2009 October Oak Cliff

It may be a dump, but our landfill is turning a profit

SHE’S THE HAT LADY/CASSANDRA MACGREGOR IS ON OUR MINDS SMALL WONDERS/THE OLD OAK CLIFF CONSERVATION LEAGUE HOME TOUR

Photo by Can türkyilmaz

Cover art by karen blessen

see page 5 for more comments and posts from readers

BACK TALK

For the latest on what’s happening in our neighborhood, click on “Blog” daily and get the scoop from Advocate reporters.

GET ON THE A LIST

It’s the best of the website in an e-newsletter version, delivered to your inbox twice a month. Sign up by clicking “Personalize” on the home page.

ALL A TWITTER

Follow Advocate on twitter. com/advocatemag and be the first to know about the latest news, photos, podcasts, and videos posted to our website.

STOREFRONT

Check out our latest addition to advocatemag.com, where you can find listings for all sorts of local businesses and services — all right here in our neighborhood. And if you’re a business owner, add your own listing here — free.

this month on

“This is a very important piece of art, and it needs a home.”

—Ralph Isenbe Rg, talk Ing about “ t he gates” sculptu R e on

photo by manny rodrigueuz

BElt wAy

The gradual and reluctant undoing of a deep-rooted habit

I don’t recall when it started, but I do recall when being a tucker became a way of life: 7th grade.

Social studies teacher William Eberhardt (shorten his first name and swap in two letters in his last name for a big-time juvenile guffaw) wore a coat and tie to class every day, and a hat home every night, and he kept a confiscated belt hanging on his wall.

If you dared walk into his class without one, or if you were so brazen as to slink in with your shirt untucked, you were subject to the verbal equivalent of a WWF smackdown.

“Mr. Wamre,” the rather diminutive Mr. Eberhardt would squeak amid the sloppily muffled cackles of classmates. “Get that shirt tucked in so I can see your belt, or

turn around and head down to the office right now.”

And in the office, a big Minnesota-born principal we called “Tex” in honor of his ever-present cowboy hat, wasn’t sympathetic to disruptions in school attire, either. With his pointy cowboy boots and towering frame, and his eagerness to lord this size advantage over shrimps like me, the most direct line to the easiest school day was to remain a tucker.

And so I did.

For years it wasn’t a problem, because everyone did it. I’d run across the occasional beltless slackers, of course, but I presumed these godless hooligans would surely get what was coming to them someday.

But time doesn’t stand still, and someone somewhere along the line decided to break free from the bonds of belthood. Occasionally on TV, some celebrity would be wearing a jacket, and peeking from beneath it would be a completely untucked shirt. And from Mr. Eberhardt’s perspective, who could even tell if the guy was wearing a belt?

straight down from protruding bellies, leaving enough room for a raccoon to rest comfortable at belt-level, if any raccoon should be so inclined.

Finally, our sons started in on me.

“Dad, wear your shirt out. Everyone else does it,” one said.

“Dad, what’s wrong with you?” the other asked. “You don’t look right with your shirt tucked in.”

And I watched as their shirts flapped freely in the breeze and their unbelted pants and shorts began to channel the rear view of plumbers crawling from beneath a house with their tool belts.

They seemed happy to be so free. I began to feel isolated by my intractable decision.

Gaston, Suite 820, Dallas 75214; FAX to 214.823.8866; or e-mail to rwamre@advocatemag.com.

Soon the tuckless movement was omnipresent: Guys in suits wore their shirts sticking out. The bottoms of Hawaiian shirts never saw the inside of pants. People wore t-shirts that dropped

So against my better judgment, I started following the crowd. I still tuck in my shirt at work and, sometimes when I’m alone, just because I can. But more and more in public, I’m following the crowd, going along to get along, and allowing my belt to rest quietly in the closet. It doesn’t feel right, doesn’t even look right, and I worry that someone who knows better might see me out and about.

But peer pressure has taken its course, and my days of exclusive tucking are over.

I’m sorry, Mr. Eberhardt.

EDI t ORIA l PH/469.916.7860 publisher: RICK wAMRE /214.560.4212 rwamre@advocatemag.com managing editor: KERI MI t CHE ll /214.292.0487 kmitchell@advocatemag.com

CHRIS t INA H u GHES BABB /214.560.4204 chughes@advocatemag.com senior art director: J y NNE tt E NEA l /214.560.4206 jneal@advocatemag.com assistant art director: Jul IANNE RICE /214.292.0493 jrice@advocatemag.com

editors: MAR l ENA CHAVIRA-MEDFORD /214.292.2053 mchavira-medford@advocatemag.com

designers: J EANINE M ICHNA - BA l ES , lARR y Ol IVER , KRIS SCO tt contributing editors: JEFF SIEGE l , SA lly w AMRE contributors: SEAN CHAFFIN , SAND y GRE y SON , B I ll K EFFER , G A yl A K OKE l, E RIN M O y ER , GEORGE MASON , B l AIR MONIE , E ll EN RAFF, RACHE l S t ONE web editor: C O ll EEN yANC y /469.916.7860 cyancy@advocatemag.com

photo editor: CAN tüRK y IlMAZ /214.560.4200 cturkyilmaz@advocatemag.com

photographers: ROBER t BuNCH, MARK DAVIS, MOlly DICKSON, CHRIStOPHER lEE , SEAN MCGINty interns: S ARAH JACOBS , AlEX KNESNIK, lACE y tEER cover art: K AREN BlESSEN

ADVER t ISING PH/214.560.4203 advertising coordinator: J u D y l I l ES /214.560.4203 jliles@advocatemag.com

advertising sales director: KRISty GACONNIER /214.560.4213 kgaconnier@advocatemag.com display sales manager: BRIAN BEAVERS /214.560.4201 bbeavers@advocatemag.com

senior advertising consultant: AM y D u RAN t /214.560.4205 adurant@advocatemag.com advertising consultants: CAtHERINE PAtE /214.292.0494 cpate@advocatemag.com

l ISA A lt HA u S /214.292.0961 lalthaus@advocatemag.com NORA JONES /214.292.0962 njones@advocatemag.com MADE ly N R y BCZ y K /214.292.0485 mrybczyk@advocatemag.com

JESSICA w I l SON /214.292.0486 jwilson@advocatemag.com

classified manager: PRIO BERGER /214.560.4211 pberger@advocatemag.com

classified consultants: SA lly ACKERMAN /214.560.4202 sackerman@advocatemag.com S u SAN Cl ARK /469.916.7866 sclark@advocatemag.com

Rick Wamre is publisher of Advocate publishing. Let him know how we are doing by writing to 6301

blog& Back Talk comments

BUY LOCAL

You guys really outdid yourselves on this one! What great information — and lots of it — and so well-written. Shannon, Randall and we all appreciate the effort it took to put such a big piece together, but mostly that you care enough to do such a major promo for our neighborhood businesses.

—LAUREN AND GARY, VIA EMAIL

GREEK TREATS

We tried the appetizer sampler [“Restaurant Talk: Greek Café & Bakery” Advocate Back Talk blog Sept. 4], which included the Greek caviar, hummus and ziziki. We also tried the gyro salad and a traditional gyro. This will be one of our regular stops!

