April 2024

BRUNCH & LUNCH SERVICE:

TUESDAY-FRIDAY, 11AM-2PM

SATURDAY & SUNDAY, 10AM-2PM

Now Serving New Spring & Summer Menus

DINNER SERVICE:

WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY, 5PM-9PM

Couldn’t have done it without you.

More getting down on their level.

More getting down on their level.

More getting down on their level.

Joint care that helps you get more out of life.

Joint care that helps you get more out of life.

Joint care that helps you get more out of life.

You have your reasons for taking care of your joints and at Texas Health, we’re ready to help you every step of the way. That’s why more North Texans choose Texas Health than any other health system for their joint care. With our range of programs – from preventative care and physical therapy to non-surgical options and full joint replacements – you can rest assured you’ll receive quality, compassionate care tailored to your unique needs.

You have your reasons for taking care of your joints and at Texas Health, we’re ready to help you every step of the way. That’s why more North Texans choose Texas Health than any other health system for their joint care. With our range of programs – from preventative care and physical therapy to non-surgical options and full joint replacements – you can rest assured you’ll receive quality, compassionate care tailored to your unique needs. From our joint care coordinators to specialists on the medical staff of Texas Health hospitals, our focus is to help you recover quickly and get back to what you love. That's how Texas Health cares more.

From our joint care coordinators to specialists on the medical staff of Texas Health hospitals, our focus is to help you recover quickly and get back to what you love. That's how Texas Health cares more.

You have your reasons for taking care of your joints and at Texas Health, we’re ready to help you every step of the way. That’s why more North Texans choose Texas Health than any other health system for their joint care. With our range of programs – from preventative care and physical therapy to non-surgical options and full joint replacements – you can rest assured you’ll receive quality, compassionate care tailored to your unique needs. From our joint care coordinators to specialists on the medical staff of Texas Health hospitals, our focus is to help you recover quickly and get back to what you love. That's how Texas Health cares more.

Take our hip and knee health assessment or find a joint care specialist at YourJointHealth.com.

Take our hip and knee health assessment or find a joint care specialist at YourJointHealth.com.

Take our hip and knee health assessment or find a joint care specialist at YourJointHealth.com.

Doctors

FUii-

AHEAD!

FREE PRE-K

Arlington ISD's pre-K program for 4-year-olds is "Full STEM Ahead!" with our unique, innovative curriculum that incorporates STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Plus, it's free for every student!

Every Arlington ISD elementary school is equipped with two STEM labs, thanks to Arlington taxpayers who supported the 2014 Bond. With STEM already part of the curriculum in elementary schools, adding it to the expanded pre-K offerings two years ago just made sense.

"Our littlest learners are our future leaders, and we know how vital it is to start preparing them for their

future," said Arlington ISD superintendent Dr. Matt Smith. "They are ready to embrace STEM at a young age, and our district has lessons catered to them. We continue to be at the forefront of STEM in pre-K."

If STEM sounds a little daunting for your future student, don't worry. If they love to play with LEGOs, playdough, build things (or take things apart), and have a natural curiosity about everything, they will love STEM. In other words, if they're a kid, they'll love it.

FREE FOR ALL

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

Pre-K for 4-year-olds in Arlington ISD is universal. That means it's open to every child and it's free! We want every child to have the opportunity to be a part of this full-day program that lays the foundation for a successful educational journey. High school may be years away for your little one, but the road to graduation and a successful future starts here.

STEM PERKS

There's no denying that STEM careers are where the future is heading. In fact, STEM careers already make up 20% of all U.S. jobs - and that number is rising - and they pay more than jobs in other areas. Just imagine what that's going to be like in 2038. That's right. Your future Arlington ISD pre-K student will be in the Class of 2038. Arlington ISD is committed to your child's future, which is why our pre-K is purposefully designed to spark little learners' interest in science, technology, engineering and math.

IT'S FUN!

Nothing says learning doesn't have to be fun, at least not in the Arlington ISD pre-K program. Fun is the name of the game here. Four-year-olds are innately curious, and they feed and foster that curiosity through playful sensory-rich experiences that encourage kids to explore, discover and ask questions. Arlington ISD's pre-K program is designed to give kids all kinds of fun, hands-on learning activities and experiences that feels like playing to them. But these activities are purposeful and designed to help kids grow and develop their social and emotional skills, fine motor skills and problem-solving skills. They also help students improve their vocabulary and gain the confidence to try new things.

WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?

You can visit aisd.net/prek for all the latest information on the Arlington /SD pre-K program. Registration begins April 7. We'll see you this fall.

Explore

66

Personified

COME STAY A WHILE.

Downtown Arlington has over 40 options for eating & drinking. Plan your evening using our interactive directory at downtownarlington.org .

NEW IN (DOWN)TOWN

Café Americana

Division Brewing Pizza Kitchen

Taipo

The Fool’s Cava House

Zio Al’s Pizza & Pasta

DRINK

4Kahuna's Tiki Lounge

Binions Ice House

Cidercade

Division Brewing

Free Play Arcade

Hayters Bar & Lounge

Hooligan's Pub

Inclusion Coffee

Lone Star Axe Throwing

Kool Keg

Kung Fu Tea

Milo's Bar

On Tap

Salter Bros. Coffee Roasters

White Rhino Coffee

EAT

Amore Mio Trattoria

Babe's Chicken House

Cane Rosso

Candlelite Inn

Cartel Taco Bar

Flying Fish

Fuzzy's Taco Shop

The Grease Monkey Burger Shop

The Hive

Hurtado BBQ

ICafe

Insomnia Cookies

Inspirations Fork and Table

J.Gilligan's Bar & Grill

Kintaro Ramten

Los Molcas Tacos Bar & Grill

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers

Namoo Koreanbowl

Old School Pizza Tavern

Restaurant 506

Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard

Sugar Bee Sweets Bakery

The Tipsy Oak

Twisted Root Burger Company

Join us on Instagram @dtarlington and share your experience with #DowntownArlington

