Lakewood - March 2015

THE LAKEWOOD LEADER

LAKEWOOD LEADER March 2015

Volume 9, Issue 3

News for The Residents of Lakewood

LAKEWOOD SOCIAL GROUP Check Out Our New Lakewood Neighborhood Group! www.facebook.com/groups/LakewoodSocial Join and Win!!

Since moving to Lakewood I’ve been looking for opportunities to meet and socialize with my neighbors. The people I’ve met when walking my dog or getting my mail have been very friendly, but limited. So, I created Lakewood Social, a Private Facebook Group for Lakewood homeowners and residents to communicate and connect.

This is a great opportunity to meet and socialize with our neighbors, as well as a forum for Community Posts, Local Information, Current Events, Activities, Invitations, Philanthropy and much more. You will be able to find neighbors with common interests, welcome new neighbors, ask for and give recommendations, share your concerns and post questions. This is a Private Lakewood-only group, and will not be used for business advertisement.

I invite you all to join our new Facebook group, and let us know what you would like to hear about. There is a survey on the site to determine what type of content would interest you! Each member will be entered into a drawing to be held at the end of the month for a local restaurant Gift Card. Recommend your neighbors to join!

Join www.facebook.com/groups/LakewoodSocial make a difference in our community. Let's get together and make Lakewood an even greater place to live!

Cynthia Spencer Lakewood Resident cynspen@gmail.com • 512-574-9695 Copyright © 2015 Peel, Inc.

"Apple Cake" INGREDIENTS 3 medium apples, peeled & thinly sliced 1/4 Cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cinnamon 3 cups flour 2 cups sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 4 eggs, beaten 1 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup orange juice 1 tablespoon vanilla DIRECTIONS Combine first 3 ingredients, tossing well. Set aside.

Combine flour, 2 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Combine next 4 ingredients; add to flour mixture, mixing well. Pour 1/3 of batter into a greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Top with half of the thinly sliced apples, leaving a 1/2” margin around center and sides. Repeat layering, ending with batter on top. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10-15 minutes; then remove from pan. Let cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

LAKEWOOD HOA ANNUAL MEETING

COMING SOON!

CHECK OUR WEBSITE: WWW.LAKEWOODHOA.COM The Lakewood Leader - March 2015

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THE LAKEWOOD LEADER NEWSLETTER INFO NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER Peel, Inc......................www.PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181 Article Submissions....................... lakewood@peelinc.com Advertising............................... advertising@PEELinc.com

Mark Your Calendar

Lakewood Garbage & Recycling Dates

NEWSLETTER ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS Interested in submitting an article? You can do so by emailing lakewood@peelinc.com or by going to http://www. peelinc.com/articleSubmit.php. All news must be received by the 9th of the month prior to the issue. So if you are involved with a school group, scouts, sports etc – please submit your articles for the Lakewood Leader. Personal news for the Stork Report, Teenage Job Seekers, special celebrations and military service are also welcome.

BLUE CARTS (BI-WEEKLY PICKUP)

ADVERTISING INFO Please support the businesses that advertise in The Lakewood Leader. Their advertising dollars make it possible for all Lakewood residents to receive the monthly newsletter at no charge. If you would like to support the newsletter by advertising, please contact our sales office at 512-263-9181 or advertising@PEELinc.com. The advertising deadline is the 9th of each month for the following month's newsletter.

CLASSIFIED ADS Personal classifieds (one time sell items, such as a used bike...) run at no charge to Lakewood residents, limit 30 words, please e-mail lakewood@peelinc.com.

Business classifieds (offering a service or product line for profit) are $50, limit 40 words, please contact Peel, Inc. Sales Office @ 512-263-9181 or advertising@PEELinc.com.

Thursday 2/19 Thursday 3/5 Thursday 3/19 Thursday 4/2

GARBAGE & YARD TRIMMINGS

Every Thursday

LARGE BRUSH

TBD, Est June 2015; call 311 if you have questions.

