March 2021 by Arlington Today

March 2021

your community • your magazine

AN ODE TO

SPRING

Today

Dedicated to diversity

ith a focus on access

and excellence, The University of Texas at Arlington continues to be recognized as one of the most diverse universities in the nation.

More African American students earn bachelor’s and master’s

“Institutions like The University of Texas at Arlington that are

degrees from UT Arlington than any other four-year institution

truly inclusive and that embrace and advance diversity and

in the state, according to a report from Diverse: Issues in

equity in every area of operation will support their students in

Higher Education magazine.

their educational journeys to success,” says Teik C. Lim, UTA’s interim president.

The magazine’s annual list of the nation’s most diverse universities again recognized UT Arlington as a leader in the

UTA is one of a select few

education of diverse, workforce-ready students. According to

universities in the nation

the magazine’s rankings, UTA is:

to achieve designations

• No. 1 in Texas and No. 12 nationally for bachelor’s degrees awarded to African American students and No. 1 in Texas and No. 13 nationally for master’s degrees. • No. 1 in Texas and No. 15 nationally for the number of master’s degrees and No. 13 for bachelor’s degrees awarded to all minority students. • No. 15 nationally for bachelor’s degrees and No. 11 for master’s degrees awarded to Hispanic students.

of both Hispanic-Serving Institution and Carnegie R-1: “Very High Research” in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. In addition to the Diverse rankings, U.S. News & World Report placed UTA fifth among national universities for undergraduate ethnic diversity in 2021, and Hispanic Outlook on Education magazine ranked UTA among its top 100 universities nationwide for Hispanic students. It was No. 24 in total enrollment and No. 9 in master’s degrees.

LEARN MORE AT UTA.EDU.

UTA.EDU

Contents

ON THE COVER

March 2021 • Volume 8 • Issue 3

HIGHLIGHTS 40

After enduring the pandemic for a year and following the most intense winter storm in recent history last month, most of us will welcome the new beginning that spring represents.

DEPARTMENTS

24 Sprucing up for Spring

How you can create eye-catching container gardens at your home

Starting Line 10 • This ‘n Data 12 Around Town 20 • Scene 22, 52 Style 36 • Bulletin Board 56 NMOHM 58 • Keen Cuisine 60 Speaking of Sports 62 • Itinerary 64 Finish Line 66

38 Lending a helping hand in a big way

The Chamber and AISD team to assist college-bound students with scholarships

40 Shared experience deferred

IN THIS ISSUE

Here’s a classic Rolls Royce that very few people have been able to see

44 Tops in Texas!

UTA leads in the number of degrees earned by African-American students

46 The Great Cold Rush of 2021

Here’s a pictorial recap of the most significant winter storm in recent history

48 Home SWEET! Home

This “before/after” project shows how small changes can make a big difference

50 Big bucks

RFD TV’s The American Rodeo will return to AT&T Stadium this month

54 Prime time

Amazon will take root in the new Mansfield International Business Park

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

This month, we shine the spotlight on local people and entities that are dedicated to commercial endeavors that improve the area.

Getting Down to Business ... page 26

•

STARTING LINE your community • your magazine

EXECUTIVE BOARD Executive Publisher Judy M. Rupay

A date worth noting

CEO Richard Greene

everal years ago, a colleague opined that we should set aside March 4th as a national holiday, prompting me to revert into a 3-year-old. “Why?” I responded. “It’s the most optimistic date of the year,” she continued. “Marching forth is all about moving boldly from where you are to where you want to be. It’s about being fearless. It’s about being hopeful.” “It’s about time for lunch break to be over,” I replied, tossing my garbage into a nearby trashcan while heading for the door to get back to work. In retrospect, I might have been a tad hasty in dismissing my co-worker’s premise. We are now more than a year into a devastating pandemic and a few weeks removed from weather that Texas imported from Montana, two milestones that I certainly didn’t Yale have on my “When life gives you Youngblood lemons ...” Bingo card. Editor We’re experiencing virtually unprecedented political turmoil that manifests where we used to post cat videos and reunite with old high school buddies. We’ve even witnessed the Rose Bowl played in Arlington. Up somehow became down. Right and left have tragically transformed from directions into ideological mountains on which we aggressively plant flags. And don’t even get me started about how “being right” somehow became the collective focus of a society that was built on a foundation of doing the “right” thing. Frankly, I’d much prefer to see a smile than hear a rant. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in that desire. I’m also pretty sure this month’s cover prompted some of you to smile. It shows what spring is supposed to look like: new blooms ... nature in action ... the order of things when things work perfectly ... And peace. Surely, we can all enjoy some peace. On page 24, we further extend our spring greeting with a story from the Arlington Parks & Recreation Department about container gardens. Before I got this job, I spent the lion’s share of my career working for a magazine that was created to help garden centers help customers lead happier lives. The process is simpler than it sounds: You incorporate nature into a setting in the yard or patio that inspires people to want to go there and stay there, even if just for a short while. When people do that, they tend to forget the worries of the day – how do you worry while you’re watching a bee frolic from blossom to blossom, carrying out a natural procession that will ensure the scene’s return year after year after year? Indeed, that bee is marching forth. My friend was right. There really is something special about that date. Especially this year.

yale@arlingtontoday.com Visit arlingtontoday.com, like us on Facebook 10

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

and follow us on Twitter

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and Instagram

EDITORIAL Editor Yale Youngblood Sports Columnist John Rhadigan Special Columnist Major General Patrick Brady Website & Social Media Manager Bailey Woodard Graphic Artist Francisco Cuevas Contributing Writer Kenneth Perkins Contributing Photographers Dwayne Lee, Heather Lee, Bruce Maxwell SALES / CIRCULATION Business Manager Bridget Dean Sales Managers Laura DiStefano, Andrea Proctor, Debbie Roach, Tricia Schwartz Distribution Manager Hanna Areksoussi PRODUCTION Production Manager Francisco Cuevas ARLINGTON TODAY is published monthly. Copyright 2021 Arlington Today, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means without permission of the publisher. The inclusion of advertising is considered a service to readers and is not an endorsement of products. Basic subscriptions are $33.95 for 12 issues. To subscribe, e-mail subscriptions@arlingtontoday.com.

ARLINGTON TODAY GIVES BACK Arlington Today magazine proudly sponsors Alliance for Children, the Junior League of Arlington, the Miracle League and Theatre Arlington.

Phone number: (817) 303-3304

1001 N. Waldrop, Suite 505 Arlington, TX 76012

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Phone 817-277-9415 • Fax 817-277-0360 Email info@womenshealthservices.com

•

THIS ‘N DATA Here are the 16 candidates vying for the title of 2021 Miss Cinderella.

Helen Moise

Photo: City of Arlington

Moise appointed to NLC Community & Economic Development Committee

rlington City Council District 1 representative Helen Moise has been appointed to a one-year term on the 2021 National League of Cities’ (NLC) Community and Economic Development Committee. This committee is responsible for developing policy positions and leading NLC’s advocacy on issues involving community and economic development, land use, recreation and parks, historic preservation, and international competitiveness. In addition, the Committee leads efforts in support of federal grant programs that support these activities, including the Community Development Block Grant program. As a committee member, Moise will play a key role among a diverse group of local leaders in shaping NLC’s policy positions and advocating on behalf of America’s cities and towns before Congress, with the administration and at home. “It is important that Arlington have a voice in identifying emerging topics related to economic development, housing and land use in today’s post COVID world,” says Moise, who is also chair of the Arlington City Council’s Community and Neighborhood Development Committee.

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

CINDERELLA BALL The annual fundraising gala for the BGCGTC will take place on April 3

he 2021 Cinderella Ball will be held at 6:30 p.m. on April 3 at Esports Stadium Arlington + Expo Center. The major fundraising event for Boys & Girls Clubs of Tarrant County, the ball will feature 16 local high school students who have solicited donations from individuals and corporations to support BGCTC programs. This year’s Miss Cinderella candidates are: Brooke Birdsong, Francesca Brown, Preslie Cavett, Lynzie Chavez, Elena Coats, Edie Cravens, Kirstyn Dickey, Cassidy Hoffman, Toska Holsopple, Karina Laureles, Olivia Pokrifcsak, Karoline Pompa, Ainsley Rhodes, Ivana Tava, Emma Woodard and Katie Wright. The 2020 Miss Cinderella, Mary Nelle Cravens, raised $57,598.11, and the collective 2020 candidate group raised $308,704.74. The Cinderella Ball has been held annually for more than 60 years. The event is planned by the Ladies’ Auxiliary, which has around 70 members and is open to any women in the community. The only expenses incurred are those to put on the Ball. There are no Auxiliary salaries as it is a completely volunteer, non-profit organization. The goal of the Cinderella Ball is to raise as much money as possible for the Boys & Girls Clubs by reaching out to the community. The funds also provide a $2,000 scholarship for future educational needs of the Boys & Girls Clubs’ Youth of the Year. For more: cinderellacharityball.com

Looking for awesome things to do in Arlington? Visit urlzs.com/ewkvH

•

THIS ‘N DATA

LOCAL LEADERS PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO THE LATE U.S. REP RON WRIGHT

SCOOPS

1. Two local students recently won awards in the Lucretia Council Cochran Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution’s American History Essay contest. The sixth grade winner is Tran Le who also won state. She attends Mary Moore Elementary. Her Gifted and Talented teacher is Amanda Vu. The fifth grade winner, Lia Fontenot, attends Starrett Elementary. Her Gifted and Talented teacher is Rachael Donnini. 2. The Mansfield Public Library (104 S. Wisteria St.) has added new study booths. These sound-insulated micro rooms, which may be “checked out” in two-hour intervals, are ideal for your Zoom meetings, virtual interviews or individual study sessions.

3. Two free online classes will be held this month to help residents get the information they need to become leak detectives. DIY Sprinkler Repair will be held from 6-7 p.m. on March 1. Register at eventbrite.com/e/ diy-sprinkler-repair-registration-133043513731. DIY Home Plumbing Repair will be held from 6-7 p.m. on March 8. Register at eventbrite.com/e/diy-homeplumbing-repair-registration-133162491597.

RAISE YOUR HAND if you knew that 11 former University of Texas at Arlington baseball players made it to the major leagues after their college careers. The first was Dave Owen, who debuted in 1983. The Joel Kuhnel most recent is Joel Kuhnel, who currently plays for the Cincinnati Reds.

