January 2023

Advancing the Dream

Year,

star of the

Be a better person (there, I've resolved)

Iknow this is supposed to be the month when we resolve (at least, to be more resolute). But I also recognize that the track record on that endeavor is, for many of us, generally pretty spotty. That's why, as I prepared my resolutions for 2023, I decided to play it safe.

For instance, I pledge here and now not to rob a bank or credit union, take candy from babies, generate headlines for my mistreatment of kittens and eat cauliflower-based anything.

I'm pretty sure I can check those boxes at the end of this year. Consequently, the world will be a better place, thanks to my fight for truth, justice and the American way.

But will I be a better person?

That's the question at the heart of New Year's resolutions. And because most of us want to do things this year that will make us better people going into next year, we mark the first month on the calendar as a starting point for doing/being something above/beyond what we did/were.

This year, I propose that we actually vow/deliver, especially where it matters.

I recalled a story in this space a few months ago about my 5-year-old grandson, who upon meeting another youngster in a play area, asked the lad: "Do you want to be my friend?" The boy responded that he did, indeed, want to be my grandson's friend. And, like that, they were friends.

I resolve to be more like my grandson.

Further, I resolve to be like Mike. No, not that Mike. I'm talking about Mike Jacobson, who actually goes by Michael, and who, as the President/ CEO of the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, has been tasked with helping the local business scene stay relevant, come pandemic or economic stress. In case you haven't noticed, Arlington business and civic leaders relish in the opportunity to work together for the greater good. That's why Arlington continues to flourish, even during challenging times. Mike/Michael's unyielding belief in the power of "Together, we ..." has had a lot to do with that.

I also resolve to be like Brandee. Her last name is Kelley, and she leads a real estate group in Arlington that, literally, makes people feel at home, pretty much every working day of the week. You can learn something about her in our Real Estate section that begins on page 34. You can also know this: In a decade of interacting with news sources and advertisers as editor of this publication, I can count on no fingers anyone who has been more amiable, more sincere in her faith, more pleasant with whom to work than Brandee Kelley. Yes, I would love to be like Brandee. I'm still not eating cauliflower, though.

yale@arlingtontoday.com

Yale Youngblood

UTA BASKETBALL

DID ALIENS INHABIT THE EARTH IN ANCIENT TIMES?

Texas

Trust CU Theatre at Grand Prairie (1001 Texas Trust Way) will present "Ancient Aliens LIVE: Project Earth" at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 21. The show is an experiential extension of the History Channel program, "Ancient Aliens," that explores the theory that extraterrestrials have visited Earth for millions of years. The show will feature Ancient Astronaut theorist Giorgio A. Tsoukalos, investigative mythologist William Henry, aerospace engineer and intelligence expert Dr. Travis Taylor, UK government UFO investigator Nick Pope, and real-life Indiana Jones, David Childress, as they discuss extraterrestrial theories on fanfavorite topics from Ancient Egypt to the moon. texastrustcutheatre.com

T he University of Texas at Arlington men's and women's basketball teams will play seven home games between them this month. The men's team will host Utah Valley at 7 p.m. on Jan. 5, Seattle at 2 p.m. on Jan. 7, UT Rio Grande Valley at 7 p.m. on Jan. 19, and California Baptist at 7 p.m. on Jan. 25. The women will host UT Rio Grande Valley at 7 p.m. on Jan. 4, Grand Canyon at 7 p.m. on Jan. 12, and California Baptist at 7 p.m. on Jan. 26. utamavs.com

HOME-GROWN GOODIES

First Friday Foodie Market set for Jan. 6

To mark the first Friday of the month, Binion's Ice House (205 N. West St.) will host a Foodie Market from 5-9 p.m. on Jan. 6 that brings to Downtown Arlington more than 40 vendors selling all manner of wares. But that's not all – First Friday Foodie Market will also feature food, live music, family fun and the chance to support local merchants. And all this comes at the best price tag of all: no admission fee. arlingtonfoodies.com

HISTORY, MEDIEVAL-STYLE

AMA to host a talk by Dr. Kelly DeVries

As part of its exhibit, "A Knight's Tale," which will run through Feb. 12, Arlington Museum of Art will host " An Evening with Dr. Kelly DeVries, Medieval Historian" at 6 p.m. on Jan. 26. The noted historian and TV personality teaches at Loyola University Maryland and has written a manifold of works on Medieval topics, including "Medieval Military Technology" and "The Battle of Crecy: A Casebook." arlingtonmuseum.org

• the date:

The Monster Energy AMA Supercross event will be held on Feb. 25 at AT&T Stadium.

acts in concert – plus a comedy special and an illusion act – this month, as it kicks off 2023 with a bang.

Scheduled musical artists include Sammy Kershaw (8 p.m. on Jan. 5), Air Supply (8 p.m. on Jan. 6), The 222 Band (8 p.m. on Jan. 7), King George: George Strait Tribute (8 p.m. on Jan. 12), Lone Star Skynyrd with special guest Breaking Bad Company (8 p.m. on Jan. 13), Bricks in the Wall (8 p.m. on Jan. 14), Gary Puckett & the Union Gap (8 p.m. on Jan. 20), Ambrosia with special guest John Ford Coley (7:30 p.m. on Jan 21), Karla Bonoff (8 p.m. on Jan. 26), and Ana Popovic (8 p.m. on Jan. 27).

In addition to the music, Arlington Music Hall will host Brad Stine during his "Unapologetically American" comedy tour at 6 p.m. on Jan. 15. And the comedy illusionist show, "Young & Strange - Delusionists" will be presented at 6 p.m. on Jan. 29. arlingtonmusichall.net

Photo:utamavs.com

There's plenty of WAC action on tap

Photo: arlingtonfoodies.com

Photo: Arlington Museum of Art

Karla Bonoff

Ana Popovic

AISD EDUCATION FOUNDATION SELECTS JEANNIE DEAKYNE AS ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

T

he Arlington ISD Education Foundation Board of Directors last month hired Jeannie Deakyne to serve as the organization’s Executive Director. Before joining the Foundation, she most recently served as the Vice President of Operations for the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation.

Deakyne brings extensive experience in philanthropic grant management and higher education, having worked for more than a decade in administrative and teaching roles at Texas Christian University and The University of Texas at Arlington. She also is an elected trustee of the Tarrant County College District and has served as a board member of numerous North Texas-based non-profit organizations. Deakyne also served as a United States Army officer for 12 years.

“Jeannie Deakyne is an experienced community leader with a long history of philanthropic impact,” says Kelly Curnutt, Arlington ISD Education Foundation President. “Her track record of building teams, managing processes, and thinking strategically about philanthropy will serve the Arlington ISD Education Foundation and AISD well. Jeannie’s deep understanding of the District and her relationships are invaluable. We look forward to expanding our impact under her direction.”

Deakyne, who started her job late last month, is excited about the new opportunity. “It’s an honor to lead the Arlington ISD Education Foundation, which has such a strong legacy of assembling our community’s champions for education,” she says. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with the AISD and our community to expand the Foundation’s impact, and to empower student success by providing resources for innovative and creative learning opportunities.”

Deakyne graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington and holds bachelors and masters degrees in Political Science, with an emphasis in civic engagement. She is a product of the Arlington Independent School District; she and her husband Will have children currently attending schools within the District.

RAISE YOUR HAND if you did the lion's share of your shopping at Sanger Harris at Six Flags Mall. Keep that hand up if you continued to shop at its successor, Foley's.

ARLINGTON BY THE NUMBERS

1,300

The approximate number of automobiles produced daily by the General Motors Arlington Assembly facility.

Source: gmauthority.com

60,000 (+-)

The number of students enrolled in Arlington Independent School District schools. It is the 13th largest school district in Texas.

Source: aisd.net 1

The number of cities since 1944 to host every World Series game in a single season. Arlington did that in 2020, the "COVID" year.

Source: kids.kiddle.co

$61,688

The average annual salary for teachers employed by the Arlington Independent School District.

Source:aisd.net

ARLINGTON HOTELS, PERSONNEL EARN AWARDS

rlington hotels and principals won five awards at the recent 2022 HATC Luncheon.

Winners included: Nancy Sorrells, former GM for the Sheraton Arlington (Lifetime Achievement Award),

Kenny Miranda, Live! By Loews (Revenue Management), Pavel Filippov, Doubletree by Hilton Arlington DFW South (General Manager), Live! By Loews Arlington (Full Service Hotel), and Hotel Hilton Garden Inn Arlington South (Select Service Hotel).

Jeannie Deakyne

WALTON HELPS CLIENT WHO LOST HER HUSBAND GET JUSTICE

Local attorney Roger "Rocky" Walton recently helped a client earn a judgment of $15 million following a tragic automobile accident during which her husband was killed by an intoxicated driver.