WEEKLY PICKUP Note: If tied with twine as a manageable bundle no heavier than 50 lbs, branches and limbs up to 3” diameter and up to 5’ long are picked up curbside every Thursday.

BULKY ITEMS TBD, Est July 2015. Call 311 if you have questions.

PER CITY ORDINANCE §15-6-17, GARBAGE & RECYCLING CARTS:

• may be placed curbside “between 8:00 p.m. on the day preceding collection and 6:30 a.m. on the collection day” and, • must be removed “not later than 10:00 p.m. on the collection day.”

PER ORDINANCE §16-6-128: Violations are subject to penalties of $100 - $2,000 for each day of the offense, doubled/trebled for 2nd or 3rd conviction in any 24-month period.

PER LAKEWOOD COVENANTS AND BYLAWS:

All waste containers must be stored in a manner such that they are not visible from the street or a neighboring property.

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The Lakewood Leader - March 2015

Copyright © 2015 Peel, Inc.

THE LAKEWOOD LEADER

Fitness Corner THE CORE OF THE MATTER

By Renee Geist!

We’ve all been trained to work our “abs” to look thinner and because everyone is supposed to do crunches! But the truth is our core is so critical to our entire body’s health, performance and level of pain and the abs are just a component of a larger, sophisticated piece made up of also the glutes, hips, sides and back muscles (think spinal stabilizers). And a strong core isn’t just so we can look good, but it’s instrumental to our balance, how we move, sit and more.

Pain in the back and other body parts could be a warning sign that key stabilizer muscles are imbalanced, inflexible or unconditioned to do their job well. In this modern society where many of us sit for prolonged periods for work, school or in flight, it is crucial that we’re aware of our core’s role in everything we do and that we work hard to maximize its strength now and as we age.

The absolute best way to get a strong core is through full body, functional fitness that trains the core to work well in conjunction with the entire body. Crunches will give you abdominal endurance and some strength in the front region, but planks, Pilates, loaded squats, kettlebells and other exercises introducing instability and imbalance will get the job done much more efficiently and effectively as they work the entire core (and they are likely more fun, too!).

If you have questions about how to get on the right track, do some research and work with a trainer who will design a plan that is right for you.

To your core health!

A FLEXIBLE AND STRONG CORE IS NECESSARY FOR:

- Less injury and pain overall - Better day to day life performance (shoveling, carrying groceries, navigating slippery terrain) - Improved athletic performance and efficiency - Balance - Looking tighter - Posture

Renee Geist, Renegade Inside Out Solutions reneelgeist@gmail.com • 512.461.6114 www.facebook.com/ReniosRenee

YOUR COMMUNITY,

YOUR VOICE

Do you have an article or story that you would like to run in this newsletter? Send it to us and we will publish it in the next issue.

Email your document to lakewood@peelinc.com.

Copyright © 2015 Peel, Inc.

The Lakewood Leader - March 2015

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THE LAKEWOOD LEADER

Pet Place Reasons to “Scoop the Poop”

by Jennifer Magness, DVM

Dogs are a very popular pet and are found in many households.

There are 70 million pet dogs in the United States alone. Opening up your home to a dog also means accepting responsibility for that pet, including cleaning up their waste.

Most people have heard the term “scoop the poop” but some people may not have heard the reasons why this is so important.

Some people view dog feces (or what most people call dog poop) as a good fertilizer, but this is actually a myth. Dog diets mostly contain animal products such as chicken and turkey. Thus, a dog’s waste contains substances created by the breakdown of the animal products. It does not enrich the soil for plants such as grass. If not picked up, dog feces can enter waterways via storm drains after it rains. Nitrogen in the feces depletes the oxygen from the water, and the water is made harmful to fish and other aquatics. It is often listed as the third leading cause of water pollution. Dog feces are also considered an environmental pollutant as it contains harmful organisms.