—STEPHEN, VIA ADVOCATEMAG.COM

LANDLORD FEES

I think that this is at least potentially a good thing [“City’s $50 home rental tax: Something only a bureaucrat could love” Advocate Back Talk blog Sept. 1]. The rent houses in my neighborhood are the trashiest houses in the neighborhood. The owner-occupied houses are all kept up reasonably well. I can see your points, but if it helps at all, I am for it.

—ERIC, VIA ADVOCATEMAG.COM

L aUnCH

Sitting in Ca SS andra M ac Gre G or’s studio, with sunlight pouring through the window and r aphael Saadiq playing on the stereo, the vibe is more a lice than Mad Hatter. MacGregor moved her millinery company, the House of MacGregor, to o ak Cliff a little more than a year ago. The Plano High School graduate, originally from Massachusetts, lives and works in o ak Cliff, but she got her fashion training in n ew York. She worked for Lynne Mackey, who designs hats for Broadway productions, and she put some of her creative product on the heads of cast members from “The Color Purple” and “Wicked.” She also worked for a haute couture milliner and a custom-hat designer who does highend weddings and Kentucky d erby hats.

How did you get into hat making?

I was an art history and English major, and I was working for an auction house in New York City. I took some hat-making classes at F.I.T. for fun. And the class was filled with people who were trying to get out of their 9-5 office jobs. That was in 2002. I took four classes, and eventually I quit my day job and started my own hat line that I sold at a store, and then I worked for hat makers at the same time.

CAN Türk YIlmAz

MACGREGOR

WHERE CAN PEOPLE BUY YOUR HATS?

I sell them at VOD in Victory Plaza and the Hat Shop in New York, and then I do appointments out of my studio.

WHYDID YOU CHOOSE OAK CLIFF FOR YOUR STUDIO?

I totally fell in love with it over here. I love the houses and the people and the restaurants and just the vibe of the neighborhood. It has so much character. I picked this space (in an office above Bolsa) because this can be a really solitary job, so it’s nice to have the energy over here. Even if I’m working really late at night, I can open the windows and hear people coming in and out of the restaurant, and I feel like I’m a part of what’s going on.

YOUR HATS RANGE FROM $180 FOR A LITTLE COCKTAIL

HAT UP TO $400 FOR AN ELABORATE KENTUCKY DERBY HAT; WHY ARE THEY A GOOD INVESTMENT?

It’s something that should last you a lifetime. Because you’re getting it from somebody who actually made it, you can change the ribbon out, or you can get it reblocked if it gets out of shape.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE NEXT IN HAT FASHIONS?

I think people started wearing more hats about a year or two ago, and you get started on, say, a fedora, or something else that looks good on everyone. But the more you start to wear hats, you start to want one that no one else has. So I think people are going to become more comfortable wearing more individualized hats.

—RACHEL STONE

Patricia LaRue, MD; Kecia Foxworth, MD; Rochelle McKown, MD; Theresa Patton, MD; Sandra Lozano, MD

CALL: (214) 631-ARTS (2787)

ONLINE: VISIT: DallasSummerMusicalsBoxOffice

at542PrestonRoyalShoppingCenter

GROUPS: (214) 426-GROUP (4768)

What gives?

Small ways that you can make a big difference for neighborhood nonprofits

THIS MONTH, WALK

... in Lifewalk, the largest fundraising event for AIDS Arms Inc. The 3.2-mile walk planned Oct. 11 starts at Lee Park and runs through Turtle Creek and Uptown. AIDS Arms is an Oak Cliff-based charity that helps people diagnosed with HIV and AIDS get access to health care, resources and support. Teams and individuals can pledge money and walk in the event. Information is available at lifewalk.org or by calling 214.521.5191.

OCT. ISSUE

OR ADOPT A FIRE STATION ...

because many Dallas neighborhood fire stations are in dire need of renovations. Go to dallasfirerescue.com/adopt/ adopt.htm, and click on “station wish lists” to see what you can do to help firefighters better their living conditions. Everyone who helps receives a certificate of appreciation. It’s a yearround program, so there’s no deadline to help out.

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.

Dr. Sarah tevis Poteet is known for her exceptional skills, gentle touch, kind spirit, and the ability to listen to her patients. She was one of a select few to complete an Advanced education in General Dentistry residency and is certified to provide IV and oral conscious sedation to make her patients extra comfortable. We offer comprehensive dental care for patients of all ages in a relaxing and friendly atmosphere, and we are conveniently located in Preston center.

out&about

in october

10.02-10.11

ten days of bicycle love

FREE October brings us Cyclesomatic, a 10-day festival celebrating all things bike. The festival will feature several organized rides, including one at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 2 between Eno’s in the Bishop Arts District and City Hall. Council members Delia Jasso and Angela Hunt are expected to strap on helmets and lead the ride. There’s also a night ride, a ride to the Texas Theater for a screening of “Beer Wars” and beer tastings, and a game of bike polo. New events are being announced every week. The idea for Cyclesomatic came from the success of Bike Friendly Oak Cliff and the new Oak Cliff Bicycle Co., says Andrea Roberts, one of the festival’s organizers. “We had the Tyler Street block party a few months ago, and that was a big success,” she says. “So we thought ‘let’s just do a big festival.’” More information is available at bikefriendlyoc.wordpress.com.

—RACHEl STONE

10.04 sRv motoRcycle paRade $20-$25 Stevie Ray Vaughn would have turned 55 Oct. 3, and he already has been gone for more than 19 years. This year’s motorcycle ride honoring the legendary blues man, who grew up in Oak Cliff, starts at 11:15 a.m. at Hooters in the West End and runs to Cowboys Dancehall in Arlington. All proceeds go to the Stevie Ray Vaughn Memorial Scholarship Fund. More information is available at srvrideandconcert.org.

10.10-10.11

URban stReet

baZ aaR fRee

The Make Studio is behind this Bishop Arts District event, which this year is featuring 60 vendors selling handmade stuff like handbags, jewelry, clothes, home goods and art. urbanstreetbazaar.com

10.31.09 HalloWeen

costUme paRade fRee

The Jefferson Boulevard Task Force that City Council member Delia Jasso organized to breathe life into our historic boulevard is hosting a Halloween festival. The party, from 2-5 p.m. will include pumpkin painting and other family friendly stuff. The costume parade starts at 3:30 p.m. outside the Texas Theater, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd.

CAn TüRkyilMAz

COFFEE CONNECTION

ANyONE wHO LI vE s IN DALLA s probably has eaten at Café Brazil a time or two. But true fans of the funky diner, which opened an Oak Cliff location last year, follow Café Brazil on Twitter. They are friends with it on Facebook. And the café pays them back with specials and coupons just for their “friends” and “followers.” Online social networking “is an easy way to communicate with our customers,” says the Dallas-based restaurant chain’s CEO, Brant Wood. “We’ve been around for 17 years, so we have a pretty big fan base.” Café Brazil installed WiFi in all of its stores about four years ago and has always offered it for free. It made sense, Wood says, because Café Brazil is the kind of place where people come to linger over a cup of Snickerdoo coffee and have a plate of crepes or French toast. “We’ve never been a big push-to-turn-tables kind of place,” he says. “It’s come in, hang out, stay a while.”