The client, Yolanda Shorter, contacted Walton after her 45-year-old husband Tim was killed early on the morning of Jan. 1, 2019. He was going to work when his car was hit on Highway 287 in Mansfield where it merges with I-20.

Investigators on the scene determined that the driver of the other vehicle, a nurse, was traveling 102 mph when her car collided with Tim Shorter's vehicle.

Walton said Yolanda Shorter had been referred to him to see if he could help her.

Teaming with Joe Mokodean, a fellow attorney at his firm, Walton began researching the case and determined quickly that his client should take the case to trial, as she wanted, rather than choosing to reach a settlement.

"Tim left behind a 14-year-old daughter," Walton says. "She took away a husband and a father. We waived all fees and expenses on this case. Yolanda deserved her day in court."

However, the timing of the accident made that a difficult and time-consuming proposition. Because of the pandemic, court cases were brought to a sudden halt all over the North Texas region, and Yolanda's case didn't go to trial until recently. That gave Walton and Mokodean time to piece together the story, which inspired them to seek justice even further. They discovered that on the night before the accident, the nurse had consumed an entire bottle of champagne, after which she went out to get something to eat. "She got tacos," Walton say. "And she also purchased a strawberita from a convenience store."

A stawberita is a strawberry-flavored alcoholic drink. En route to her home after consuming the food and drink her car slammed into Tim's, who was pronounced dead at the hospital. The woman was not injured in the accident.

Armed with all this knowledge, Walton's team waited for a chance to take the case to trial, and finally late this year, a 12-member jury got to hear Yolanda's plea for justice. The jury rewarded her $12 million in actual damages and $3 million in punitive damages, one of the larger judgments in Walton's career that didn't involve co-counsel. "Justice was served," Walton says. "We wanted her to get all the justice she deserved, and I'm very grateful that happened."

THIS IS HOW YOU OPERATE A STELLAR FOUNDATION

Last year The Arlington Tomorrow Foundation celebrated its 15th year of contributing to a thriving Arlington.

Since 2007, the foundation has invested in the arts, in city parkland, and in human-service organizations across the community.

The Arlington Tomorrow Foundation has helped build museums and theaters, community centers and shelters for families in transition and animals in distress. Its grants have assisted in the expansion of programs designed to address mental health care, socialservice programming, education, and food insecurity.

#atpetofthemonth

This is Cooper. He is 7 years old. He is a very friendly Jack Russell Terrier. Cooper works out with me everyday at Veterans Park. Cooper jogs 5K everyday and loves the park. He has a lot of fourlegged friends here and a ton of human friends. He likes to share his water and treats with his four-legged friends.

As a new year unfolds, the foundation will continue a storied tradition of providing financial assets and prioritizing its giving to ensure that it will be contributing to a thriving Arlington for generations to come. tinyurl.com/2smtza7d

– John Lowe

Photo: City of Arlington

Rocky Walton Rocky Walton Joe Mokodean Joe Mokodean

A l Star CPA/Tax Preparer

ART IGNITES CHANGE:

THE ARLINGTON MUSEUM OF ART LOOKS AHEAD

Big things are happening at the Arlington Museum of Art. In the past few years, their exhibitions have been artistically diverse and internationally hailed, they’ve accelerated their community programming, and there’s just more, well, buzz.

“A powerful multiplier effect has taken hold of everything we do,” says Chris Hightower, President and CEO of the Arlington Museum of Art. “That multiplier is collaboration, and it’s taking us places we never before dreamed we could go.”

The AMA’s current exhibition, "A Knight’s Tale," testifies to this collaborative spirit. A Knight’s Tale is a collection of Medieval and Renaissance armor, arms, and metalwork on loan from the Stibbert Museum in Florence, Italy. The AMA is one of only six museums in the U.S. to host the collection. The relationships built with the Houston Italian Consulate, Contemporanea Progetti, sponsors, and others are already leading to conversations about future opportunities.

“Our goal is to present an exhibition calendar that’s diverse, compelling, and relevant,” says Kendall Quirk, AMA Registrar and Director of Exhibitions, “and that commitment has opened doors to partnerships with private collectors and museums all over the world.”

Collaboration and relevance go hand in hand, according to Hightower.

“Moved by a desire to elevate the conversation about race,” he says, “the AMA hosted 30 Americans from the Rubell Museum collection in Miami, FL as our Summer 2021 exhibit. 30 Americans featured work by the most influential African American artists of our time. During that summer and in partnership with community leaders and groups, we hosted a Juneteenth Block Party, which laid the groundwork for what is now the annual Arlington Juneteenth Jubilee.”

Long-standing partnerships with Arlington ISD, Arlington Public Library, and the University of Texas at Arlington also reach deeply into the community, providing a variety of robust educational opportunities for all ages including Youth Art Month, Summer Art Camp, internships, kids’ storytimes, DIY workshops, and the AMA’s arts lecture series, Articulate. Art that is engaging – like "30 Americans," AMA’s Summer 2022 blockbuster Disney Art from Private Collections, and "A Knight’s Tale" – also attracts visitors. This winter, AMA has joined forces with River Legacy to co-promote their "There Be Dragons" experience and with Downtown Arlington under the programming umbrella Downtown Knights. The Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau regularly partners with the museum.

“Art is the creative soul in every city,” says Decima Mullen, ACVB Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations. “Arlington is ‘A World of Wonderful,’ and the AMA is an important asset and risk-taker. They bring in impressive collections that attract tourists from all over the world. Our partnership helps both of our organizations create great memories for our visitors.”

“Just look at what the AMA has been doing over the last several years,” says Carolyn Mentesana, Executive Director of the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation. “They are proving themselves to be a force in the art world, and their body of work is clearly relevant and sustainable. Our belief is that the best is yet to come for the Arlington Museum of Art.”

– Amy J. Schultz

1. Independent bookstores are few and far between, but we have one in our own backyard. Pantego Books recently opened at 2910 W. Pioneer Pkwy. in Dalworthington Gardens. The store is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on TuesdaySaturday. For more: pantegobooks.com.

2. Allied Federal Credit Union staff donated $500 to the Arlington Police Department’s “Santa Cops” program during the holidays. “Santa Cops” works alongside Arlington ISD to locate children in need, buy them gifts and throw a Christmas party for their families. The donation was part of the Credit Union’s Casual for a Cause program.

3. Fish Creek Park (425 E Crossland Blvd.) is now home to Grand Prairie's latest Little Free Library. Provided by the Grand Prairie Libraries and the Friends of the Library, the tiny structure holds a small selection of take-one, leave-one books.

Seeing redemption in embracing a sin underneath

When curator and historian Vickie Bryant talks about the Top O’ Hill Terrace, her eyebrows often rise, and eyes glisten – she’s like a 10-year-old bubbling over with one too many secrets.

This might be expected from someone who has been knee-deep for the past couple of decades in amassing the folklore about Arlington’s most notorious speakeasy, a stain of mortification on the one hand and a tourism gem for a university on the other. (More on that one later).

Top O’ Hill Terrace, with its underground casino and a ground-level brothel, has long been described as Sin City before the epithet so snugly suited Vegas, partly because it was an illicit establishment with all the accouterments of gambling, gangsters, girls, and the gang of celebrities who followed the smell of unadulterated exhilaration.

I get the feeling Bryant prefers it when people don’t know about this historical addendum so that she can be the one to tell it.

Bryant now oversees a museum on the very spot where Top O’ Hill Terrace was born and gained the reputation as a mobster’s paradise entertaining such luminaries as John Wayne, Bob Hope, and Frank Sinatra. That it is on a college campus is beside the point.

That it’s on a Baptist college campus is a whole other matter.

Perhaps this is why Arlington Baptist University President Clifton McDaniel calls his school’s embracing a gambling and prostitution enterprise “a redemption story.” What bad people meant for evil good people have turned into good.

“We are trying to share this story with the world, so what better way to do it?” McDaniel says. A few dozen people had just finished a nearly two-hour presentation and tour that pointed out tunnels (we walked through one), trapped doors, and a wheel barrel that supposedly hauled off dead bodies that needed to be disposed of.

“We believe there will be much tourism coming in on our campus, and we will get a chance to share with them the gospel. We believe this is our story to tell how God redeems.”

It’s a little surprising how many people don’t know about the Top O’ Hill legacy or its owner, Arlington native Fred Browning. A basement was constructed on the property off what is now Division Street to conceal a high-stakes casino; the tunnels to escape frequent law enforcement raids.

Top O’ The Hill had a legitimate restaurant, apparently, and a tea garden large enough for Dizzy Gillespie and Tommy Dorsey and other significant band types to entertain and for crooks Bonnie and Clyde to, as Bryant puts it, “let their hair down.”

The college took over the property in 1955 after a massive raid by the Texas Rangers scared off clientele, forcing foreclosure.