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

nited States Congressman and former Arlington Mayor Pro-Tem Ron Wright died last month at the age of 67 after testing positive for coronavirus. Wright was elected to represent Texas’ 6th congressional district in 2018 and served in Congress until his death. But he is best-remembered in this area as an Arlington City Councilman from 2000-2008 and former Mayor Pro-Tem from 2004-2008. He was part of a city council that negotiated the deal that created AT&T Stadium – and thus made Arlington home of the Dallas Cowboys. With a keen eye on both the past and the future, Wright was a noted historian and was the founding president of the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation Program, which was created to preserve the financial windfall associated with gas drilling activities undertaken on city-owned properties for the benefit of Arlington’s future generations. Wright is survived by his wife, Susan, and their children and grandchildren. After his passing, local leaders in many circles remembered Wright as a stalwart for conservative causes and as a fair and devoted public servant. Here are some of the tributes: “I’m saddened at losing a great friend and a great champion for Arlington and Tarrant County. Ron was always professional, a man of integrity in everything he did and a voice of reason. He worked hard to find solutions for everyone. And even if people disagreed with him, they respected him.” – Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams “Ron was a good friend with the heart of a consummate public servant. The constant in all his achievements was that he cared about the people he served regardless of whether or not they voted for him – he was always there for them. Our community is a better place today because he stood strong in his commitment to help achieve that very outcome.” – Former Arlington Mayor Richard Greene “Ron Wright fought the good fight for a very long time. He was a friend of some 25 years; he supported and encouraged me in my first attempts at the Fielder Museum. Ron was someone who listened. If I could not get a project going, he was the one that opened doors so I could get my foot in.” – Geraldine Mills, Director of the Arlington Historical Society “He was a great man, loved and respected by all. May his great use of statesmanship and compassion be an example to us all.” – Peter Scott, former financial advisor at Edward Jones “People like Ron cannot be replaced for his family and his constituents. He never wavered from his faith in God and America over the 50 years that I knew him.” – Tom Wilder, Tarrant County district clerk “I will say he was a great example of servant leadership. Ron was an example that many leaders could look to follow both in their public and personal walks.” – Jack Webb, board chairman of Leadership Arlington “I treasure all the time, wit and wisdom, and never-ending energy Ron shared with all of us.” – Jenni McGarry, owner of J.R. Consulting

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THIS ‘N DATA

Arlington Aquatics will start offering aquatics programming at the new AISD Natatorium, beginning on March 1

rlington Aquatics will start offering aquatics programming at Arlington Independent School District’s natatorium beginning on March 1. Lap swim and water walking will be available to the City of Arlington Parks & Recreation members or via an $8-per-day pass. Visitors wanting to purchase a day pass can do so with a card; no cash or checks will be accepted at the facility. Programming was originally set to start with the natatorium opening in September 2020 but was delayed due to COVID-19 budgetary impacts on the Parks & Recreation Department. Arlington Aquatics programming will take place in the warm-up pool located within the natatorium. It is a 25-yard pool that is 4 feet deep and that features four lap lanes. No City programming will take place in the 50-meter competition pool. Visitors should note the pool temperature is set to 82 degrees, perfect for lap swimming and activities, but noticeably different than the East Library and Recreation Center pool, which averages 87 to 88 degrees. Programming will be available from 6:30-8:30 a.m. and from 3 p.m.-8:30 p.m. These hours are scheduled to change based on the AISD schedule of events. Arlington Aquatics members will enter through a separate entrance from Arlington ISD located off to the side. The entrance door is labeled “Training Pool.” This entrance will open onto the pool deck, where there will be a lifeguard to assist with check-in. Members will also have access to locker rooms separate from Arlington ISD with showers and bathroom amenities available for use. In addition to lap swimming and water walking, residents will also soon be able to register for American Red Cross swimming lessons for children ages 4 to 12 years old, as well as for adult beginners, private lessons, and water fitness classes. Open swim will not be available at this location. For questions pertaining to Arlington Aquatics natatorium hours, or membership, call Arlington Parks and Recreation at 817-459-5474. For information on The Arlington ISD Athletics Center, where the natatorium is located, competition pool swimming, or rentals contact Suzanne Dangelmaier, sdangelm@aisd.net.

CITY CELEBRATES ‘CHRIS OWENS DAY’

eb. 9 was a special occasion for former Lamar offensive lineman Chris Owens, who was honored by the city with a day in his name after he started at center for the Alabama Crimson Tide in the school’s nationalchampionship-winning game in January. In addition to being recognized for his football prowess, Owens was honored for his “humility and servant leadership” by Mayor Jeff Williams.

#atpetofthemonth

Meet Charlie. Charlie is a Husky/Chihuahua. We adopted him from The Humane Society of Fort Worth. He is very energetic and vocal. He’s small, about 22 pounds, but he eats like a horse! – Sharon Whittington

Arlington By the numbers 16

$17.1 billion

372

51 feet

The University of Texas at Arlington’s total annual economic benefit to the region

The number of home runs belted by Juan Gonzalez, the Texas Rangers’ record holder

The maximum depth of Lake Arlington, which was created in the late 1950s

Source:uta.edu

Source: mlb.com/rangers

Source: arlingtontx.lakesonline.com

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

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arlingtontoday.com • March 2021 • ARLINGTON TODAY

When you’ve discovered the limits of your child’s education options, it’s time to transfer to Arlington ISD Currently accepting transfers March 1 -19 for students pre-K through 12th grade aisd.net/transfer STEM STARTS EARLY The Arlington ISD has two STEM labs at every elementary school ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITIES Sports begins in junior high at 10 campuses with some sports being taught by varsity coaches JUNIOR HIGH IS KEY Apply for one of three early college high schools or the STEM Academy at Martin High in eighth grade SAFETY AND SECURITY Arlington ISD is a district that puts the safety of students and staff as a top priority ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY We started the 2020-21 school year on time by distributing 40,000 pieces of free technology to students ACADEMIES FOR ALL We have FIVE specialized elementary school academies that focus on everything from STEM to leadership and four high school opportunities COMMUNITY SUPPORT, TOO Our community passed a $966 million bond in 2019 to improve all schools We want your child to join the Arlington ISD community. Arlington ISD is proud to have: • Professionally Certified Educators • Proven Leadership • Academic Excellence

aisd.net/transfer

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AROUND TOWN

Miracle League is more than just a ball game

Jose prepares to take a swing during a Miracle League baseball game. Photo courtesy of the Miracle League

leagues. (Higher leagues are for higher-functioning players). race Whetstone likes to tell this story of a mother whose “Of course, it’s more than just about playing a baseball game,” baseball-playing son hits a little blooper that scoots Whetstone says. gingerly into the infield. As frantic fielders scramble for It’s about making the opportunity to be treated like other it, she’s off, as if shot from a canon, sprinting alongside her son athletes, about acquiring social skills, being empowered by toward first base. When they both arrive safely, the son proudly independence. mounting the base, mom literally loses it, breaking out into “It makes them feel like they are part of not a special team, but uncontrollable tears. a team,” Whetstone says. “We don’t baby them. We support them On any other diamond outside of the Miracle League, this and encourage them, regardless if they are hitting off a tee or would have been odd and excessive – some crazy mother batting.” streaking down the sidelines as her son gallops to first base. For The Miracle League isn’t just an Arlington thing; it’s a national Whetstone, the executive director of Miracle League DFW, it was thing, having started in Georgia in 2000. For Arlington, it goes captivating, riveting, moving. back to Doug Inman, who first saw a report about the Miracle “I was so fortunate to witness that,” she says. League in 2004. He raised $400,000 to build the area’s first Miracle Whetstone has been leading this sports league for those with League field on land donated by the City of Arlington. disabilities for five years now and scenes like that one rarely The pandemic has wreaked havoc on the games, but next month get old. How can they? The Miracle League is specifically and they will offer their popular hitting lovingly designed for children and clinics. Email miracleleaguedfw.com if young adults with myriad disabilities interested. Whetstone says that while the and because of it reigns as a Godsend league has been around for some time, it for the parents seeking a sense of is still one of those hidden gems. normalcy for their child, even a Kenneth Perkins “We have been fortunate, although the temporary one. It doesn’t matter what need is still great,” Whetstone says. “A lot mental or physical disability it is – of people still don’t know who we are.” autism, Down syndrome, spina bifida, THE MIRACLE LEAGUE Even those who do can be a bit in a wheelchair or walker – barriers are hesitant. removed so they can just play. is a Godsend for parents “Parents always want to know, will Games are on a custom-designed seeking a sense of normalcy their child fit in. Will they stand out? field with a cushioned synthetic for their child. Will they like it?” Whetstone says. turf and adaptive equipment to help “We’re like, that’s fine. Just bring them. prevent injuries. Fields have wheelchair They might just sit on the ground. They might cry. That’s okay. accessible dugouts and a completely flat surface to help the They can’t hit or run the bases? Doesn’t matter. It’s all about what visually impaired. Bases are painted so participants can roll or that child wants that day.” walk right over them. Whetstone was an executive with the YMCA before leaping Volunteers are matched with the athletes, going where they go, head first into Miracle League. Now her daughter and husband doing what they do, allowing parents the chance to enjoy it all are involved as coaches. She can’t imagine being anywhere else, from the stands. doing anything else. Oh, and this: players bat once in each of the two innings played, “You’re constantly reminded why you do this by looking into the are always called safe, and everyone scores. The last player to bat families’,” Whetstone says. “Just having their kids go out there and gets a home run and the score always ends in a tie. be themselves. It sounds small but to them it’s everything.” Miracle League DFW has swelled to 300 players on 20 teams scattered amid minor, major, senior, intermediate or competitive Kenneth Perkins has been a contributing writer for Arlington Today since it debuted. He is a freelance writer, editor and photographer.

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

arlingtontoday.com • March 2021 • ARLINGTON TODAY

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PICTURE-PERFECT MOMENTS

Scene

Snapshots of note from places and events in the Arlington/Mansfield/Grand Prairie area

Go Mavericks! Kerry Gonzalez and City Councilman Raul Gonzalez prepare to enjoy some UTA basketball.

Family bonding

Mansfield’s “Feed the Need” event

Photos courtesy of Feed the Need participants

State and city leaders (including State Rep. David L. Cook, center in the photo on the right) teamed with residents to solicit donations and distribute food during Mansfield’s “Feed the Need” event in coordination with Mansfield Mission Center.