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Executive Publisher

Judy M. Rupay CEO

Richard Greene

EDITORIAL

Sports Columnist

John Rhadigan

Website & Social Media Manager

Bailey Woodard

Graphic Artists

Francisco Cuevas

Betsy Lewis

Contributing Writers

Richard Greene, Bob Kowalski, Ashlea Pierce, Kenneth Perkins, Amanda Rogers, Kali Schick

Contributing Editor

Betsy Lewis

Contributing Photographers

Ryan Brown, Erin Grindberg, Terry Ip, Dwayne Lee, Heather Lee, Bruce Maxwell, Joshua Stephen

SALES / CIRCULATION

Business Manager

Bridget Dean

Sales Managers

Laura DiStefano, Paige Payne, Andrea Proctor, Debbie Roach, Tricia Schwartz

Distribution Manager

Hanna Areksoussi

PRODUCTION

Production Manager

Betsy Lewis

ARLINGTON TODAY is published monthly.

Copyright 2024 Arlington Today, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means without permission of the publisher. The inclusion of advertising is considered a service to readers and is not an endorsement of products. Basic subscriptions are $33.95 annually. To subscribe, e-mail subscriptions@arlingtontoday.com

Phone us at (817) 303-3304

ARLINGTON TODAY GIVES BACK

Arlington Today magazine proudly sponsors Arlington Charities, The Arlington Foundation for Excellence in Education, Arlington Urban Ministries, Back the Blue, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Tarrant County, Boy Scouts of America Longhorn Council, Dental Health Arlington, Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Mansfield Cares, Mansfield Women’s Club, Open Arms Health Clinic, River Legacy Foundation, Rotary Club of Arlington, Travel & Sports Legacy Foundation and Trinity Community Foundation.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

JUDY M. RUPAY

Our new school superintendent, Dr. Matt Smith, highlights our cover story this month - “Our littlest learners are our future leaders, and we know how vital it is to start preparing them for their future.”

All of Arlington ISD elementary schools are equipped with two STEM labs as a result of voters support of the district’s 2014 bond proposal that created this opportunity for our 4-year-olds.

We’ve got the details in the pages just ahead.

A complimentary educational program for kids as young as 3 all the way through 12th grade is found in UT Arlington’s Camp Arlington this summer featuring sports, engineering, music and board games.

Rounding out an emphasis on education, our columnist Kenneth Perkins introduces our readers to Lowell Davis who joined the university as Director of Student Affairs last August and brought with him his devotion to former foster care kids. The results of his work are featured on page 20.

Wondering what’s new on the Texas Rangers’ menu for the 2024 baseball season? We’ve got the answer to that question along with a story of the Arlington Eats partnership at the ballpark. You’ll find it beyond expectations when strolling through the Globe Life Field concourses.

Have you discovered the O. S. Gray Natural Area that is part of the city’s expansive parks and recreation system? It’s found minutes from downtown Arlington at 2021 West Abram Street. We’ve got the story of how the young daughter of Kevin and Carrie Donovan was inspired to ask if the former nursery that once flourished there could become a public park. The pro-active initiative provided the results we’ve enjoyed since the first phase was developed in 2010.

A recap of the activities and opportunities to discover how a community works to support the daily lives of Arlington’s residents and visitors is this year’s report of the year-long journey of the six Texas Rangers Richard Greene Scholars. Now in its 27th year, the nationally recognized initiative continues to produce results exceeding expectations.

To be sure you are fully prepared for the just-launched Major League Baseball season, sports columnist John Rhadigan provides the details of the latest rule changes designed to speed up the games – a popular initiative by the league that produced the desired results for fans last year and now goes a few steps further.

Dancing with the Arlington Stars is a new initiative launched by The Rotary Club of Arlington designed to support 12 local charities. The club’s fund development director Chad Bates explains the objective of becoming a signature annual event for the city.

This issue wraps up with former mayor Richard Greene doing some justified bragging on his daughter’s and producer partner’s roles in making Oscar-nominated and winning movies. Their recent appearance on the Academy Awards Red Carpet highlights their latest success.

Our commitment to be the local communities’ publication of record continues with our monthly look at the people, places, activities and promising initiatives for an ever-growing quality of life for all citizens.

Please enjoy this latest edition of that promise.

Judy Rupay

judy@arlingtontoday.com

SUMMER CAMPS AT UT ARLINGTON

KIDS OF ALL AGES CAN ENJOY ARTS, CRAFTS, MUSIC, AND MORE

Get ready for summer fun at The University of Texas at Arlington. UTA offers camps in everything from sports to engineering to music to board games . Short workshops and multi-week camps are available, with offerings for children as young as 3 all the way to grade 12.

CAMP ARLINGTON ( Weekly Throughout June & July)

Provides athletic and educational activities for ages 3-5 (Discovers) and children entering first through fifth grades (Explorers). Each session lasts one week, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and takes place at the Maverick Activities Center. The cost includes all guest speakers, daily snacks, and camp activities. kidventure.com

UTA KIDS & TEENS UNIVERSITY (June & July)

UTA offers camps for grades

1 to 12 in science, technology, engineering, arts, and more. Find dates, prices, and a full list of offerings at uta.edu/ youth or 817-272-2581.

Just some of the Kids & Teens University camps available:

Blaze Art Camp • Build & Design: Structural Engineering With Legos • Gamemaster: Create Your Own Board Games • Maverick Gardening • Med Camp • Mad Scientist! • Steam-Explosions

•Build Your Own Robot • Creative Writing • Roller Coaster Engineering • Fashion Designers • Anime/Manga • Maverick Forensic Science Camp • Instamazing: Urban Photography • Summer Strings

SPORTS & MUSIC CAMPS

CONCERT BAND (GRADES 7-12)

June 9-13, Fine Arts Building

VOLLEYBALL (VARIOUS AGES)

June 10-21, Maverick Activities Center

SOFTBALL MINI MAVS (AGES 5-10)

June 10-12, Alan Saxe Field

BASEBALL YOUTH ALLSTAR (AGES 6-14)

June 10-13 & July 8-11, Clay Gould Ballpark

SOFTBALL SUMMER (AGES 7-12)

June 17-18, Alan Saxe Field

MARCHING BAND (GRADES 9-12)

June 16-20, Fine Arts Building

BASEBALL ELITE PROSPECT (GRADES 9-12)

Aug. 17, Clay Gould Ballpark

A full list of offerings, dates, and prices can be found at uta.edu/youth :

Timeless Concerts presents Back to Nature with River Legacy!