—Rachel Stone

The BE S T E AT S in our neighborhood

YOUR GUIDE TO DINING OUT

CINDI’S NYDELI, RESTAURANT & BAKERY $ A little of everything for everyone!

Cindi’s has the best bagels, blintzes, latkes, matzo ball soups and quiches in town. Fantastic breakfast served all day. Excellent home-style lunch and dinner specials. Extensive dessert selections including cakes, pastries, pies and bread pudding. 11111 North Central Exprsswy. 214.739.0918; 7522 Campbell Rd. 972.248.0608; 3565 Forest Ln. 972.241.9204; And now our newest location: 2001 Midway Rd. 972.458.7740.

CIRCLE GRILL RESTAURANT $

New Whole Wheat Bran Pancakes the perfect addition to any breakfast. Don’t forget we are also here for dinner three days a week. Pop in and try some of our amazing dinner specials like our Prime Rib or Grilled Salmon. Coming this December, our “MONSTER MENU”. Come Home to the Circle Grill. Sun-Wed 6am-4pm ThursSat 6am-9pm. Banquet Facilities Available. Breakfast served all day. 3701 N. Buckner 214-327-4140

TILLMAN’S ROADHOUSE $$ OD WB

Tillman’s is a place for really good food, drinks, and music in a fun, casual, come-as-you-are environment. An update on the classic Texas roadhouse with regional menu favorites, familiar tunes and no-one is a stranger hospitality — all energized with a modern take. A combination of both rustic and lush in everything from the menu to the décor make Tillman’s a good-time anytime destination. Bishop Arts District 324 West 7th St. 214.942.0988. www.tillmansroadhouse.com

PUT

CALL 214-560-4203 TO ADVERTISE

HOT GLASS

Working glassblowing studio and gallery - offering unique art glass for any budget or occasion. Sign up for glassblowing classes. Architectual commissions available.

1419 Griffin St. E. (Cedars District close to downtown Dallas) Tues.-Sat., 11-5 or by appt. 214.426.4777 bowmanglass.com

I am a sister, a daughter, a friend, a breast cancer survivor.

$ MOST ENTREES UNDER $10 / $$ BETWEEN $10-$20 / $$$ ABOVE $20 /

North Oak Cliff’s #1

635 N. Oak cliff $205,000 Remodeled 2/1/2 LA, “Green” Home, 1,342 SF

2725 Avon $93,000 Move-in Ready 2/1 Bungalow, 1,085 SF

1127 N. edgefield $319,000 Charming 2/2/2 LA Kessler Colonial, 1,732 SF

935 LAUSANNE $359,000 Delightful 4/3/2 LA Traditional, 2,823 SF

YOUR WINE braised andpeppers,

mushrooms

adaptation of various Frenchchicken dishes. It’s almost well, and you really brown the chicken if you

serving pieces sliced sliced chopped taste

salt and pepper. Brown in the olive oil over about 3 minutes on from skillet.

frequently. Add the garlic, pepper, and mix well. Add the skillet, surroundvegetables.

30-40 minutes. The be soft and almost should be broth made vegetables. Serve over couscous.

GUY?

DIFFERENCE AND SHIRAZ?

Nothing, really. They’re the same grape, which is France, Australia and Caliregions, including Texas, as syrah, and the Aussies call here use both terms, usually they make a French- or Aus-

—JEFF SIEGEL

taste@advocatemag.com

-

Most people consider landfills nothing more than giant garbage dumps. But our Dallas landfill is a cutting-edge, money-making, big-business dump — if you can even call it that.

trash to treasure

Story by Marlena Chavira-Medford, Christina Hughes Babb and Keri Mitchell Photos by Can Türkyilmaz

It doesn’t stink.

t hat’s the first thing that strikes visitors to Dallas’ 996-acre Mc c ommas b luff Landfill, a former gravel pit lying just south of the t rinity r iver near the intersection of I-45 and I-20. It would seem that a place that takes in nearly 5,000 tons of garbage a day — almost 2 million tons a year should emit an odor at least as sour and putrid as a commercial dumpster.

b ut somehow, it doesn’t.

“We don’t want you to know there’s a landfill here,” says r on Smith, the city’s assistant director of sanitation services.

At the end of each and every day, his crew spreads a sixinch layer of clean dirt atop the mounds of trash brought in. t he dirt helps mask the stench, keeping the stray dogs and rats at bay, and also makes the landfill look more like a construction site than a giant pile of garbage.

t oday Smith is giving a tour of Mc c ommas b luff, a regular part of his job and a task he clearly relishes. From the look of pride on his face, you’d think he was showing off one of the Smithsonian museums. t here’s a reason folks around the sanitation services department call it “ r on’s landfill” — Smith can ramble off all the ins, outs and little-known facts about Dallas’ dump site as he navigates his SUV around the perimeter.

And as he does, you start to get the idea that all the trash here is really just “a side note,” Smith says.

“ t his road isn’t made of gravel — it’s ground-up, recycled concrete.

“See that pecan grove to the left? In the fall, people can come here and gather the pecans that drop.

“ t hat’s a compactor. It rolls over the garbage five times and flattens it so that it takes up the least room possible. At a landfill, space is money.”

30 acres in a landfill cell

2 million tons of waste taken in annually at the landfill

800,000 annual tons of waste from single-family residents

6,000 tons of waste left at the landfill each day on average

7 pounds of waste thrown away daily by the average person in Texas (The national average is 5.4 pounds. Texans don’t necessarily toss that much more than other Americans; the national average takes only household waste into account, whereas the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality factors in other forms of waste.)

t rash is Smith’s business. And in Dallas, it’s big business. Most of us don’t give another thought to our trash after garbage trucks collect it from its front driveways or alley each week. And even if we do think about it, we likely assume it’s taken to a remote location, then left to sit and rot for the next few decades or centuries.

“From the person on the street’s perspective, garbage collection looks exactly like it did 50 years ago,” says sanitation services director Mary Nix. “ b ut technology has changed dramatically.”

For one, we’re recycling more than we ever have. t his means less garbage being dumped into the landfill, something that will add years to the landfill’s life. And, Nix says, our recycling numbers are growing as more and more Dallasites warm to the idea. Plus, all those milk cartons and soda cans create revenue for the city — just not enough to pay for the city’s

2.5 years it takes to fill one of Dallas’ landfill cells

1,000 the number of acres devoted to the landfill, plus another 1,000 acres of buffer land around it

47 the minimum amount of years left in the landfill’s life expectancy, based on current projections (Most landfills are designed to last for up to 20 years, but “our predecessors wanted to design a site to be here for the long term,” says ron Smith, assistant director of Dallas sanitation services)

recycling program.

The real money-maker is all of that precious space at the landfill, along with the fact that Dallas lets anyone use it who is willing to pay up. McCommas Bluff is so big — the biggest landfill in the state and the 15th largest in the nation — that the city has room to spare, at least for a few more decades.

And perhaps even longer, if landfill technology continues to improve. Dallas recently began implementing the latest landfill science, called “bioreactor technology”, which quickly breaks down trash into methane gas that is then sold into natural gas pipelines. Not only does this process create another source of city revenue; it also chips away at the landfill’s giant piles of garbage, leaving room for even more trash.

