2013 August Preston Hollow

An explorAtion of the force thAt lights, comforts, entertAins And connects us

AlSo oPeNiNg FAll 2013

Methodist Family Health Center –inwood Village

5709 W. lovers lane Dallas, TX 75209

Brand new and just for you, Methodist Family Health Center –Preston Hollow is conveniently located and available to keep your family healthy. Jennifer Bang, MD, and her staff are now nearby for everything from aches and pains and allergies to back-to-school physicals and preventive services for the whole family. Most patients can be seen the same day, and most insurance plans are accepted. So schedule an appointment today and get to know your new family physician for life.

Methodist Family Health Center –Preston Hollow

4235 W. Northwest Hwy., Suite 400 Dallas, TX 75220

M, W, Th, F 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tu 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Schedule an appointment today at 214-750-5100 or visit MethodistHealthSystem.org/PrestonHollow

Jennifer Bang, MD

Now open for your improved well-being.

Exploring the energy grid

The heroes around us

I’ve had a busy summer so far.

Jamie Foxx, Channing Tatum and I figured out a way to prevent world nuclear annihilation, although the White House and D.C. in general didn’t fare too well.

Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer and I tried to eliminate crime and robber barons from the Old West. We did pretty well, although as I think you know, our efforts to stamp out corporate greed in America really only slowed things down a bit.

Spock, Kirk and I also traveled somewhere light-years away to prevent Earth from being destroyed. That was pretty fun, too.

They weren’t putting their lives on the line because it was their “job” or because their boss told them to get in there and do it or because their shift hadn’t yet ended.

No, a sense of civic duty or corporate responsibility wasn’t the driving force behind their super-human efforts. Instead, they were motivated by something more personal.

Channing Tatum wanted to rescue his daughter from criminals, and he wanted to redeem her view of him as a father.

Armie Hammer wanted to avenge the death of his brother and rescue his brother’s wife and son, while Johnny Depp was motivated by a mistake he made as a child that he needed to rectify.

The Star Trek guys had all messed up in the past, and they were motivated to show everyone they really could do the right thing at the right time.

You could argue they performed their crazy feats of heroism because they believed in the greater good, or they felt as if they owed their neighbor a better life, or they simply were willing to risk their lives so the rest of us could live in peace and freedom.

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Superman and I haven’t gotten together yet, although I feel as if I already know the guy and his story. And I haven’t seen any of those touch-feely foreign language films yet. Maybe next month.

What have I learned from my summer adventures? Well, I know they’re only movies, but I was struck by the fact that the heroes weren’t getting shot and stabbed for the love of country, although there was a lot of flag-waving during the action scenes.

And you wouldn’t be all wrong. But every hero (real and celluloid) has a back story, as they say in the movies, and every back story begins with some driving personal motivation or ambition, the need to impress someone or prove something to someone else.

The good news is that the movies aren’t the only places for back stories or heroism or honor.

We write about neighborhood heroes breaking free of the daily grind here in our magazine and every day in our online daily news update at advocatemag.com. We can see them all around us every day, if we just pay attention.

And if we look really hard, even without 3D glasses, we can even see a little bit of heroism in ourselves every once in awhile.

Gaston, Suite 820, Dallas 75214; or email rwamre@advocatemag.com.

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contributors: GAYLA BROOKS, SEAN CHAFFIN, GEORGE MASON, BLAIR MONIE, ELLEN RAFF

photo editor: DANNY FULGENCIO

214.635.2121 / danny@advocatemag.com

photographers: MARK DAVIS, ELLIOTT MUñOz, COBY ALMOND, DYLAN HOLLINGSwORTH, KIM RITzENTHALER LEESON, CHRIS ARRANT

copy editor: L ARRA KEEL

interns: HILARY SCHLEIER, VICTORIA HILBERT, A SHLEY L APINSKI

Summer blockbusters aren’t the only place to find people fighting for the greater good

You could argue they performed their crazy feats of heroism because they believed in the greater good, or they felt as if they owed their neighbor a better life, or they simply were willing to risk their lives so the rest of us could live in peace and freedom.

JESSICA LANG DANCE

SEPTEMBER 14, 2013 • WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE

CANADA’S SCRAP•ARTS•MUSIC

NOVEMBER 22, 2013 • WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE PILOBOLUS

JANUARY 17-18, 2014 • WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE ALONZO KING LINES BALLET

JANUARY 25, 2014 • WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE

PHILIP GLASS: AN EVENING OF CHAMBER MUSIC

FEBRUARY 24, 2014 • WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE ISRAEL’S KIBBUTZ

CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY

MARCH 1, 2014

• CITY PERFORMANCE HALL

APRIL 4-5, 2014

• CITY PERFORMANCE HALL

ENGLAND’S MOTIONHOUSE

APRIL 12-13, 2014 • CITY PERFORMANCE HALL

MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP

MAY 10, 2014 • WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE SHEN WEI DANCE ARTS

JUNE 19, 2014 • WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE special event TITAS COMMAND PERFORMANCE

NEW DATE MAY 2, 2014 • WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE

Things from our websi T e

Trader Joe’s phase of Preston Hollow Village goes before City Plan Commission

search: Preston Hollow Village

Provident Realty Group and Kroenke Holdings plan to start with the first phase of building, which initially will encompass a Trader Joe’s and other retailers. The plan is to develop 140 single-family lots, 11 common areas and 10 nonresidential lots.

DISD pumps money into parent education and pre-K programs

search: DISD

It’s no secret that some of our best neighborhood schools thrive in part because of parental involvement. We’ve heard it time and again. In an effort to get a jump on problems spotted later down the line, the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees voted in June to allocate $5 million to the Early Childhood Education Department — $2.75 million of which will go toward parent education. The goal is to get more students reading on grade level by the end of second grade, since early childhood education can predict how well students succeed in the long run.

Parents call for termination of Preston Hollow UMC children’s center director

search: Preston Hollow UMC

Just two weeks after Preston Hollow United Methodist Church shut down its outdoor playground, parents are petitioning for the firing of Child Development Center Director Rhonda Nekuza after six teachers were fired without notice. Pastor Mike Nichols says the teachers were let go because their contracts were up.

Stay in the know.

For daily news updates, visit prestonhollow. advocatemag.com. Also follow Preston Hollow Advocate on Facbeook and @Advocate_PH on Twitter.

Talk to us. Go online to comment on our stories, and your words could appear in the magazine.

TITAS in association with AT&T PERFORMING ARTS CENTER presents

Jesse Patterson: The power of the performance

At 15, Jesse Patterson has set herself apart from other performers, perfecting the art of the twirl as a student sat Lone star Circus Arts Center.

Lone Star Circus’ professional organization and nonprofit school was created when eighth-generation circus performer Fanny Kerwich realized she was juggling too many people between her Far North Dallas studio and after-school program at Dallas International School in Preston Hollow.

Kerwich, a multitalented performer hailing from France, decided to introduce Dallas children to the circus to give them the opportunity for expression and growth. It was at the school that little 10-year-old Jesse Patterson felt comfortable learning balance and coordination on the trapeze, until she saw a Cirque du Soleil performance that made her excited about hula-hooping. “I got really good after my first year,” Patterson gushes. “I even had a solo.” Now,

the Ursuline Academy sophomore can balance up to seven hula-hoops on different parts of her body while performing in dazzling outfits. She has been handpicked by Kerwich to perform alongside professionals in Lone Star Circus’ upcoming December production of “Charivari.” Patterson practices weekly at Lone Star Circus School, takes private lessons, watches YouTube videos and has transformed herself into one of the top hula-hoopers in the region. “I think I practiced hula-hooping more than I did my own homework,” Patterson admits. She recalls a spring 2012 performance at the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra where Kerwich was supposed to do a performance during intermission, but had Patterson do the two 15-minute inter-

missions instead. “Most people don’t see the circus like performance art,” Patterson says. “But this is very European; it’s not like the regular circus.” Her grandmother Valerie Center pipes in, “Some people say to me, ‘Oh, you let her be with those kind of people?’ It’s professional. It’s art. It’s not like she’s out in the alley with elephants.” Now Patterson is awaiting news to see if she will make it to the International Circus Festival of Moscow in January 2014. Patterson already has passed the first phase of auditions and is excited about the news to come. “I think she is going to be a circus star, no doubt,” Kerwich says.

—Monica S. Nagy

Want to knoW more about Lone Star CirCuS? Visit lonestarcircus.com.

Jesse Patterson: Danny Fulgencio

Out & About

August 2013

Aug. 2

Jeff Black

Jeff Black has collaborated with musicians such as Alison Krauss, Waylon Jennings, Wilco and others, but at 8 p.m. he’ll headline at Uncle Calvin’s Coffeehouse. Black will perform music from his latest album, “B-Sides and Confessions, Volume Two.”

Uncle Calvin’s Coffeehouse, 9555 North Central, 214.363.0044, unclecalvins.org, $15-18

Aug. 3

Back to school pickup

Foster Kids Charity will host a supply pickup where foster parents and CPS workers can pick up elementary, middle and high school supplies for free.

Foster Kids Charity, 9221 LBJ Freeway, Suite 110, 469.248.2786, fosterkidscharity.org

Through Aug. 18

‘Fly’

Dallas Theater Center presents “Fly,” a new musical based on J.M. Barrie’s “Peter Pan.” Three-time Tony Award-winning producer Jeffrey Seller re-created one of his childhood favorites for the 30-person play.

Wyly Theatre in the AT&T Performing Arts Center, 2400 Flora, 214.880.0202, $15-$85

Aug. 24

The Wedding Workshop

Aug. 16

’Til Midnight at the Nasher

The concert and movie event features a picnic with snacks from the Nasher Café and Wolfgang Puck Catering. Alternative country band Calhoun will perform from 7-9 p.m. Bring a blanket to watch “Three Amigos” following the band, from 9-11 p.m. in the garden.

Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora, 214.242.5100, nashersculpturecenter.org

Paper Source in NorthPark Center will showcase their wedding inspiration boards, share samples and teach attendees how to make its own invitations with enclosures, layering and stamping for the 11 a.m.-1 p.m. event. Sign up with a friend and save 10 percent on seats.