Classical music in a beautiful setting. Complementary wine, soft drinks and snacks.

April 20 • 8pm

River Legacy Living Science Center

An evening of confectionary masterpieces, hors d’oeuvres, champagne, wine, and silent auction.

April 20 • 7-10pm

Arlington Museum of Art

Dream City Duck Derby

The first annual fundraiser for the Arlington Sunrise Rotary Club with food trucks, music, vendor booths and activities for the kids. Watch the Duck Splash when 5000 rubber ducks are poured into the lazy river to dash toward the finish line. First lucky duck wins a $2500 gift card and additional prizes will be given for 2nd-10th place winners.

April 20 • 12:30pm

Randol Mill Park Family Aquatic Center Ducks and Info at dreamcityduckderby.com

Texas Street Food Festival

Featuring Texas’ best food trucks and iconic restaurants with all food items priced at $5 or less! Sample a wide range of flavors and options! Stay for the live entertainment, interactive experiences, family-friendly fun and much more!

April 13 & 14

Texas Live!

2pm-8pm, 12pm-2pm (early VIP)

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE AT Arlington Music Hall

The Box Tops - A Memphis Night at the Music Hall

Soulful music and unforgettable melodies. April 12 • 8pm

Chris Cagle

Electrifying live country music. April 13 • 7:30pm

Dan Sperry

Mind-bending illusions and shocking stunts. April 14 • 6pm

Sammy Kershaw

A night of country music and good times. April 19 • 8pm

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder

Electrifying bluegrass vibes. May 2 • 7:30pm

UPCOMING

Kenny Chesney: Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour

Featuring Zac Brown Band, Megan Moroney and Uncle Kracker

May 11 • 8pm

AT&T Stadium

A Century of Playful Places, Open Spaces & Smiling Faces.

Arlington Parks and Recreation is proud to celebrate its centennial in 2024, as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of Meadowbrook Park. This year promises even more #NaturallyFun than usual, with a calendar full of special events, self-led activities, historical features, spotlights, giveaways and more!

arlingtontx.gov/parks100

Shakespeare’s Coming to Arlington in 2025!

A group of local community members is bringing the works of William Shakespeare to life in Arlington in April 2025.

Shakespeare LIVE is a non-profit organization developing a series of live, outdoor Shakespeare performances. The inaugural run will feature the bard’s pastoral comedy, As You Like It. Raphael Parry, former director of Shakespeare in the Park in Dallas, will serve as Shakespeare LIVE’s production director.

Currently, the organization is calling for community support, both financially and through word of mouth. It is set to hold its first official fundraiser in April. The event will honor William Shakespeare’s 460th birthday. As the bard said himself, “If money go before, all ways do lie open.”

The idea for Shakespeare LIVE came from the minds of LouAnn and Mike O’Donnell. After a night spent at an outdoor concert, they were inspired to create Arlington’s very own version of Shakespeare in the Park. Shakespeare had long held a special place

in the couple’s hearts, even serving as the setting for their second date.

The couple partnered with Dance Theatre of Arlington and other community members to expand Arlington’s already vibrant arts scene. They hope live performances will foster a love for the playwright in the community and introduce others to his works for the first time.

Shakespeare LIVE’s mission is to entertain, engage and educate people of all ages through the series of free performances. It is working with local schools to create learning opportunities and programs to expose students to the works of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare LIVE also plans to work with and support local businesses and veterans.

If you would like to become a founding supporter, you can scan the QR code below to donate.

You can also follow Shakespeare LIVE on social media or visit shakespearelive.org for more information.

Here’s to Shakespeare for all, y’all!

Top: Dana Queenan, Courtni Fields, Beth Hellier. Seated: Mike O’Donnell, LouAnn O’Donnell. Not pictured: Dr. Kevin Carr, Janet Jennings, Raphael Parry

LOEWS HOTELS OFFER A STELLAR ECLIPSE EXPERIENCE

Arlington is scheduled to be in the path of totality for 3 minutes, 22 seconds from 1:40- 1:43pm. The sun will be under a partial eclipse for 2 hours, 39 minutes in Arlington from 12:23-3:02 pm, excluding the three-plus minutes when the total eclipse is in effect. Loews hotels make the perfect viewing spot.

Guests and locals may book the following celestial service at The Spa at Loews Arlington Hotel:

Solar Eclipse Moonstone Massage

Experience a rejuvenating full body massage using warm, hand-carved Himalayan salt stones, combined with the healing energy of Moonstone crystals, to lead the body, mind, and spirit into deep relaxation. This holistic treatment is known to improve sleep, reduce

inflammation, and leave you with a profound sense of emotional tranquility. Guests receive a complimentary Moonstone crystal to take home. Available April 5-8. Call The Spa to book: 682-318-2830. 80-minutes | $280

Live! by Loews - Arlington will host a Solar Eclipse Viewing Party on the Pool Deck from 11:30am-3:30pm on Monday, April 8. Sip on the cosmic cocktail, Outer Limits, while swaying to live music by local artists and during this once-in-a-lifetime celestial event. Hotel guests will receive complimentary commemorative glasses for viewing. Poolside cabanas are available for rent and food and beverage will be available to purchase from the swim up bar, SOAK.

It’s going to be out of this world!

Tapas-Style Bar and Restaurant Opens

Cafe Americana is a new Spanishinspired concept that fuses cuisine from many countries and includes some beloved American classics. Menu items include a dozen tapas plates, large plates with steaks and more, empanadas, or several varieties of paella, just to name a few.