And with more innovation, Smith says, McCommas Bluff could feasibly last forever.

“The landfill is still finite,” he says, “but I

am convinced that something will come along that will allow us to keep this thing going indefinitely. Some technology will probably evolve over the next few decades that will probably make it infinite. I don’t know what it is — it has to be cost effective, so it has to cost less than trash. But when somebody works that out, we’ll be able to mothball the landfill.”

For now, Dallas residents live with the reality that garbage heads to one of two places — a recycling plant that cleans and packages anything reusable to ship it overseas, or a landfill within our city limits.

The numbers might astound you, in terms of how much we throw away on a daily

The ranking of Dallas’ McCommas Bluff Landfill among the nation’s largest landfills

Watch a video tour of Dallas’ McCommas Bluff Landfill by visiting advocatemag.com and clicking on “blog”.

September 19 - November 1

Featuring

and yearly basis. Read on to find out more about our wastefulness, steps we can take to curb the amount of garbage funneling into our landfill, and how the city has taken our efforts to recycle as well as our apathy about trash and turned a landfill into a gold mine.

THE CUTTING EDGE: ‘BIOREACTOR TECHNOLOGY’

The

Tour des Fleurs 10k/20k: September 19.

Cool Thursdays Fall Concert Series: September 10 - October 29.

Anyone who takes the time to hear Ron Smith talk about this technological process might start to see the city dump as an opportunity to harvest renewable energy, rather than a nasty necessity. Trash, to him, means energy and revenue.

“When I look around this landfill, I don’t even see trash,” Smith says, “I just see food for the microbes and feedstock for a renewable source.”

The technology quickly converts the landfill’s garbage into methane gas, which is sold to Atmos Energy and pumped into pipelines. That’s especially noteworthy when you consider our landfill was the first in the state to use the technology, and only one of about 20 in the nation — the largest, in fact — using it today.

Think of it as “composting on a larger basis,” says sanitation services director Mary Nix. In that sense, the idea is “easily 100 years old or older.” But in terms of applying bioreactor technology to landfills, she says, that began in the early ’80s.

Converting garbage into methane gas isn’t a new idea — trash will eventually break down and create methane, and some landfills burn it off while others trap and use it. Smith has opted to take this one step further, implementing technology to help the Dallas landfill’s trash create methane even faster than it would if left alone.

Because the technology creates methane more quickly, it translates into more revenue for the city. The landfill produces 5.5 million cubic feet of gas daily. Nix says the city expects to net a little more than $800,000 in methane sales during 2009. (The city did not make any money on methane last year because until 2008, any

Pumpkin Patch filled Pumpkin House.

profits went to the methane processing plant’s investor — T. Boone Pickens’ company, Dallas Clean Energy — which assumed all risk, costs and profits for constructing and operating the plan for the first 15 years.)

The biotechnology has been underway for about a year at McCommas Bluff, but it could be another year before we begin to see measurable results, Smith says. The landfill has 30-acre chunks of land called

30,000 Tons of recyclables the city collected from single-family and community recycling bins in 2008

$45

Price per ton Dallas is paid for its recyclables (down from $60 a ton in 2007 and $90 in January 2008)

$2.2 million Total dollars, in gross, the city earned from selling recyclables in 2008

$5.5 million

Amount Dallas sanitation services spent to pick up recyclables in 2008

$20.98

Current monthly fee assessed by Dallas sanitation services to Dallas residents ($22.71 with sales tax)

$1.50

Portion of the monthly assessment spent on recycling pick-up

$2

Amount recycling would cost residents each month if not for the offsetting costs of recyclable materials sold

35

Pounds of trash a single-family residence recycles each month when recyclables are picked up once every two weeks

61

Pounds of trash a single-family residence recycles each month when recyclables are picked up once every week

30

Days per year of landfill space “saved” by recyclable materials

Providing urological care for healthier lives.

OURPHYSICIANS provide comprehensive male and female urological care for:

Disorders of the prostate

·Urinary tract infections

·Urinary stone diseases

Bladder cancer

Kidney cancer

Male infertility

1411 N. Beckley Ave. Pavilion III Suite 464 Dallas, TX 75203 214-948-3101

Erectile dysfunction (impotence)

·Incontinence

·Urinary dysfunction

Vasectomy

Robotic Renal Surgery

Robotic Prostate Surgery

2705 Prince George Ave. DeSoto, TX 75115 972-780-0480

Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30–5

www.southwesturologydallas.com

Accepting most major insurance plans

4325 BELMONT AVE., DALLAS,TX

R. Carrington Mason, D.O. | Allan C. Van Horn, M.D. | Michael D. White, P.A.-C Jeffrey C. Toubin, M.D. | Siddharth G. Jain, M.D.

TRash to treasure

cells, and right now, bioreactor technology is being used only in one cell at a time. t he hope is that it be used for every cell in the future.

Here’s how it works, in a nutshell.

Start with 996 acres of land dedicated to dealing with the city’s waste (accepting about 2 million tons of trash per year, the Mc c ommas b luff is t exas’ biggest dump).

On the east end of the dump stands a tower that stores sludgy recycled trash water containing bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms or microbes.

t he yucky mix flows from the storage tower into horizontal perforated pipes that line the landfill.

t he liquid is then injected into the trash, where it acts as food for hungry microbes, causing the trash to decompose much faster than it would normally.

Accelerated decomposition means faster generation of valuable gaseous byproducts methane and carbon dioxide.

Another set of vertical pipes acts like wells, sucking up the gas and transferring it to a processing facility on the west end of the land.

Machinery at the processing site sterilizes and separates the gases, preparing them for sale to Atmos e nergy and other customers.

The economy of space

Garbage service is built-in for the city’s single-family homes (it accounts for the biggest chunk of the $20.98 charge on our monthly sewer bill), but multi-family complexes or businesses have to pay by the ton to dump trash at the landfill. b ecause Mc c ommas b luff is so large, Dallas accepts trash from other counties, commercial outfits and anyone else willing to pay its $21-per-ton fee. t hat’s the most substantial way the city generates revenue on Mc c ommas

b luff, a total of $25 million in 2008.

t he city expected to net $28 million in 2009, but a good portion of its customer base is the construction industry, and because the economy has weakened, Nix says, construction tapered off so the city expects to net $23 million.

Recycling On The Rise 60,000+

a bou T 60,000 of d allas’ 240,000 households are currently putting out their recycling blue bins once a week instead of once every two weeks. Right now, this recycling schedule applies to single-family homes north of the Trinity River and west of Central Expressway.

Another 40,000 will begin once-a-week recycling in February 2010; the change includes households east of Central Expressway and north of Grand Avenue/Garland Road.

Our neighborhood isn’t devoid of once-a-week recycling, however. Lake Cliff instituted this practice in 2004, when it became one of four pilot areas where the city first tested the program. Then in March 2009, 350 homes in Kiestwood began recycling once a week after Councilman Dave Neumann petitioned for the change.