Today ABU prepares students for Christian living by integrating faith and a biblical worldview. It is small – about 250 students – offering subjects such as Biblical counseling, children’s ministry, pastoral ministry, music and worship, and a business studies course. It even has women’s and men’s sports, such as volleyball, soccer, golf, and basketball, for students who live in one of the two dormitories on a tidy campus that, due to its elevation, has some of Arlington’s more terrific views.

The invitation-only tour was a great way to announce a campaign to open the underground casinos and tunnels as part of an ambitious campus expansion that includes new baseball and softball fields. (A rendering of the new facilities was shown to tour participants, though all the talk was of those darn tunnels), as well as a new conference center and cafeteria.

Daniels said they plan to add hospitality and tourism to their business degree plan.

“That way,” he says, “once it opens up, and we go more commercialized, our students would be able to intern in it. We think it will become quite popular.”

It already is, according to Trip Adviser, which ranks Top O’ Hill Terrace right up there with Six Flags and AT&T Stadium as must-sees.

“We believe that the way God has brought us to this is to not only preserve the history of Arlington,” Daniel says, “but to show the history of our school, as well.”

Kenneth Perkins has been a contributing writer for Arlington Today for nearly a decade. He is a freelance writer, editor and photographer.

Kenneth Perkins

ABU President Clifton McDaniel at the tea garden entrance, an outdoor venue where Tommy Dorsey, Dizzy Gillespie, Sally Rand, and other notable luminaries performed.

Photo: Kenneth Perkins

Clyde Godfrey and Virginia Godfrey

Tracy Winkles and Kelly Diane Mcandrew

Lt. Kostya Maslenikov of The Salvation Army and Joanna Mensah

Rotary Club of Arlington President Victoria Farrar-Myers

The Salvation Army's Christmas kettle campaign

The Salvation Army's Christmas Kettle campaign

Mansfield Mayor Michael Evans and State Representative David L. Cook joined this young TCU fan to help the cause during The Salvation Army's Christmas Kettle campaign.

Michael Parrott and Pamela Santerre Parrott

Landry Beckley, Maria Leon Hickox, and Donovan Lawson

Holly Potter-Harvey, Jennifer Boone, Lori Craig, and Amanda Gibson Ali Badalamenti and Kylie Thornton

During the four-day Hometown Holidays celebration in Mansfield, there were plenty of highlights, including a parade.

Theatre Arlington's 'Hooray for Holidays' opening night Theatre Arlington's 'Hooray for Holidays' opening night

Steven D. Morris, Jose Mercado, and Robin Dotson

Children of all ages enjoyed the lighting of the tree (and all the lights, for that matter).

Photos courtesy of Kim Lawson Turner

SNAPSHOTS OF ARLINGTON/MANSFIELD/GRAND PRAIRIE AREA NEWSMAKERS

Mansfield's Hometown Holidays Mansfield's Hometown Holidays

Photos: City of Mansfield

Photo: City of Mansfield

Photo courtesy of Jerry McCullough

Photo courtesy of Jerry McCullough

Photo courtesy of Jerry McCullough

Photo courtesy of Jerry McCullough

Photo courtesy of Jerry McCullough

Pantego Christian Academy is celebrating its Diamond Anniversary. One of the components of gemstones is each stone’s stability, referring to the gem’s resistance to loss of quality and deterioration over time. The strongest gem of all, the most stable gem of all, is the diamond. Because it has withstood the test of time for 60 years, and because of its continued value in the lives of students and families, those who find PCA often feel as if they have found a diamond. While the world is rapidly changing, the heart of Pantego Christian Academy has remained constant.

"The purpose, passion, and place of

rooted here for generations. It is not uncommon for an Arlington family to choose PCA because they have driven by our campus for 30 or 40 years. When a family is looking for a Christian atmosphere and a stable presence, they remember us. That is a special thing!"

The mission of Pantego Christian is "Equipping servant leaders to honor Christ and impact the world." Dr. Ferrell says that God, in his mercy, has sustained this mission, "and we have not wavered."

"When we say honor Christ, we mean to obey his commands for the purpose of knowing and loving him better."

PCA has remained the same through the decades," says Head of School, Dr. Kathy Ferrell. "Arlington is a special place, and many families have been

For six decades PCA has equipped the whole child through academic excellence, athletics, and spiritual formation. "When we say servant leaders, we train students to contribute to the world in redemptive ways," Dr. Ferrell says. "For decades, we have curated service opportunities through mission trips globally and stateside, and through entire school days devoted to serving the community. But beyond those things, we want students to live with integrity, to work hard, and to serve self-sacrificially, just as Christ came to serve.

Pantego Christian Academy was started by Pantego Bible Church (now Central Bible Church) as a ministry to the community in 1963 and had its first graduating class in 1992. In the past 60 years, Pantego Christian has grown from one kindergarten class to now more than 600 students, ranging from 18 months to seniors in high school. The organization now employs more than 100 faculty and staff.

PCA started with just its elementary building. In the 1970s Pantego Bible Church built what served for many years as the school's one secondary building. PCA purchased the old Stripling and Cox in 2006 and transformed it into its high school building. In 2017 it converted adjoining open land into a regulationsized football field. Throughout the past decade PCA has added the Mitchell Athletic Center (which includes indoor archery, batting cages, and a weight room), boys and girls locker rooms in the Emler Field House, a state-of-the-art dance studio, art studio, and a new auditorium.

"In 2022 we completed building out the second story of the high school, which enabled us to separate our middle and high school divisions," Dr. Ferrell says. "Right now, the

school sits on 14.5 acres in the heart of Arlington and contains seven buildings. We seek to have a growth mindset. We are always looking at how we can continue to steward our resources well."

PCA's curriculum has always been robust. Since its first graduating class in 1992, PCA has increasingly become more college prep, Dr. Ferrell says.

"We now offer 11 AP course offerings and 13 dual credit courses," she says. "Many of our students graduate as sophomores in college with upwards to 30 hours completed."

Students have been accepted to state and Christian universities across the nation, including Princeton, Stanford, Brown, Dartmouth, Georgetown, Rice, and Vanderbilt.

Pantego Christian Academy has been committed to staying current with advancements in technology. Its high school students are challenged with AP computer classes, engineering classes and coding education. Students have access to a fully functioning Mac Lab that is utilized for photography and engineering classes. High school students utilize a one-to-one device program using a laptop for most of their academic endeavors.

Elementary and middle school students also have laptops to use at their disposal for academic purposes and are trained in using the Google platform, as well as Google Suite.

Both divisions have also been competitive in Robotics over the past eight years.

Dr. Ferrell notes that 60 years ago, the school's founders could not have imagined how advanced education would be in respect to technology; however, PCA continues to carry on the tradition of setting the standard in Christian education.

"A rich Christian school experience is our fundamental commitment at PCA, so that each and every day your child, even your family, is immersed in sound Biblical teaching, mentoring and dynamic spiritual growth," she says.

PCA's physical growth continues, as well. Building out the second story of the high school building this year has been a major milestone. The physical separation of the middle and high schools has given autonomy and intentionality to each division.

A favorite story of PCA's history is referred to as "The Miracle on Turpin Drive," and it occurred in 1981. Turpin Drive used to be a street that cut straight through the campus, connecting Park Row and Valley Lane. At that time, PCA faced financial concerns. The leadership and core families joined to pray about the school’s future.

During the worship and prayer service, one man stood up and said, “This is God’s school. I strongly feel it is not time to close the doors.” The

people present then felt prompted to give what they could that night to keep the school up and running, knowing that the school needed exactly $50,000. Person after person shared the various amounts they could give, and when it was all tallied up it totaled exactly $50,000. The group erupted in singing “Great is Thy Faithfulness” and in prayers of thanksgiving.

"Since that time," Ferrell says, "PCA has had the great honor to lead many students to Christ and to help countless grow in their relationship with Christ."

One of the things prospective students and families can find at PCA is a lifelong community of support and friendships. The PCA Family shows up both in times of rejoicing and times of mourning.

The school has 15 alumni and former students on staff as teachers, coaches, and administrators.

"We have many spouses of alumni who come to work at PCA," Dr. Ferrell says. "Additionally, we have many 'legacy families,' composed of students whose parents are alumni. PCA students grow into adulthood with some of their best friends having come from their time at PCA."

As the school marks its Diamond Anniversary, its "family members" revel in both its history and in its "history in the making" – even in realms not imagined at the

beginning. This year, it marked the 25th anniversary of its '97 TAPPS State Champion Football team.

"Celebrating such a milestone for this team was a joyful experience for all of our alumni and current students, faculty and staff," Dr. Ferrell says. "They embedded a legacy that PCA football still stands for and pushes to maintain the work ethic that the Class of ‘97 put into place 25 years ago."

PCA now provides students the opportunity to compete in over 15 varsity sports.