403 E. Main St. • cafeamericanatx.com

April is National Brunch Month

Originating in England in the 19th century as a light afternoon meal following extended church services, brunch eventually transitioned into a lavish multi-course meal. It wasn’t until the 1930s in Chicago that brunch began an integration into the United States. A little breakfast, a little lunch, and don’t forget the Mimosa or Bloody Mary!

3 SCOOPS

1. The cost to build the center-hung HDTV monitor at AT&T Stadium was over $40 million which is more than it cost for the entire construction of the old Texas Stadium.

2. Lake Arlington was dubbed the “Miracle Lake” after its completion in the 1950s. Original estimates for the lake to fill were two years, but the lake was filled by heavy rains in only 26 days!

3. The G.M. Assembly Plant in Arlington opened in 1954 and produced the Pontiac Starchief, Buick Roadmaster and the Oldsmobile, all of which have been discontinued. The plant now produces Cadillac Escalades, GMC Yukons and Chevy Suburbans and Tahoes.

family law for 37 years.

Donna J. Smiedt is collaboratively trained to provide clients with a private form of dispute resolution to avoid litigation.

The American Registry rated her one of the top attorneys in 2023

Arlington by the NUMBERS

8,307

The number of hotel rooms in the city of which 7,624 were sold the night of Saturday, February 24, setting a new record for Arlington.

9%

The approximate amount of decrease in the city’s property tax rate from 2016 to 2024.

56,311

The number of students attending the Arlington Independent School District for 2024.

DID YOU KNOW?

Tarrant County ranked No. 9 on the U.S. Census Bureau’s list of Top 10 Counties in Annual Numeric Growth. From July 2022 to July 2023, 27,301 people moved to Tarrant County. Texas counties hold eight of the 10 spots for most population growth in the nation. On the top 10 list of U.S. Metro Areas in Annual Numeric Growth, the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area is No. 1 with an increase of 152,598.

#atpetofthemonth

Molly is a 1 year old dog adopted last fall from Allie’s Haven Animal Rescue. She’s smart and full of energy. She can fetch a ball forever, enthusiastically chases squirrels, and likes to give hugs. – Tony Su

April is National Pickleball Month

Pickleball began in 1965 in Bainbridge, WA and people everywhere are catching the spirit of the game. In fact, in just the past two years alone there has been a 39.3% growth rate in the sport. Find courts near you at pickleheads.com/courts/us/texas/arlington.

Beer Fest DFW: A Pups-n-Suds Party

30+ DFW breweries, live music, drinking games with awesome prizes, multiple food stations, VIP sections, cigars, entertainers, doggos, and more! Bring your pups, this event is dog-friendly and will benefit local canine charities.

April 20

Texas Live! Backyard Amphitheater

The DEA encourages the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes on Drug Take Back Day. Flushing medications can be bad for the water supply. Many pharmacies, as well as law enforcement offices, offer secure kiosks for safe medication disposal. Some Walgreens and CVS locations have instore medication-disposal kiosk programs.

Before you discard your medications in a drop-off bin, block out your name and personal information on the medication labels with a permanent marker.

April 27 • 10am-2pm

DO YOU HAVE THE MAVERICK FACTOR? UTA.EDU

Photos: Prominent Era Photography and Southern Flair Photography

When Educational Initiatives Are Driven by Passion

KENNETH PERKINS

The young man arrived on the University of Alabama campus armed with a high school diploma and a full ride to the state’s flagship institution.

He also arrived clueless.

He had no idea where to go or what to do. He had no parents, guardians, or friends in tow. No class registration, no housing. He just showed up at a school office, asking, so what do I do now?

They didn’t know. So, they called someone who might.

Lowell Davis learned that the young man had come from a children’s home. He was a foster care kid who needed guidance but wasn’t sure where that guidance could come from.

Once kids age out of the system, they’re on their own. Here’s your toothbrush. We wish you well.

“It got me to thinking,” said Davis, then the assistant dean of students and assistant to the vice provost for academic affairs. “How many other students who had aged out of the system were coming to the University of Alabama?”

Davis launched his initiative for the school, Alabama Reach, which helped support students who came to Tuscaloosa with nothing but a backpack and hope.

As Davis’ career took him to other schools, his devotion to former foster care kids went with him. The drill was about the same. Settle into the new job, then launch a similar initiative.

When Davis interviewed for the Director of Student Affairs job at the University of Texas at Arlington last August, he let UTA President Dr. Jennifer Cowley and Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Tamara Brown know upfront that wherever he goes, that passion for ex-foster kids travels along with him.

“Both have caring hearts and spirits,” Davis

said over the phone. “Not a day or week goes by without them interacting with me about how we can support this population on campus.”

Those of us outside of that population don’t think all that much about those inside it. The challenges are immense. The young man Davis encountered wasn’t even 17. You have to be 18 to register without a parent’s signature.

“Less than eight percent graduate from college,” Davis said of former foster care students. “They don’t have a place to go during Christmas or spring break.”

Or any break.

“These students don’t know how to navigate the health care system or the college process. What does a credit hour mean? The young man I mentioned couldn’t tie a necktie.”

Thanks to Davis, schools, where he worked, became de facto guardians.

So, it is now at UTA. Davis has hired a program manager, Harold Bryant, who is already partnering with local school districts and county officials to help provide academic, financial, emotional, and social support for those students.

They’re calling it “Emerging Mavericks.”

“We want to reach out to students and expose them to college early so they can see it as a viable option,” Davis said.

What’s heartwarming about Davis’ UTA work is that this is home turf. A Dallas Lincoln product, Davis attended Hampton University to earn a Bachelor of Arts in English, a Master of Arts in counseling, and a doctorate in education, leadership, and policy studies from Indiana University.

The initial plan was to run a counseling center. A professor suggested otherwise when a client took his life, and Davis became intrinsically involved in their lives.

“I was 22 or 23,” Davis said. His professor told him he might be better suited for something else.