Once-a-week recycling is the more environmentally friendly option, but it also saves the city money (both because the garbage trucks drive the streets less often and because residents tend to recycle more with oncea-week recycling, which means more revenue for the city). In light of the city’s recent budget shortfall, Nix says it’s possible the city council could switch to once-a-week service for all Dallas residents in 2010.

t he landfill opened in 1981 and is projected to be used until 2031, when it originally was estimated to fill up. b ut bioreactor technology could mean it will last much longer than that — another 22 years, Smith says.

b ecause the technology breaks down garbage more quickly, it means the amount of garbage in each cell will decrease more quickly, translating into more space in the landfill — and Smith says, space equals money.

t he cost to run the landfill was $18.5 million in 2008, so with dumping fees plus residential garbage fees (roughly $4 million annually) the city expects to earn roughly $9 million in 2009.

And if, as Smith predicts, new technology evolves that changes landfills from finite to infinite space, Mc c ommas b luff could continue operating as a city cash cow for decades and even centuries to come.

Reduce, R euse...

you know T he R es T

r ecycling has come a long way in Dallas, Nix says. “We were pretty behind for a long time. We did not follow the

green track in late ’80s and early ’90s,” she says.

In 2005, only about one in four Dallas households recycled. t oday, Nix says almost half of Dallas homeowners recycle: “Our count of recyclers, as provided by route drivers and further estimated based on big blue cart deliveries, is 46 percent.”

t he city’s goal for the “ t oo Good t o t hrow Away” program, which educates homeowners on recycling and provides the blue bins for single-family residences, was 50 percent of eligible households by 2011.

“We ought to get there a bit earlier than estimated,” Nix says. “We’re certainly seeing big strides in the amount of recycling materials we’re collecting.”

e ffective recycling programs mean more landfill space; our current recycling rate means we save more than a month of landfill space every year.

“When we bury something, we hope it will degrade,” Smith says. “ e verything we want to go into the landfill is not this type of stuff [gesturing toward a plastic water bottle from which he’s drinking]. We want it to decompose.”

Dallas garbage an D recycling services:

Environm E ntal r E port card

By and large, the city receives a passing mark in terms of its strides toward protecting the environment, says Jeff Jacoby, Dallas’ staff director for the Texas Campaign for the Environment, a grassroots advocacy group. Here are some of his praises and critiques:

Jacoby says he is “disappointed” the city has drug its feet on reducing trash pickup from twice a week to once a week.

“I think our politicians in general give the citizens less credit than they deserve, in particular their ability to adapt in order to help this planet. And the fact that councilmen haven’t reflected that support in their policies is “honestly just mindboggling,” Jacoby says.

Single-stream recycling (the ability to place all recyclables in one container without having to separate them) through dallas’ blue bin recycling program has definitely made recycling more user-friendly for dallas residents, Jacoby says. So have the 52 giant blue dumpsters (also single-stream) placed at schools, parks, libraries, churches and other sites throughout the city

But the city “needs to dramatically expand its recycling capabilities for multi-family dwellings,” Jacoby says. “My understanding is that more than half of Dallas residents live in apartments or condos and don’t have access to curbside recycling.”(Mary Nix says a pilot program for multi-family was part of the 2008 budget, but “got snipped because of economics.” She included the pilot in the 2009 budget as well, but expects it will meet the same fate.)

a ustin is usually pinpointed in texas as a progressively “green” city, and Jacoby would like to see dallas emulate some of the best practices of a ustin and other innovative texas cities. However, he proudly says, “we are purchasing more green energy than a ustin.”

Ron Smith is a walking wealth of knowledge when it comes to landfills. He says a lesser-known fact about landfills is how many seagulls they attract. There are thousands of seagulls here in Dallas, despite it being landlocked.

massage • bowenwork

How it works:

bioreactor technology

• On the east end of the dump stands a tower that stores sludgy recycled trash water containing bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms or microbes.

• The yucky mix flows from the storage tower into horizontal perforated pipes that line the landfill.

• The liquid is then injected into the trash, where it acts as food for hungry microbes, causing the trash to decompose much faster than it normally would.

• Accelerated decomposition means faster generation of valuable gaseous byproducts — methane and carbon dioxide.

Tyra Quesenberry

Licensed Massage Therapist • TX License MT013719 214-395-7195

Linda McRae

Licensed Massage Therapist • TX License MT027324 214-402-6303

Laura Yoo

Licensed Acupuncturist • TXL AC891 972-935-4169

800 N. Bishop Ave., Suite1 • Dallas, TX 75208 (Two blocks north of Davis) www.BishopArtsMassage.com gift certificates

• Another set of vertical pipes act like wells, sucking up the gas and transferring it to a processing facility on the west end of the land.

• Machinery at the processing site sterilizes and separates the gases, preparing them for sale to Atmos Energy and other customers.

the city doesn’t sift through garbage to mine recyclables, so any non-biodegradable items tossed in the trash remain in the landfill taking up space.

“We would love for it to be out,” Smith says. “It’s not a perfect world but it is getting better.”

Now you know what happens to all those dirty diapers and half-eaten sandwiches (a.k.a. the icky trash) and bulk trash. but what about the so-called clean trash — the stuff that goes in the blue recycling bins?

Here’s how it works:

the city’s sanitation services department collects recyclables from the single-family and community recycling bins.

t hose recyclables (30,000 tons in 2008) are shipped to the city’s

recycling processor — Greenstar at Northwest Highway and Shiloh in Garland — which separates the materials into marketable packages, and sells the materials to buyers (except for glass and non-recyclable contaminants). the city’s share of the 2008 revenue that GreenStar earned from those sales was $2.2 million.

Any recycled glass is delivered to the Mccommas bluff landfill — not for disposal but for beneficial reuse: the landfill is able to crush the glass and use it as a gravel substitute for below-ground drainage features. (“that reduces the amount of clean gravel we’d otherwise need to purchase for those drainage features,” Nix says.)

Any contaminants, roughly 10 percent of what Dallasites place in

This system helps Dallas turn trash to money by speeding up the decomposition process that would naturally occur.

TRASH to treasure

recycle bins (Nix says this is a low number), is sent to the McCommas Bluff landfill for disposal.

RECYCLABLES: A CITY MONEYMAKER (SORT-OF)

Yes, the city does make money on the old magazines, used water bottles and empty aluminum cans that Dallas residents toss into blue bins. Our recycling efforts aren’t enough, however, to cover the cost of what the city spends to pick up recyclables — in 2008, the funds generated by recyclables recouped roughly 40 percent of the cost.

On top of that, the city’s department of sanitation services never knows how much money recyclables will generate because the cash paid for this kind of trash — formally known as the “recycling commodity market” fluctuates constantly, and oscillates for some items more than others. For example, department director Mary Nix says, “old newspaper has seen a less drastic variance than old metal cans (steel and metal mixes — not aluminum).”

With the economy in a recession over the past year, the market for recyclables “dropped quite starkly,” Nix says, but began leveling off more recently. The city hopes the market improves, but Nix is quick to emphasize that, ultimately, Dallas’ recycling efforts are not about money.

“The city has committed to a recycling program based largely on its positive impact on our environment,” Nix says. “The revenue-share is a way to help offset the cost of the service, but is not its primary driver. So, we’ll continue to promote the recycling.”