Jim Ross and his grandson recently enjoyed a meal at Prince Lebanese Grill.

Could you use it in a sentence?

Well, we said this weather was for the birds

Photos: Photos: City of Arlington Arlington ISD

Arlington ISD last month crowned its two top spellers, with Maya Shah from Boles Junior High (Area 8) and Katelyn Lavigne from Little Elementary (Area 7) taking the top honors.

A noteworthy retirement

Photo: Arlington Police Department

New Police Chief Al Jones (right) thanks retiring Detective Troy Medina for nearly four decades of service to the city.

Prince Lebanese Grill comes to the rescue

COVID-19 vaccinations

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

Photos: City of Arlington

As the Arlington Fire Department administered thousands of vaccinations to local residents last month, two of the recipients were noted longtime educators Sheila Cook and Jerry McCullough.

Photos: Prince Lebanese Grill

Who was that masked man? It was noneother than Aziz Kobty, manager of Prince Lebanese Grill, who delivered Valentine’s Day meals to health care providers at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital.

Photo: City of Grand Prairie

This beautiful robin in Grand Prairie wasn’t particularly fazed by last month’s wintry conditions.

Mayor Jeff Williams in Washington, D.C.

Photo: City of Arlington

Mayor Jeff Williams (center, right) met with President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group to discuss The American Rescue Plan.

The Law Offices of Stephanie A. Foster, P.C. Deciding to divorce is one of the most important decisions a person can face so it makes sense to know your options. One option is traditional courtroom litigation. Another option is collaborative divorce. Although attorney Stephanie A. Foster is prepared to be the warrior in your courtroom battle as she has been in thousands of Tarrant County divorce cases over the past 28 years, her preference is to be the peacemaker in your interest-based negotiations through the dignified, private, child-protecting process known as collaborative divorce which involves no court. Stephanie A. Foster is confident that the collaborative process is a powerful way to generate creative solutions in family law disputes while minimizing financial and emotional damage to the couple and their children all the while promoting post-divorce psychological and financial health of the restructured family. As a family law mediator and one of the first Tarrant County attorneys trained in collaborative law, attorney Stephanie A. Foster will help you navigate through your divorce options and zealously represent you through the process of your choice. Contact attorney Stephanie A. Foster today to discuss your options.

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•

INTO THE GARDEN

Photo: thespruce.com

Photo: Kerry Michaels

Sprucing up for Spring How you can create eye-catching container gardens at your home • By Danica Dodson

f you want to take your garden to the next level, plant containers are a fun and simple way to add character and volume to your space. The right arrangement of texture, height, and color can go a long way, especially if you’re working with a small planting area. Arlington Parks & Recreation Department’s Urban Forestry Land Manager, Wendy Pappas, suggests these ideas for creating eye-catching plant containers that are sure to bring your garden to life! Container Options It’s important to choose the right type of container for your planter. Whether your planter will be made of clay, metal, plastic, or any other material, it needs to have some form of drainage hole. All plant containers need adequate drainage to release excess water. If the container is a large pot, one drainage hole in the middle may not be enough. If you purchase a plastic container with no holes, you’ll need to drill holes in the bottom yourself. Your best bet is to find containers that already have drain holes to eliminate the drilling step.

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

Soil For Containers After you choose your container, you’ll need to decide which type of soil to add to the container. For small planters, a standard potting soil mix will work just fine. If you have a very large planter, you may consider adding filler material beneath the soil to take up space. This will allow for better drainage than filling a large planter entirely with soil, and it will also make large containers much easier to move. Some common filler materials are pool noodle pieces or packing peanuts. Just make sure your filler material is lightweight and will allow water to filter through to the bottom of the container rather than pooling. Choosing Plants Of course, choosing plants for your containers is the most exciting step! This mostly depends on personal preference and how you want your container to look. For a normal flowering planter, it’s a good idea to choose something that will grow tall for the middle of the pot. One option is an ornamental grass,

Container gardening in THREE easy steps

Photo: Heritage Images/Getty Images

1. Choose a container that accents the plants (and be sure it has holes in the bottom for drainage).

Photos: Kerry Michaels

like purple fountain grass or even a feather reed grass. Other plants that look nice as a tall accent are Elephant Ear, Hibiscus, Canna, Dracaena, or even a small Boxwood or Holly. The key is to find something you like and build from there! After choosing a plant for the middle that will grow tall and add height, you can choose a nice flowering plant to surround that. Some great flowering plants for pots include Petunia, Begonia, Angelonia, Euphorbia, or maybe a Coleus if you’d like to include some bright foliage. Lastly, fill in the remaining space in your planter with something that will hang over the sides of the container. Some options for this include vines like Potato Vine, Ivy, String of Pearls, or Jasmine. To get the most volume out of your container, make sure to fill it with plants but leave a little room for growth. Containers often do very well with fertilizer, so fertilizing once a month with something like Miracle Grow can do wonders for your plant containers. Last step: Enjoy being the envy of the neighborhood. Danica Dodson is a horticulture specialist with the Arlington Parks & Recreation Department.

2. Center your plant in the container and surround it with fertile soil and fillers to ensure vitality.

3. The fun part: Picking plants. Mix color with foliage, and your garden will be the talk of the town. Photos: City of Arlington

arlingtontoday.com • March 2021 • ARLINGTON TODAY

GETTING DOWN

TO BUSINESS

ichael Jacobson, President & CEO of The Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, recently visited with Arlington Today to discuss the state of local business. Here are his thoughts ... ARLINGTON TODAY: In a nutshell, what’s the state of the business community in the Arlington area nearly a year into the COVID situation? MICHAEL JACOBSON: The first word that comes to my mind is adaptive. The business community has shown incredible innovation and resilience. There are great examples throughout the City from restaurants creating drive-thrus and new family-style meal options to local retail stores streaming on Facebook Live in order to highlight their store inventories. Businesses have learned to operate in this new world, and, with customers becoming more comfortable, they – and we – are in a healthier position today. Our business community is persevering through this crazy time, and now we see the light at the end of the tunnel. AT: The Chamber has taken a number of measures to help local businesses in recent times. Can you highlight the ones you think have been most vital to date? If there are other measures in the works, could you note those, as well, please?

need, and Arlington’s workforce infrastructure is as strong as any in the world. From AISD’s Dan Dipert and MISD’s Ben Barber Career Tech Centers to TCC Southeast Campus to UTA to specialty training schools, we can adapt our workforce to meet the needs for the future, which will be critical. Entrepreneurship will exponential grow as we move out of the pandemic, and Arlington has an expanding ecosystem in place, ensuring we will be a hotbed of the business boom. There will also be demand for more flexible work environments that are cost-efficient for the business, desirable for the employee and supported by world-class technology infrastructure. The development of Downtown Arlington and the Entertainment District are putting us on the map as a community that can achieve an unmatched combination of cost and quality. One transaction I would share that has happened during the pandemic is the creation of an Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center at UTA. AT: How do you see the Chamber’s role evolving as we turn the corner on the pandemic and look to 2022 and beyond? MJ: The Chamber’s mission to champion economic and community prosperity will not change, but how we accomplish that mission will. The need to help our members grow their businesses, the need to foster economic growth, the need to amplify the voice of business and the need to develop our future workforce is and will be just as critical as ever. We have adapted to operate in the virtual world, and our reach has increased dramatically. With over 90,000 views of our online content in less than a year, we know there is a demand. The future will require us to calibrate the right mix of the physical and virtual world to have maximum impact.

Q&A

With Michael Jacobson, President & CEO of The Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce

MJ: As a nonprofit organization, we felt the initial impact of the pandemic ourselves and thought that the best way we could help our community was to be a source of information and support. We immediately took steps to shift and modify existing programs to address the constantly shifting information. I think, by far, the best example of this was moving our professional development series to Facebook Live where we could connect with members and share relevant information and enlightening guests directly to their screens. We also frequently surveyed our members to assess how the pandemic impacted their businesses. In a survey completed in February, approximately 50% of the respondents say that COVID-19 has had a negative impact on their business. Surprisingly, 35% of the respondents have felt no impact, and 15% have improved their business. AT: What are some of the more important business trends you see unfolding in the Arlington area as we look to the future? MJ: The upskilling and reskilling of the labor force will be a critical

AT: What’s the best advice you could give to a local business owner these days? MJ: It’s hard to nail down a single piece of advice that crosses the spectrum of our diverse small business community. Each of them individually faces different opportunities and risks. With that in mind, I strongly encourage you seek the advice of others. When you find something that works, share it! Our tagline at the Chamber is “Together, We Succeed.” Those words are truer today than ever. Arlington is a very supportive community full of incredibly talented entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders who might see an answer to an obstacle you find insurmountable. arlingtontoday.com • March 2021 • ARLINGTON TODAY

Spotlight on ...