“She said there’s no way I can run a counseling center doing things like that every time something happens. It spoke to me.”

He’s found his sweet spot. UTA is the better for it.

“My parents raised us to care, be strong in our faith, and always ask ourselves, what have you done for someone else today?” Davis said. “Having a career in student affairs allows me the opportunity to give back and put into people, make a difference, and make sure that people are better than when I first engaged with them.”

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

NiKolas R.

2024 YOUTH OF THE YEAR

“Over the past four years, my involvement in Boys & Girls Clubs has shaped my personal growth and development. Since joining, this organization has not only become a part of my routine but has significantly impacted my life.”

- NiKolas R.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County is proud to announce that NiKolas, a Trimble Tech Junior and member of the Upward Bound program, was selected by a panel of community judges as an outstanding teen and our 2024 Youth of the Year.

Over the past four years, NiKolas found a second home at Boys & Girls Clubs, where he experienced transformative changes. The Club became a part of his routine and a catalyst for meaningful friendships, extending beyond the Club's walls, creating genuine connections based on shared interests and a passion for personal growth.

NiKolas' journey at the Club was a foundation for his diverse interests, particularly in technology and space, which evolved from a fascination with general science and sci-fi media. Winning the Youth of the Year Competition is not just a recognition of his achievements, but a celebration of his journey towards becoming the person he is today.

CELEBRAT E WITH US !

Friday, June 7

Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center

Vineyard Tower | 6 P.M. - 12 A.M.

Presented by:

Scan

City of Mansfield Enters into Agreement with REV Sports Management and FC Dallas for Multi-Use Stadium

Previously announced Multi-Use Stadium part of Harvest Point Development

Mansfield, Texas, February 13, 2024 – The City of Mansfield announced a partnership with REV Sports Management, the sister company of REV Entertainment, as well as FC Dallas, to serve as the operator of the Multi-Use Soccer Stadium complex in Mansfield.

Mansfield City Council officially approved the operating agreement during its February 12 city council meeting.

with sports from a destination for youth athletics to professional action,” Mayor Michael Evans said. “In order to make sure the stadium delivers the all-star experience the community expects, it only makes sense that we would team up with such decorated and experienced organizations in REV Sports Management and FC Dallas.”

REV Sports Management will serve as the operator of the venue upon completion, as well as the design and construction consultant throughout the design and construction phase. REV Sports Management has partnered with FC Dallas to deliver a world-class experience to Mansfield.

In this role, FC Dallas will assist in the design and construction phase of the stadium. FC Dallas will also lead efforts to program all sports programming at the facility, including youth soccer and international tournaments.

Mansfield residents voted to approve funding for a stadium in May 2023. The multi-purpose stadium is expected to open by 2026.

In addition to the stadium, the proposed 250-acre Harvest Point development includes residential, retail, family entertainment, hotel and conference center and entertainment venues. “We know the stadium project has the potential to be the evolution of Mansfield’s relationship

“Through this partnership this stadium will be home for various sports from day one,” Mansfield City Manager Joe Smolinski said. “The teamwork between City Council, REV Sports Management, and FC Dallas is an exciting look at our collaboration going forward to bring elite athletics and entertainment to Mansfield.”

“We are thrilled to work together with the City of Mansfield and our friends at FC Dallas to bring a state-ofthe-art multi-purpose stadium to Mansfield,” said Sean Decker, President of REV Entertainment. “The Mansfield community is one we are proud to be part of and look forward to bringing both soccer and entertainment to the community. We are excited to work alongside Mansfield residents, business leaders and city leaders on the stadium.”

“We’re excited to partner with REV Sports Management and the City of Mansfield to bring more soccer fields and training facilities to North Texas,” said FC Dallas Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Smith.

“With the FIFA World Cup™ coming to the region in 2026, it’s important to give our communities access to fields with quality soccer programming that will help introduce them to the sport and nurture their love of the beautiful game.”

REV Sports Management, FC Dallas and the City of Mansfield are currently working alongside the design team for initial development of the stadium. Additional announcements will be made in the coming months, including a timeline, renderings, and additional operations.

About REV Sports Management: REV Sports Management is the sister company of REV Entertainment, who serves as the official events partner for the World Champion Texas Rangers, Globe Life Field and Choctaw Stadium. REV Sports Management is responsible for overseeing and managing all business operations for partner sports affiliates, including the Cleburne Railroaders and Allen Americans. REV Sports Management continually pushes venues to expand their reach by discovering new ways to utilize spaces. Through experiences gained at current venues, REV is able to continually enhance its efforts with both cities and municipalities, including working the City of Noblesville as design and operating consultant to the new Noblesville Event Center, the future home of the Indiana Pacers G-League team. REV understands how important it is to fill a facility 365-days a year, including non-sporting events. REVEntertainment.com.

About FC Dallas: FC Dallas is owned by Hunt Sports LLC and is committed to creating championship moments on and off the pitch. Since being purchased from Major League Soccer in 2003, FC Dallas has developed the 145-acre Toyota Stadium and Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas where it plays its home matches. FC Dallas and its affiliates operate the MLS NEXT Academy, boys’ and girls’ youth programs as well as MLS NEXT Pro’s North Texas SC. FC Dallas won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 1997 and 2016 while also winning the MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2016.

MAC’S BAR & GRILL

6077 IH 20 West • 817-572-0541

Mac’s Bar & Grill features American cuisine with a focus on steaks, seafood and prime rib.

Rena Frost has owned the restaurant since 2011.

“I’m always experimenting with seafood dishes, sauces and different proteins, like lamb,” said Frost.

Those kitchen experiments were encouraged by the previous owner, Mike McMahan, who Rena worked with for more than two decades.

“Mike and I, at our peak, were running four restaurants and building another one,” said Frost. “He taught me everything I needed to get me off to a good start and continued mentoring me and would encourage me to come up with new ideas and recipes. I learned a lot

from him in our almost 30 years of working together.’

Mac’s Bar and Grill has always delighted in providing friendly service and a comfortable and welcoming environment.