Paper Source on Level 1 of NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central, 214.696.4400, paper-source.com, $20

August 5-9, 12-16

We Yogis kids camps

We Yogis kids summer yoga camp hosts its “upside-down” camp Aug. 5, 7 and 9 for children ages 3 to 13. At the camp, children will learn yoga inversion postures and the benefits of safe upsidedown play. The “feeling good” camp Aug. 12, 14 and 16 will show children how to explore their emotions through yoga, stories and crafts.

We Yogis, located in The Pavilion at 5600 W. Lovers, Suite 150, 214.351.1229, $90 a week

Aug. 25

Mah Jongg tournament

Aaron Family Jewish Community Center of Dallas hosts its third annual Mah Jongg tournament for friends and families from 12:30-6 p.m. A lunch box is included in the admission fee, and cash prizes will go to the top three scorers. Tickets must be purchased by Aug. 12.

Jewish Community Center, 7900 Northaven, 214.739.2737, jccdallas.org, $36

Aug. 27

Art talk: Tobi Kahn

The Museum of Biblical Art hosts an art talk for Tobi Kahn at 2 p.m. Kahn’s exhibit, “Lumina,” is on display through Sept. 3. Kahn’s paintings are based on illuminated manuscripts from rare books chosen by Sharon Liberman Mintz, curator of Jewish Art at the Library of The Jewish Theological Seminary. “These paintings are for people from all faiths to talk about the spiritual dimension of their lives,” Kahn says.

Museum of Biblical Art, 7500 Park Lane, 214.368.4622, biblicalarts.org

Through Sept. 1

Colorful dirt

Berlin-based artist Katharina Grosse created two large installations for the Nasher Sculpture Center. Grosse sprayed brightly colored acrylic paint on piles of dirt, ceilings, walls and sculpted plastic foam and fiberglass to demonstrate how painting can “appear in space.” Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora, 214.242.5100, nashersculpturecenter.org, $5-$10

Delicious Cool treats

Sno Dawgs owner David James Nayfa believes shave ice is more than a summer treat. Nayfa and his business partner Mark Bradford opened their own “beach with a Texas twist” sno cone and hot dog shop mid-July, and they don’t plan on leaving. More than 100 shave ice flavors made with cane sugar are displayed on the walls of the shop in colorful chalk. All-beef hotdogs, chicken dogs, Italian sausage, nachos and pretzels are dished out for patrons to top off with fresh ingredients from the condiment bar. Shave ice flavors range from birthday cake to dulce de leche, but don’t worry, Nayfa also has plenty of “skinny ice” flavored cones made with stevia, a zero-calorie natural sweetener. For $8.75 you can get a hot dog or Italian sausage combo served with chips and Hawaiian shave ice. Yes, it’s called “shave ice,” not “shaved ice,” Nayfa says. He says that’s the way people do it in Hawaii, so that’s how he does it here. “You wouldn’t call a place a ‘Bar and Grilled,’ would you? The name is in the present tense,” he says. The sea salt, original and cinnamon pretzels come with your choice of marinara, ranch, cheese, vanilla icing or chocolate sauce for 50 cents extra. Sno cone flavors will change with the seasons to feature pumpkin, peppermint and other sweets that speak to the climate. Nayfa stresses what isn’t in his products as much as what’s in them. The shave ice is sans high-fructose corn syrup, and hotdogs and sausages come from Niman Ranch, whose products are free of nitrates, nitrites, antibiotics and gluten. Bradford dedicated many hours to the look of the place, which features all handmade stools, outdoor benches and huts complete with misting machines, lighting, seating and outdoor speakers. “Our original concept was, if we appeal to the teens, we appeal to their younger siblings and families,” Nayfa says. It appears he has started in the right direction. Stop by for a visit and you’ll find Jesuit, Hockaday, W.T. White, St. Mark’s and Ursuline students behind the counter making life a bit sweeter.

Sno DawgS

12300 Inwood, Suite 200 972.490.DAWG (3294) snodawgs.com

AMBiANce: PlAyful

Price rANge: fooD $3-$8.75, ShAve ice $3.45-$4.50 (50 ceNTS exTrA for SweeT creAM)

hourS: 10:30 A M.-10 P M SuNDAy–ThurSDAy, 10:30 A M.-11 P M friDAy–SATurDAy

TiP

—Monica S. Nagy

Try AN orANge ShAve ice ToPPeD wiTh SweeT creAM iT TASTeS juST liKe A creAMSicle, owNer DAviD jAMeS NAyfA SAyS

Kiwi, pineapple and grape; Tigers Blood (strawberry and coconut): Mark Davis

three more spots to cool off 1 Sno

the somewhat hidden sno cone spot moved last summer into its own storefront next door to Doc’s Food store. try the natural strawberry-lime flavor — and don’t forget to top it off with salt and chili powder.

7813 meadow

214.315.5589

2 I Heart Yogurt

the cutesy froyo shop has two flavored espresso options, Italian and French. For its sweet taste, we have to give this one to Italy. try it topped with almonds and cream.

10720 preston, suite 1006

214.987.0505

ihearty.com

3 Zaguan Latin Café & Bakery

All the smoothies at Zaguan are made with fresh fruit, but that’s not even the best part. Order a “#1 Egg special” and they bring out your choice of an omelet or scrambled eggs, arepa (think Latin flatbread) with cheese, and a smoothie.

2604 oak lawn

214.219.8393

zaguanbakery.com

Visit

Big bad dog quarter-pound all-beef hot dog in a white brioche bun with relish and mustard; Lean mean chicken hot dog topped with pico de gallo: Mark Davis

the goods

Summer sips

Pepi California Pinto Grigio ($8)

city view antique mall

Fill your castle, cottage, lake House or ranch House with one-of-a-kind finds from city view antique mall. come visit 55 dealers at our new facility. 6830 walling ln. (off skillman/abrams) 214.752.3071 cityviewantiques@homestead.com

once uPon a cHild

Parents got those summertime blues? back to school is already at your dallas-lake Highlands once upon a child. don’t forget tax free weekend 8-9-11. store hours: 9am - 7pm m-F, 10am - 7pm sat and 1pm - 6pm sun 6300 skillman st #150 214.503.6010

baby bliss

get ready for school with the coolest gear from soyoung. monogram these bags to make them your own! $20-50 6721 snider Plaza 469.232.9420 shopbabybliss.com

This is the time of year that requires wines that are lighter, whether red or white, and that can be served cool or sometimes colder — even with an ice cube or two. In other words, porch wines, which are perfectly suited for summertime sipping, whether you’re on a shaded porch or indoors, with the air conditioning on and glad you’re not on the porch.

Porch wines don’t have the big alcohol or tannins (that puckery feeling in the back of the mouth) that heavier wines do. In this, they’re more refreshing and don’t make you feel even more uncomfortable than the heat already does. Doubt that premise? Then taste one of the ones suggested below, and then taste a cabernet sauvignon with 14.5 percent alcohol. You’ll be amazed at the difference.

30 word on body text is absolute limit on text. we will not count address, etc.

• Grocery store pinot noirs that cost about $10, such as Mark West from California or the Chilean Cono Sur Bicicleta, are soft, fruity red wines with lower alcohol, and chilling them a little doesn’t ruin them either.

• Italian producers churn out millions and millions of cases of cheap pinot grigio, most of indifferent quality. But some are more than that, including Bollini ($10). Pepi ($8), from California, also is a fine value.

PH

• Vinho verde means green wine in Portuguese, and these wines have a greenish tint (and a little fizz, too). Most are $8 or less, with low alcohol and sweetish green apple fruit. This year, the Sonalto was one of the best, and you may also see it labeled Santola (made by the same producer, but for a different retailer).

—Jeff Siegel

Ask the wine guy

What does it mean when a wine is hot?

1/3 Page 3 items

That the alcohol is not in balance with the fruit, acid and other parts of the wine. Both red and whites can be hot; you’ll notice an unpleasant feeling in the back of your mouth or even in your nose. —Jeff

Siegel ASK The Wine Guy taste@advocatemag.com

with your wine

Chickpea burgers

Serves four, takes about 20 minutes

Chickpeas, also called garbanzos, are one of those things that much of the world loves (hummus, falafel) but aren’t as popular here. These are light and easy to make, and they’re a nice change from burgers or hot dogs on a hot August evening. Serve on buns or in pitas. A vinho verde would pair quite well.

Grocery List

2 cups cooked chickpeas (well drained if canned)

4 green onions, trimmed and sliced

1 egg

2 tablespoons flour

3-4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions

1 clove chopped garlic

1 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Place chickpeas, green onions, egg, flour, cilantro, garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, until a coarse mixture forms that holds together when pressed. It will be moist, but workable. Form into four patties.

2. In a large nonstick skillet over mediumhigh heat, warm the olive oil. Add patties and cook until golden and beginning to crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes more.

Dough Pizzeria Napoletana

Serving authentic pizza napoletana. Enjoy simple, fresh, delicious pizza made with passion and artful skill. Texas’ #1 Pizzeria, as rated by Zagat Mon.-Thurs. 11am-9pm, Fri. & Sat. 11am-10pm, Sun. 4pm-8pm

Momo Italian Kitchen

Momo Italian Kitchen is a family owned and operated restaurant since 1986. We feature traditional Italian food made from scratch. We are an BYOB establishment. Check us out at momoitaliankitchen.com

restaurant,  and  serves traditional  enchiladas  and fajitas. 5427  E.  Grand 214.823.5872

3  La  Victoria This  hole-­‐in-­‐the-­‐wall  boasts  of

2  Tacos  y  Mas If  you're  hungry  for  tacos  to-­‐go, this  may  be  your  best  bet.  Its crave-­‐worthy  taco  meat  is  what put  this  little  joint  on  the  map, but  it  also  serves  a  variety  of other  Tex-­‐Mex  options. 5419  Ross 214.824.8079

POWER PEOPLE TO THE

Story by Keri Mitchell • Photos by Danny Fulgencio

Most of us don’t think about electricity outside of two scenarios: our monthly bill is due, or our power goes out.

We’ve lived with power lines so long that they’ve become a part of the landscape. We no longer notice them running down our streets or along our highways.

Our entire modern lives rely upon the energy grid, yet we don’t know much of anything about it, even though it runs right through our neighborhood.

What is it? Where is it? What if something happens to it? c ould we run out of power?

this month, while our air-conditioners are running full blast, might be a good time to find out.

Where exactly is the energy grid?