DOWNTOWN ARLINGTON MANAGEMENT CORP.

n part due to its amazing location, Downtown Arlington is at the center of North Texas business. Downtown Arlington Management Corporation’s revitalization strategies align with the community’s vision of building a walkable, vibrant urban core between the Entertainment District and the University of Texas at Arlington. Investors and developers have been discovering Downtown Arlington. Here are some of the highlights of how business is booming in Downtown Arlington ... Abram Street Thanks to the citizens of Arlington, a re-imagining of Abram Street from Cooper and Collins Streets was approved as a part of the 2008 bond election. This $21.96 Million capital project, which recently was completed, included the rebuilding of Abram Street from Cooper Street to the Grand Prairie city limits. Driven by the benefits of a more pedestrian-oriented downtown – such as improving health and safety, developing a sense of place, and boosting the downtown economy – the redesign includes franchised utility relocation, drainage correction, LED street lights, safer on-street parking, and many streetscape and pedestrianfriendly amenities such as new sidewalks, shade trees, landscaping and benches. The Levitt Pavilion Hospitality Suite The Baylor Scott & White Orthopedic & Spine Hospitality Center at Levitt Pavilion Arlington will enhance the Levitt’s free music experience by adding permanent bathrooms that include restrooms for physically challenged patrons and a designated family restroom. The upstairs has a hospitality suite that can be rented for private parties and events. The suite features a small kitchen, an A/V system and a concert-viewing deck. Urban Chic Properties The Center Street project brings six luxury townhomes to the downtown area presented by Urban Chic Properties. These homes all offer three-bedroom plans with two living areas, 2.5 baths, two-car garages, covered patios and private yards, with two plans offering a study, as well. Prices start from $398,726 for those dreaming of downtown residency. The Pecan Street project provides luxury living in a more residential environment, while still in walking distance to Front Street Urban Union restaurants and shops, as well as Center Street’s entertainment area. Urban Chic Properties presents three luxury townhomes all with three-bed, 2.5 bath, two-car garages, covered patios and private yards and one unit boasts a study, as well. Park 7 Downtown’s new mixed-use development offers a unique solution to downtown’s housing needs between Mesquite and Elm Street. 28

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

The five-story development is geared to UTA students on the south side, and families seeking an urban living lifestyle on the north side of the project. Main 7 The Main 7 townhome development is DAMC’s first for-sale luxury urban townhome development, bringing 53 homes to market. Modeled after the Dallas Highland Park luxury urban villas, the Main 7 development provides for two/three bedroom and two-car garage housing opportunity, ranging from $350,000-$400,000 for those dreaming of downtown residency. Urban Union Phase II Even as Phase I of Urban Union’s redevelopment wrapped up with several new businesses joining this mixed-use project, including Catalyst Creative, Salter Bros. Coffee Roasters, and Hurtado BBQ, there is still more to come. Phase II of Urban Union’s construction includes two new residential projects. The first, Urban Union Lofts, features 22 modern lofts with balconies facing the vibrant bustle of Front St. Urban Union Townhomes feature 14 for-sale townhomes within walking distance of Front St. Its location at 401 E. Main Street will share a common wall with Urban Alchemy Coffee + Wine Bar. As the first coffee and wine bar in Downtown Arlington, Urban Alchemy opened in 2018 and has quickly become a favorite of locals, entrepreneurs, out-of-town visitors, and students.

PRINCE LEBANESE GRILL

hile the pandemic and last month’s devastating winter storm dealt some heavy body blows to many Arlington area businesses, Prince Lebanese Grill has emerged as a champion at answering the bell – and the call, whatever that call might be. As area restaurants have struggled to address coronavirus-related challenges, the Prince team, led by owners Francis and Amira Kobty and their offspring Aziz and Elizabeth, has consistently created innovative solutions to keep and attract customers. When initial government rulings outlawed inside dining and allowed eateries to offer only drive-thru, curb-side take-out and delivery service, Francis crafted a window at the restaurant to accommodate business that way. “Dad said, ‘don’t worry about it,” Aziz recalls, “and he literally built a window so we could offer drive-thru service.” Then, to make sure people realized Prince was there to take care of them during their time of need, Aziz came up with the idea of the “Family Meal” available in all the allowed means. It included four complete dinners, a gallon of tea, and, when it was introduced, a roll of toilet paper. General Manager Aziz Kobty and the “Mom and Dad thought I had gone crazy when I suggested adding that,” Aziz says. In fact, the team at Prince Lebanese Grill have gone above and beyond to serve customers in public went crazy happy over the idea, especially given that TP was in short supply in the early days recent times. of the pandemic. “It kind of became a signature item for us that people talked about.” The Fort Worth Star-Telegram eventually wrote about the novel pandemic-riffic item, and business boomed as a result of the clever addition. The buzz about Prince continued after the eatery made another innovative move, both during the pandemic and during the storm: delivering meals to first responders. Aziz says the notion came from a customer who wanted to help those helping others, and the restaurant quickly began matching a meal with any meal customers purchased for first responders. Like its predecessor, the idea caught on instantly. “Our main thought from the start was, ‘we don’t want to put anyone out of work here,’” Aziz says. “We’re blessed with a hell of a staff. And we’re blessed to have the greatest customers anyone could have. I’m so happy to say we haven’t had to let go of one person from our team.”

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

IVFMD

state-of-the-art fertility center in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, IVFMD offers basic and breakthrough diagnostic and treatment choices to unlock your fertility potential. IVFMD, located at 600 W. Mayfield Road in Arlington, provides IVF that is both effective and affordable. Established in 1997, IVFMD is one of the few fertility centers in Dallas Fort Worth that can claim 20 years of experience with consistently high IVF pregnancy rates year after year – at a reasonable price. “We believe in making leading-edge fertility technologies accessible to as many families as possible by reducing the Dr. Renju Raj is one of three financial stress during the journey toward parenthood,” says fertility specialists and gynecologists at IVFMD who Dr. Renju Raj, one of three fertility specialists and gynecologists are dedicated to helping at the practice, along with Dr. Beverly Reed and Dr. Sy Le. “Our patients realize their dreams of becoming moms. Global IVF Fee is one of the most affordable in the country. We are also transparent in treatment cost. You can find clear information about IVF cost on our website. We are also an in-network IVF facility for Aetna, Cigna and United Healthcare. Covered patients do not have to pay out-of-network fees when they use our centers.” IVFMD offers a full range of fertility testing and state-of-the-art treatments, including ovarian reserve and male testing, HSG; minimally invasive reproductive surgery and tubal reversal; IVF, ICSI, PGT/PGD, egg cryopreservation; Invocell IVF, Mini IVF; and donor egg and surrogacy cycles. Dr. Raj says the practice’s unparalleled personal care sets IVFMD apart: “We are committed to making you a mom.”

IVFMD • 600 W. Mayfield Road • 817-701-1290 • ivfmd.net

Spotlight on ...

PRIMROSE SCHOOLS

rimrose Schools’ two Arlington locations are focused on providing premier early education and child care to area families who appreciate a balanced approach of purposeful play and nurturing guidance from teachers. Lynn Groff has owned and operated Primrose School of N.E. Green Oaks for 25 years after working in childcare and becoming convinced that there had to be better options for parents looking for a preschool that provided a true educational foundation for children. “What sets our school apart is our focus on the whole child,” Groff says. “We truly believe who children become is as important as what they know. We focus not only on education but on developing the person as a whole. Social-emotional intelligence is one of the best predictors of future success. Our curriculum weaves character development and life skills into daily experiences so children can learn behavioral and relationship skills.” Sherman and Jaime Hatch have owned Primrose School of Southwest Arlington since 2017 after opening schools in Mansfield and Grand Prairie in 2001 and 2007, respectively. After being introduced to Primrose Schools, the Hatches appreciated “the emphasis they have on education, health, and the well-being of preschool age children,” and thus began a career for them that provides vast opportunities for growth for the children they have served over the past two decades. Primrose Schools’ purposeful curriculum for infant care and early education has passed through many levels of scrutiny from the company’s expert education panel and esteemed advisory board. The schools’ focus is always on what will best serve the needs of Primrose children and families with an eye on innovation and advocacy for quality early education for all children.

Primrose School of NE Green Oaks • 1900 N.E. Green Oaks Blvd. • 817-543-2626 • PrimroseNEGreenOaks.com Primrose School of Southwest Arlington • 4621 W. Sublett Road • 817-478-6160 • PrimroseSouthwestArlington.com

GRACIE LANE

sk virtually any avid shopper in town, and he/she will tell you that a definite “go to” destination in the Arlington area for items both fun and functional is Gracie Lane. Since opening in 2014, Gracie Lane has rapidly become recognized as the Arlington area’s premier shopping haven for clothing, jewelry, home decor, gifts and more. As long-time connoisseurs of the best shopping venues, the members of the Gracie Lane team have gathered the most impressive local collections – and put them for sale under one delightful roof. When you visit Gracie Lane, you will be pleased with the quality and excited by the experience – plus you get an added bonus that comes in the satisfaction of supporting local businesses. Gracie Lane’s inventory runs the gamut, from children’s clothing and accessories to stand-out pieces for women, from gifts that express true personal connections to home décor that will become focal conversation pieces, from a wide variety of jewelry items to the proverbial “more.” Manager Mary Macken says the real key to Gracie Lane’s success, though, is the relationships she and the team build: “I believe our philosophy of treating every person that walks through our doors as a family member really resonates with our customers.”

Gracie Lane • 4720 S. Cooper St. • 817-468-5263 • gracielanecollection.com 30

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FRANK KENT CADILLAC completes deal to purchase Arlington dealership T

he big news in luxury cars locally isn’t a new model, but, rather, the Jan. 1 purchase of Arlington’s Cadillac dealership by the Fort Worth-based Frank Kent Cadillac. “We are excited to be joining the Arlington community,” says Will Churchill, owner of Frank Kent Cadillac. “We have huge plans for this store and are excited to get going.” In the transaction, Cadillac of Arlington was sold by Group 1 to the Frank Kent Group. Group 1 had purchased Moritz Cadillac of Arlington in 2013. Churchill says the wheels on the new deal were put in motion, as it were, last October, with the sale finally being consummated at the start of this year. Churchill says the new franchise in the Frank Kent portfolio will marry the luxury synonymous with the Cadillac brand with its roots in the American Dream City. “For starters, Cadillac’s pinnacle vehicle, the Escalade, is made here in Arlington,” he says. “It’s time there is a dealership that exemplifies the magnitude of this and gives the customers an equal experience. We have been a Cadillac dealer in Fort Worth since 1953 and an automotive dealer since 1935, so we completely understand the brand, the community, and the responsibility.” Churchill says a number of changes are in store for Frank Kent Cadillac of Arlington, currently located at 2001 N. Collins St. “To accomplish the task we have put in front of us, we understand the need for a larger, more Cadillac-like facility,” he says. “We are currently in the design phases of that new store and

have selected property to move it to, pending zoning approval from the City of Arlington. The new store will also have a Cadillac Wines store in it, just like our Fort Worth location. It has proven to be very well received from our clientele and appreciated.” Until doors are open at the new facility, Churchill says his team is dedicated to bringing Cadillac back to the forefront of luxury in Arlington in the current location. “In order to accomplish this,” he says, “we have completely revamped the service team. The new service manager came from our Fort Worth location, so he understands what our expectations are and the experience our customers expect. We also have a couple of new service advisors that come from import luxury brands that have a deep knowledge of the luxury client and their needs. There are some familiar faces that were there from the Moritz days, and they bring a high level of service and knowledge with them. “The general manager of the store has been with Frank Kent for almost two years, so he, too, understands the luxury client and their needs. We have created an all-star team of men and women at this store and are excited to see the growth we can achieve together. We are working on some very specific Arlington marketing plans, but those take time to do correctly, and we will make those announcements when the time is right. Our motto is ‘Community Driven and Locally Different since 1935,’ so that should give you a clue.” For more: fkcoa.com