Likewise, other extra-curricular endeavors are flourishing. Dr. Ferrell says school administrators believe the arts are essential to the education of the whole student and, more importantly, a core attribute in God’s creation.

"It is our purpose to create a learning environment where we may glorify God through the process and product of our endeavors," she says. "All students, no matter the level of proficiency, are taught to nurture their own creativity. Our program encompasses a comprehensive and sequential approach which allows students to develop skills that build confidence and insight. Students are taught to analyze and evaluate the cultural and moral values expressed in art that creatively communicates God’s truth. The arts inspire and stretch our students to think creatively in all aspects of their lives and appreciate more fully the beauty in the world around them."

This year PCA celebrates its 2022 TAPPS State Champion Drumline and Marching Band. Along with band, the fine arts department also offers theater arts, visual arts, dance, choir and robotics.

"More than anything, we are simply grateful," Dr. Ferrell says. 'God does not owe us anything; instead, we owe everything to him. Psalm 90:17 says, 'May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands.' We are grateful he has sustained our school, and we are enthusiastic that we get to continue our mission. We are filled with great joy as we look into the future of serving God and the great city of Arlington!"

PANTEGO CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

A Straight-'A' report card

Highlights from a 2022-2023 academic year that has reached the halfway point

Arlington ISD

Arlington ISD eighth graders can start off the New Year by trying a new path for high school in 2023-24. The district is opening two new Pathways in Technology (P-TECH) high schools at Sam Houston and Seguin high schools.

Students get transportation from their home campus, the chance to participate in extracurriculars at Sam Houston or Seguin, the opportunity to earn up to 60 hours of free college credits and workplace certifications in the fastest-growing fields in the state.

SAM HOUSTON P-TECH – At Sam Houston, the new curriculum focuses on mechatronics and logistics. Mechatronics, says Christy Sullivan, the assistant principal who oversees the program, "is like combining what you see in Iron Man or Transformers. It’s robotics meshed with computer software and electronics. Mechatronics is what you end up with.”

It is an easy sale to eighth graders, who are dialed in with technology. As a parent, the free transportation to school, free college credits and the chance to graduate from high school with certifications to go into the workforce are the pitch.

SEGUIN P-TECH – At Seguin, it’s all about engineering and computer-aided design and drafting.

“It’s the job market for what people are looking for,” says Andrea Hicks, the assistant principal over the Seguin program. People want an engineering path. It’s huge right now.”

For more: aisd.net/district-news/new-p-tech-high-schools. The deadline to apply for the 13 specialized programs is Jan. 18.

Arlington Classics Academy

A pair of teams from Arlington Classics Academy earned high honors in competitions outside the school last month.

The Fourth-and-Fifth-grade Chess Club brought home two trophies and won first place in the unrated games and 2nd place in the rated games.

In addition, the Robotics Club's two ACA teams went to a robotics competition in Dallas, with one of the teams placing seventh and scoring enough to advance to the finals. The other team placed 27th. There were 36 teams in the competition.

St. Maria Goretti Catholic School

At St. Maria Goretti Catholic School, Justine Chapura's art classroom didn't go to Mardi Gras – Mardi Gras came to the classroom. The students poured their hearts into decorating, complete with glitter, paper mache, feathers, glue, plaster, markers, macaroni beads, hot glue, wire, cardboard, foil, markers, paper, ribbon, soda cans, yarn, lace, paint, popsicle sticks, tape and a giant parade. Noted Chapura following the festivities: "Phew, ready for lent!"

The Oakridge School

There's learning. There's doing. And then there are the students at The Oakridge School, who did some big-time learning – and participated in some even bigger-time doing last month.

Second grade Owls had fun exploring dinosaur skeletons, conducting science experiments, and discovering the wonders of outer space at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Meanwhile, the Oakridge family spent much of the time before the holidays garnering Angel Tree donations. Once the drive wrapped up, Student Council President Catherine Wang and Vice President Eshan Singhal presented a check to the Salvation Army Angel Tree to help families in the community.

Key School & Training Center

After serving as an educational hallmark in Tarrant County for five and a half decades, Key School has a new location and a new name: Key School & Training Center.

After finding the new home, directors and leaders of the school, which offers cutting-edge programs to meet the needs of some 78,000 Tarrant County children with learning differences teamed on the re-branding with The Cause Agency.

The result of that partnership produced a new tagline and logo to further recognize KSTC's place in local education. It also wrought a new mission statement: Unleashing student and teacher success with individualized instruction, training, and advocacy.

Great Hearts Arlington

Schools have long enhanced lessons with ancillary curriculum,

but Great Hearts Arlington recently took the endeavor to a new –and thoroughly entertaining – level.

Third graders at the school were treated to a trumpet concert that featured songs from the book, "The Trumpet of the Swan." They had been reading the book, which is a renowned children's novel by E. B. White published in 1970. It tells the story of Louis, a trumpeter swan born without a voice who overcomes this difficulty by learning to play a trumpet in order to impress a beautiful swan named Serena.

A novel symphony for actors and orchestra was adapted from the book in 2011, and Greats Heart Arlington enhanced the students' learning experience by presenting the concert.

St. Joseph Catholic School

Learning about – and practicing – benevolence is one of the best lessons any student can experience. In November, students at St. Joseph Catholic School took part in H2O For Life Water Walk 2022.

H2O for Life offers a service-learning opportunity designed to engage, educate and inspire youth to take action to solve the global water crisis by raising awareness and funds to support implementation of water, sanitation and hygiene education projects for global partner schools.

The St. Joseph Catholic School students were part of a global effort that has seen some 512,000 acquire access to clean water.

Primrose School of N.E. Green Oaks

Students at Primrose School of N.E. Green Oaks (with help from their family members) raised $1,795 in three weeks for the Caring and Giving Chores for a Good Cause during the Thanksgiving season.

Then school administrators took the Pre-K class to shop for $1,795 worth of groceries that were donated along with the almost $800 worth of canned goods they already had in the school to Mission Metroplex/Mission Arlington.

The students did chores at home to help raise this money, the cumulative amount of which helped feed more than 2,000 of their neighbors in need.

Photo: Arlington Classics Academy Photo: St. Joseph Catholic School

Photo: The Oakridge School

Photo: Great Hearts Arlington

For emerging entrepreneurs at The University of Texas at Arlington, the Deep Dive program offered by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Innovation (CEEI) in partnership with TechFW offers a steppingstone to success.

Deep Dive, a series of entrepreneurial workshops led by Hayden Blackburn, executive director of TechFW, is an eight-week accelerator program designed to give student entrepreneurs the boost they need to transform their ideas into profitable businesses. Each week, participants receive handson training on topics ranging from customer discovery and business models to financial forecasting and pitch development.

“Deep Dive isn’t just a crash course in how to start a business,” Blackburn says. “It’s a program that gives young entrepreneurs real tools they can use as they build their ideas and bring them to market. They are building their business acumen, skills and a foundation in entrepreneurship.”

The program is a requirement for any individual or team advancing

They learn by doing

They learn by doing

• By Linsey Retcofsky By Retcofsky

advice that helped her complete the paperwork she needed to license her company. Vicious Creatures is an online shop where Lopez sells original K-Pop and rock music designs printed on gender-neutral clothing.

After studying the fundamentals of successful startups, Lopez advanced to win a grand prize of $25,000 in the MavPitch competition. She says the one-on-one mentorship she received in Deep Dive helped her overcome insecurities about being the only female entrepreneur in the program.

from phase one to phase two of MavPitch, a business pitch competition hosted by the Maverick Entrepreneur Program and Award Fund in partnership with the UTA College of Business and the College of Engineering.

According to this year’s MavPitch winners, the extra time spent in the classroom was worth it. Zuriel Lopez, junior information systems major, pitched his idea for the WeWant app, an ice cream truck locator that establishes direct communication between ice cream truck drivers and their customer base. The idea won Lopez a MavPitch grand prize of $25,000.

Lopez, who is himself an ice cream truck driver, says techniques he learned in the Deep Dive workshops helped increase his ice cream sales by 17%.

“The Deep Dive teachers were amazing. We learned a lot, but still had a lot of fun,” Lopez says. “Without the Deep Dive program, I wouldn’t have won the funding to support my business.”

During Deep Dive, Luz Lopez, (’22 BFA, Art) received practical

“It was intimidating at first to be the only woman in the program,” Lopez says, “but the CEEI leaders helped me a lot and scheduled meetings with me to go over my business plan.”

Xoriunstance Brown, CEEI operations director, says that while Deep Dive offers many resources, the students’ success is a testament to their determination and selfmotivation.

“The Deep Dive program is a safe space where students can learn and address challenges as they practice for real-world business scenarios,” Brown says. “We provide the tools they need to succeed, but they are the ones who are doing the work. I am continually impressed by their initiative and ingenuity.”