We’ve heard about it and vaguely knoW it’s responsible for ensuring that our DVRs record our favorite shows, our laptops and mobile phones can be recharged, and our air-conditioners continue humming to stave off the summer heat. (Plus it powers our lights, refrigerators and other such minor things.)

But where is the energy grid? It sounds obscure, but it’s actually in plain sight all around us.

“It’s not a grid in a sense of square grid,” says Bill Muston, manager of research and development for Oncor, which delivers electricity to Dallas homes. He instead describes it as “radial.”

Those giant high-voltage transmission lines around the city, the kind that run along the Tollway, for example? Power generated by gas, coal, wind and other sources at 550 plants throughout the state travels through lines like those and into Dallas.

The high-voltage transmission lines carry up to 345,000 volts and can transmit anywhere between 50 and 500 megawatts of energy at a time, which power between 10,000 and 100,000 homes at peak demand. That power then “goes through transformers to step it down to 12,500 volts, and those are called substations,” Muston says. Neither Oncor nor other electrical entities publish maps of the grid flow or substations for security reasons, but “there’s no secret,” Muston says. A large grouping of metal poles and wires in a gated area is hard to miss.

Where did Texans’ energy come from in 2012?

NaTural gas 44.6 percent

Coal 33.8 percent

NuClear 11.8 percent

WiNd 9.2 percent

Hydro, biomass, solar aNd sTorage 0.6 percent

Source: electric reliability council of texas, Inc. (ercOt)

The substations then transmit the power to various “districts” around the city and deliver it to the transformers and utility lines near our homes. One transformer — what looks like a cylindrical tube attached to a utility line serves between four and eight homes, Muston says. The transformers convert the electricity into either 240 volts, powering electric stoves or dryers, or 120 volts, powering just about everything else in a home.

The high voltage transmission grid is networked across the state, so “if you lose one segment of it, it just keeps going,” Muston says.

“The outages occur more at the district level where you have trees fall onto lines or drivers hit poles.”

Why does Texas have its own electric grid?

Story by Kate Galbraith, The Texas Tribune

TexaS’ SeceSSioniST inclinaTionS do have one modern outlet: the electric grid. There are three grids in the Lower 48 states: the Eastern Interconnection, the Western Interconnection — and Texas.

The Texas grid is called ERCOT, and it is run by an agency of the same name — the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. ERCOT does not actually cover all of Texas. El Paso is on another grid, as is the upper Panhandle and a chunk of East Texas. This presumably has to do with the history of various utilities’ service territories and the remoteness of the non-ERCOT locations (for example the Panhandle is closer to Kansas than to Dallas, notes Kenneth Starcher of the Alternative Energy Institute in Canyon).

The separation of the Texas grid from the rest of the country has its origins in the evolution of electric utilities early last century. In the decades after Thomas Edison turned on the country’s first power plant in Manhattan in 1882, small generating plants sprouted across Texas, bringing electric light to cities. Later, particularly during World War I, utilities began to link themselves together. These ties, and the accompanying transmission network, grew further during World War II, when several Texas utilities joined together to form the Texas Interconnected System, which allowed them to link to the big dams along Texas rivers and also send extra electricity to support the ramped-up factories aiding the war effort.

The Texas Interconnected System — which for a long time was actually operated by two discrete entities, one for northern Texas and one for southern Texas — had another priority: staying out of the reach of federal regulators. In 1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Federal Power Act, which charged the Federal Power Commission with overseeing interstate electricity sales. By not crossing state lines, Texas utilities avoided being subjected to federal rules.

“Freedom from federal regulation was a cherished goal — more so because Texas had

no regulation until the 1970s,” writes Richard D. Cudahy in a 1995 article, “The Second Battle of the Alamo: The Midnight Connection.” (Self-reliance was also made easier in Texas, especially in the early days, because the state has substantial coal, natural gas and oil resources of its own to fuel power plants.)

ERCOT was formed in 1970, in the wake of a major blackout in the Northeast in November 1965, and it was tasked with managing grid reliability in accordance with national standards. The agency assumed additional responsibilities following electric deregulation in Texas a decade ago. The ERCOT grid remains beyond the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which succeeded the Federal Power Commission and regulates interstate electric transmission.

Historically, the Texas grid’s independence has been violated a few times. Once was during World War II, when special provisions were made to link Texas to other grids, according to Cudahy. Another episode occurred in 1976 after a Texas utility, for reasons relating to its own regulatory needs, deliberately flipped a switch

and sent power to Oklahoma for a few hours. This event, known as the “Midnight Connection,” set off a major legal battle that could have brought Texas under the jurisdiction of federal regulators, but it was ultimately resolved in favor of continued Texan independence.

Even today, ERCOT is also not completely isolated from other grids — as was evident during winter 2011 when the state imported some power from Mexico during the rolling blackouts. ERCOT has three ties to Mexico and — as an outcome of the “Midnight Connection” battle — it also has two ties to the eastern U.S. grid, though they do not trigger federal regulation for ERCOT. All can move power commercially as well as be used in emergencies, according to ERCOT spokeswoman Dottie Roark. A possible sixth interconnection project, in Rusk County, is being studied, and another ambitious proposal, called Tres Amigas, would link the three big U.S. grids together in New Mexico, though Texas’ top utility regulator has shown little enthusiasm for participating.

Bottom line: Texas has its own grid to avoid dealing with the feds.

The 48 contiguous states have only three electric grids — East, WEst and Texas.

How to make the electric company pay you

Six or Seven yearS ago, when solar panels were quite a bit more expensive than they are now, neighborhood resident Greg Homan took a leap of faith.

At the time, Dallasites were paying roughly 14 or 15 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) for electricity. At that price, he calculated his $42,000 investment in the panels would take six or seven years to recover.

“With energy prices, you would think they would rise over time,” Homan says. “Guess what? Energy got cheaper.”

The explosion of natural gas has driven energy prices down to more like 10 cents per kWh. Still, Homan says, “it’s a lot nicer to pay only $150 in the middle of the summer than it was paying $450.”

It helps that he participates in retail electric provider Reliant’s energy buy back program. Whatever energy created by the solar panels on Homan’s house is first used to power his home. When his home isn’t using all of the solar energy created, “the outflow goes back onto the grid,” he says. “Maybe my neighbor uses it.” Reliant tracks and credits him for that surplus energy.

And there are the added environmental benefits, he says. His mother, Katherine, certainly had an influence on him in this regard. She lives in Oak Cliff, in a house recognized as the first “green”-built home in the City of Dallas.

Taking care of the environment played a large part in Homan’s decision to install the panels, but “I’m not that good-hearted enough yet to do this without having some incentive from the financial side,” he says.

A federal stimulus program at the time offered a 30 percent rebate for solar panels, plus Oncor was offering a certain number of dollars per watt, he says.

The system he installs can produce up to 6,900 watts, or almost 7 kilowatts, of solar energy at a time. Homan bought quite a bit of the system on his own, searching the internet for inverters and clamps, and purchasing 30 of the panels at a discount online. They are on the back of his roof, which faces south.

“From the street you really can’t see them well. Only two neighbors can see them,” Homan says. “They’re not ugly. We tried to make them aesthetically pleasing.”

His roof is at “an almost perfect angle” to maximize solar energy production yearround, he says. That’s crucial for anyone interested in solar energy, he says. Plus, “if you’ve got big trees around, you can’t do it,” he says.

Homan also “read a huge book on how to do a energy audit” of his house before the installation.

“The solar installer I worked with said, ‘Look it’s cheaper to solve all of your other

energy problems before you put in solar,’ ” Homan says.

He already had a metal roof, which is “supposedly the best roof surface to reflect the sun,” he says. He spent time filling in pipes around his sinks, replacing older lightbulbs with LEDs, and putting electrical devices in his house on surge protectors “to ‘really’ turn them off,” he says. “They would just trickle electricity out,” while plugged in. He also replaced his older pool pump with a variable speed pump that is “super, super efficient,” he says.

The energy audit, combined with the solar panels, worked in tandem to drastically lower his electricity bills. The biggest factor now is air-conditioning, Homan says. If it’s running, he’s paying for electricity. If not, it’s more likely that Reliant is paying him. While his bill is roughly $150 a month in the summer, it drops to about $50 a month in the winter.

“I would have saved more if energy prices were higher,” Homan says. “I hedged, and I’m happy that I’m not paying a lot, but I’m not saving as much as I could have been saving if we haven’t discovered a bunch of natural gas all over the place.”

“I’ve been more or less looking at my electric bill saying, ‘Yes, $150 a month is less than $450,’ ” Homan says.

And that’s enough to make the whole thing worth it, he says.

2 texas’ ranking among u s states for rooftop solar potential

10 texas’ ranking among u s states for actual solar panel installations

13,000 Homes that can be powered by the 64.1 megawatts of solar panels texans installed in 2012

20 Percentage of u s annual electricity needs that could be met if every eligible home and business rooftop in the country installed solar panels

12,938 Incentives offered by Oncor when a residential customer installs an 8.3 kilowatt solar panel system in 2013; visit takealoadofftexas.com for information

Sources: Solar Energy Industries Association, Green Mountain Energy and Oncor

Whoever invents the energy battery will be a gazillionaire

Trying To deTermine how much energy Texans need is not an exact science, but it’s close.

“No one can predict perfectly how much electricity the people in Dallas are going to use at 4:15 this afternoon,” says Bill Muston, manager of research and development for Oncor. “You can predict pretty well, but it’s never perfect.”

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas [ERCOT] oversees the main power grid in Texas and tracks the generators — coal, nuclear, natural gas, wind and otherwise — that feed into the grid. In ERCOT’s control room outside of Austin, employees act as traffic cops of the grid, determining which of the 550 generators should be in use, and where the power generated should be delivered along 40,530 miles of high-voltage transmission lines.

If it’s a windy day in spring and the turbines are hard at work, ERCOT may take some of the coal or natural gas plants offline and direct more wind energy from West Texas into Dallas and other cities. If a generator shuts down because of technical problems or extreme

weather, ERCOT will green light a different generator to fill the energy void.

Whatever energy being generated at a given moment is the energy available to use. There’s no way to store energy for a rainy day, so to speak.

“Batteries are about the best way to store energy, and they’re expensive,” Muston says. “As consumers, for our laptops, our cell phones, whatever, the dollars are small enough that we’ll do it.”