VISIT ADVOCATEMAG.COM and click on “blog” to find out more about the city’s recycling efforts and to find a recyclables collection calendar.

Creative Water Gardens

New Banquet Facility

SMALL WONDERS

THE OLD OAK CLIFF CONSERVATION LEAGUE HOME TOUR FOCUSES ON ‘WHAT YOU CAN DO’

by Rachel Stone Photo S by c an t u R kyilmaz

bill West wasn’t looking for a house to remodel when he and partner Martín Guerra decided to move to Oak cliff 11 years ago. but one found him. “this was my third remodel, so I didn’t really want to do it,” West says.

the 1950s ranch house in the elmwood neighborhood didn’t even have a for-sale sign, but when the home’s original owner met bill and Martín, she knew they would buy it, with its dark wood paneling and awkward floor plan. And she was right, says Guerra: “there’s actually very little of the original house left.”

West, a self-taught carpenter and jack-of-all renovation trades who also restores vintage cars, knocked down walls, refinished floors, added cabinets and installed lighting. He built a patio one weekend while Guerra was on a trip. He’s created a new landscape design, erected a shed made to look like

a cottage and built an outdoor fountain from an elephantine flowerpot. And he does it all himself. “Somehow, I just figure it out,” he says.

Most of us can’t do what West does, which is what makes him one of the stars of the Old Oak cliff conservation League’s annual home tour this month. this year, the tour is focusing on doit-yourselfers and homeowners who have contracted renovations great and small. the city’s largest home tour usually spotlights the grand mansions of Kessler Park and the Victorian and craftsman-style homes of Winnetka Heights. there is sure to be a taste of that on this year’s tour, but the league

mostly is focusing on “what you can do,” says Vicki Fitzgerald, one of the tour’s organizers.

“We took into consideration the economy, and we are featuring a wide variety of smaller homes,” she says. “We want to show that you can have an amazing house that doesn’t have to be big.” take Patrick Hobbs, a mail carrier whose 1949 Austin stone house in the beckley Wood neighborhood has fewer than 1,300 square feet. It has just one bathroom and two small bedrooms, but it has a big shady yard where his dog can play, and his informal living and dining rooms have become a vortex for neighbors.

ABOVE/ Homeowner Bill West redesigned the landscape of his Elmwood home. BELOW/ Patrick Hobbs added glass-tile backspashes to his Beckley Wood kitchen.

“It’s small enough that it’s easy to keep clean,” he says. “but in a way, it’s surprisingly big. I can have a neighborhood association meeting here, and everyone gets so comfortable that they usually all stay and watch a movie.”

Hobbs’s house didn’t need major renovations, but he’s done some remodeling himself and hired pros for the rest, such as adding glass-tile backsplashes in the kitchen, accenting cabinets with crown molding and reinventing the fireplace with grey slate.

He’s most excited that the tour for the first time will spotlight beckley Wood, a surprising sanctuary of old trees and charming cottages, pocketed between Interstate 35 and a housing project. “It’s a destination neighborhood,” he says. “When I was buying my house, my real estate agent told me there were no (comparative sales numbers) because nobody ever sells.”

HOme tOur

WHen/ Oct. 10-11

COst/ $20

Buy tiCkets/ at ooccl.com

Fabulous backyards and stylish landscaping are spotlights of this year’s tour.

Old Oak Cliff COnservatiOn league

BENEFITING THE YMCA AT WHITE ROCK AND FOR THE LOVE OF THE L AKE

HALLOWEEN SPIRIT ALIVE AND WELL

years ago, the Granados wanted to enliven their neighborhood on Halloween. now their yards are a ghoulish attraction.

Six years ago, the Granado family couldn’t get rid of a single bag of candy they bought for trick-or-treaters. If this year is like last, they will run out of sweet freebies. but that won’t stop people from pouring into their extravagantly decorated yards in an area just west of Lake cliff Park and forming a line of cars as far south as Davis.

Michael Granado, his father, ralph, who lives next door, and Michael’s younger brother, Derek, spend long hours planning and building the props in their two yards. Michael’s wife, Martha, says she often has to call the guys in when they work too late. Derek describes his family as a “modernday Addams family,” and Michael agrees. He says that christmas has always been a holiday for kids, but Halloween is when grown-ups get to act like kids.

the Granados’ love of Halloween has influenced the entire neighborhood, and that was always their intent. After that first lackluster year, ralph came up with the idea to decorate the yards. they put out some inflatable pumpkins, which drew a few more trick-or-treaters than the previous year.

Over the years, the decorations became more elaborate. the family has always been into scary movies, and they figured if other people could create frightening frontyard scenes, so could they.

Now when the Granados are out shopping, they are always aware of an item’s worth as a potential Halloween decoration.

Local businesses including a local State Farm office, bHP etc., casita Lupe, the beckley brewHouse and a nearby fire station have donated candy over the years. calvario, the funeral provider where ralph

works, donated a coffin.

ralph and Michael have been working on this year’s decorations since July, and they plan to keep them up through el Dia de los Muertos on Nov. 2.

New for this year is a “thriller” zombie theme to honor Michael Jackson. Visitors can also expect slasher flick stars such as Michael Myers, Freddie, Jason, and Leatherface.

Where once families would drive their children to Kessler and Stephens Park for trick-or-treating, they now make a quicker trip to those areas and head to the Granado houses. Last year, a cousin heard partiers

say, “Hurry up. Let’s go to the house on beckley.”

the Granado homes are at 1018 and 1022 N. beckley, and while there is no entry fee, some visitors donate a few dollars. –

Alex KnesniK

The Granado family gets serious about spookiness at their Lake Cliff homes, where they spend months getting creepy for Halloween. PHoTo by RobeRT bunCH

TAKE US OUT TO THE BALLGAME

TuToring & Lessons

“BELIEVE YOU CAN ACHIEVE”

Elementary Reading Tutoring Services. N. Oak Cliff 817-726-8712 achieve1@live.com

empLoymenT

ALL CASH VENDING Do you earn $800/day? Local Vending Routes. 25 machines+candy. $9,995 800-807-6485

MYSTERY SHOPPERS! Earn up to $150 daily. Get paid to shop pt/ft. 800-690-1272

AD SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Advocate Magazines is hiring! Full Time Magazine Sales Rep — experience in print sales is required.

Please email your resume to kgaconnier@advocatemag.com subject line: Resume

services for you

CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let A Seasoned Pro Be The Interface Between You & That Pesky Computer. Hardware & Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $60/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 214-660-3733 or stykidan@sbcglobal.net

YOUR COMPUTER GEEK Let me Solve Your Computer Problems. 25 Yrs. Exp. Hardware/Software Issues/Install. Network Setup, Home & Small Business. $50 per Hr. Mike. 214-552-1323. mikecomputergeek@gmail.com

Gloria’s Flowers & Gifts

All Occasion Flowers

214.339.9273

3101 W. DAVIS, DALLAS TX 75211

services for

professionaL

mind, Body & spiriT

WEIGHT LOSS Customized For You. Call 214-680-0318 For A Free Personalized Consultation.

peTs

PARK CITIES PET SITTER, INC.