One gram of dog feces may contain as much as 23 million bacteria. Harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli can be found in dog feces. Parasites such as Giardia, Cryptosporidium, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms may also be found. Many of the parasites (usually in a resistant egg form) linger in the environment for years, even if the rest of the dog feces breaks down over time. Both bacteria and parasites are health hazards for both humans and animals that come in contact with them.

Besides the “ick” factor of stepping in dog poop and the unpleasant odor of it, dog feces can serve to attract pests (such as flies) and rodents (such as rats). Being a responsible pet owner and scooping your dog’s poop is important for the community health of both humans and animals. It helps Improve local water quality.

Scooping your dog’s poop also promotes favorable views towards dogs by others in the community.

2015 Real Estate Forecast Forbes magazine declared Austin the “Best Buy City” in America Strong job and population growth, along with an increasing average income has made Austin the #1 Top Market to Invest in housing.

In December, the U.S. Census Bureau named Austin the 3rd-fastest growing big city in America since 2000. More than 65,000 people moved to the Austin area last year, and over 39,000 new jobs were created. Job and population growth have continued to drive increases in home sales volume and prices, with only 2.2 months of housing inventory. 27,768 homes were sold in the Austin area in 2014, at 2014 Year-End Housing Statistics

Avg Sales Price

Austin Metro

$309,975

% Change 2013-2014

over $8.6 billion dollars, setting a new record.

Austin’s growth is expected to remain steady, with the creation of almost 70,000 new jobs over the next two years. Local economists believe current indicators will lead to another strong year in real estate, with prices rising at a slower pace. Approximately 12,000 new homes are slated for construction in 2015, with more growth in the < $250,000 price range.

As your resident Realtor, I am pleased to keep my neighbors informed about market updates.

Please call me if you would like more info!

Avg Days to Sell

7%

47

6%

Lakewood Homes

$431,311

15%

19

44%

Lakewood Condos

$248,500

23%

10

85%

Sky Realty 512-574-9695 Cynthia@cynthiasellsaustin.com 4

% Change 2013-2014

The Lakewood Leader - March 2015

Cynthia Spencer

Lakewood Resident

your Neighborhood Realtor

“I’m pleased to welcome Cynthia Spencer, a fellow Lakewood neighbor, to Sky Realty!”

Curtis Reddehase, President

Join the Lakewood social page for a chance to win a $50 Gift Card from Siena Ristorante Toscana!

www.facebook.com/groups/LakewoodSocial Copyright © 2015 Peel, Inc.

THE LAKEWOOD LEADER

Fit and Fun: Health Tips for You & Your Children By: Concentra Urgent Care

Getting fit and staying fit can be a fun process. That’s true for individuals, and it’s especially true for families.

Fitness is an important topic, especially when your daily routine involves a lot of sitting, whether at work, at school, or at home in front of a computer or TV screen.

The habits that we learn as children are often the habits we carry into adulthood. As parents, we can help our children build healthy habits and find new, fun ways to motivate ourselves and our children to get active.

Below are some ideas for getting off the couch and having some fun while getting fit: • Take an active vacation: It’s tempting every day to think of your vacation as a time to sit and relax. But isn’t that what your body does everyday? Instead, you can plan a trip that includes hiking, biking, skiing, and other activities that the whole family can do together.

• Visit a local park: It doesn’t have to take a whole day, but you could spend a few hours playing at a park. Take a ball (football or soccer), a Frisbee, or a hacky sack, and play. You can invite some friends to join you, too. And remember: It’s not just about the kids moving around – it’s your time, too!

• Hold a block party: Call your neighbors, and block off the closest cul-de-sac for a get together that includes fun and active games. From freeze tag and relay races to hide-andseek and kickball, there are hundreds of activities to choose from that are fun for everyone.

• Go for a hike: Find a local area where you and your family can go and hike for a few miles. Spend time outdoors, and enjoy what nature has to offer while you all get fit!

For more ideas about fun activities, visit the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance’s Web site at: www.aahperd.com.