However, a battery that powers a home or business is cost-prohibitive for most people, he says. Some homes that use solar power have a battery backup, which allows the home to continue using electricity through its solar energy during a power outage. Those usually cost several thousand dollars.

The average U.S. home uses 1,000 watts, or 1 kilowatt, at any given time. A typical coal plant or large wind farm simultaneously can generate 500,000 times as much power. No one so far has created an efficient way to store that kind of energy.

Rolling blackouts happen on purpose

mosT power ouTages are accidents a power line affected by a tree limb falling, a car crashing, a lightning bolt striking. But the “rolling blackouts” that Texans experienced Feb. 2, 2011, were no accident.

The problem wasn’t simply the record lows — 14 degrees in Dallas, with a high of only 21 — that caused heaters to work overtime. (More than two-thirds of Texans’ heat is powered by electricity, according to the state comptroller’s office.) The problem was that generators were failing.

“It was not only cold many days in a row, but the wind was blowing, and generators were getting into some freezing problems,” says Bill Muston of Oncor.

The freezing, which Muston compares to “a frozen pipe at your house,” forced coal and

How powerful is Texas?

74,000

Megawatts of energy that the ERCOt power grid can produce at any given moment

200

Homes powered by one megawatt during peak demand

68,305

the record for megawatt peak demand on Aug. 3, 2011 during the record heat wave

Source: ERCOT

natural gas plants to go offline; wind turbines also were suffering from ice on their blades. All in all, 75 generators were out of commission that day, and ERCOT foresaw that Texans’ demand for energy would overreach the supply.

“If ERCOT has done all the generation it can and all-calls to neighborhoods to cut back, then neighborhoods go in the dark,” Muston says.

As a result, Dallasites experienced what Oncor describes as “the longest-lasting and farthest-reaching emergency load-shedding in Texas history.” For more than eight hours, as many as 275,000 Oncor customers at a

time experienced rotating outages, each lasting about 15 minutes.

It was better than the alternative, Muston says — a system crash that would be unpredictable and would likely mean much longer blackouts.

“You don’t want to have a blackout like in the San Diego area a few years ago or in New York in 2003,” Muston says. “No one believes it, but it’s in your interest that they cut your power at your house for a few hours. What happened in that event was some really good planning that was executed well.”

“No one believes it, but it’s in your interest that they cut your power at your house for a few hours.”

Back to School Special

Q. Whom should I call when the lights go out?

A. Oncor*, most likely, which is the company that delivers our electricity. It can be confusing, though, with all the different players in texas’ energy grid. Here’s a cheat sheet:

Generators: texas has 550 generating units across the state that create energy from natural gas, coal, nuclear, wind and other sources.

Electric Reliability Council of Texas: ERCOt is an independent organization that manages the wholesale electricity market in texas. When a rolling blackout happens, it’s because ERCOt mandated it.

*Transmission and delivery companies: In Dallas, there’s only one company — Oncor — that funnels power from the state’s generators through transmission lines and into homes and businesses. During a power outage, Oncor employees are the ones who can restore it. Call 888.313.4747 to let them know (even though your smart meter may be able to notify them more quickly).

Retail electricity providers, or retailers: these are companies such as tXu Energy, Reliant, green Mountain Energy and others that track and bill for electricity use. they contact Oncor to turn on electricity when you move into a new house, for example, or to shut it off when you aren’t paying your bill. Retailers don’t have anything to do with outages caused by storms or power line damage.

50

Retail electricity providers in the competitive areas of texas

250+

the number of plans offered by retail electricity providers (details at powertochoose.org)

Source: ERCOT and TXU Energy

{Located inside Ron’s Organics

Q. If I sign up for a ‘green’ electricity plan, does that ensure the power reaching my house is produced by wind, solar or another renewable energy?

A. Nope. Coal, natural gas and nuclear power are still being pumped through your transmission lines and into your home, most likely. But you are guaranteeing that the amount of renewable energy you are paying for will be piped into the power grid.

“Regardless of which retail electricity provider a customer chooses, there is no way to separate electricity on the power grid based on how it was generated,” says Juan Elizondo, a spokesman for TXU Energy. “When a consumer purchases a retail electricity plan with renewable electricity, that amount of renewable energy is put onto the power grid. It may or may not be the power that reaches that customer. Those consumers are ensuring that renewable power is put onto the grid, and they are supporting the further development of renewable resources.”

“Think of the electric grid as a giant bathtub that is constantly being filled from many different faucets, and each one represents a different electricity generation source such as coal, natural gas, nuclear, solar, wind, etc.,” says Katie Ryan, spokeswoman for Green Mountain Energy. “Each time you use electricity, you drain a little water from the bathtub. As the demand for electricity from renewable sources

increases, more of the clean water goes into the tub — and less of the dirty water from fossil fuel sources is needed.”

Q. Is there any way that renewable energy could grow so popular in Texas that customer demand would overtake supply?

A. Yes, in theory.

“The demand for renewable energy is what makes it grow,” Ryan says. “When demand exceeds supply, renewable energy gets built.”

Are renewable energy plans the easiest way to be green?

16,000

Pounds of CO2 emissions avoided in a year by someone who participates in a 100 percent renewable energy plan and uses an average of 1,000 kilowatt hours per month

6,000

Pounds of newspapers that would have to be recycled to equal avoiding 16,000 pounds of CO2 emissions

Source: Green Mountain Energy

A tree advocate defends Oncor’s tree trimming practices

BoB Curry Considers himself a radiCal when it comes to tree preservation, especially for a Dallasite.

Curry is the chairman of the city’s Urban Forest Advisory Committee, which focuses on preserving Dallas’ large “heritage” trees, he says, from developers with construction projects that threaten them.

If Curry had his way, he wouldn’t let people saw trees down unless they were diseased.

“You want to build a new house and there’s good sized tree on the lot? Design around it,” Curry says. “What happens here is people take the path of least resistance. It’s easier to saw it down.”

The Urban Forest Advisory Committee has no jurisdiction over lots smaller than two acres, so most residential construction is out of his committee’s control. They have more say over commercially developed land, but not as much as Curry would like.

“If you went out and clear-cut a piece of property without permission, I probably wouldn’t let you develop on it for five years,” Curry says, even though city ordinances don’t carry these types of consequences. “I would probably be more demanding than our political climate would tolerate.”

That’s because trees “clean our air and

lower our energy consumption and make this place a more comfortable place to live,” Curry believes.

But when asked about Oncor’s tree pruning practices, Curry doesn’t get riled up.

“Power companies across the United States are mandated by federal regulations saying the power grid has to be protected from trees planted under power lines,” Curry says. “What has happened in the City of Dallas is the result of no evil plot.”

Curry knows well the ire Oncor draws when residents find their tree limbs lopped off or cut into a V-shape around power lines after Oncor’s trucks make the rounds through a neighborhood. Oncor’s website states that trees near power lines “are one of the top causes of power outages each year, along with lightning and wildlife,” therefore, “Oncor may prune or remove trees that interfere with the reliability and integrity of electrical service within our service area.”

Curry’s committee would endorse a more arborist-driven solution, which is “perhaps a little more intense than Oncor would like to do,” he says. Some residents have demanded an arborist on site at each tree trimming, “which is very expensive and isn’t practical,” Curry says.

“People love the tree-lined neighbor-

hoods and shaded property. They value those trees and, in fairness, bought the property because of them,” Curry says. “And now Oncor wants to come in and cut them down. It’s unfortunate that that’s occurring, but who would have thought 40 years ago when those trees were starting out that this would be the case?”

There’s not a great solution for the trees planted near power lines decades ago before landscape regulations existed, or the many random tree plantings caused by both trees and “our squirrel friends,” Curry says. For any future plantings, the Urban Forest Advisory Committee endorses Oncor’s instructions to plant the “right tree in the right location,” he says, meaning that trees with a mature height of more than 25 feet shouldn’t be planted near power lines.

The committee also is pleased with Oncor’s efforts to create a rotating pruning schedule, so that a neighborhood’s trees are trimmed only once every few years, and to contact residents before arriving to trim.

“We’re sympathetic to what Oncor is trying to do,” Curry says. “Could it be better? Probably so. But they’re not going out there destroying trees just for the fun of it.”

FIND OUT HOW TO PLANT A TREE FOR FREE at prestonhollow.advocatemag.com

Wind energy blowing into urban Texas

3,000 Miles of transmission lines built or repaired since 2008 to deliver wind power from the Panhandle and West texas to big cities

$6.7 billion tax dollars funneled into wind energy transmission lines by the Public utility Commission (PuC) of texas’ Competitive Renewable Energy Zones project

$2 million slice of the CREZ project allocated to Oncor, which delivers electricity to Dallas, to build 1,000 miles of transmission lines in its service area

1

texas’ rank in the nation as a wind energy-producing state

10,929

Megawatts of energy texas’ wind turbines are capable of generating at any given time (One megawatt equals 1 million watts; Colorado and Iowa, in second- and third-place, can generate 4,570 and 4,536 megawatts, respectively)

9,481

Megawatts produced by texas wind on Feb. 9, 2013, the state’s wind generation record

27.8

Percentage of the state’s energy load the wind carried on that record-setting day

200 Homes powered by one megawatt during peak demand

Sources: Oncor, ERCOT and the American Wind Energy Association

August 3 FREE Admission

Art Scavenger Hunt 10 am – 2 pm Children’s Art Activity 10 am – 12 noon

Art in Action Sculpture Demo 10 am – 12:30 pm

Family Tours Hourly from 10:15 am – 12:15 pm

Yoga in the Garden 11:30 am

Presented by YogaSport (weather permitting)

Creative Writing with The Writer’s Garret 12 pm

Storytime with Dallas Public Library 12:30 pm

NasherKids Live! 1 pm Dance Council of North Texas Presents 8&1 Dance Company

NasherKids Meal at Nasher Cafe 11 am – 2 pm

NasherSculptureCenter.org

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Did you turn off the kitchen light and plug in the car?

don and Jeanne HaTfield plug in their Nissan Leaf at night so they can drive it the next day.

“It’s just like plugging in a toaster,” Jeanne says.