Voted “Best in Dallas” D Magazine Serving The Greater DFW Area Since 1992

“We Take Care Of The Family You Leave Behind.”

Bonded and Insured. 214-828-0192 www.pcpsi.com

peTs

In-Home Professional Care

Customized to maintain your pet’s routine Daily Walks

“Best of Dallas” D Magazine

Serving the Dallas area since 1994 Bonded & Insured www.societypetsitter.com 214-821-3900

Buy/seLL/Trade

A NEW COMPUTER NOW. Brand Name. Bad or No Credit, No Problem. Smallest Weekly Payments Available. 1-800-838-7127

SELL/RENT YOUR TIMESHARE NOW Maintenance fees too high? Need Cash? Sell your unused timeshare today. No commissions or broker fees. Free consultation. www.sellatimeshare.com, 1-888-310-0115

TEXAS RANGERS SUITE Share this prime suite with other neighborhood small businesses. We lease Suite 218-B behind home plate (check out the location online at texasrangers.com) overlooking the entire field. We’re looking for partners to buy 10game shares in for the 2010 & 2011 seasons. The suite includes three parking passes, 12 tickets for each game and a $300 credit per game (first year only) for food and beverage service in the suite. Games will be allocated in a lottery process prior to each season, with each shareholder selecting games and receiving an equal chance for Yankees, Red Sox, weekend and other premium games. Email rwamre@advocatemag.com or call 214-686-3595 with questions.

esTaTe/garage saLes

ESTATE SALES & LIQUIDATION SERVICES Moving, Retirement, Downsizing. One Piece Or A Houseful. David Turner. 214-908-7688. dave2estates@aol.com

reaL esTaTe

MANAGEMENT/LEASING FOR RENTAL PROPERTY

“Give Us Your Headache!” Justiss & Justiss, Inc. www.BestManager.com 214-946-3333

Jenni and Clint Brister of the Elmwood neighborhood took their Advocate to Fenway Park.

PEAK-A-BOO

Dr. Sandra G. Lozano from Kessler Women’s Healthcare in Oak Cliff traveled with her Advocate to Machu Picchu, Peru.

CarpenTry

BO HANDYMAN kitchens, baths, doors, cabinets, custom carpentry, drywall & painting 214-437-9730

FENN CONSTRUCTION CO Complete Remodels. www.dallastileman.com 214-343-4645

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

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” To Do’s Done Right! www.handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

J&L CUSTOM CABINETS Kitchens, Built-ins. www.jlcustomcabinets.com • 817-504-5653

CarpenTry & remodeLinG

PREVIEW CONSTRUCTION INC.

HardiPlank 50 Yr. Cement Siding, Energy Star Windows. Kitchens-Baths-Additions & More. 214-348-3836. See Photo Gallery at: www.previewconstruction.com

PROFESSIONAL HOME REPAIR Remodel/ Handyman Services. Chuck Davis. 214-608-9171

REMODEL FOR LESS 972-822-7501 www.CuttingEdgeRenovationsLLC.com

FenCinG & deCks

#1 COWBOY FENCE & IRON CO. Est. ‘91. 214-692-1991 www.cowboyfenceandiron.com

LAKE HIGHLANDS FENCE & DECKS Free Est. Unbeatable Price. 214-674-3858.

EST. 1991 #1

COWBOY

FENCE & IRON CO.

214.692.1991

PROFESSIONAL HOME REMODEL

• LICENSED, INSURED

214.341.1448

CLeaninG serviCes

CLEAN FREAKS Since 2005. Free Estimates. Bonded & Insured. Call Today! 214-821-8888

WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134

eLeCTriCaL serviCes

EXPERIENCED LICENSED ELECTRICIAN

All Jobs. Free Est. Insd. Steve. TECL24978. Fritz Electric. 214-718-9648

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” To Do’s Done Right. handy-dan.com Fans, etc 214-252-1628

LAKEWOOD ELECTRICAL Licensed.Insured. Lic#112457 Call Rylan 214-434-8735

House painTinG

BARRY O’BRIEN, General Contractor

972-342-7232 ccrbarry.com

Bonded

radianT Barrier

AXIOM RADIANT BARRIER Installation of Foil Radiant Barrier. Call Nick 214-450-7450

www.ArrowElectric.net

SPECIALIZING IN Wood Fences &Auto Gates FLoorinG & CarpeTinG

EFFICIENT INSULATION Radiant Barrier Foil. Energy Efficient Pro. Free quotes. 214-577-0534

cowboyfenceandiron.com

WHITE ROCK FLOORS

Hardwoods • Tile • Carpet Low VOC Wood Refinishing wrfloors@sbcglobal.net

214-341-1667

Willeford

GLass, windows & doors

GREEN WINDOW COMPANY 214-295-5405 Specialty In Replacement Windows/Doors

Handyman serviCes

A NEIGHBORHOOD HANDYMAN Electrical, Plumbing, & Carpentry Call Tim. 214-824-4620, 214-597-4501

BO HANDYMAN kitchens, baths, doors, cabinets, custom carpentry, drywall & painting 214-437-9730

DO ALL SERVICE Maintenance/Repairs, Honey Do’s, Haul Aways. William 214-774-9567

FACELIFT HOME SERVICES Carpentry, Tile, Paint, and Closet Organization. 817-897-5033

HANDY DAN “The Handyman” To Do’s Done Right. www.handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

KYLE HANDYMAN Taking care of all your home maintenance needs. 469-438-4016

inTerior desiGn

WINDOWWORKS BY REBECCA Shop At Home For Custom Window Treatments. 214-215- 2981

Time to refresh your nest?

Cheryl Stephens Interiors Complete decorating, redesign and organizing services. Cheryl Stephens, CID 214.351.6676

kiTCHen/BaTH/ TiLe/GrouT

FENN CONSTRUCTION Any Tile Anywhere. www.dallastileman.com 214-343-4645

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

• Tubs, Tiles or Sinks

• Cultured Marble

• Kitchen Countertops

214-631-8719

WE REFINISH! www.allsurfacefinishing.com

Lawns, Gardens & Trees

COMPLETE LANDSCAPE & DESIGN Drainage, Stone Work, Sprinklers, Design. Free Estimates. 972-898-6197

DALLAS TREE SURGEONS Tree Trimming, Removal & Sales. Free Estimates. 972-633-5462 www.dallastreesurgeons.com

LAKEWOOD TREE SERVICES

Total Tree Care - feeding, trimming, removals Free Estimates. Insured. 214-442-3165

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

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 compalaints 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.

Art of peAce

Art of peace Montessori Licensed Home-Based center Now enrolling Children ages 2yrs-6yrs Monday-Friday year-round school 9am-1pm Lunch and snack included, Individualized curriculum promotes an intrinsic love of lifelong learning www artofpeacemontessori.webs.com Space is limited, call (972) 533-5729 today or email artofpeacemontessori@gmail.com.