SIX FLAGS, HURRICANE HARBOR are now hiring

ix Flags Over Texas is open and seeking new team members for more than 20 diverse departments as the park ramps up for spring and summer operations during its 60th anniversary season. Named one of the Nation’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® by the National Association for Business Resources for four years in a row, Six Flags offers a wide variety of positions and paid internships. Hurricane Harbor-Arlington, the largest waterpark in North Texas, is also hiring lifeguards and other positions ahead of its opening in May. Pre-employment certification is available for those interested in their first job as a lifeguard. Positions are available for individuals 15 and up. How to apply: • Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor are offering a new virtual application process that is available 24 hours a day. 32

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

• Candidates that meet the initial screening criteria will receive a notification for an immediate virtual interview. • Contingent offers can be made within minutes of completing the virtual interview process. Available positions: • Operations: Ride Operations, Park Services (clean team), Security, Parking Lot Drivers/Attendants • Aquatics: Lifeguards and Ride Attendants (Hurricane HarborArlington) • In-Park Services: Food Service, Retail, Photographers, Games • Guest Experience: Admissions, Guest Relations/VIP Services • Entertainment/Events: Costume and High-Profile Characters • Maintenance: Electrical, Plumbing, Painting • Corporate Alliance Brand Ambassadors Where to Apply Online at sixflagsjobs.com

Fellowship and Five-Star Care

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GRAND PRAIRIE ranks as the best city in the nation for Black Americans

n a study released last month in conjunction with Black History Month, personal finance website SmartAsset puts Grand Prairie in a tie with Virginia Beach, Va., as the place where Black Americans fare best economically. SmartAsset took into account six factors in analyzing 129 of the largest U.S. cities: median Black household income, Black home-ownership rate, share of Black adults with a bachelor’s degree, share of business owners who are Black, Black participation in the workforce, and Black poverty rate. “Nationwide, when it comes to wealth and personal finance success, Black Americans have struggled more compared to the rest of the population. In some parts of the country, however, economic outcomes for Black Americans are more favorable,” the study says. According to the study, Grand Prairie boasts the fourth highest Black workforce participation rate (79.9 percent) and the lowest Black poverty rate (less than 5 percent) among all 129 cities in the study. Additionally, more than one-third of Black adults in Grand Prairie hold a bachelor’s degree (ranked sixth out of 129), and the

median Black household income exceeds $63,000 (ranked 10th out of 129). Close to 23 percent of Grand Prairie’s nearly 195,000 residents — or more than 44,000 people — identify as Black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Statewide, almost 13 percent of residents are Black. Niche.com ranks Grand Prairie as DFW’s sixth most diverse suburb.

AMAZON to open a delivery station in Arlington

mazon will open a new delivery station that will create new full-time and part-time job opportunities in Arlington. The Arlington site is part of six new delivery stations that will be added in North Texas to power the last mile of Amazon’s order process and help increase efficiency of deliveries for customers. Packages are shipped to delivery stations from neighboring Amazon fulfillment and sortation centers and loaded into vehicles for final delivery to customers. Arlington’s Amazon delivery station is set to open later this year at 2400 Centennial Drive, just north of Division Street and west of SH 360. “Arlington is honored to have been selected for one of Amazon’s new delivery station,” says Mayor Jeff Williams. “With close proximity to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport and several major interstates, our city is ideally located to help companies like 34

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

Amazon deliver their products quickly and efficiently across the country. This investment is a welcome addition to our community and will create hundreds of good-paying jobs for our residents.” The new delivery stations, also set to open in Mansfield, Balch Springs, Fort Worth and McKinney, will create hundreds of full- and part-time jobs, pay a $15 per-hour starting wage and offer a variety of benefits packages from day one, the company says. “We are excited to continue our investment in Texas with new delivery stations across DFW that will create hundreds of new job opportunities and provide faster and more efficient delivery for customers,” says Amazon spokesman Daniel Martin. “We look forward to continuing our growth in Texas and want to thank local and state leaders for their support in making these projects possible.”

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EDUCATION

LENDING A HELPING HAND IN A BIG WAY Chamber, AISD team to assist college-bound students in paying for their higher education

ollege is just around the corner for many high school seniors, and it’s really not too far off for juniors either. Arlington ISD and the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce want to make sure these students are ready and can get as many scholarships as possible. The district and Chamber both have websites that list scholarships and often work together to maximize opportunities and outreach. “There’s so much money out there,” says Telisa Brown, Arlington ISD director of guidance and counseling. “Apply!” Alicia Collins-Butler, the Chamber’s director of education, workforce and community development, echoes that sentiment. “No scholarship amount is too little,” she says. “It all helps.” Even a small scholarship makes an impact, especially if a student can stack it with others. So, take Brown’s advice. Check out these websites and apply for as many scholarships as you can. Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Website The Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce’s newlylaunched page, arlingtontx.com/scholarships, highlights the Chamber’s four scholarship programs. This year, the Chamber has partnered with the Arlington ISD, the M.E.T.A. Foundation, the Pettinger Foundation, Medical City Arlington, Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital and Texas Health Resources to provide 27 scholarship awards totaling $70,000 to the Arlington community. The Greater Arlington Chamber knows that one of the best ways to develop a strong business community and economy is to invest in the future workforce of greater Arlington. To

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

date, the Chamber has provided over $238,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors within the Arlington ISD and students attending Tarrant County College and the University of Texas at Arlington. “We are committed as an organization to developing our community’s future,” CollinsButler says. “This year, we are excited to offer more scholarships than ever before. It is our opportunity, and responsibility, Story and image: Arlington ISD Communications to impact the next generation of business and community leaders by investing time and resources into their success.” Two of the scholarship programs – the Chamber scholarship and Innovation scholarship – come with more than tuition dollars. They also include mentorship during the application process. Students are interviewed as part of the application. But before the interview, applicants go through an orientation that teaches them how to interview. As part of that orientation, former scholarship winners return to help the new applicants learn the nuances of an interview. The skills taught not only prepare high school students for the scholarship interview, they also help equip them for college. Arlington ISD Scholarship Website The Arlington ISD scholarship page, tinyurl.com/mngqsva0, includes a long list of opportunities, including five scholarships only available to Arlington ISD students. “We continuously update the page to make sure our students and school counselors always know about their many scholarship opportunities,” Brown says. The website is just one of many resources Arlington ISD high school students have as they prepare for college and careers. Each high school has a scholarship counselor, and every high school counselor can help students find and apply for scholarships. Plus, every high school has a GO Center. The GO Centers offer students college and career advisement, mentorship, financial aid assistance, virtual career resources and more. Students, now is the time to prepare for your future. Talk with your school counselors, visit your GO Center and check out the scholarship webpages as you prepare for life after high school.

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BEHIND THE WHEELS

SHARED EXPERIENCE DEFERRED

Bob Sherwood’s ‘55 Chevy Bel Air convertible was, is, and always will be a classic Photos: Richard Greene

Here’s a classic Rolls that very few people have been able to see • By Richard Greene

magine becoming the owner of a vintage Rolls Royce built for an Italian Baron to exacting specifications that make it one-of-a-kind. Then, imagine circumstances occurring that suspend the opportunity to describe its provenance to fellow Rolls enthusiasts, and you would be sharing that disappointing experience with local attorney Steve Laird. Steve acquired this 1958 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud just over a year ago – at about the same time the national coronavirus pandemic was taking hold of the country. “There are local Rolls’ clubs, one in Dallas, another state-wide, and nationally. I joined them all and was looking forward to meeting fellow owners, participating in shows and road trips and, understandably, all of that had to be canceled,” he laments when describing what has happened. “I am anxious for those to pick back up, but I’ll just have to wait. Those clubs include owners of Rolls automobiles that comprise ones that are older, some much older, and newer than mine.”

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

When Steve Laird and his Rolls Royce finally get to circulate, those he visits will see a car with meticulous craftsmanship and a keen attention to detail. Photos: Richard Greene

Many of those owners also have great stories to share along with their special collections. Steve’s, however, will be hard to top. This luxury automobile was ordered from Rolls-Royce Limited in Crewe, England. The hand-written build sheet details the specifications just as Baron Paulo Apuzzo de Portanova wanted. In addition to his Italian home, the Baron had another in Los Angeles in 1958, and the first requirement he had was for the steering wheel to be located on the left side so he could properly navigate the byways and freeways of California. A long list of details was penciled in to suit his preferences, including factory-installed air-conditioning that still works more than 60 years later. That feature itself makes the car one of only 35 that Rolls built that year providing such comfort to its owners.

The reverse button on the “column quadrant” was to be deleted; shields for the door locks; rear-room increased capacity; coat hangers; a “made in England” badge; and, for the floor of the trunk, an exclusive lambswool rug crafted by the 100-year old English Morlands rug maker rounded out the extensive features not shared by the famous car maker’s other Silver Clouds of the time. In my visit with Steve, he produced two large three-ring binders containing the original parts descriptions by number of every single screw, nut, bolt, and every other part that went in to assembling the car. Such a resource makes it possible to maintain the original condition of the car when refurbishment or refitting of any detail is required to keep the car like new. The most dramatic example of this arlingtontoday.com • March 2021 • ARLINGTON TODAY

The larger engine was a bit cramped in the outcome is found in the interior woodwork of the engine bay, as you can see from the photo here dashboard, side panels and fold-out tray tables in of both the bonnets raised (we call them hoods the back seat. in this country) to reveal the powerplant and To achieve such results when those features all its attached equipment. were replaced, the woodwork was imported from There’s a lot to share about this remarkable England to ensure its authenticity. example of Rolls luxury in a car built for The engine in the ’58 model is a six-cylinder an Italian Baron, and Steve is ready to do it unit with twin carburetors producing a top as soon as he can. In the meantime, he says speed, according to the British Motor magazine, with a bit of longing, “I enjoy driving it short of 103 miles per hour, acceleration from 0-60 in distances around the neighborhood and a little 13.5 seconds and a fuel consumption of 14.5 miles Steve Laird has a pair of three-ring beyond.” per gallon of gasoline. binders that chronicle each part that makes his car a unique classic. He also has those stuffed three-ring binders Interestingly, the following year, Rolls offered to memorize some of the parts numbers so an 8-cylinder version, the Silver Cloud II, but if when he is talking to other Rolls owners, he can impress them you wanted one of these, you would have to remove the right with how deeply familiar he is with all the details of his. front wheel to change the spark plugs.