“We’ve had weddings, birthdays, life celebrations and my husband proposed to me in the bar in Arlington,” said Frost. “We’ve been around so long, 37 years, that we are part of everyone’s biggest celebrations and we’re so honored to be the place that they always want to come to.”

“We always try and get it right, whether it’s your food, drinks or the service,” said Frost. “We are proud to be part of the Arlington community and we appreciate all the years of loyalty shown to us, especially during COVID.”

INSPIRATIONS FORK & TABLE

506 E. Division St., Ste. 130 • 682-270-8352 inspirationsforkandtable.net

Inspirations Fork & Table is near the heart of bustling downtown Arlington, yet Kristene and Mannie Toledo have created a calming oasis.

“Our atmosphere is very European in the sense of there is no rushing,” said Kristene Toledo. “Stop and enjoy the food. We even have a pianist here on the weekends for people to enjoy.”

Inspirations combines southern comfort food with a European flair.

“Our specialties are probably two-fold,” said Toledo. “One is our incredible pecan chicken breast with our bourbon sauce. The second is our incredible sauces that we make from scratch and enhance any meat, dessert or cheese that we pair it with.

The Toledos have catered many corporate and personal events for the last 27 years but “transitioned into having our quaint space as a small restaurant shortly after 2020 as we were getting requests from people to enjoy our food, even if they are not having an event,” said Toledo.”

Inspirations is BYOB and offers private chef dinners for any special event.

Frost says she is most excited seeing new faces that are “awed by what a small, out of the way restaurant can do.”

“I’m always dreaming up new ideas, so you’ll just have to wait and see what comes next,” said Frost.

MARIA CUCA’S MEXICAN CUISINE

3970 N. Collins St • 682-323-7199 mariacucas.com

Maria Cuca’s Mexican Cuisine has been open in Arlington on North Collins, across from Viridian, for six months. This is the restaurant’s second location; the first has been operating in Keller for over 10 years.

Owners Enrique & Francisco Rodriguez says the restaurant is a family run business.

“Our recipes are inspired by our mother, said Enrique Rodriguez. “Our handmade corn tortillas are one of a kind which we use for all our specialty tacos. The Carne Asada and Cuca’s Pollo are also fan favorites. I hope every guest that dines with us feels the passion and devotion we put in on a daily basis.

“We delight in providing a relaxing and unforgettable experience to all of our guests.

“What excites me most is building relationships with our regulars. I have been in this business for a long time and some of my closest friends are guests I have served throughout the years. It brings me joy to get to see the same people on a weekly basis.

ZACK’S BISTRO

900 E. Copeland Rd. • 682-323-8789 zackbistro.com

Zack Moutaouakil opened Zack’s Bistro near Collins and the I-30 East frontage road a year ago, in April 2023. The restaurant offers American cuisine, steaks and seafood and specializes in prime and hand cut steaks from Allen Brothers in Chicago.

Restaurant ownership is not new for Moutaouakil; he’s owned multiple establishments over the past 30 years. In 2001, he helped open Mercury Chophouse for M Crowd Group, which he later bought in 2009. It became one of the first fine dining restaurants in downtown Fort Worth. In 2016 he partnered with Arlington Mayor Jim Ross and opened Mercury Chophouse in Arlington. Two years later he sold his shares to Ross and in August of 2020, he opened Keller Chophouse to fill a fine dining void there.

A native of Morocco, Moutaouakil comes from an entrepreneurial family. His father owned “an array of businesses” and Moutaouakil says he was, “raised with the tools to manage and prosper in the hospitality industry.”

His appreciation for the restaurant business flourished while running his father’s restaurant in Spain. When he moved to the United States, Moutaouakil entered the workforce in the restaurant field. His experience and understanding of the restaurant industry allowed him to move from busser to server to manager and then owner. Many of his kitchen staff and most of the front house staff have been with Zack for 18 years or more.

At Zack’s Bistro, he enjoys providing, “a relaxing atmosphere where people can come and enjoy good food, make memories & feel right at home.”

Zack’s also offers live music on Wednesday evenings.

PICCOLO MONDO

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

Before opening Piccolo Mondo in 1983, Owner, Antonio Capaccioli, had worked for over 20 years in fine dining.

After leaving his family farm in Italy, he worked in Montecarlo serving high society for many years before he made his way to Bermuda to work in the hospitality sector. When his time in the Caribbean came to a close, he made his way to America to embark on the next endeavor, entrepreneurship.

You could say that his travels around the world helped expand his knowledge of how to better serve the “old guard”. When he made his way to Texas, he saw a void that needed to be filled and thus, Piccolo Mondo was born. Established in 1983, Piccolo Mondo has served the Dallas-Fort Worth community for over 40 years with a high-end, fine-dining experience featuring authentic Italian cuisine.

Specialties include simple Italian dishes made to perfection. From spaghetti Bolognese to Lobster Isabella, every dish is prepared with the thoughtfulness to keep the recipe simple. They believe in using fresh ingredients and keeping the cuisine traditional.

They strive to provide our guests with a celebratory environment. Be it a birthday or an anniversary, the hope is that guests will choose Piccolo Mondo for all their “big nights.” They have provided a place for celebration in the heart of the metroplex for over 40 years and have witnessed an insane amount of birthdays, anniversaries, proposals, you name it. This is the kind of place where you can gather with your friends and family to celebrate moments big and small. There is also live piano music 4 nights a week!

When asked what excites him most, Capaccioli says, “We are most excited about the opportunity to continue serving the Dallas Fort Worth community. When COVID hit and the world shut down, we were not sure of our future. But, this community showed up and continued to support this small business. We are forever grateful that we survived one of the hardest things to hit the restaurant industry when a lot of other small businesses did not survive. The DFW community made us the staple for Italian cuisine and we hope to continue serving our community for years to come.”

Is there anything new on the horizon for the restaurant? “Not really. We believe that the charm of this establishment comes from simplicity and we intend to continue providing traditional and authentic Italian dishes to the patrons who have longed for the comfort of familiarity,” says Capaccioli.

