

• Cultured Marble

• Kitchen Countertops

214-631-8719

www.allsurfacerefinishing.com

MOVING

Irrigation system Service & Repair. Specializing In Older Copper Systems. LI #13715. 214-283-4673

ORTIZ LAWNCARE Complete Yard Care. Service by Felipe. Free Est. 214-215-3599

TRACY’S LAWN CARE • 972-329-4190

Lawn Mowing & Leaf Cleaning

AM

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

Home

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 469-346-1814 - 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

214-328-7371

MetroFlowPlumbing.com

Lic.# M16620

REMODELING

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS, LLC

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

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

FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. dallastileman.com 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

Bob McDonald Company, Inc. BUILDERS/REMODELERS

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

214-341-1155

bobmcdonaldco.net

JUNE DEADLINE MAY 11 214.560.4203

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 214-560-4203. 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.

is online too! LocalWorks.advocatemag.com

Crime numbersTrue crime

homicides reported in Dallas this year between Jan. 1 and March 28.

homicides reported in Dallas last year during the same time period. It’s not just murder that’s on the rise. The city saw a 30-percent increase in violent crime overall in the first two months of 2016.

number of officers moved to the night shift by Police Chief David Brown to address this problem. Brown also asked an additional 700 officers to rotate to foot patrol. Special forces will be formed to target violent crime, including domestic violence. The city’s sex-offender force will shut down temporarily to focus on what Brown sees as more pressing issues. Local police unions are vocally unhappy with these moves and have called for Brown’s resignation.

Two teenagers were murdered back-to-back within about a mile of each other in what police called a drug deal gone bad. The incident took place at Las Brisas apartments on Whitehurst Drive, where an unidentified witness and Julio Gerardo de la Rosa, 18, planned to sell marijuana to Derek Jordan and Matthew Deshon Robinson, both 19. Jordan approached the vehicle and refused de la Rosa’s request to get in the car; instead he stood outside and asked to see the drugs before paying. According to the witness, a shot, allegedly fired by Robinson, then pierced the windshield, hitting de la Rosa. The witness said he started shooting back out of fear. Jordan was shot and killed, and Robinson fled. The witness was able to drive to Royal Lane where he pulled over and called 911. De la Rosa was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Two weeks later, Robinson was arrested on a charge of capital murder during a traffic stop in Louisiana. As of press time, he was awaiting extradition on $500,000 bail.