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

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UTA TODAY

equity in every area of operation will support their students in their educational journeys to success,” says Teik C. Lim, UTA’s interim president. “I’m proud of our faculty and staff, who are committed to empowering people from all backgrounds with the education and skills necessary for making a difference in the 21st-century American workforce. Through our focused efforts and innovative programs, we are expanding career options for students across Texas.” For nearly three decades, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education has identified the top 100 institutions awarding degrees to minority students, using the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Education. In last year’s rankings, UTA also was No. 1 in Texas for master’s degrees awarded to all minority students and for the number of degrees earned by African American students at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. With a focus on access and excellence, UTA is among the most diverse universities in the nation. Other honors include: • UTA is one of a select few universities in the nation to achieve designations of both Hispanic-Serving Institution and Carnegie R-1: “Very High Research” in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. • U.S. News & World Report ranked UTA fifth among national universities for undergraduate ethnic diversity in 2021. • Hispanic Outlook on Education magazine ranked UTA among its top 100 universities nationwide for Hispanic students. It was No. 24 in total enrollment and No. 9 in master’s degrees. “Our commitment is to provide the knowledge and experiences that future graduates will need to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” says Troy Photo: UTA Johnson, vice president for enrollment management. “By continuing to Magazine’s annual report shows that UTA leads the state in the number create and support a community of of degrees earned by African-American students • By Devynn Case diverse learners who will succeed together and teach one another, we have developed a great mix awarded to Hispanic students and No. 11 for master’s degrees. of talented students with different perspectives who enrich our “Institutions like The University of Texas at Arlington that campus and forge our unique identity as Mavericks.” are truly inclusive and that embrace and advance diversity and ore African American students earn bachelor’s or master’s degrees from The University of Texas at Arlington than from any other four-year institution in the state, according to an annual report from Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine. The magazine’s annual list of the nation’s most diverse universities again recognizes UT Arlington as a leader in the education of diverse, workforce-ready students. According to the magazine’s rankings: • In addition to being first in Texas, UTA is No. 12 nationally for bachelor’s degrees awarded to African American students and No. 13 for master’s degrees. • The University also ranked first in Texas for number of master’s degrees awarded to all minority students and 15th nationally. UTA is No. 13 nationally for bachelor’s degrees awarded to all minority students. • Nationally, UTA ranked No. 15 for bachelor’s degrees

TOPS IN TEXAS!

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

arlingtontoday.com • March 2021 • ARLINGTON TODAY

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A CHILLING TALE

The

GREAT COLD RUSH of 2021

THE TEMPERATURES plummeted. Then they stayed in a free fall for days. The snow arrived. Then it returned. By the time the week of Valentine’s Day 2021 had concluded, Arlington and the surrounding areas had experienced the most chilling – and devastating – winter storm in recent history. By Feb. 16, the thermometer would show a temperature of 0° in many reaches. The snowfall would measure more than four inches in most neighborhoods. But the measurement that mattered most to area residents came in the way of despair and, sometimes, panic, when they would watch their homes go dark and wait for hours – even days – for electricity to return. The “lucky” family members and friends took in their less fortunate counterparts, several thousands of them. A lot of them stayed for days. Pipes began breaking to spur gushing fountains that soon became ice sculptures that weren’t appreciated at all. Meanwhile, the water supply became another victim of the storm, as both its quantity and quality waned throughout the worst stretch of time many people could remember. And they were still remembering the pandemic. Years from now, we’ll all remember the winter of 2021. And we’ll probably think twice about wishing for a “snow day.”

Photos courtesy of the Cities of Arlington and Grand Prairie & various residents

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

arlingtontoday.com • March 2021 • ARLINGTON TODAY

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LOCAL DWELLINGS

HOME SWEET! HOME

This ‘before/after’ project shows how some small changes can make a big difference

f you know anything about real estate, you know LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION is what it’s all about. So, let’s say you are in a great location, but you need a total revamp on your house. You may be inspired by the multitude of home improvement shows but are afraid of your reality when it comes to structural and financial options. It might be surprising how small changes can go a long way to change the look, feel and flow of your home. For example, with this home, renovated by Posse Construction in Mansfield, removing a wall and cabinets in the kitchen made for an open concept layout. The original kitchen window was bricked in and an angled wall straightened to give the room cleaner lines and more usable space. The master bathroom also got a fresh new look while still maintaining a piece of the wonder years with a glass block

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

window. Relocating plumbing and re-situating a tub and shower is sometimes needed to make the room more functional, as seen in our project. Sleek and crisp new quartz, tile, fixtures and wood flooring finished off all the major structure and plumbing changes to keep this house looking like the belle of the ball for many years to come. Painting cabinets and adding new pulls is another change that transforms an old style into modern day. Change is good, and when it comes to home renovations, you can pay now or pay later – meaning, you can pay for the updates now and enjoy them while you live there, or you can pay when it is time to sell by having to sell for less. For more: 817-453-6299 – Julie Short, Representative of Mansfield Custom Homes and Posse Construction

Before/After ...

arlingtontoday.com • March 2021 • ARLINGTON TODAY

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SHOW TIME!

Big BUCKS RFD TV’s The American Rodeo will return to AT&T Stadium this month as cowboys and cowgirls compete for a huge pay day RFD TV’S THE AMERICAN RODEO will return to Arlington’s AT&T Stadium this month. Known as the world’s richest weekend in western sports due to its tremendous prize offering of $2.3 million, the event is set for March 6-7. Action will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 6, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 7. “The American Rodeo has always been about the cowboys and cowgirls, and last year’s rodeo had a lot to do with determining who not only qualified for the 2020 NFR, but who was eventually crowned the World Champion in each event,” says Patrick Gottsch, Founder and President of Rural Media Group, Inc., parent company of RFD-TV, Rural Radio on SiriusXM and The Cowboy Channel. “With COVID understandably still challenging many rodeos around the country, we feel it is even more important to hold The American Rodeo as scheduled in March, in order to give cowboys a chance to win big money that counts towards PRCA’s standings, and also give rodeo fans some sense of normalcy. “Over recent months Texas has proven to be a popular and safer destination with practicing CDC guidelines for major sporting events with the World Series, the Wrangler NFR, and the Rose Bowl game, which all moved to Arlington from their originally scheduled locations over the past year.” The American Rodeo qualifying events are held across the country, throughout the calendar year, as ropers and riders hope to compete and make it to The American Rodeo Semi-Finals and Finals. Locally, the 11-day rodeo competition kicked off last month in the Fort Worth Stockyards for slack and Semi-Finals, and the Finals will be held in “the big event” in Arlington. The American Rodeo unites the top athletes in the world from the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association and pits them against underdogs who advance from The American Rodeo Semi-Finals, together to battle for the biggest single, life-changing paycheck of their lives. All events will be broadcast live on The Cowboy Channel and RFD-TV. “I’m a known rodeo fan and really admire the strength and determination of the athletes,” says Jerry Jones, owner, president and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys. “The American Rodeo boasts a life changing prize purse for these competitors, and I couldn’t be more thrilled that it is returning to AT&T Stadium.” For more: theamericanrodeo2021.com 50

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

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PICTURE-PERFECT MOMENTS

Scene

Snapshots of note from places and events in the Arlington/Mansfield/Grand Prairie area

UTA Ceremony

Photos: UTA

UTA officials Teik Lim, Scott Ryan and Elizabeth Merwin help break ground on the School of Social Work and the College of Nursing and Health Innovation’s Smart Hospital.

Arlington Charities

Photos: Pudge’s Pizza

As the first snowflakes began to fall during last month’s historic cold spell, Arlington Charities was answering the call by providing food to its neighbors in need.

When life deals you lemons ...

Photo courtesy of Kim Grogan

Kim Grogan found a creative way to keep her light shining during a power outage at her home last month.

And Baby Makes Four ...

Chicken N Pickle ceremony

Photo: City of Grand Prairie

Grand Prairie city officials participated in ceremonies announcing the pending opening of Chicken N Pickle, a 77,000-squarefoot venue that will feature a dining room, pickleball courts and 7,500 square feet of outdoor yard games.

Photos courtesy of Tonya Cook

Tripp Matthew Hinson is the newest addition to the household of Luke and Blake Hinson, daughter of State Rep. David L. Cook and his wife Tonya Cook.

UTA grant and award winners

Photo: St. Maria Goretti Catholic School

Mayor Jeff Williams poses with members of Ms. Pick’s eighth-grade history class at St. Maria Goretti Catholic School after the class invited him to speak to them about his job and about how local government works.

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

Mansfield City Council Recap

Photo: Photo:City CityofofMansfield Mansfield

Mansfield Mayor Michael Evans delivered an online recap of a recent City Council meeting.

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MAINLY MANSFIELD

PRIME

TIME Photo: forbes.com

Amazon is the first company to take root in the new Mansfield International Business Park

mazon, the world’s leading e-commerce corporation, will be the first tenant of the new Mansfield International Business Park, leasing 219,000 squarefeet of space for a package handling facility. The facility, currently under construction and set to open later this year, serves as the last wheel in the cog of the company’s massive logistics and shipping distribution system. The warehouse will serve as a delivery station of packages that come from Amazon’s larger fulfillment centers. Amazon will lease the facility from Atlanta-based developer Seefried Properties. Seefried’s Dallas office negotiated the lease. “From the beginning, our goal with the Mansfield International Business Park was to draw some of the world’s largest corporations to our community through access to quality office and industrial space and our city’s excellent location in the DFW area,” says City Manager Joe Smolinski. “Clearly, our plan has been successful. They don’t get much bigger than Amazon. We look forward to Amazon’s opening and the continued success of Mansfield International Business Park.” Smolinski credits the vision and commitment of the city council and city staff that saw the potential in the site and demonstrated a willingness to wait for a project that was right for Mansfield. New Mayor Michael Evans says the project and the jobs it brings will be a big boost to the Mansfield economy, and to the city’s overall economic development efforts.