Some electric car drivers install an at-home charging dock, but using a regular wall socket works just fine for the Hatfields. The Preston Hollow residents aren’t trend followers; they bought their Leaf because they firmly believe in reducing both their carbon footprint and U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

In the Hatfields’ case, “going green” includes powering their car with water. The Leaf is an all-electric, zero-emission car, but they wanted to make sure the electricity powering it would be clean, too. So the Hatfields selected an electric provider that uses hydroelectricity, generated by water, “and not something dirty like coal,” Jeanne says. When they drive, they rest at ease knowing “the only emissions generated are a little pure water,” she says. “Pretty clean, end-to-end.”

Before purchasing the Leaf, the Hatfields also looked at the Chevy Volt and the Honda Prius. The couple has become very active in the electric vehicle com-

What’s the benefit of a smart meter’s ‘intelligence’?

3 million

smart meters Oncor has installed since March 1, 2009, replacing 50-yearold technology with meters that show electricity use in real time (view your usage at smartmetertexas.com)

7 million

service orders Oncor has completed remotely, such as meter re-reads, service disconnects or reconnects, because smart meters automatically alert utilities to service disruptions

munity. Jeanne often posts in electric car forums online to try to promote positive changes for the Leaf’s construction.

Before jumping in and driving an electric car, people need to understand the vehicle and how it operates, Jeanne says. A full charge gives a driver roughly 75 travel miles, but that requires a consistent speed and monitoring the car’s other operations.

“I had a ‘lead foot.’ I had to re-train myself how to drive,” Jeanne says.

According to Jeanne, when the couple had two gas-fueled cars, they paid about $250 a month for fuel. Now that they’ve gone electric, they spend roughly $12.50 a month driving the Leaf. They still incur some gas fuel costs with their other car, but say that the difference is significant. The Leaf costs them $2.50 for a 75-mile charge, and the Hatfields estimate they drive the Leaf about 500 miles a month. Even so, they’re not completely satisfied with their Leaf. Jeanne would like heated seats, for example, and Don would add a dry cleaning hook. But in terms of car purchases, they believe they made a good investment.

—Victoria Hilbert

35 million

Driving miles Oncor employees have consequently avoided, saving 2.9 million gallons of fuel and preventing more than 28,500 tons of CO2 from being released into the environment

14 million

Annual reduction in driving miles Oncor expects

23

Percentage of power outages Oncor has restored during non-storm periods since March 2012 without a customer ever reporting the outage

Source: Oncor

A new kind of ‘fuel’ station at restaurants and movie theaters

Two years ago, iT was difficulT to find an electric car charging station in Dallas. These days, they’re all over the place.

Some of the more common are Blink charging stations, installed by parent company Ecotality. The company has installed more than 350 chargers in DFW in a little over two years, says area sales manager Dave Aasheim.

“We try to find locations where people are going to park their cars for an hour, maybe two hours,” Aasheim says. “We’re not putting them in places like gas stations. We’re putting them in places where you want to be.”

Shopping centers, libraries and parks are some of the spots Ecotality has chosen. The company began seeking out locations in 2009 when it was awarded a $99.8 million EV Project grant from the Department of Energy to help build the charging station infrastructure. Ecotality has spent $115 million on infrastructure in addition to the grant, Aasheim says.

One of the deterrents to people driving electric cars is “range anxiety,” or fear of running out of charge in the middle of a drive. The electric Nissan Leaf, for example, can travel only 75 miles on a full charge.

So one of Ecotality’s goals is to provide plenty of charging spots for current customers.

“Most people are going to get a majority of their charge at home, but [charging stations] give them some range,” Aasheim says. “Every hour you’re plugged in puts about 12 to 15 miles of range back onto your battery — similar to if you see your cell phone getting low on charge, you plug it in for a few minutes to give it a boost.”

Blink station customers spend $1-$2

per hour to charge their cars.

Two Blink stations were installed in April at the Town North YMCA at Northaven and Midway, one of five metropolitan Dallas YMCAs that is now electric car-friendly. Ecotality approached the Y about adding stations to some of its parking lots, believing that people might find it handy to charge their cars while they work out, Aasheim says.

In the first couple of months, the Town North Y stations had only one “connection,” or car that plugged into the stations, says Stan Thomas, YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas vice president of properties and facilities. But at the McKinney Y, one couple joined the Y specifically because of its charging station, he says.

Ecotality is collecting data on its Blink chargers to find out which chargers are used most. Right now, it appears that restaurants, movie theaters, grocery stores and similar “destination locations” are most popular, Aasheim says.

Ecotality is seeing an overall 11 percent increase in usage of public stations since this time last year, he says, and that number will only rise. For the last couple of years, only two electric cars — the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf were major players in the market, Aasheim says, but by the end of 2013, drivers will be able to choose from 23 electric cars.

health & wellness

GENERAL ANd COSMETiC dENTiSTRY

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Dr. Ashly Cothern has a passion for life, faith, family and dentistry. As a patient, you are welcomed by a team of professionals that understands the direct link between your oral health and the rest of your body’s well being. Excellent Dentistry, Comprehensive Care and an Exceptional Experience — They love what they do… Now that’s something to SMILE about! 9669 N.Central Expwy., Ste. 220 Dallas, TX 75231 214.696.9966

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Make eye exams a part of your Back to School check list. Healthy vision is an important part of the learning prices and success in school. Did you know that 80% of what we learn is acquired visually?

Regular vision exams will help your child gain the most from their school experience. Call Dallas Eyeworks and schedule a convenient exam with Dr. Meyer.

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10.40 sq. in

Electric car charging station

Meet the Knit Wits: The power of a needle

Every Friday about 20 women in their 70s, 80s and 90s get together and whip out their needles. Catharsis and camaraderie set in as the women sit in a large circle and begin to knit. These women form the group the, Knit Wits, which comprises Edgemere residents who knit baby caps for the premature, helmet liners for the troops, blankets and hats for the abused and teddy bears to calm children’s fears. Pat Londeree and Marianne Mead formed the group at their Preston Hollow retirement community five years ago when they started knitting sweaters for orphans and other charities across the world. Constantly seeking new people to knit for, the group started knitting hats for the homeless at The Stewpot, a Dallas resource center for homeless and at-risk individuals, which sparked their interest in turning their needles toward local causes. “Some of the women hadn’t knitted in 50 years and thought they couldn’t do it,” Londeree says. “That was the thing to do in college when we were young. We knitted argyle socks for our boyfriends,” she says with a chuckle. Their friends were surprised when they quickly picked up where they left off, knitting intricate scarves and hats for battered women and children seeking refuge at Dallas Genesis Women’s Shelter. In the corner of their brightly lit room,

sizeable knitted teddy bears sit stacked on a table next to the women’s circle. The ladies knit the colorful bears with pants, scarves and shoes for “Teddies for Tragedies,” handing them over to local fire and police officials to provide comfort and alleviate the stress children feel in traumatic situations. “Knowing you’re doing something to help someone else, that’s important,” knitter Lou Coyle says. Currently the women are crafting stylish hats to be distributed through “Halos for Hope” to people who have lost their hair due to cancer. Mead says, “We share our expertise and we share our …” “… problems,” Londeree chimes in. “When you get older, it’s important to know what you’re doing is helping others,” knitter Ruth Daniel says. Some items, such as blankets, take months to prepare, while tiny baby caps can take just one evening. Another Knit Wit, Genie Stuart, says knitting also helps the women keep their limbs moving, which is good for arthritis. But all the women who sit or stand in the room share the same thought — knitting for others is, in turn, knitting for oneself.

—Monica S. Nagy

“When you get older, it’s important to know what you’re doing is helping others.”

The Knit Wits gather each Friday for charity and comedy. Women knit hats and toys for chemo patients, babies and hospitalized children: Chris Arrant

Educating for ovEr 100 yEars

Dallas acaDemy

950 Tiffany Way, Dallas 75218 / 214.324.1481 / dallas-academy.com

Founded in 1965, Dallas Academy’s mission is to restore the promise of full academic enrichment to students with learning differences in grades 1-12. A meaningful connection with each student is established to overcome barriers to success. Dallas Academy offers students an effective program and strategies to meet the special educational needs of bright students with learning differences, while including the activities of a larger, more traditional school. Classes are small, with a student-teacher ratio of 6 to 1 where students are encouraged, praised, and guided toward achieving their goals. Diagnostic testing is available to students throughout the community.

Dallas luTheran school

8494 stults rd Dallas / 214.349.8912 / dallaslutheranschool.com Come learn more about DLS, a school that serves families and their students from 7th through 12th grade. Set up an appointment for a tour or shadow experience by calling Admissions Director Betsy Bronkhorst with questions. There are still a few openings for the 2013-14 school year for families who would like to be part of a Community of Grace that develops young people to be Christian leaders. A full complement of athletics, drama, music, and clubs allow students to develop outside the classroom as well. Over 97% of our seniors attend the college of their choice. DLS is a one-to-one school where each student and faculty member uses an iPad. Financial aid is available. A few openings remain for the 2013-14 school year.

lakehill PreParaTory school

leading to success. 2720 hillside Dr., Dallas 75214 / 214.826.2931 / lakehillprep. org Kindergarten through Grade 12 - Lakehill Preparatory School takes the word preparatory in its name very seriously. Throughout a student’s academic career, Lakehill builds an educational program that achieves its goal of enabling graduates to attend the finest, most rigorous universities of choice. Lakehill combines a robust, college-preparatory curriculum with opportunities for personal growth, individual enrichment, and community involvement. From kindergarten through high school, every Lakehill student is encouraged to strive, challenged to succeed, and inspired to excel.

sPanish house

5740 Prospect ave. & 4411 skillman / 214.826.4410 / Dallasspanishhouse.com

Spanish House is a Spanish immersion school for children ages 3 months - Kindergarten. Our new location at 4411 Skillman opens in August for preschool and Kindergarten. Our Spanish immersion nursery program (3 months - 2 yrs) starts in September at 5740 Prospect Ave. We offer half-day and full-day programs, with extended care available from 7:30am - 6pm. We also offer after-school and Saturday classes for PK and elementary-aged students, both on- and off-site. Additionally, we have an adult Spanish program for beginning, intermediate and advanced students.

sT. chrisToPher’s monTessori school

7900 lovers ln. / 214.363.9391 stchristophersmontessori.com St. Christopher’s Montessori School has been serving families in the DFW area for over a quarter of a century. We are affiliated with the American Montessori Society and our teachers are certified Montessori instructors. Additionally our staff has obtained other complimentary educational degrees and certifications, including having a registered nurse on staff. Our bright and attractive environment, and highly qualified staff, ensures your child will grow and develop in an educationally sound, AMS certified loving program. Now Enrolling.

sT. john’s ePiscoPal school

848 harter rd., Dallas 75218 / 214.328.9131 / stjohnsschool.org Founded in 1953, St. John’s is an independent, co-educational day school for Pre-K through Grade 8. With a tradition for academic excellence, St. John’s programs include a challenging curriculum in a Christian environment along with instruction in the visual and performing arts, Spanish, German, French, and opportunities for athletics and community service.