Eating Local at the Ballpark

by Ashlea Pierce

Forthe first time, baseball fans who want to sample food local to Arlington – can now do that at every Texas Rangers home game this season.

The Arlington Eats partnership – the same one that launched Hurtado Barbecue into a standalone concession location last season – is planning to rotate among eight local eateries that will split all 81 home games.

The idea has been tested on weekend games for the past two years with a smaller group of restaurants. This year, each establishment will have about nine home games to serve food in the Lexus Club and near section 101 in the main concourse.

Prince Lebanese Grill, Sugar Bee Sweets Bakery, The Tin Cup, Cartel Tacos, Shrimp Doc, TJ’s Catfish & Wings, Ella B’s and a yet-tobe-determined Asian concept will round out the list.

Newcomer Travis Johnson, of TJ’s Catfish & Wings, likened the current number of food options at the ballpark to the state fair and said he was very excited to be part of the 2024 offerings.

“We’re definitely hoping our name will continue to spread not just locally but

throughout the entire metroplex,” said Johnson. “Being a small business our size, we’re kind of a needle in a haystack. We’re really looking forward to our business multiplying and busting at the seams.”

Aziz Kobty of Prince Lebanese Grill said the fall historically ushered in a small dip to the family business, but not since partnering with the Rangers.

“We just got massive exposure, especially last year when there was a World Series run,” said Kobty. “We got a huge influx just being at the stadium and put in the Rangers media releases.”

Casey Rapp, general manager for Delaware North Sport Service, the food and beverage retailer for Globe Life Field, said the goal was to help drive traffic to Arlington’s small businesses, which the owners of Shrimp Doc and Prince Lebanese said it did.

“The first year we did it,” said Kobty, “this big, giant, Atlanta Braves fan with a huge beard comes up to me and he says, ‘Hey man, I served overseas and I know a great gyro, and if this isn’t a great gyro, you’re gonna see me again and we’re gonna have a talk.’ And the guy’s scary, right?

“He leaves, he comes back, and I see him walking I’m like, ‘oh cool, I’m going to die today, this guy is going to eat me alive.’ He sticks his hand out and gives me the firmest handshake and he says, ‘Son, that’s the best gyro I’ve ever had and I can’t wait to come to your restaurant.’”

Kobty said the man visited the restaurant the next day and left them a five-star Google review.

“This is exactly what the partnership is all about,” said Kobty. “Somebody coming from out-of-town, wanting to experience local food.”

Kobty’s sister, Elizabeth, said she’s also heard from season ticket holders who appreciate the variety.

“We send out emails while we’re here,” said Elizabeth Kobty, “and I had one customer run up the stairs and she was like, ‘I didn’t think it was true! I didn’t think you’d be at a Ranger’s game!’”

The complete Arlington Eats schedule isn’t finalized but both the restaurants and the Rangers plan to post it on social media.

TEXAS RANGERS REVEAL WHAT’S NEW ON THE MENU FOR 2024

THE BOOMSTICK TRIPLE PLAY

The Boomstick turned into a family combo. First up are two beef patties on an 8-inch bun, with nacho cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. Next is a foot-long hot dog, topped with nacho cheese, grilled onions and jalapeños. The remaining four inches are filled with chili cheese nachos.

TEXAS TACOS

A double-layer taco, with a red crunchy outer shell covering a soft flour tortilla filled with ground beef or grilled chicken, topped with lettuce, pico de gallo, shredded cheese and salsa.

KOREAN PORK STEAMED BUNS

Steamed Bao buns are filled with Korean-

style pulled pork and topped with cilantro slaw, sweet and savory unagi sauce and spicy mayo.

MEATBALL GARLIC KNOT SLIDERS

Classic Italian meatballs in marinara sauce, sandwiched between buttery garlic knots sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

RANCHERO CHILE RELLENO DAWWG

An all-beef hot dog, split and filled with queso chihuahua, wrapped in a roasted banana pepper, and then wrapped in bacon. The whole thing gets grilled and served in a potato roll with grilled onions.

CHICKEN EMPANADAS

Classic empanadas are filled with chicken and fried, served alongside chips and salsa.

Also getting in the game is Golden Chick. They are rolling out a new CHICKEN AND WAFFLE TACO. It’s a chicken tender, wrapped in a waffle, drizzled with honey sriracha sauce and bacon bits.

Opening this season will be a WHATABURGER, featuring burgers, fries, onion rings and shakes.

Hurtado Barbecue comes back this year bringing with them the MILANESA TACO –a chicken-fried brisket with cream gravy and chile de arbol in a flour tortilla.

Bring your championship appetite to the ballpark and Let’s Go Rangers!

It’s Time to Dine, Drink & Discover Pantego!

If you’re a foodie looking to explore new restaurants, Dine, Drink & Discover Pantego is for you! This walkable event features small bites, flights

and unique shopping – all while connecting

Explore mouthwatering morsels at numerous restaurants including Fattoush Mediterranean Kitchen or David’s Barbecue. If you’re looking for a sweet treat, be sure to try Orange Crepes & Juice!

Did someone say shopping? Enjoy some “retail therapy” with trendy and affordable items from Hank & Ellie Then, visit the pop-up retail area including Anything Goes and Main Event Boutique, plus visit Studio13’s indoor selfie station.

Enjoy live music from Abbey Brown and the Sound, Brad Thompson, Who’s Oscar and other artists while sipping your wine or beer. Then, check out Chica Power Fitness & Nutrition’s Zumba demonstration, Bespoke Automotive Design’s car show, our annual Jeep® show and much more!