The Goal: Be instrumental in encouraging children to develop the good habit of moving through space, nurturing their physical power, and getting fit.

For more information about healthy activities, contact your health care provider or your Concentra health specialist.

For more information on the importance of fitness for children, visit the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at:

www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/physicalactivity/ Copyright © 2015 Peel, Inc.

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THE LAKEWOOD LEADER A DESCENT OF WOODPECKERS

NATUREWATCH

by Jim and Lynne Weber

Known for creeping up tree trunks and drilling into wood to nest and find food, woodpeckers are arboreal birds having a vertical posture, rounded wings, a chisel-shaped bill, short legs with strong claws, and stiff tail feathers. These features enable them to climb, prey on insects, and feed on nuts and fruits.

A woodpecker uses its tail for support as it moves up a tree trunk.

Stiff, pointed tail feathers reinforced with longitudinal ridges also have small barbs that curve inward towards the tree, allowing the bird to use its tail as a brace. Its feet are ‘zygodactyl’, meaning two toes facing forward and two toes facing backward, which helps support it when clinging to vertical surfaces. While all woodpecker bills are chisel-shaped, differences in curvature are based on the hardness of the species of wood it excavates as well as the hammering force it uses. Tongues are also specialized in that they are barbed, sticky, and extremely long for the bird’s head, which reduces the amount of excavation required for foraging.

One of the most common and noticeable species of woodpecker in our area is the Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris), which has a black and white barred back, spotted sides, and a face marked with black lines. The males also sport an extensive reddish crown, while the female’s crown is black. While it can nest in several types of trees, it most often nests in tall cactus in the western part of the state, giving it the old name of ‘cactus woodpecker.’

Ladder-backed woodpeckers feed on beetle larvae from small trees, but will also eat prickly pear cactus fruits (tunas) and forage on the ground for insects. When gleaning for insects in trees, Ladder-backed Woodpecker (adult male) the larger male probes and pecks on trunks and larger limbs with his stouter bill, while the female more often concentrates on gleaning bark surfaces on higher branches and outer twigs.

The Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) also has a black and white barred back, but a creamy white to pale yellow breast, a golden orange nape, and a small red cap on the male. A bird found west of the Balcones Escarpment, in flight they show white wing patches, a white rump, and a black tail, often calling as the glide from tree to tree. They feed on insects, nuts (especially pecans), berries, acorns, and a wide variety of Golden-fronted Woodpecker other food items, and only sometimes (adult male) cache food in bark crevices.

East of the Balcones Escarpment, the Red-bellied Woodpecker (Merlanerpes carolinus) has a similarly patterned black and white barred back, barred central tail feathers, and a namesake small reddish patch or tinge on the belly that is often hard to spot. The males have a solid red crown and nape, while the females only have a red nape.

Common in open woodlands, suburban areas, and parks, these woodpeckers are often seen hitching along branches and tree trunks, sometimes wedging large nuts into bark crevices and whacking them into manageable pieces using their pointed beaks.

All woodpecker species use simple calls and drumming against tree trunks to communicate. While the drumming is not a sure-fire way to identify a particular species, it can help you locate Red-bellied Woodpecker (adult female) an individual bird, and maybe even a flock or descent of woodpeckers!

Send your nature-related questions to naturewatch@austin.rr.com and we’ll do our best to answer them.

Check out our blog at naturewatchaustin.blogspot.com if you enjoy reading these articles!

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The Lakewood Leader - March 2015

Copyright © 2015 Peel, Inc.

THE LAKEWOOD LEADER The Lakewood Leader is a private publication published by Peel, Inc. It is not sanctioned by any homeowners association or organization, nor is it subject to the approval of any homeowners association or organization, nor is it intended, nor implied to replace any publication that may be published by or on behalf of any homeowners association or organization. At no time will any source be allowed to use the Lakewood Leader contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from Peel, Inc. The information in the newsletter is exclusively for the private use of Peel, Inc.

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Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.

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