St. John’s goal for its students is to develop a love for learning, service to others, and leadership grounded in love, humility, and

wisdom. Accredited by ISAS, SAES, and the Texas Education Agency

WhiTe rock norTh school

9727 White rock Trail Dallas / 214.348.7410 / Whiterocknorthschool. com 6 Weeks through 6th Grade. Our accelerated curriculum provides opportunity for intellectual and physical development in a loving and nurturing environment. Characterbuilding and civic responsibility are stressed. Facilities include indoor swimming pool, skating rink, updated playground, and stateof-the-art technology lab. Kids Club on the Corner provides meaningful after-school experiences. Summer Camp offers field trips, swimming, and a balance of indoor and outdoor activities designed around funfilled themes. Accredited by SACS. Call for a tour of the campus.

Zion luTheran school

6121 e. lovers ln. Dallas / 214.363.1630 / ziondallas. org Toddler care thru 8th Grade. Serving Dallas for over 58 years offering a quality education in a Christ-centered learning environment. Degreed educators minister to the academic, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of students and their families. Before and after school programs, Extended Care, Parents Day Out, athletics, fine arts, integrated technology, Spanish, outdoor education, Accelerated Reader, advanced math placement, and student government. Accredited by National Lutheran School & Texas District Accreditation Commissions and TANS. Contact Principal Jeff Thorman.

69%

of our readers say they want to know more about private schools.

to advertise call 214.560.4203

People

Michael G. McPherson, a 2009 St. Marks alumnus, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., May 24. Ensign McPherson is commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy, and is beginning training at a Nuclear Power School in South Carolina to begin service in the Submarine Warfare Community.

Preston Hollow residents Karen Peterson and Nancy Simons recently opened their own business, Simplify and Stay. The company is geared toward helping older adults de-clutter and organize their homes to make them more accessible and safe. Check out their website at simplifyandstay.com for more information.

Jesuit alumnus

Jordan Spieth became the youngest winner on the PGA Tour in 82 years on June 14. Spieth, beat out David Hearn and Zach Johnson on the fifth hole of the John Deer Classic. While at Jesuit, Spieth became the youngest amateur, at 16, to receive an exemption at the Byron Nelson Championship in 15 years.

Politics

Former District 11 councilwoman Linda Koop, who represented parts of Preston Hollow, announced her bid for the Texas House of Representatives in mid-July. Koop wants to replace Republican Stefani Carter in District 102, which covers North Dallas.

HAVE AN ITEM TO BE fEATurEd?

Please submit news items and/or photos concerning neighborhood residents, activities, honors and volunteer opportunities to editor@advocatemag.com. Our deadline is the first of the month prior to the month of publication. advocatemag.com/apps

BAPTIST

PARK CITIES BAPTIST CHURCH / 3933 Northwest Pky / pcbc.org

All services & Bible Study 9:15 & 10:45. Trad. & Blended (Sanctuary), Contemporary (Great Hall), Amigos de Dios (Gym) / 214.860.1500

WIlSHIRE BAPTIST / 4316 Abrams / 214.452.3100

Pastor George A. Mason Ph.D. / Worship 8:30 & 11:00 am

Bible Study 9:40 am / www.wilshirebc.org

BIBl E CHURCHES

NORTH HIGHl ANDS BIBlE CHURCH / www.nhbc.net

Sunday: Lifequest (all ages) 9:00 am / Worship 10:30 am

Wed: Student Ministry 7:00 pm / 9626 Church Road / 214.348.9697

DISCIPl ES Of C HRIST

CENTRAl CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 4711 Westside Drive / 214.526.7291

Sunday Worship 11:00 am ./ Sunday School 9:45am

Wed. Bible Study 5:00 pm./ www.cccdt.org / ALL are welcome

E AST DAll AS CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 629 N. Peak Street / 214.824.8185

Sunday School 9:30 am / THE TABLE Worship Gathering 9:30 am

Worship 8:30 & 10:50 am / Rev. Deborah Morgan / www.edcc.org

MIDWAy HIllS CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 11001 Midway Road

Sundays: School for all ages 9:30 am / Worship service 10:50 am 214.352.4841 / www.midwayhills.org

METHODIST

lAKE HIGHl ANDS UMC/ 9015 Plano Rd. / 214.348.6600 / lhumc.com

Sunday Morning: 9:30 am Sunday School / 10:30 am Coffee

Worship: 8:30 am & 10:50 am Traditional / 10:50 am Contemporary

P RESB y TERIAN

NORTHPARK PRESBy TERIAN CHURCH / 214.363.5457

9555 N. Central Expwy. / www.northparkpres.org

Pastor: Rev. Brent Barry / 8:30 & 11:00 am Sunday Services

UNIT y

UNIT y Of DAll AS / A Positive Path For Spiritual Living

6525 Forest Lane, Dallas, TX 75230 / 972.233.7106 / UnityDallas.org

Sunday services: 9:00 am & 11:00 am

Love Letters

Not emails, not text messages — letters

When was the last time you wrote a letter? Not an email, not a text, not a quick note dashed off on a sticky-note. Not even a document printed out, spell-checked, on a computer printer. A letter. Handwritten, at least a couple of pages. Thoughtful. Personal.

This may be the most anachronistic column you’ve run across in a long time, for the art of letter writing is in danger of passing into antiquity. So, anachronistic as it may be, I write to you today in praise of the long, handwritten letter.

“Snail mail” has been under attack for the past several decades, and the U.S. Postal Service reports a drop of 10 billion letters in the last 20 years. But the prospect of no longer receiving letters in the mail has me thinking about what would be lost if there were no more handwritten missives.

I have to admit that there is still something about a letter in the mailbox that is more special than a quickly dashed-off, utilitarian email. For one thing, letters take time to write, and the time is part of the gift.

When my wife and I first met and fell in love, I wrote her letters. Yes, I admit it — love letters. We were so smitten with each other, and the only way to let the pressure off all those feelings was to sit down and write (and no, I won’t let you read them).

This month we will celebrate our 24th anniversary; over all those years I have not failed to write her letters at Christmas time, on her birthday and on our anniversary. She has kept every one of them in a safe place. They now form a kind of record of our life together, reflecting on where we’ve been and what we’ve done, along with life’s inevitable joys and sorrows. They are what she would grab first if the house burned down.

And yes, if you must know, after all these years, they are still love letters.

Let me tell you about a woman named Tiffany Christman. Tiffany was partially raised by her grandmother, who died in 1998. Tiffany lived a distance away, and visited as often as she could, but she wasn’t able to see her grandmother for the two months before she died. She said, “I guess that was the hardest for me during the funeral as well, knowing that the moment had passed by for me to tell her how much I appreciated her.”

After the service, Christman, along with each of the other children and grandchildren, was handed a white envelope.

“I initially thought it was some cruel and overly efficient attorney’s way of trying to deal with paperwork at the wrong place and time,” she said. “I remember I got in the car and I saw one of my cousins holding his envelope and crying. That’s when I realized it was from my grandmother reading her letter made me feel like she was responding to my unspoken thoughts.”

Christman has kept the letter with her ever since, “always in sight.”

Life is hectic, I know. We’re all busy. But sit down and write to someone special. It may be more of a gift than you think.

They now form a kind of record of our life together, reflecting on where we’ve been and what we’ve done, along with life’s inevitable joys and sorrows. They are what she would grab first if the house burned down.

Blair Monie is senior pastor of Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church (phpc.org). The Worship section is a regular feature underwritten by Advocate Media and the churches listed on these pages. For information about helping support the Worship section, call 214.560.4202.

Business Buzz

The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses

Send business news tips to livelocal@advocatemag.com

Mi Piaci to open in Preston Hollow Award-winning Mi Piaci

Cucina Italiana of Far North Dallas will open its newest location sometime this month.

Owners Sonia and Brian Black decided to open a second location after 23 years of success. The Preston Hollow location will look a lot like the original, but be geared toward the neighborhood. The restaurant will make homemade bread daily, pastas, meats cured in-house, risottos, gelatos and sorbets. “If we can’t make it in house, we import it from Italy,” Brian Black says via press release.

Trader Joe’s development to begin

Jay Hawes of Provident Realty Group says development on the Trader Joe’s at North Central and Walnut Hill should begin midAugust. Hawes says the project, which is a part of the 42-acre Preston Hollow Village, should be complete by October 2014.

Pilates Barre becomes Studio 6

Preston Hollow resident Elizabeth Lindberg opened Studio 6, the largest Lagreemethod studio in Texas, in late June. Formerly the Pilates Barre in Preston Forest Square, Studio 6 re-opened as an independent fitness studio due to the overwhelming demand for Pilates, barre and yoga. The 2,500-square foot location includes signature workouts such as the Lagree Fitness Method created by celebrity trainer Sebastien Lagree, which incorporates resistance machines for participants to get the most out of Pilates.

more business bits

DFW Restaurant Week

More than 130 restaurants will offer threecourse lunches for $25, or three-course dinners for $35-$45, as a part of DFW Restaurant Week. The foodie event is sponsored by Central Market. Make reservations to dine the weeks of Aug. 12-18 or Aug. 19Sept. 1. Twenty percent of your bill will go to the North Texas Food Bank or Lena Pope Home for orphaned children and family education. Go to dfw.cbslocal.com and search “DFW Restaurant Week” for a list of participating restaurants. monica s nagy

Get in ContaCt

Mi Piaci Cucina Italiana 8411 Preston, suite 132 972.934.8424 miPiaci-dallas.com

Trader Joe’s northwest corner of north central and walnut hill traderjoes.com

Studio 6 11909 Preston, suite 1412 972.239.2626 studio6fitness.com

DFW Restaurant Week dfw.cbslocal.com

Sprinkles Ice Cream 8312 Preston center Plaza sPrinklesicecream.com

Zoës Kitchen 6025 royal, suite 104 469.341.0123 zoeskitchen.com

1 Sprinkles Ice Cream will open its first Texas location at the Plaza at Preston Center next door to Sprinkles Cupcakes late this summer. Flavors will include the signature “red velvet” made of sweet cream layered with bites of red velvet cake and a cream cheese frosting served in a red velvet waffle cone. 2 Zoës Kitchen in partnership with Tour de France runner Zoë Romano raised more than $85,000 for the World Pediatric Project in July.

tamarind glazed chilean sea bass with lemon-basil risotto: mi Piaci facebook.