The CEEI, led by Brown and Matt Clark, faculty director and assistant professor of practice in the Department of Art and Art History, fosters a supportive atmosphere for UTA students, scholars and researchers as they drive to innovate, commercialize new technologies and pioneer new companies that will impact North Texas communities and the global economy.

Zuriel Lopez and Luz Lopez are Mav Pitch winners who have used the Deep Dive program to hone their entrepreneurial skills.

Zuriel Lopez and are Mav winners have the Deep program to hone their entrepreneurial skills.

Photo: UTA

Advancing the Dream

• By Susan Schrock

The annual Arlington Martin Luther King, Jr. "Advancing the Dream" Celebration is set for Jan. 13-16.

As one of the larger celebrations in the state, this four-day event attracts thousands of Arlington-area residents each year.

The theme for this year’s festivities, organized by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee, is “Advancing the Dream: Moving Toward Unity, Justice and Peace.”

The MLK Advancing the Dream Gala

This celebratory weekend kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, with the MLK Advancing the Dream Gala. The event, which includes dinner, special tributes, entertainment and scholarship and award announcements, will be held in the University Center’s Bluebonnet Ballroom on The University of Texas at Arlington campus. The Rev. Dr. Michael A. Evans, Sr., Mansfield mayor and longtime pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Mansfield, will be the keynote speaker.

Individual tickets or a sponsorship

table for eight can be purchased at utatickets.com

MLK Step Show and Talent Showcase

The MLK Step Show and Talent Showcase is set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Bowie High School Auditorium, 2101 Highbank Drive. The event is open to the public and free to attend.

MLK Poetry Meets Jazz

Experience what happens when poetry meets jazz at this event, which features poet extraordinaire Verb Kulture and some of the better poets in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. This event, for adults ages 18 and older, is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, in the University Center’s Bluebonnet Ballroom on The University of Texas at Arlington campus. Admission is $20. Tickets can be purchased at utatickets.com

MLK/Hubert

Zeb Strong Jr. MLK Day of Service

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee plans to involve hundreds of volunteers in making a difference in The American Dream City on this national holiday. Individual volunteers and volunteer groups can sign up for the Day of Service on the event's website, ArlingtonMLK.com

Volunteers will meet at Mission Arlington/Mission Metroplex, 400 W. South St., at 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 16, for their community assignments, tools and supplies. The first 500 volunteers will receive a MLK T-shirt commemorating the 2023 Arlington MLK Celebration. Volunteers are asked to visit arlingtontx.gov/MLK and click on the Day of Service button to fill out the MLK Day of Service Registration Form and waiver. For more information, call 817-472-7963 or email arldayofservice@gmail.com.

and exercise groups and the MLK Historical Timeline Exhibition. This event, open to the public and free to attend, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16 in the City Center Plaza between City Hall and the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library.

The MLK Youth Musical Extravaganza

The MLK Youth Musical Extravaganza is scheduled from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, at the Fielder Church Metro Center, 2011 S. Fielder Road. This event will feature performances by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Choir, which includes students from several Arlington ISD schools, the Step by Step Dance Studio and the Remynse Elementary School Drum Club.

Ellis Elementary School teacher Antonio Young will perform a spoken word piece on the 2023 theme.

Moss Ecumenical Service

This year, Cornerstone Baptist Church at 5415 Matlock Road opens its doors to host an inspiring service of hope and celebration. This event, scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, is open to the public and free to attend.

MLK Day of Service Festival

In addition to celebrating Day of Service volunteers, the MLK Day of Service Festival will include face painting, the Imagination Playground, local dance troupes

Arlington ISD Board of Trustee member Kecia Mays will emcee the extravaganza. Admission is free. Please visit arlingtontx.gov/MLK to learn more about upcoming events and sponsorship opportunities.

Real Estate Professionals You Need to Know

If you find yourself designing your own home and are hesitant to pick a "wild" option, we offer this advice: Just go for it!

Home SWEET! Home

A trend is a trend to the end!

Trends will always be a thing, and whether you decide to jump on board or jump off in the deep end to do your own thing, you can have a beautiful house that helps express your unique style.

In our latest creation, the focus was ceilings. Backsplash, flooring and countertops have all had their heyday. It seems to be the right time for ceilings to come back around.

Whether you choose a pop of color or a sleek, new wallpaper design, make sure you don’t play it safe. Take a walk on the wild side, but just make sure you don’t get too heavy-handed with the wow factor. Making one feature the star of the show allows it to shine without competing. It draws the eye and allows you to appreciate its individuality. This allows your home to carry crowning adjectives like classy, unique, and inspiring. These touches will give all those who enter your home a look into your own personality!

Websites like Pinterest exist because, as a general group, we have a hard time making up our minds. We like multiple styles, textures and concepts. The owners of this home were able to gracefully combine bits of modern, Tuscan, and even some eclectic features. A beautiful, neutral stone exterior with cascading cement steps promotes feelings of tranquility, class, and comfort. On entry, bright walls are contrasted with dark accents from the island lights, black countertops and black tile fireplace.

Not to be forgotten, the backyard boasts herringbone tile, a stained wood ceiling and simple, yet elegant, landscaping. In many cases, less is more. And more – in lesser quantities – speaks just as loudly. If you find yourself designing your own home and are hesitant to pick a “wild” option, just go for it! Pick what you love and design the rest of the space to quietly complement it.

– Julie Short (julie@mchtexas.com)

Address your heartburn issues

Methodist Mansfield Medical Center features a Heartburn Treatment Center that offers a variety of services to treat virtually every symptom you might have. Services include:

• State-of-the art technologies to

test the function of the esophagus, measure acid levels and evaluate for pre-cancerous conditions.

• Personalized treatment programs.

• Single point of contact with a specially trained Nurse Coordinator who oversees scheduling and

completion of your evaluation and treatment.

• An array of medical and surgical treatments that can be selected based on each patient's specific condition. tinyurl.com/mr2m92hd

Stop sneezing and sniffling – NOW!

For many North Texas residents, managing allergy symptoms is a year-round battle. Central Park ENT's Arlington office, located at 409 Central Park, offers allergy services that give patients the benefit of treating the root cause.

Testing is done for quantitative as well as qualitative information about inhalant sensitivities. This allows a patient’s starting allergy shots to be mixed at the strongest dose possible for each antigen without compromising safety. Central Park

ENT also treats non-IgE mediated food sensitivities. Intolerence to commonly ingested foods can cause a broad range of vague symptoms and offers plans for rotation diets to help stifle allergy issues. centralparkent.net

Treat your skin at the spa – and at home

The best results for skin care and body treatments are obtained from continuous and regularly scheduled, professional treatments, coupled with an effective, customized home care system to use in between your

professional treatments. Through Great Skin's Facial Club, clients find an affordable solution to care for their skin in both aspects – in spa and at home.

Each service offers a one-time investment of a single treatment, as

well as membership pricing, which is based on a four-time treatment plan that offers a lower investment per treatment that provides the spa's clients outstanding results and a budget-friendly investment level. greatskin4you.com

Become a more active adult (the fun way)

E

ngAGE Arlington is a group of adults who come together for lively activities ranging from wine tours to hiking, breakfast to pickleball.

The group takes trips to explore the Metroplex and members meet

up around town. Think of it as events and adventures for more active adults. Couples, singles and anyone who is looking for an extra boost of fun is welcome. EngAGE is hosted out of Eunice Activity Center (1000 Eunice St).

This group meets on Tuesdays at 8:15 a.m. for breakfast once a month at Skillet N Grill (1801 W. Division St.).

For more: Email Susie.Traylor@ arlingtontx.gov, or Belinda.Reed@ arlingtontx.gov

SNAPSHOTS OF ARLINGTON/MANSFIELD/GRAND PRAIRIE AREA NEWSMAKERS

Paula Currie poses with her 3D and sculptural glass piece that is on display at the exhibit.

Aziz Kobty, Amira Kobty, Elizabeth Kobty, and the Prince Lebanese Grill team catered ESPN's College GameDay show prior to the Big 12 championship game at AT&T Stadium.

Aziz Kobty, ESPN College GameDay personality Pat McAfee and Elizabeth Kobty pose for a photo before the game.

Here's a TV-screen capture of Aziz Kobty delivering some delectable goodies to the College GameDay crew.

UTA's Department of Art and Art History exhibit UTA's Department of Art and Art History exhibit

Jesus Trujillo poses with his art piece, Sin Ti, Sin Amor; Feliz Cumpleaños, at the University of Texas at Arlington's Department of Art and Art History exhibit.

Arlington ISD board member Kecia Mays joined many other prominent local figures serving dozens of families at the second annual Ella B’s Generous Hands: Holiday Give Back Dinner.

Photos: UTA

ESPN's College GameDay show College GameDay show Ella

Photo: AISD

The Scout the Route project gave children throughout the various neighborhoods a chance to get in one more request on the "wish list."