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

“Amazon, like many other companies and industries, has found that Mansfield is an excellent place to do business,” Mayor Evans says. “We are excited to have them in our city, bringing their innovative logistics technology and distribution operations to the Mansfield business community, as well as bringing jobs for our residents. Our local economy will benefit because of their investment in Mansfield.” The Mansfield International Business Park is a 155-acre industrial area located in the southwest portion of the city near FM 917. The development was approved by the Mansfield Economic Development Corporation board and the City Council in 2017 with a goal of providing Class A Industrial space. “Mansfield has become a target market for this type of industrial activity,” says Richard Nevins, the city’s director of economic development. “Class A industrial space is in high demand from businesses and industries, and we have needed additional properties located in Mansfield to market to this clientele for quite some time. This is why the Council and the MEDC board believed this business park was necessary.” Amazon was founded in Washington state in 1995, first as an online bookstore. By 1999, the company had become the largest online sales platform, expanding to sell other goods. In 2020, Amazon total net sales were $96.15 billion. The company has 1.2 million employees worldwide. There are more than 100 large fulfillment centers across the United States.

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NEWS & NOTES

Bulletin Board Arlington marks the 70th anniversary with its sister city, Bad Königshofen

ome five years after World War II ended, refugees had streamed into a small town in Bavaria called Königshofen (now called Bad Königshofen). BK was located just a few miles west of what had become the border between East and West Germany. A bevy of refugees, who risked their lives to escape the communist East, overwhelmed the tiny town. A great shortage of food and clothing resulted, and BK was in desperate trouble. A visitor from BK met with then Mayor, Tom Vandergriff, and shared their plight. The Mayor and other leaders in Arlington were Photographed by Bruce Maxwell from the church moved and wanted to help. On Sept. 17, 1951, tower in July, 2016, this is the charming town square in Bad Königshofen. the Mayor wrote to Konigshofen’s Mayor, Kaspar Lurz, about Arlington’s desire to send aid and its hope to strengthen the bonds between their two countries and their two cities. It was in that year that Arlington and Königshofen became Sister Cities. More than 100 people in Arlington worked diligently to collect thousands of pounds of clothing, bedding, canned goods, threading and needles. All the school children in town created scrapbooks with photos and letters to include in the first of four shipments (1952-1955) to the German town that dated back to 1532. On Feb. 1, 1952, a railroad boxcar was filled with all that had been collected. The Texas & Pacific railroad transported the gifts free of charge to New Orleans, from which they were shipped to Germany by the Lykes Steamship Company. There was great celebration that day at the railroad station. Mayor Vandergriff, the Chamber of Commerce and committee members, citizens and school children all attended, and the Arlington High School band performed. When the gifts arrived in BK, local charities distributed all they had received – 1,226 people were helped. Hospitals and schools in town were given soap and cans of food. The people of Bad Königshofen sent hundreds of letters, pictures and handmade gifts to say thank you. The citizens also decided to show their gratitude by naming the town’s park “Arlington Park.” “Peace and Friendship” statues were erected in Arlington Park in Bad Königshofen. A Bad Königshofen Recreation Area was created in Arlington’s S.J. Stoval Park. Throughout the past seven decades that the two cities have been close allies, citizens have visited and honored each other. This remarkable friendship and anniversary will be commemorated with both celebrations and the publication of their unique and beautiful story. If you are interested in supporting this milestone, please send donations to Sister Cities of Arlington, TX, c/o Julianne Warner at 101 W. Abram St., Arlington, TX, 76010. You can call 817-846-7473 for more. – Linda Altoonian

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

Kellam to retire as Head of School at Oakridge

on Kellam will retire as Head of School at The Oakridge School in summer 2022. He has held the position for 15 years. “After many months of thoughtful deliberation and fervent prayer, Kristi and I have determined that the next academic school year, 20212022, will be my last as Head of School,” Kellam wrote in an announcement. “Making the announcement this far in advance is out of my respect and love for the Oakridge family – the community I cherish.” Kellam says he is timing his retirement to afford the school’s board sufficient time for a national search for his successor. Throughout his tenure the school was known for its innovative ways. In 2016, Oakridge was recognized as the Lausanne Learning Institute’s Spotlight School for Innovation, and from 2017-2019, Oakridge hosted a national conference for innovative teaching and learning on campus.

UTA offers a bachelor of arts in philanthropy; it’s the first such degree in the state of Texas Heath Woodard

Mike Hanke

Mansfield parks employee comes to the rescue of a neighbor in need

ongtime Mansfield resident Mike Hanke is crediting parks employee Heath Woodard for being on the scene and providing assistance during a recent medical emergency. Hanke was visiting a customer in the Mansfield Industrial Park when he began to feel ill as he was driving away. Concerned he would hurt someone as he was driving, Hanke brought his car to McClendon Park West, hitting a stop sign as he entered the parking lot. Woodard, a 28-year Mansfield Parks & Recreation employee, was working at the park when he saw Hanke’s car and realized something was wrong. Recognizing he was having a medical emergency, Woodard got Hanke to his seat in his car, ran back to get his cell phone from his truck and called 911. As they waited for help, Woodard stayed with Hanke, following the dispatcher’s instructions and reassuring Hanke that he was staying with him. Hanke would recover after the emergency, and he and his wife recently met with Woodard at McClendon Park to express their gratitude and get some details about the emergency that Hanke still has difficulty recalling. He said on that day, McClendon Park was a “safe haven” for him.

he University of Texas at Arlington this year introduced a bachelor of arts in philanthropy, the first such degree in the state of Texas and the second in the nation. Colton Strawser, coordinator and lecturer for the new program, says the new degree offers a chance for UT Arlington students to turn their passion into a profession. “Many college students want to change the world,” Strawser says. “Americans gave nearly $450 billion to charity in 2019. Slightly over 5% of individuals living in Texas work in nonprofits, making it one of the largest employment sectors in the state. Having a degree program preparing Colton Strawser students for these jobs is an essential way UTA can help contribute to a vibrant nonprofit field that builds strong, healthy, sustainable communities.” The new major in philanthropy will prepare UTA students for various positions in the nonprofit industry, including roles in fundraising, communication, volunteer management and coordination, program leadership and coordination, donor and foundation relations, and research and public policy. Students will have the opportunity to implement communications strategies within the nonprofit sector to advocate, elevate and lobby for change in communities. Strawser came to UTA from San Diego, Calif., where we worked with a variety of arts and culture organizations in the region. His department had a contract with the City of San Diego, and he scored all of the requests for funding for the city and ensured that arts organizations qualified for and could manage a city contract. Strawser also led a variety of professional development workshops and programs for arts organizations in the areas of program evaluation, fundraising, communication, etc. Fernando Jaramillo, associate dean for students and programs in the College of Business, says there is a strong business demand for the degree. “Based on projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is expected that this new degree will produce employable graduates who will meet a growing regional and national workforce demand,” Jaramillo says. “The nonprofit sector in the United States is comprised of nearly 2 million organizations, and corporate giving and community outreach provides additional opportunities.” For more: uta.edu/communication//undergraduates/philanthropy.php

arlingtontoday.com • March 2021 • ARLINGTON TODAY

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NATIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR MUSEUM

This medal winner had a very interesting career

Daniel Sickles (center) with his staff

Photo: pinterest.com

the war, he commanded much of the South during reconstruction. ertainly one of the more interesting heroes on the rolls of In this capacity he outlawed discrimination against Blacks and Medal of Honor recipients was Daniel “Devil Dan” Sickles. demanded they be treated fairly. He was sensitive to the rights of He was a lawyer, politician, Civil War general and an the southern farmers and protected their land and wages. He also ambassador – one of the most admired and reviled men of his outlawed whiskey which, considering his reputation, must have time. Sickles was a mix of all that some Americans have admired been painful. in their heroes past and present. He was, of course, courageous, Sickles was a political general, as were many other generals in but also a gambler in the mode of Maverick, an undercover agent, the Civil War. And, of course, as is the wont of politicians, many much enamored of the fairer sex and paramour of a former queen, were dedicated to glamorizing themselves and de-glamorizing as per 007. others. Some resented the celebrity of Sickles and acted accordingly. He was also deadly serious about his honor, as was another hero, Sickles was by most accounts an effective general, seeing action in Andrew Jackson, who challenged to a duel the most dangerous four major campaigns (ending at Gettysburg, often described as the dueler in the country for dishonoring his wife. He was fully aware turning point in the War; and Sickles may have been instrumental that he would be shot, and he was. The bullet missed his heart by in that victory). And he may not have been, depending on which a fraction and remained in place the rest of his life. Despite the political general one is to believe. In any event, he was awarded the deadly wound, he stood his ground and killed his adversary. He Medal of Honor for his actions at Gettysburg. told his astonished doctor he would have lived long enough to kill On the second day of that battle, Sickles was hit by a cannonball his wife’s disparager had he been shot in the head. Lot of honor in that smashed his right leg. He never lost the man, as there was in Sickles. consciousness and, in an effort to raise Sickles, despite his reputation as the spirits of his men (who admired him a lady’s man ( he was censored for greatly), puffed on a cigar and smiled at bringing a known prostitute into General Patrick Brady them as he was carried off to have his leg Congress), tracked a man who had an amputated. Three days later, President affair with his wife through Washington, Lincoln and his son visited him in the D.C., and shot him to death in Lafayette DANIEL SICKLES once hospital. Lincoln obviously disagreed Park in the shadow of the White House. with Sickles’ detractors. The unfortunate adulterer happened to engaged in a duel with Sickles was aware of an effort by be Philip Key, the son of Francis Scott Philip Key, son of Francis the Army Surgeon General to collect Key, the author of our National Anthem. Scott Key. Sickles won. “specimens of morbid anatomy” and sent In a sensational trial, Sickles was his leg to the National Museum of Health acquitted on the grounds of temporary and Medicine, where it remains today. insanity, a first in legal jurisprudence. It may also have been the Many of the generals who fought at Gettysburg have been first time a member of Congress was tried for murder. memorialized with statues, not so general Sickles. When reminded Sickles was hailed as a hero for saving the Washington ladies of this he simply declared that the entire battlefield was his from the scoundrel Key, described as the handsomest man in memorial. In any event none of the other generals have a memorial Washington. In a surprising display of compassion, or perhaps to their leg, as does Sickles. It may be the most famous leg in the because of his conscience, Sickles forgave his wife, knowing that annals of warfare, surely the only one with a statue in its honor. the mores of the time denounced her actions as unforgivable and He spent his later years championing veterans causes and often would condemn him for it – which they did. visited his leg. We will also be able visit his leg when it is displayed The compassionate side of Sickles was evident during the war, at Arlington’s NMOHM along with other memorabilia of this most when he refused to return slaves who escaped to his Union camp. remarkable man. He put some on the payroll and trained others to be soldiers. After General Patrick Brady earned the Medal of Honor for actions in Vietnam, where he flew over 2,500 combat missions and rescued more than 5,000 wounded men, women, children, enemy as well as friendly. His column about The National Medal of Honor Museum, which is being constructed in Arlington, runs quarterly.