Advocating for children

Preston Hollow resident Judi Ratner is sworn in as a Court Appointed Special Advocate June 28 in the 305th District Court. CASA is a non-profit organization filled with judge-appointed volunteers who advocate for abused and neglected children in the foster care system.

Joining forces, making connections

The City of Dallas joins The Trinity Trust Foundation and the Hoblitzelle Foundation in announcing the opening of the pavilion and amphitheater connecting Moore Park to the Santa Fe Trestle Trail on June 13.

From left, Preston Hollow resident Paul W. Harris, president and CEO, Hoblitzelle Foundation; Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings; Judge Vonciel Jones Hill, city councilman; Craig Holcomb, executive director, Trinity Commons Foundation; Preston Hollow resident Gail Thomas, president and CEO of The Trinity Trust; Lynn McBee, board member of The Trinity Trust; Preston Hollow resident Larry Jones, Dallas Park and Recreation board member.

BBULLETIN BOARD

EvEnts

ChildCarE

LOVING, CHRIST-CENTERED CARE SINCE 1982 Lake Highlands Christian Child Enrichment Center Ages 2 mo.-12 yrs. 9919 McCree. 214-348-1123.

ClassEs/tutoring/ lEssons

ART: Draw or Paint. All Levels. Lake Highlands N. Rec. Ctr. Jane Cross, 214-534-6829. Linda, 214-808-4919.

ARTISTIC GATHERINGS

Casa Linda Plaza. Art Classes & Drop In Pottery Painting For All Ages. 214-821-8383. Tues-Sat 10am-6pm

DRUM & PIANO LESSONS Your location. UNT Grads, Betty & Bill. View BucherMusicSchool.com or call 214-484-5360

GUITAR OR PIANO Fun/Easy. Your Home. 9 to Adult. Prof Musician. UNT Grad. Larry 469-358-8784

JEWELRY Making Parties at Art Gallery. BYOB & creativity. All else included! jewelrymakingparty.com or 1-855-254-6625

VOICE TEACHER with 38 years experience. MM, NATS www.PatriciaIvey.com 214-769-8560

EmploymEnt

CREATE INCOME From The Internet. One On One Coaching & Group Support. www.MonthlyResidual.net

PET SITTERS, DOG WALKERS Email Recruiting@pcpsi.com

sErviCEs for you

$18/MONTH AUTO INSURANCE Instant Quote. Any Credit Type. Get The Best Rates In Your Area. 877-958-7003 AT ODDS WITH YOUR COMPUTER? Easily Learn Essential Skills. Services include Digital Photo Help. Sharon 214-679-9688 CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let A Seasoned Pro Be The Interface Between You & That Pesky Computer. Hardware & Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $50/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 214-660-3733 or stykidan@sbcglobal.net

sErviCEs for you

profEssional sErviCEs

ACCOUNTING, TAXES Small Businesses & Individuals. Chris King, CPA 214-824-5313 www.chriskingcpa.com

BOOKKEEPING NEEDS? Need Help Organizing Finances? No Job Too Small or Big. Call C.A.S. Bookkeeping Services. Cindy 214-821-6903

ESTATE/PROBATE MATTERS Because every family needs a will. Mary Glenn, J.D. maryglennattorney.com • 214-802-6768

HOLLOWAY BENEFIT CONCEPTS Benefit strategy for area businesses. www.hollowaybenefitconcepts.com 214-329-0097

INDEPENDENT STYLE CONSULT Amanda. 214-533-9000. Menswear. Amanda.preston@jhilburnpartner.com

September DeADLINe AuguSt 7

Mind, Body & SPirit

Buy/Sell/trade

TOP

TEXAS RANGERS FRONT-ROW BASEBALL TICKETS

Share prime, front-row Texas Rangers baseball tickets (available in sets of 10 games) during the 2013 & 2014 season. Prices start at $105 per ticket (sets of 2 or 4 tickets per game available). Seats are behind the plate and next to both the firstand third-base dugouts. Other great seats available starting at $60 per ticket. Entire season available except for opening day; participants randomly draw numbers to determine draft order so the selection process is fair for everyone.

E-mail rwamre@advocatemag.com or call 214-560-4212 for more information.

Pet parade

Annie

Parade. Half-day kindergarteners have participated in the parade for the past 15 years.

CLUTTERBLASTERS-ESTATE/MOVING SALES

De-Clutter/Organize www.ClutterBlasters.com

Donna@ClutterBlasters.com

972-679-3100

ESTATE SALES & LIQUIDATION SERVICES

Moving, Retirement, Downsizing. One Piece or a Houseful. David Turner. 214-908-7688. dave2estates@aol.com

214.526.8533

#TACLA23686E

972-216-1961

TACL-B01349OE www.SherrellAir.com

appliaNCe repair

APPLIANCE REPAIR SPECIALIST

Low Rates, Excellent Service, Senior Discount. MC-Visa. 214-321-4228

JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE

TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898

CarpeNtry & remodeliNg

BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

D SQUARED Specializing In Assisted Living Modifications For Your Home. 214-213-2716

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

RENOVATE DALLAS

renovatedallas.net 214-403-7247

SQUARE NAIL WOODWORKING

Cabinet Refacing, Built-ins, Entertainment/ Computer Centers. Jim. 214-324-7398 www.squarenailwoodworking.com

BRIAN GREAM RENOVATIONS LLC

• 1 & 2 Story Additions

• Complete Renovations

• Kitchens/Baths

• Licensed/Insured 214.542.6214

WWW.BGRONTHEWEB.COM

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL RENOVATION & REPAIR

214.341.1448

WWW.OBRIENGROUPINC.COM

• Bathrooms

• Kitchens

• Renovations

CleaNiNg ServiCeS

MAID PRISTINE House Cleaning For Perfectionists. Refs. Reliable. Leticia. 972-971-1571

MESS MASTERS Earth friendly housecleaning. 469-235-7272. www.messmasters.com Since ‘91

THE MAIDS Angie’s List Award! Deep cleaning specialists, Eco-friendly supplies. 972-278-6000

WANTED: HOUSES TO CLEAN

20 yrs. exp., Reliable, Great Prices, Excellent Refs., Free Estimates. No Crews. Sunny 214-724-2555

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

ComputerS & eleCtroNiCS

BILL’S COMPUTER REPAIR Virus Removal, Data Recovery. Home /Biz. Network Install. All Upgrades & Repairs. PC Instruction, No Trip Fee. 214-348-2566

COMPUTER PROBLEMS SOLVED Great Rates! Keith 214-295-6367

CoNCrete/ maSoNry/paviNg

Serving your Neighborhood Since 1993 Repairing: Refrigerators •Washer/Dryers

823✯2629

CarpeNtry

ATLANTIS DESIGN-BUILD, LLC

Complete Remodeling. 40 Yrs Exp. Additions. 1 & 2 Story. Kitchens, Baths. Small Jobs To Entire House. Renovation & Design. Full Time Supervision. Licensed/Insured. Free Estimates. 281-761-4648

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS, LLC

Complete Remodeling, Kitchens, Baths, Additions. Hardie Siding & Replacement Windows. Radiant Barrier, Insulation. Bonded & Insured. www.blake-construction.com 214-563-5035

redoguys.com 214 / 803. 4774

CleaNiNg ServiCeS

AMAZON CLEANING

Top To Bottom Clean. Fabiana.469-951-2948

CINDY’S HOUSE CLEANING 15 yrs exp. Resd/Com. Refs. Dependable. 214-490-0133

MAID 4 YOU Bonded/Insured. Park Cities/M Streets Refs. Call Us First. Joyce.214-232-9629

BRICK & STONE REPAIR Don 214-704-1722

BRICK, BLOCK, Stone, Concrete, Stucco. Gonzalez Masonry. 214-395-1319

BRICK, STONEWORK,FLAGSTONE PATIOS Mortar Repair. Call George 214-498-2128

CONCRETE, Driveway Specialist Repairs, Replacement, Removal, References. Reasonable.

Chris 214-770-5001

EDMONDSPAVING.COM Asphalt & Concrete Driveway-Sidewalk-Patio-Repair 214-957-3216

FLAGSTONE PATIOS, Retaining Walls, BBQ’s, Veneer, Flower Bed Edging, All Stone work. Chris 214-770-5001

Swimming Pool Remodels Patios Stone work • Stamp Concrete 972-727-2727

Deckoart.com

ElEctrical SErvicES

4 U ElEctrical SErvicE, llc We will be there 4 U. 972-877-4183

aNtHONY’S ElEctric Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricofdallas.com

Family Owned/Operated. Insd. 214-328-1333

EXPEriENcED licENSED ElEctriciaN Insd. Steve. TECL#27297 214-718-9648

laKEWOOD ElEctrical Local. Insured. Lic. #227509 Call Rylan 214-434-8735

MOriN ElEctric New/Remodel.Com/Res. Panel Changes/Full Services. All Phases. All Service Work. 469-230-7438. TECL2293

TEXAS ELECTRICAL • 214-289-0639

Honest, Quality. TECL 24668 CCs accepted.

tH ElEctric Reasonable Rates. Licensed & Insured. Ted. E257 214-808-3658

WHitE rOcK ElEctric All Electrical Services. Lic/Insd. E795. 214-850-4891

FEncing & DEckS

Northlake Fence and Deck

Locally owned and operated by the Mccaffrey family since1980

214-349-9132

www.northlakefence.com

FirEplacE SErvicES

cHiMNEY SWEEP Dampers/Brick & Stone Repair. DFW Metro. Don 214-704-1722

Flooring & carpEting

ALL WALkS OF FLOORS 214-616-7641 Carpet, Wood, Tile Sales/Service Free Estimates

BEAR FOOT HARDWOODS 214-734-8851

Complete Hardwood Flooring Services

DallaS carPEt OUtlEt Carpet/Wood/Tile. dallascarpetoutlet.com 214-342-1100

FounDation

rEpair

• Slabs • Pier & Beam

• Mud Jacking • Drainage

• Free Estimates

• Over 20 Years Exp. 972-288-3797

We Answer Our Phones

garagE DoorS

ROCkET GARAGE DOOR SERVICE -24/7. Repairs/Installs. 214-533-8670. Coupon On Web. www.RocketDoorService.com

UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES Res/Com. Locally Owned.214-826-8096

glaSS, WinDoWS & DoorS

A FATHER, SON & GRANDSON TEAM Expert Window Cleaning. Haven 214-327-0560

CLEARWINDOWSANDDOORS.COM

Replacement Windows & Doors Free Estimate 214-274-5864

HouSE painting

1 AFFORDABLE HOUSE PAINTING and Home Repair. Quality work. Inside and Out. Free Ests. Local Refs. Ron 972-816-5634 or 972-475-3928

#1 GET MORE PAY LES

Painting. 85% Referrals. Free Est. 214-348-5070

A+ INT/EXT PAINT & DRYWALL

Since 1977. Kirk Evans. 972-672-4681

A1 TOP COAT Professional. Reliable. References. TopCoatOfTexas.com 214-770-2863

ABRAHAM PAINT SERVICE A Women Owned Business 25 Yrs. Int/Ext. Wall Reprs. Discounts On Whole Interiors and Exteriors 214-682-1541

all tYPES Painting & Repairs. A+ BBB rating. Any size jobs welcome. Call Kenny 214-321-7000

BENJAMIN’S PAINTING SERVICE Quality Work At Reasonable Prices. 214-725-6768

BILL’S PAINTING 214-697-7611

20 Years References.Interior/Exterior.

BLAkE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS, LLC

Complete Painting Interior/Exterior, Stain Etc. Custom Finishes, Custom Texture, Custom Trim www.blake-construction.com

Fully Bonded & Insured. 214-563-5035

’07, ’08, ’09, ’10, ’11 CONSUMERS CHOICE AWARDS

Making

TECL20502

972-926-7007

arrowelectric.net

Phones Answered 24/7

FEncing & DEckS

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

4 QUALITY FENCING Call Mike 214-507-9322

Specializing in Wood, New or Repair.

A FATHER, SON & GRANDSON TEAM

Fences, Gates, Decks. Haven 214-327-0560

AMBASSADOR FENCE INC.

Automatic Gates, Iron & Cedar Fencing, Decks. Since 1996. MC/V 214-621-3217

HANNAWOODWORkS.COM Decks,Doors, Carpentry, Remodeling 214-435-9574

kIRkWOOD FENCE & DECk

New & Repair. Free Estimates. Nathan Kirkwood. 214-341-0699

LONESTARDECkS.COM 214-357-3975

Trex Decking & Fencing, trex.com

All Wood Decks, Arbors & Patio Covers

DALLAS HARDWOODS 214-724-0936

Installation, Repair, Refinish, Wax, Hand Scrape. Residential, Commercial. Sports Floors. 25 Yrs.

HASTINGS STAINED CONCRETE New/ Remodel. Stain/Wax Int/Ext. Nick. 214-341-5993. www.hastingsfloors.com

N-HANCE WOOD RENEWAL. No Dust. No Mess. No Odor. nhance.com. 214-321-3012.

WILLEFORD HARDWOOD FLOORS 214-824-1166 • WillefordHardwoodFloors.com

LAkE HIGHLANDS GLASS & MIRROR custom mirrors • shower enclosures store fronts • casements 214-349-8160

ROCk GLASS CO Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 214-837-7829

HanDyman SErvicES

#1 AT BIG JOBS. NO JOB TOO SMALL. 40+ years exp. Ron Payne 214-755-9147

A HELPING HAND Repairs, Redo’s & Remodeling.No Job Too Small.Chris 214-693-0678

A R&G HANDYMAN Electrical, Plumbing, Painting, Fencing, Roofing, Light Hauling. Ron or Gary 214-861-7569, 469-878-8044

MANNY’S HOME PAINTING & REPAIR Int./Ext. Sheetrock. Manny 214-334-2160

raMON’S iNt/EXt PaiNt Sheetrock, Repairs. 214-679-4513

VIP PAINTING & DRYWALL Int/Ext. Sheetrock Repair, Resurfacing Tubs, Counters, Tile Repairs. 469-774-7111

WHITE ROCk PAINTING

References. Mark Reindel 214-321-5280

BRIAN GREAM

PAINTING & RENOVATIONS LLC

• Interior/Exterior • Drywall • Rotten Wood • Gutters All General Contracting Needs

PayPal ®

214.542.6214

WWW.BGRONTHEWEB.COM

25+ Years Experience

all Star HOME carE Carpentry, Glass, Tile, Paint, Doors, Sheetrock Repair, and more. 25 yrs. exp. References. Derry 214-505-4830

BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

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

HaNDYMaN SPEcialiSt Residential/ Commercial. Large, small jobs, repair list, renovations. Refs. 214-489-0635

HOMEtOWN HaNDYMaN All phases of construction. No job too small 214-327-4606

HONESt, SKillED SErvicE With a Smile. General Repairs/ Maintenance. 214-215-2582

WANTED: ODD JOBS & TO DO LISTS

Allen’s Handyman & Home Repair 214-288-4232

Your Home Repair Specialists

Drywall Doors Senior Safety Carpentry Small & Odd Jobs And More! 972-308-6035 HandymanMatters.com/dallas

BRIANGREAM@YAHOO.COM

Exterior & Interior Painting Professionals Call Local (Toll Free) NOW For a FREE estimate 877-212-4076 www.protectpainters.com

intErior DESign

A LADY’S TOUCH WALLPAPERING Free Estimates. 972-832-3396

cUStOM DraPErY Window Treatments, Blinds,Shades,Upholstery. Linda 214-212-8058

DESIGN BY kIMBERLY VAUGHAN

It’s About You And The Way You Live designmeover.com 214-458-5057

TLC DESIGN INC Refresh your interiors/ remodels.Over 15 Yrs Exp.972-922-6483 ticdi.com

Kitchen/Bath/ tile/Grout

ALL SURFACE REFINISHING 214-631-8719. Tub/Tile/Refinishing. allsurfacerefinishing.com

BATHTUB, COUNTERTOP & TILE

Resurfacing: Walls, Tub Surrounds, Showers. Glaze or Faux Stone finishes. Affordable Alternative to Replacement! 972-323-8375. PermaGlazeNorthDallas.com

BLAKE CONSTRUCTION CONCEPTS LLC

Complete Kitchen And Bath Remodels

Tile, Granite, Marble, Travertine, Slate Bonded And Insured. 214-563-5035 www.blake-construction.com

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

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

MELROSE TILE James Estrello Sr.-installer,40 Yrs. Exp. MelroseTile.com 214-384-6746

TOM HOLT TILE 30 Yrs Experience In Tile, Backsplashes & Floors. Refs. Avail. 214-770-3444

lawns, Gardens & trees

RED SUN LANDSCAPES • 214-935-9779

RedSunLandscapes.com

RONS LAWN Organic Solutions. Not Environmental Pollution. Landscape & Maintenance 972-222-LAWN (5296)

SERIOUSLY METICULOUS Verdant Grounds. 214-763-0492

TAYLOR MADE IRRIGATION Repairs, service, drains. 30+ years exp. Ll 6295 M-469-853-2326. John

TEN55 DESIGN Landscape Design ten55design.com, 214-208-4366

THE POND MAN Water Gardens

Designed & Installed. Drained & Cleaned. Weekly Service. Jim Tillman 214-769-0324

TRACY’S LAWN CARE • 972-329-4190 Lawn Mowing & Leaf Cleaning

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

WATER-WISE URBAN LANDSCAPES www.TexasXeriscapes.com 469-586-9054

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Roofing

Loosen the Lugnuts and sp Lit.

It’s the crime that never seems to go away in Preston Hollow — auto accessory thefts on high-end SUVs. And many times it involves the theft of rims and wheels

The Victim: Windy Koehler

The Crime: Auto accessory theft

Date: Monday, June 17

Time: Between 10 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.

Location: 6300 block of Prestonshire

and your vehicle left sitting on blocks. This is what happened to Windy Koehler one early morning. After stepping outside for a few minutes, her son came inside to tell her the bad news. The Cadillac Escalade parked in the front driveway was missing all four tires and rims. It was a frustrating moment for sure.

“It’s creepy knowing that someone has done that to your car,” she says. “Insurance will cover it, but you hate to go through the hassle.”

Koehler says she had forgotten to pull the car into the garage. This is not the first time accessories have been stolen from her car. Two years ago, someone smashed a window and stole the third-row seat, another frequent target of thieves.

“We had it on video, but it was too dark to make out who it was,” she says. “It only took them about 15 or 30 seconds to climb in and remove the seat.”

Koehler says her Cadillac dealership told her it would take a few days to get her SUV back in its proper order. It was backed up because of a shortage on parts because of other similar thefts.

Dallas Police Lt. Richard Dwyer of the North Central Patrol Division says six reports of auto accessory thefts have been reported this year in Koehler’s area through June 17, and the property taken in these cases is split between tires/rims and tailgates. Other parts of Preston Hollow also have experienced these crimes.

“Prevention of these types of offenses is difficult,” he says. “On expensive rims, owners may wish to have them etched on the inside when they are bought [with identifying information]. In addition, there are a number of car alarm systems that are motion activated that car owners may purchase. Installing some type of outdoor lighting is another step people can take to decrease the odds of theft occurring during the night.”

crime numbers

Amount of money a gloved burglar ran away with on July 7 after he allegedly broke into the Liberty Burger in the 5000 block of Forest, ran over to a bolted-down safe at about 9 a.m., and took off after realizing it was impenetrable

$2,000

Block of Royal where a thief allegedly stole a 2007 Ford F-150 valued at $30,000 between the hours of 8:30 p.m. July 6 and 4 a.m. July 7

Amount of damage an unknown person allegedly did to the front of a resident’s Ford Taurus in the 4000 block of Northaven at about 1 a.m. July 6

Source: Dallas Police Department

Sean Chaffin is a freelance writer and author of “Raising the Stakes”, obtainable at raisingthestakesbook.com. If you have been a recent crime victim, email crime@advocatemag.com.