It's safe to say Grand Prairie's spectacular light show was awesome for the thousands who paid a visit during the holidays.

Prairie Lights has become one of the region's premier family friendly events.

Mansfield's Scout the Route Mansfield's Scout the Route

Photos: Prairie Lights

Mayor Jim Ross honored Dr. Ronnie Goines, pastor of Koinonia Church, for his work in the community.

100-year-old WWII veteran John "Lucky" Luckado (fourth from left) joins Jack Webb, Jim Young, Henry Lewczyk, Aaron Womack, Dwayne Lee and Michael Dailey for photo shoot.

Pastor Ronnie Goines honored Pastor Ronnie Goines honored

Mansfield Fire Department firefighters drove Santa around town prior to Christmas to give youngsters a chance to take a photo with the man in red.

Photo: City of Arlington

Photos courtesy of Aziz Kobty

Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce Business Council

Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce Business Council

Photo courtesy of Jack Webb

Grand Prairie's Prairie Lights Grand Prairie's Prairie Lights

Photos: City of Mansfield

This

1955

The star of the show

This month's classic car feature is not just another pretty motorcar. It’s also a television star.

Yes, that’s right – the magnificently restored 1955 Buick V8 Special appearing here has its own television series.

Never mind that it’s gathered a trophy case full of awards –including the Buick Nationals prestigious Top Ten Award and winner in the American Luxury Class at Concours d’Elegance of Texas – it has ushered in a whole new genre on Discovery’s Velocity Channel.

The restoration of the Buick kicked off the Reality Rides series, where viewers got to see a detailed, step-by-step meticulous process of rebuilding this beauty during 13 weekly episodes resulting in what you see here. Instead of posting rapid fire pictures flashing by much too fast to see what’s happening, this program takes viewers through the entire process – from finding the rusted hulk to producing a betterthan-showroom-quality classic that turns heads wherever it’s seen.

Another welcome departure from today’s “reality” shows: There’s no trumped-up drama,

no rehearsed reactions to faked crises, and no pushing or shoving that’s manufactured to spice up the action. As one viewer summed up the kind of response the show has garnered: “I think this is the best car show on TV. The lack of guys getting ‘bleeped’ every other second is refreshing. The guys seem to all work well together, and no one is belittling the other or playing childish pranks on each other.

“The shop does not have tons of new tools and equipment that all us normal guys could never afford and is not just a half-hour infomercial. When they are disassembling the

BLAST from

the

PAST

To celebrate the more than 100 classic cars featured in this space over the past decade, we're spotlighting one of the first we chronicled, back in early 2014.

How this classic Buick became the subject of theTV series ‘Reality Rides’ • By Richard Greene

BEFORE & AFTER – It took six months, including the search for parts, the selection of correct colors and everything that was needed, to ensure a factory-perfect outcome.

All aglow under some of the famous Route 66 neon.

Carl and his guys: George Bowden, Kenny Nowak, Hank Fricke and Brad Meredith

This classic 1955 Buick, completely reconstructed at Carl Meredith’s Carl’s Custom Cars automotive shop, was the subject of a 13-episode television series, Reality Rides, produced by Arlington’s Brian Greene. Here Meredith is pictured with Greene.

classic

Buick, completely reconstructed at Carl Meredith’s Carl’s Custom Cars automotive shop, was the subject of a 13-episode television series, Reality Rides, produced by Arlington’s Brian Greene. Here Meredith is pictured with Greene.

vehicle they are not throwing parts all over the place. You guys did a great job on this show, and I for one will be watching every week.”

His compliments are directed at Carl Meredith’s “build team,” working over a six-month period in his Red Oak garage – now much better known as Carl’s Custom Cars Automotive Shop.

It actually took two old 1955 Buicks to produce this one. There was the less-rusted-out production vehicle and the more deteriorated “parts car” that was used to provide some missing member or un-fixable part needed for the resurrected masterpiece.

Some may see Carl as a mechanic, but he’s much more than that. He’s an artist in every sense. At the early

age of eight he began working on cars with his uncle. Forty-two years later he still arrives at the shop seven mornings each week before anyone else is there.

On Sundays, cowboy church is conducted among the bays and perfectly organized tools.

To say he is passionate about what he does is an understatement. And it’s reflected in his craftsmanship. I saw him hand a tiny piece of trim chrome back to one of the members of his team,

saying it needed more work.

“Where?” I asked. The defect was almost invisible – I couldn’t see it, but Carl could, and he wouldn’t be happy with it until it was perfect.

One of the most interesting “finds” when it came to the interior work was to locate a full bolt of original, unused seat cover material that was the factory match for the Titian Red exterior.

Arlington filmmaker – and my son – Brian Greene and his staff at Greene HDTV produced the television series. Brian, along with executive producer Mike Ames –himself with a major classic car collection housed at his Arlington estate – arranged the deal with Discovery.

The resurrection process on this Buick required two cars to complete the job, and a chronology of the restoration was featured on Discovery's Velocity channel. As you can see, this classic became even more significant following the "re-do."

Mansfield will use a Green Bag Grant to create butterfly gardens at MISD schools

Through funding from H-E-B and Central Market, Keep Mansfield Beautiful is one of 10 affiliate communities sharing $25,000 in Big Green Grant money to support educational and programmatic opportunities relating to sustainability, recycling, litter prevention, beautification, and water conservation.

Keep Mansfield Beautiful will use its grant to create butterfly gardens at three Mansfield ISD school campuses. The project will focus on the Monarch butterfly, as it was recently added to the endangered species list. The addition of specific plants to these gardens will provide the first steps needed to become official Butterfly Waystations.

“These funds will provide hands-on learning opportunities for students at three schools as they prepare, maintain, and monitor butterfly gardens on their campuses,” says Mansfield Public

Education Specialist, Rebecca Sales. “Students will learn about the importance of native and adaptive plants, and the role these plants play in supporting pollinator life cycles, especially the Monarch Butterfly that has recently been added to the endangered species list.”

To assist with the implementation of the project, Mansfield has received $3,000 to begin and support its proposed community project. The butterfly gardens will be located at Tarver Rendon Elementary, Donna Shepard Leadership Academy, and Linda Jobe Middle School. Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) will also provide additional social media marketing support. Keep Mansfield Beautiful will complete its project by July.

Founded in 2008 following the Great Mansfield Cleanup, Keep Mansfield Beautiful offers programs to make the community

a cleaner, greener, more beautiful place to live, work, and play. Since its formation, Keep Mansfield Beautiful has delivered more than $400,000 in volunteer labor, cash donations, grants, and in-kind donations to the city of Mansfield.

In addition to Mansfield, the affiliate communities of Laredo, Levelland, Midland, Missouri City, Palacios, Pharr, Sugar Land, Real County, and Waco also received a Green Bag Grant.

“We are thankful for sponsors like H-E-B who support our efforts to clean and beautify communities around Texas,” says Suzanne Kho, Executive Director of KTB.

“We were excited by the diversity of proposals we received, and cannot wait to see the projects our affiliates are able to complete with help from our Green Bag Grants.”

To learn more about KTB resources and opportunities or to get involved with your local affiliate, visit ktb.org

Soon three MISD campuses will feature official Butterfly Waystations.

Photo: Cam Mannino

to graduate in Mansfield

THE TEXAS TECH University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing marked its first class of nursing graduates with their BSN to the Mansfield community with a lamp lighting ceremony last month. The graduation ceremony was conducted in the Cafe of Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, host to TTUHSC’s new satellite campus.

“Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing is very pleased and proud to be a partner with the Methodist Healthcare System, Methodist Mansfield Medical Center and the City of Mansfield in celebrating the first graduating class of nurses in the DFW region,” Executive Associate Dean Dr. Karla Chapman says. “Increasing the number of nurses helps to address the shortage of nurses, and therefore improves the quality of health care in the region.”

Juan Fresquez, Methodist Health System President, says the new graduates celebrate the eternal flame that burns bright in each graduate and Methodist’s efforts to build a talented pipeline of nurses here in the community to deliver high-quality care.

“We are proud to collaborate with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing and the City of Mansfield to celebrate the first graduating class of the Texas Tech satellite campus to Tarrant County and Methodist Mansfield Medical Center,” Fresquez says. “Adding these talented nurses to the DFW community enables us to positively impact individuals' lives and provide a resource of new nurses critical to the operations of hospitals and clinics nationwide."

Seasons of Change assisted thousands during the holidays

ARLINGTON-BASED Seasons of Change Inc. last month gave away thousands of toys, baby supplies, books, baby accessories, and other Christmas gifts to thousands of local children and their families.

The benevolence manifested in two related events: the Blessed to Give Christmas (B2G) giveaway in collaboration with Texas Live! and the Christmas CollaboGANZA, in collaboration with Amerigroup and Carter’s House.