LAkeHiLL prepArAtory ScHooL

Leadingto Success. 2720 Hillside Drive, Dallas, 75214 / 214.826.2931, www.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, collegepreparatory 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 winSton ScHooL

5707 royal Ln. Dallas / 214.691.6950 Grades 1-12. Founded in 1975, The Winston School is a co-education college preparatory school enrolling bright students who learn differently ® . Winston provides individualized programs for students with learning differences, including problems in reading, writing, language, mathematics and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Student Teacher ratio or 8:1. Accredited by I.S.A.S. and member of N.A.I.S.

pLumBinG

ALL PLUMBING REPAIRS. Staggs Plumbing, LLC. Master Plumber. M-17697. 214-521-5597. www.staggsplumbing.net MC-Visa-Discover-Amex.

ARRIAGA PLUMBING: Repairs, Remodels, Water Heaters, Stopages. Ins’d. Lic 20754 214-321-0589 214-738-7116

pLumBinG

JOE FAZ 214-794-7566

Sewers • Drains • Bonded License #20219 • 972-840-0154

REPAIRS, Fixtures,General Plumbing. Senior Discounts. Campbell Plumbing. 214-321-5943

SHEFFIELD PLUMBING We do it right the 1st time. Repairs, Rmdls. Insd. 214-941-8600

pooLs

LEAFCHASERS POOLS Service & Repairs. Insured. APSP Cert. Local Resident Jonathan. 214-729-3311

PlayMore POOLS CO. Design, Construction, Consulting & Renovations. 214-823-0169. www.playmorepools.com

rooFinG & GuTTers

AMERICA’S ROOFING CO. 214-859-4399

Since 1979. “In God We Trust” 214-339-7499

ROOFING New/Repairs

Free Estimates. Greg 214-642-4704

Allstate Homecraft Roofing

• Roofing & Remodel • Additions • Licensed/Insured

Over 1,000 Satisfied Customers in the Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Preston Hollow, Park Cities Areas – M ETAL S PECIALIST –• Free Estimates 214-824-0767 allstatehomecraft.com

Co-ed

Patsy Soto’s daughter was getting picked up by a friend that morning, when the vandal’s work was found.

“the gentleman that picked her up saw something on the back of my car,” Soto says.

Someone had used red spray paint to vandalize her white van. Along with the f-bomb were other vulgarities “666,” and “Zebo.”

“It made me angry,” Soto says. “It’s just such a ridiculous waste of time going around and marking up people’s property like this.”

the paint came out easily and did not leave any damage to Soto’s car, but other victims may not have been so lucky.

“All it took was some degreaser and it came right off,” she says. “there was no damage fortunately.”

The Victim: Patsy Soto

The Crime: Criminal mischief/vandalism

Date: Tuesday, Aug. 11

Time: Between 12:30 a.m. and 8 a.m.

Location: 2500 block of Alco

Soto was not the only victim, and police records show that several homes experienced similar acts of vandalism on the same night. Soto says a neighborhood park was also hit.

Dallas Police Deputy chief rick Watson of the Southwest Patrol Division says police are investigating. because homeowners of all different races were hit, they have ruled out a hate crime.

“When we got notified of it, we contacted our intelligence division and they sent detectives to investigate and take a look at it to see if it was a hate crime and they determined that it was not,” he says. “When you look at the diversity of citizens who live in that

neighborhood, you have African-Americans, you have Hispanics, you have whites they didn’t believe it was a hate crime.”

Watson says gang involvement has not been ruled out, but police do not have any suspects yet. Investigators are continuing to communicate with gang members to possibly get some leads.

“We’re not really 100 percent sure it is gang-related,” he says. “the gang unit is taking a look at it and investigating it. they have interviewed other gangs in that area, but have not been successful in getting any more information about who might have done it.

“the biggest challenge that we have is that we don’t have any suspect information. With the gang unit detectives investigating it, probably if we get a lead it may be through their efforts in interviewing gang members.”

– SEAN CHAFFIN

Still Spinning after all theSe yearS

At top ten records, little h A s ch A nged in h A lf A century

growing up in oak cliff, many ’50s and ’60s teens and pre-teens found their way to record stores sprinkled throughout the community: priest record shop in Kiestwood Village, coghill-simmons on West davis, height’s record shop in Westmoreland heights shopping center, and Mel renfro’s house of sound in Wynnewood Village, to name a few. Most of the stores’ customers were there to purchase the new rock and roll 45s, later some folk music, and then the Motown sound. school music teachers throughout oak cliff, struggling to instill musical integrity in their students, probably cringed.

one of these stops, top ten records, 338 W. Jefferson, has changed little in over half a century. same exterior, same basic layout, same size. granted, the old listening booths are gone, as are the 78s, 45s, and lps. (the “lp” stands for “long playing” for those born during the past two decades). the store now offers latino cds and dVds, and some of the “oldies.”

the vintage neon signage and mid-century interior decor reflect owner Michael polk’s efforts to keep the store’s originality.

“the shelves, bins, and most of the photos are all original to the store,” says polk, Adamson ’59, standing next to a full-sized cut-out of dolly parton that greets customers as they come in the door.

“the store used to be the davis street record shop,” he says. “dub stark bought it from them and i bought it from dub.”

in fact, after 51 years of operating as top

ten records, polk’s water bill from the city of dallas is still addressed to davis street record shop.

photos of store visitors emmylou harris and Mickey gilley are on display, and polk says Bill Medley of the righteous Brothers also shopped here. legendary oak cliff musician and vocalist stevie ray Vaughan used to peruse the place regularly back in the ’60s, looking for blues and rock selections. the chrome-banded, rubber-surfaced counter shows significant wear, as do most of the store’s fixtures. But on the end of the counter is a piece of national and local history: a black, 1950s-style rotary mounted telephone.

According to official records, it’s the telephone dallas police officer J.d. tippet used to make his last phone call before he was killed by lee harvey oswald on nov. 22, 1963, at the corner of patton and tenth.

stark later told police oswald and his family had shopped at top ten in the past and that he had sold oswald a “dick clark show” ticket nov. 22. the stub later was found among oswald’s possessions.

When she was a girl, linda shipp Moon always enjoyed visiting her great uncle dub stark at the record shop. then, in 1958, when fellow texan Van cliburn won the first international tchaikovsky competition

in Moscow, Moon’s mother went to top ten and purchased cliburn’s recording of tchaikovsky’s concerto no. 1 her daughter’s favorite classical selection and cliburn’s winning piece. though she moved through the years, Moon, Kimball ’65, kept her mother’s gift — and nurtured a desire to meet cliburn some day.

“he was on my top ten list,” Moon says. in May 2005, she attended a fort Worth petroleum club luncheon where cliburn was the guest speaker. When he finished his program, Moon sprinted to the podium with album in hand and blurted, “i’ve kept this since it came out.”

surprised the album jacket was still in good shape, the musician gave her a big hug and autographed it: “to linda Moon. With my sincere best wishes. Van cliburn, 13 May 2005.”

Although she was dub stark’s great niece and a Van cliburn fan, Moon also was influenced by one of her oak cliff elementary school teachers.

“tchaikovsky’s concerto no. 1 has long been my favorite classical piano piece, since i was in 5th grade at Mark twain elementary, and my music teacher, Miss. shannon, played it for us,” Moon says.

for more info visit mcadams.posc.

officer J.d tippet used the rotary phone in top ten records just before lee harvey oswald killed him. photos By JordAn KoKel