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

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DINING GUIDE

Keen Cuisine UPSCALE

Mercury Chophouse

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 The Keg • 4001 Arlington Highlands Blvd. • 817-465-3700 • kegsteakhouse.com 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

The Grease Monkey

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

El Arroyo

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

ITALIAN / PIZZA

Café Sicilia • 7221 Matlock Road • 817-419-2800 • cafesicilia.com Gino’s East • 1350 E. Copeland Road • 817-200-6834 • ginoseast.com/arlington

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 60

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

Gino’s East

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SPEAKING OF SPORTS For the first time in a dozen years, the Rangers will have a new shortstop: Isiah Kiner-Filefa.

Getting to know the ‘new-look’ Rangers

Photo: dallasnews.com

the games. Joey Gallo would have been the starting right fielder f I could magically drop you into a seat at Globe Life Field this that day, but he was injured. His Gold Glove skills will be on season, and if I picked, say, June 21st, you would look around display everyday in right. and shout, “Where am I? Who are these guys? And Why is Speaking of Gold Gloves, Isiah Kiner-Falefa won one last Elvis playing for the A’s?” At that point I would try to soothe you year, too, at third base. He is moving to shortstop. First base is and tell you everything is going to be alright; this is all part of up in the air. I am rooting for Ronald Guzman because I like the master plan. him so much. Third base, too, is a battle to be won at spring The first part of the plan has been in place since opening training. day last year. The beautiful new Globe Life Field is designed Lance Lynn got the win against the Yankees that day in 2019. with you in mind. Its greatest feature is the air conditioning. It He now pitches for the Chicago White Sox. None of the guys was the reason we had to leave our old friend, Globe Life Park, who are expected to be the top four in the rotation were even behind. It works; I was there almost every day of July, August with the organization in 2019. Kyle Gibson and Jordan Lyles and September last season, and the game-time temperature was joined last year. Dane Dunning was acquired in the Lynn trade, always a perfect 72 degrees. and Mike Foltynewicz signed in the off season this year. There is so much more to like about the stadium than the Suffice it to say things will be very different this season, and climate, though. It will require exploring. Arrive early your first we have not even gotten to the biggest time. Walk around and find all that change: Elvis was traded. I know you there is to like about this new baseball already know that. It was “Stop the cathedral. Some things will be familiar – presses” type news this off season. It for example, when you look at the seats was one of those stark reminders that and the press box area behind home John Rhadigan baseball is a business, and the business plate you will think you are looking at of rebuilding often means taking it the same section of Globe Life Park. It down to the studs and starting from will help you feel more at home. AS THE RANGERS gear scratch. Your second question, “Who are Logic dictates that it was necessary these guys,” can be answered in two for the 2021 season, fans and that it will give the Ranges great words, The Future. Many of them are will get a glimpse of what financial flexibility as they try to do familiar, having served in lesser roles the future looks like. exactly what they did when they or backup roles in the past. The lineup acquired Elvis in the Mark Teixeira will look remarkably different from the trade – that is, build a championship team. Emotion dictates that last time you saw it in person. The last time any fan saw them it will be so hard to watch a game without Elvis. He was the heart in person was Sept. 29, 2019, when they beat the Yankees 6-1 in and soul of this team, and he poured his heart and soul into this the final game at Globe Life Park. This year will feature three community. I will miss his fire, his friendship and his smile. holdovers from the starting line up that day. Jose Trevino was As hard as it may be, as you sit there and watch the game the starting catcher that day and he will be the starting catcher on June 21st be happy for Elvis, he is getting a chance to play this season, too. Willie Calhoun was in left field on that sunshortstop everyday for the A’s. Be happy that the team has made baked Sunday afternoon. He has worked so hard this offseason, the difficult decision to take this thing down to the studs and and the hard work will continue this spring as he tries to beat rebuild it into a contender. And be happy that even though it is out Khris Davis and become the everyday left fielder. Nick Solak 96 degrees outside you are sitting in the 72 degree comfort of played third base when the team said goodbye to the ballpark. Globe LIfe Field. This year he will be at his more natural second base for most of Sports columnist John Rhadigan is an anchor for the Fox Sports Southwest television network.

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

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EVENTS, ETC.

Itinerary

There’s baseball in the air

TO HELP YOU get past the coldest temps we’ve seen in Arlington in a while, Levitt Pavilion Arlington has its eyes on spring and is bringing back

The Texas Rangers will give fans a glance at what to look for in 2021 when they host the San Diego Padres in a three-game, spring-training-ending series on March 27, 29 and 30 at Globe Life Field. texasrangers.com Photo: texasrangers.com

live music. The venue will present Texas Americana singer/songwriter Wade Bowen at 8 p.m. on March 20. Tickets are from $25 to $40 for general admission and $100 for a limited number of VIP seats on the viewing deck of the new Levitt Center. Tickets are on sale at levittpavilionarlington.org and on the free Levitt Arlington mobile app.

Circle the date: April 24

THE BANKHEAD HIGHWAY is the subject of a new exhibit at Fielder House Museum. Visitors will discover that “The Pike,” Division

Timeless Concerts will present music by Italian composers at 8 a.m. on April 24 at Arlington Museum of Art. The concert will span centuries of music and include a variety of genres. COVID precautions will be in place. timelessconcerts.com Photo: classicfm.com

Street and Highway 80 are all the same as they learn about the beer joints, nightclubs, restaurants and tourist camps that were all located on the famous (and sometimes infamous) highway. The museum, which houses some of Arlington’s most cherished historical artifacts, is open for small groups of no more than four. Masks are required and museum tours feature social distancing. If you are not ready to go in person, Geraldine Mills, executive director of the Arlington Historical Society and the museum’s curator, says the organization will share photos on its web page, historicalarlington.org.

Casting Crowns in concert Grammy-winning multi-platinum group Casting Crowns is bringing its “A Night Under The Stars” tour to Arlington’s Globe Life Field at 8 p.m. on March 27, 2021. The concert will be held in Tacoma Lot R because of COVID precautions. castingcrowns.com Photo: castingcrowns.com

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

arlingtontoday.com • March 2021 • ARLINGTON TODAY

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FINISH LINE

The Chamber directory is a remarkable resource

If you want to know pretty much anything about the Greater Arlington Area, here is your best source.

Wondering about how we stack up in the overall cost of living remarkable resource for those looking for a comprehensive here? Some really good news with these statistics: It’s more than five insight into the workings of our city and the region we call percent lower to live here compared to other U.S. business centers. home is now available. The leading measure is housing cost that comes in at 13 percent lower It’s the newly issued 2021 Greater Arlington Community Profile than the rest. published by the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce. It’s a Our median age is 35, our average household size is 2.8 persons, perfect companion to this month’s issue of our magazine focused on the median household income exceeds $72,000 annually, more local business. than 86 percent graduated from high school and 36 percent earned When Chamber officials talk about the organization’s support bachelor’s or higher degrees. for businesses and the vital role they play in driving our economy The directory highlights 10 reasons to do business in Arlington. and providing abundant jobs and creating careers, you will hear the First, as always, is our strategic location, then the region’s intermodal refrain that what’s good for business is good for everyone. transportation network connected by the now city-wide Via The new directory provides abundant data that makes that claim a Rideshare system, the demonstrated money-saving cost of doing reality. Let’s take a look at some examples of its contents to illustrate business, investment incentives for qualifying businesses, and home how and why it works. Consider this a preview of what you will find to the country’s largest master-planned industrial park. inside the publication when you visit the website listed at the end of It continues with a skilled workforce, strong community and this column. government support for the development and redevelopment of Among the country’s 50 largest cities and the third largest in North the city, accessibility to markets around Texas, Arlington has been recognized for the world, a great quality of life, and some significant achievements by national on Forbes’ Best Places for Business and sources that you will find backing up Careers List. these statistics: Richard Greene There are two pages telling of the top The best run city in Texas, the No. 1 recent economic development wins, two place to own investment property, the No. more describing how investment by big 3 city for first time homeowners, among the top 25 hardest-working cities, the 12th THE 2021 Greater Arlington business dramatically increases growth opportunities for all business large and most diverse city, among the top 20 mostCommunity Profile shows small. livable cities, and the fourth best in which why Arlington is the After more than six decades of to raise a family. planning, Downtown Arlington has The list goes on: among the top 10 most American Dream City. emerged as a place to drive to instead of fiscally sound cities, in the top 35 best a place to drive through. The directory places to live if you are under 35 years highlights the vibrant community our central business district has of age, and rounding out with three major sports teams, almost 15 become through creative energy, and how it is growing. million annual visitors, a AAA bond rating, home to the country’s Two more pages provide names and contact information for all largest esports venue, the largest covered venue in the United States, our elected officials and emphasis on the collaboration among the and home to the region’s largest university. educational institutions ranging from pre-kindergarten through Looking for a job? Here are the city’s largest employers with the Tarrant County College and the University of Texas at Arlington. number of people that work there: the Arlington Independent School As promised, below is the link to the website where you can see District – 8,200, the University of Texas at Arlington – 5,300, General it all. I have covered just enough to whet appetites. So, bookmark Motors – 4,400, Texas Health Resources – 4,063, Six Flags Over Texas this link and enjoy all the content and discover why Arlington is the – 3,800, The Parks Mall – 3,500, GM Financial – 3,300, the City of American Dream City! Arlington – 2,509, J. P. Morgan Chase – 1,965, and, rounding out the issuu.com/arlingtontoday/docs/chamber_directory_2021 top 10, the Texas Rangers – 1,881. Richard Greene served as Arlington’s mayor from 1987-1997 and currently teaches in UT-Arlington’s graduate program of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs.

ARLINGTON TODAY • March 2021 • arlingtontoday.com

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March 2021

Articles inside

The Great Cold Rush of 2021

Prime time

Shared experience deferred

Tops in Texas

Sprucing up for Spring

Big bucks

Lending a helping hand in a big way