B2G Christmas was a kickoff event to the 11th Annual Christmas CollaboGANZA, which serves tens of thousands of families with children in Texas by providing new Christmas gifts for the whole family every year. This year, some 500 families registered for CollaboGANZA. Some 2,000 children received Christmas toys, gifts, and/or baby items at the B2G Christmas event.

Seasons of Change Inc.’s mission began in 2001 after the agency's founder's research uncovered an enormous lack of community support for vulnerable and marginalized youth. Today, Since its founding, it has dramatically expanded its programming to include crisis intervention, transitional housing, pregnant and parenting teen services, counseling, education, and outreach to neglected or abused youth and adults.

seasonsofchangeinc.com.

Texas Rangers' Fan Fest is set for Jan. 28 at Globe Life Field

THE TEXAS RANGERS' 2023 FAN FEST, presented by Comerica Bank, will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Globe Life Field on Saturday, Jan. 28. Tickets are available for purchase at texasrangers.com/fanfest.

Fan Fest will feature autograph sessions with current Rangers players and alumni, with signings taking place across the main concourse and above the Grand Slam Team Store.

Other highlights of the 2023 Fan Fest include:

• Question and answer sessions with Rangers VIPs in the Stub Hub Club.

• On-field activities include running the bases, wiffle ball home run derby, bullpen fast pitch, inflatables, and more.

• Photo opportunities with current Rangers players, alumni and Rangers mascot Captain.

• Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation sale and promotional items sale.

• Food and beverages on sale at ballpark concession stands on the main and lower concourse.

• Team merchandise on sale at the Grand Slam Team Store in center field.

In addition, 2023 single game tickets will be on sale at the Globe Life Field North Box Office, and season tickets will be available at the sales booth located on the main concourse.

Tickets for the 2023 Fan Fest are $10 for adults and $5 for children 13 years old and under. Tickets can be accessed through the MLB Ballpark mobile app.

A limited number of Autograph Fast Passes, which guarantee the Fast Pass holder autographs for every player participating in the formal autograph sessions on Saturday with “front of the line” access cost $500 per pass.

Veterans Home honors famed WWII unit

A SOFT opening was recently held for The Tuskegee Airmen Texas State Veterans Home in Fort Worth. The new facility is the 10th Texas Veterans Home. However, the Tuskegee Airmen State Veterans Home is the only one named after people of color.

Texas Trust's Peggy Esparza is honored

GENERAL

This

Among the dignitaries who attended the soft opening for the facility, which is located near the Veterans Administration Hospital on IH-20, was 95-year-old LTC Enoch Woodson III. Woodson was the paymaster for the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. He was flown in from Boston for the ceremony.

PEGGY ESPARZA, CFO of Texas Trust Credit Union, was recently named one of the top 25 Most Powerful Women in credit unions by American Banker. She was the sole contender from Texas-based credit unions to make the

During her 27-year career at Texas Trust, Esparza has led numerous strategic financial initiatives and has held senior leadership roles with Texas Trust, leading her to be named CFO in November 2021.

Photo: Methodist Health System

MAGNAPLATE (Magnaplate), a world leader in surface-enhancement coatings for metals and other substrates, recently celebrated its 40th year at its plant in Arlington.

celebration arrived along with the corporation’s 70th anniversary. To honor the milestones, Magnaplate has re-branded, including a new corporate name, logo, and website. magnaplate.com

Arlington General Magnaplate plant celebrates its 40th year of operation

The inaugural class of graduates at the Mansfield campus of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing.

The class graduates the Mansfield campus of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing.

Peggy Esparza

LTC Enoch Woodson III, 95, and Chap. Rich Stoglin pose for a photo at the soft opening ceremony.

Photo courtesy of Chap. Rich Stoglin Photo courtesy of Chap. Rich Stoglin

UPSCALE

Chamas do Brazil • 4606 S. Cooper St. • 817-618-2986 • chamasdobrazil2.tru-m.com

Cut & Bourbon • 1600 E. Randol Mill • 682-277-4950 • loewshotels.com/live-by-loews-arlington-texas

Mercury Chophouse • 2221 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 910 • 817-381-1157 • mercurychophouse.com

Piccolo Mondo • 829 Lamar Blvd. E. • 817-265-9174 • piccolomondo.com

Restaurant506 at The Sanford House • 506 N. Center St. • 817-801-5541 • restaurant506.com

AMERICAN

Candlelite Inn • 1202 E. Division St. • 817-275-9613 • candleliteinnarlington.com

Dino’s Subs • 2221 S. Collins St. • 817-274-1140

frieddaze • 5005 S. Cooper St., Suite 159 • 817-472-6666 • frieddaze.com

No Frills Grill • 4914 Little Road • 817-478-1766 • 1500 Eastchase Pkwy., Suite 1200 • 817-274-5433

2851 Matlock Road, Suite 422, Mansfield • 817-473-6699 • nofrillsgrill.com

The Grease Monkey • 200 N. Mesquite St. • 817-665-5454 • greasemonkeyburgers.com

J. Gilligan’s Bar & Grill • 400 E. Abram St. • 817-274-8561 • jgilligans.com

MEXICAN / TEX-MEX

Cartel Taco Bar • 506 E. Division St., Suite 150 • 817-200-6364 • carteltacobar.com

El Arroyo • 5024 S. Cooper St. • 817-468-2557 • elarroyoarlington.com

El Gabacho Tex-Mex Grill • 2408 W. Abram St. • 817-276-8160 • facebook.com/elgabachotexmex

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop • 510 E. Abram St. • 817-265-8226 • 4201 W. Green Oaks Blvd. • 817-516-8226

1601 E. Debbie Lane, Mansfield • 817-453-1682 • fuzzystacoshop.com

La Isla Restaurant • 2201 E. Pioneer Pkwy. • 817-459-1498 • laislarestauranttx.com

ITALIAN / PIZZA

Café Sicilia • 7221 Matlock Road • 817-419-2800 • cafesicilia.com

BARBECUE

David’s Barbecue • 2224 W. Park Row Drive, Suite H • 817- 261-9998

INTERNATIONAL

Prince Lebanese Grill • 502 W. Randol Mill • 817-469-1811 • princelebanesegrill.com

R'Haan Thai Cuisine • 2500 N.E. Green Oaks Blvd. • 817-795-9188 • facebook.com/rhaanthaicuisine

Recipe of the Month (with Dr. T

Dr. T's Chickpea Pasta

Ingredients

1box spaghetti

2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas

2 cloves garlic minced

1 1/2 cups sliced onions

1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Steps

• Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package

• Over medium heat, saute garlic and onion until tender, set aside

• Add one can of chickpeas with liquid to blender, and blend until smooth

• Return garlic/onion mixture to heat and add tomatoes with liquid, drained can of chickpeas, and pureed chickpeas, and heat over medium heat until desired thickness

• Top with chopped parsley and/or vegan parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste

Patricia Thomson, aka Dr. T, is a recently published author of “WFPB20 - A Step-by-Step Guide to Adopting a Plant-Based Lifestyle, a certified plant-based nutritionist, and geeky scientist. She is the coFounder of Wellness20 along with author, former vegan restaurant owner, chef, and certified nutritionist Brooke Ali. They have created classes, workshops, summits, markets and coaching services, all designed to successfully assist people who want to live a healthier and more fulfilling life. They aim for the whole person approach including nutrition, mindfulness, spirituality and incorporating physical movement into daily lives. They also meet people wherever they are on their health and wellness journey. wellness-20.com

arlingtontoday.com

Candlelite Inn

Dino's Subs

Fuzzy's Taco Shop

Cafe Sicilia

Dwite H. Schaffner: The undisputed

Born in Arroya, Pa., in 1889, Dwite H. Schaffner attended Bucknell University and was captain of the school’s football and basketball teams. A bust of Schaffner is now on display at Bucknell’s athletic and recreation center. After graduation, he studied law at the University of Michigan until the U.S. entry into World War I. He joined the Army and was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the 306th Infantry Regiment of the 77th Division.

Sent to France, Schaffner’s unit took part in the MeuseArgonne Offensive, the largest American offensive of the war. On Sept. 28, 1918, near St. Hubert’s Pavilion in Boureuilles, France, Lt. Schaffner directed an attack in the face of enemy machine gun, rifle, and artillery fire, eventually driving the enemy from its position, and leading his men through several German counterattacks. According to the history of the 306th Infantry, “the staccato ‘rat-tat-tat’ of the enemy machine guns immediately sounded all along the sector ... men fell, here and there.” Noticing machine gun fire on his company’s flank, he found the enemy gun and killed or wounded its crew. The third German counterattack, initiated by a feigned surrender by approaching enemy troops, hit his unit from the front and rear, causing heavy casualties. Schaffner then commenced a counterattack of his own, firing his pistol, hurling grenades, and capturing a German officer. Having questioned this officer and learning the enemy’s strength, he was able to maintain his company’s position for several hours despite an attack from three sides.

