HOW IT WORKS

Tackling city-related maintenance issues in our neighborhoods

GOTA QUESTION? Email launch@advocatemag.com.

Alley Repair

In our neighborhood, most homes were designed with rear-entry garages. So, alleys are of particular concern in our neighborhoods, sustaining lots of wear and tear.

Q: My alley is in terrible shape. How can I get the city to fix it?

A:Call 311, and Street Services will determine what kinds of repairs it needs to be passable.

Alley repairs are done by service requests. Residents call it in, a city representative comes out and surveys the condition of the alley and decides where to go from there. “That’s really the only way we do it,” says Ben Cernosek, assistant director of Street Services. “We don’t program funds for alley repairs.” The city often can repair bad spots of an alley by resurfacing an area with asphalt or replacing a piece of concrete. “We can patch it up as best we can to make it passable,” Cernosek says. Hazardous situations typically are resolved within 24 hours while minor, non-emergency repairs take a few days. Overall, the department aims to complete a repair within 90 days of receiving the call. However, a total reconstruction must be paid for through a capital bond program, which can take years. Fortunately, the 2012 bond program does include some alley reconstruction — but only a handful of what’s needed. “They want to see a brand-new alley. That takes significant funding.” The alleys that need reconstruction are added to the growing needs inventory list for future bond programs.

—Emily Toman

POLK-A-DOT BAKERY

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La Mariposa Imports

New shipment of Guatemalan bags and totes! Beautiful enough to be called art, yet sturdy enough to be carried everyday. 2813 N. Henderson Ave. 214.826.0069 lamariposaimports.com

what gives?

Small ways that you can make a big difference for nonprofits

Devour art and food

Local artists and chefs converge at the Palette to Palate fundraiser at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Frontiers of Flight Museum, benefiting Love for Kids Inc. The local nonprofit provides services to disadvantaged children in Dallas-Fort Worth. The event features art, food and wine as well as live music by Def Katz. Tickets start at $50. For more information, visit palettetopalate.org.

Go out to eat

It’s time for KRLD’s annual Restaurant Week to raise money for the North Texas Food Bank. The event is Aug. 13-19 with a preview weekend Aug. 10-12. More than 125 restaurants across the city will offer a $35 threecourse dinner, donating $7 of each sale to the food bank or the Lena Pope Home in Fort Worth. Reservations go fast, but some restaurants extend the offer Aug. 20-Sept. 2. To register and to see which Preston Hollow restaurants are participating, visit dfw.cbslocal.com/krld-restaurant-week.

Matthew Trent Jewelry

Plaza at Preston Center 214.871.9170 MatthewTrent.com