After the war, Schaffner finished his studies and became a lawyer and moved to Akron, Ohio. He was presented the Medal of Honor in Akron on Sept. 23, 1923, by General John R. McQuigg at the Wooster Stadium in a stirring parade and ceremony complete with military bands, a flyover, and almost 3,000 people in attendance. Among those present, along with his fellow Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)

members, was John C. Matthews, who received the Medal of Honor in 1891 for his Civil War actions at Petersburg, Va. For many years, he was the only surviving Medal of Honor recipient living in Ohio. He was also active in veterans’ organizations, serving for a time as a department commander in the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Describing his feelings about war, Schaffner did not mince words; “The pomp and glory of war is a fatal delusion. Seen at close range, in the mud of the trenches,

its hideous reality shatters the dreams of the soldier who thinks of the battlefield as a field of honor. The same moon which our sweethearts at home look up to and ask to shine on their lovers in France would many times cost the soldiers their lives. ‘Damn that moon’ the doughboy [a term for American World War I soldiers] would exclaim, as its bright beams exposed him to the enemy’s fire.”

In 1943, Schaffner rejoined the military, serving in Nashville’s Adjutant General’s department and the Selective Service Board. He retired in 1946 as a lieutenant colonel and returned to Ohio.

He died from a heart attack, suffered while walking from his law office to the nearby courthouse on Nov. 22, 1955. Upon news of Schaffner's death, Akron mayor Leo A. Berg stated that the local hero “believed his duty to his country did not end when he put aside his uniform ... He was always ready to do his part for his community and country in any way possible.”

Evan Phifer is a Research Historian for the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation.

Evan Phifer

First Lt. Dwite Schaffner directed an attack near St. Hubert's Pavilion in Boureuilles, France during World War I. In the face of enemy machine gun, rifle and artillery fire, he drove the enemy from its position, leading his men through several German counterattacks.

hero of St. Hubert's Pavilion

Photo: usar.army.mil/

"DWITE SCHAFFNER BELIEVED his duty to his country did not end when he put aside his uniform ... He was always ready to do his part for his community and country in any way possible."

At 10, College Park Center remains a local treasure

All of us seek those win/win situations. Like when your insurance company offers a $100 dollar discount if you cease your use of tobacco. The result is a classic win/win because you are a healthier and wealthier person. But imagine if the insurance company could also make you smarter. Then you would be healthy, wealthy and wise and that would be a win/win/win. I don’t think I have to tell you how rare the triple win is, and over at UTA they have been celebrating the 10-year anniversary of one. A decade ago the University converted a parking lot where an old convenience store sat, into the College Park District. Within the district is a residence hall, a 4.5-acre park, student apartments, several retail shops and the crown jewel of the district, College Park Center.

You might say CPC is the jewel of the campus and one of the many athletic jewels that adorn our increasingly beautiful city. James Spaniolo was UTA president when the building opened and recently reminisced about that joyous accomplishment: “I can honestly say that we would not have been able to build the College Park District and the College Park Center without the active support of the city and the community.”

Have you recognized the winners in this win/win/ win equation? It is the University, the City itself and the Arlington community. I recently chatted with former Mayor and Arlington Today principal and contributor Richard Greene. When he learned I was writing about CPC his first thought was, this is a great collaboration between Arlington, UTA and the Baptist Church.

You see, First Baptist Church uses the CPC parking lot ... a lot. In fact, a friend of mine told me that he parks at the CPC every Monday night for his men's Bible study. A walk around the College Park District, even at night, feels peaceful, safe and clean.

Even as the citizens of Arlington stroll the campus of UTA the city appreciates more visibility because of so many events that the CPC hosts. All of those visitors spend money

in Arlington and appreciate the magnificence of this arena.

Events include 20 WNBA games played there by the Dallas Wings. The Wings feel that their arena is as nice as any arena in the league, and several WNBA teams play in the cavernous arenas that also host the NBA team in those cities. To have the intimate 7,000 seat CPC, where the fans are so close, provides an atmosphere of energy and excitement not found in many WNBA cities.

Spaniolo recalls the thinking behind this win/win/win partnership. “The university is not an island,” he says. “It’s part of a big city and a growing enterprise of achievement and excellence.”

The key word there is “growing.” Enrollment has increased by 20,000 students in the some 10 years since the CPC has opened. Spaniolo calls the addition of CPC, “Symbolic of the growth and ascendency of the entire university.”

If you are old enough to remember the former home of the Mavs, Texas Hall, then you remember a unique place to watch a game. The court was set on the stage of an auditorium. It was like going to the opera and watching a basketball game. But with its sweeping aisles and upholstered seats it was tough to generate an atmosphere consistent with college basketball.

College Park Center delivers a sixth-man type atmosphere that is noticeable the moment you enter the arena. In fact the men's basketball team has never had a losing record at home in the building. To wit, the Mavs have won a gaudy 70% of their home games.

If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and head over to the CPC, catch a UTA men’s or women’s basketball game. Or a WNBA game – some of the best female athletes in the world will begin their next season at the end of May.

If you do, chances are you will experience a personal win/ win/win. That is you get a night out, an evening of raucous energy and enthusiasm and a home team win.

Sports columnist John Rhadigan is an anchor for the Bally Sports Southwest television network.

John Rhadigan

UTA's College Park Center, the anchor of one of the university's (and the city's) premier locations, is a top-notch venue for sporting events and more.

Photo: UTA

Here's what the heart of a winner sounds like

The play was an end around, and the team’s top running back had executed it just like it was drawn up. Feet churning, he hurdled the defensive corner back then was hit by the safety and spontaneously extended his left arm to break his fall while digging for another yard or two as the ground came up to meet him.

Sergio Gordon, driven by adrenalin, headed for the huddle where the next play was to be a handoff to him where he would sprint across the field and deliver a pass downfield.

Then he noticed something was wrong with his arm. It looked “deformed,” so he instead turned and hustled to the sidelines in the direction of the team’s trainer and orthopedic surgeon.

In the locker room a little later, Dr. Katherine Coyner of UT Southwestern’s Sports Medicine Program told him the last thing he wanted to hear: “Both forearm bones are broken, Sergio, and your season is over.”

It was Pantego Christian Academy’s second game of Sergio’s senior year. Head coach Jerry Hawkes had pretty much designed the team’s offense around the very talented 170 pound, 5-foot, 6-inch-tall dynamo who had been playing football since first grade.

Now, all that would have to be changed. More than the pain from two broken bones, Sergio felt he had let his teammates down. He would be back, he promised, even though the doctors said that wouldn’t be possible.

Next came the surgery that resulted in the installation of a metal plate and some screws. It would take at least three months to heal, the doctors said – the school would be playing basketball by then.

THE DAY AFTER THE SURGERY, Sergio did some pushups. He declared his rehab was underway. His doctors reacted by scolding him for taking such a risk. “You have to give your arm time to heal,” they explained.

Sergio’s response was to reassure them: “My God has me on a different schedule; there are no limits to what He is capable of doing.”

Six weeks later they were convinced enough to design a removable, two-piece hard cast that could be wrapped with foam and taped tight all in accordance with the requirements necessary to get clearance from the officials for him to get into the game.

He took the field in game nine. The Pantego Panthers were up against an undefeated powerhouse West Texas team that was scoring an average of 55 points per game.

Sergio got the call on the first play – a completed pass and 12-yard pickup. He was back.

The Panthers didn’t win that game, but they did score more points against the four-time state champs than any other team they had played all season.

Then came the final game of the season. The Panthers would win it by a 30-point margin. Sergio caught three passes and scored three touchdowns, crashing through the opponent’s defensive line that night.

SERGIO’S NEXT steps include choosing from the college football scholarships he has been offered – just the kind of opportunity his maternal grandparents had in mind when they immigrated to the United States from Guam.

His brother LeAndrew red-shirted at Kansas State this year – the alma mater of their father, Joe (an Arlington High alum), who went on to play for the St. Louis Rams. So, it would be predictable that Sergio, with his 3.4 grade point average, may follow in their footsteps.

No matter which school is lucky enough to land him, he will honor their decision by doing his best – which, considering the source of his strength, is going to assure a winning result.

Richard Greene was Arlington’s mayor from 1987-1997 and currently teaches in UT-Arlington’s graduate program of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs.

Richard Greene

This month's issue celebrates an important anniversary for Pantego Christian Academy. To help mark the occasion, we want to share the first story we ran on the school, in this space, during our first year of publishing Arlington Today magazine.

Sergio Gordon, then and now.

After recovering from his injury in 2014, Sergio graduated from PCA, went on to become an Aws Cloud Consultant at Ingram Micro, and married Alexis.