April

New Office Grand Opening

Maggie Campbell, President/CEO of Downtown Arlington

A GENEROUS GIFT TO HONOR A HOMETOWN HERO

This National Medal of Honor Day marks exactly one year until the grand opening of the National Medal of Honor Museum. During a special morning event at Arlington City Hall commemorating Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Neel Kearby, we recognized the City of Arlington and the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation for their unwavering support and generosity since the inception of this historical project. With their substantial and founding donations, each played a pivotal role in establishing and advancing this monumental

endeavor. In recognition of their support and extraordinary gifts, the theater within the Museum will be named after distinguished Arlington High School and University of Arlington graduate, Colonel Kearby, who served during World War II with remarkable selflessness and courage through his final combat mission, 80 years ago this month.

“With the naming of the Colonel Neel Kearby Theater, we celebrate and honor this Texas hero’s tremendous legacy of service and sacrifice, appreciating that the

city he called home will soon be home to a national museum dedicated to preserving and sharing stories like his and the values they represent,” said NMOHMF President and CEO Chris Cassidy. “Today begins our one-year countdown to officially opening our doors on National Medal of Honor Day 2025, and we’re thrilled to kick off our ‘March to Grand Opening’ with this tribute to an Arlington native who went above and beyond in service to our country.”

Source: National Medal of Honor Museum

Senter Park gets update and new name

In baseball math, if each inning lasted a decade, Arlington’s Senter Park would be past its seventh-inning stretch. This season, it’s ready for a comeback.

You’d be hard-pressed to find much in Arlington that hasn’t changed since the ’50s, when the Optimist Club began leasing the park’s 3.2 acres for youth baseball fields. Back then, if a kid wanted to play in an organized league, this was the only game in town.

“We’ve had people tell us I remember having my first homerun out there,” said Cheryl Erickson, board member of the Arlington Optimist Club. “It has a lot of history.”

Thirteen years after the Optimist Club hosted its first league at Senter Park, the city of Arlington built Turnpike Stadium and gained a minor league baseball team. What followed were stadium additions, a stadium rename, a major league team, more additions, Globe Life Park and then Globe Life Field. Two miles south, the kids at Senter Park were

still playing on the same fields and waiting in line for that one bathroom built 72 years ago.

Now, thanks to that major league team and all that comes with it, Senter Park will re-open as the MLB and Texas Rangers All-Star Legacy Park and Corey Seager Batting Cages.

Major League Baseball and the Texas Rangers Foundation is turfing both baseball fields. They’re also providing a scoreboard, dugouts, bullpens, fencing, drainage, new bleachers with shade for one field and adding shade and scorers’ tables to the other. The installation company will maintain the turf for eight years.

The Optimist Club is renovating the bathrooms and concession stand.

Rangers shortstop and World Series MVP Corey Seager and wife Mady are gifting new, lighted batting cages and a covered warm-up area.

“It was time for an update,” said Erickson. “The experience that everyone remembers and loves – for the next generation to enjoy it is what I’m most excited about.”

Corey and Mady Seager

Unique park a natural fit for Arlington

by Bob Kowalski

Thanks to a curious family and a determined group of volunteers, Arlington residents can find a peaceful park alongside a busy thoroughfare in the heart of the city.

Converting a former plant nursery into the O.S. Gray Natural Area seems like a logical step, but getting there required a path as winding and extensive as the trails that circle the 20-acre retreat located minutes from downtown Arlington and the expanse of the University of Texas at Arlington.

The city-owned park, 2021 W. Abram St., grew from a query by the young daughter of Arlington residents Kevin and Carrie Donovan, who regularly took their children to roam the site of the former nursery once owned by O.S. Gray.

“Annie asked all the time, ‘when is it going to be a park?’” said Carrie Donovan. “She got tired of asking. We didn’t have any answers.”

Spending time with their family in nature was important to the Donovans, both of whom grew up near wooded areas where as children they could spend free time.

The nursery, which sat at the dead-end of Abram Street, closed in 1982 and the property sat dormant – or as dormant as a vibrant natural area could be – until the mid-1990s.

“By the early 1990s, it was already getting overgrown,” said Kevin Donovan.

At that point, Carrie Donovan called the Arlington Parks and Recreation Department to ask about the possibility of the land becoming a park. She didn’t like the answer: no plans were in place to purchase the land or create a park.

The Donovans were unaware that the parks board at that time – in 1996 – was finalizing a bond package. So when they addressed the parks board with their hopes, board member Lisann Peters thought converting the land into a park was a good idea.

The City Council had to sign off on including

the O.S. Gray land in the bond package.

“That’s when we started going around the neighborhood,” with their children in tow, said Kevin Donovan.

As word of the effort got out, the community engaged, said Carrie Donovan.

“People would come to the house, they offered to make logos, they offered to put signs on their lawns,” she said.

“We went viral before that was a thing,” said Kevin Donovan.

The couple tried to gather signatures on petitions and went to every city council meeting, hoping to convince the panel of the value of adding the land purchase to the bond package.

They formed a community group, Neighbors for Norwood, hand-delivered flyers, had representatives at every council meeting and developed what they called “warm chatter.”

Through the activism, they became connected with other groups that benefited the cause, among them the Arlington Conservation Council when noted preservation advocate Julia Burgen, a former city council member, wanted to discuss their vision.

“She was coming out of council with a box, this petite, gray-haired lady who introduced herself,” said Carrie Donovan. “She’s outdoors outside City Hall, spreading maps on the ground, on her hands and knees!”

The efforts paid off as the council included the land in the bond package, leaving the Donovans to realize that hard work still lay ahead: getting voters to approve the bond measure.

At that point, they again canvassed the neighborhood, got news coverage and manned phone banks. But another idea really took off.

“We organized the March For Parks at Howard Moore Park,” said Carrie Donovan.

“We would do this parade, invite everyone involved and get some nice publicity,” said Kevin Donovan, who approached board members of the nonprofit that produces Arlington’s annual Independence Day Parade. Not only did they provide advice and assistance, they recruited Kevin Donovan to the Independence Day Parade board, a post he still holds today.

The parks parade, from a UT-Arlington parking lot to Arlington Downs, took place in January 1997, a week before the bond election – in 14-degree weather. But it worked; the $38 million bond measure passed, by the largest margin of any bond election in Arlington’s history.

Though the city purchased the land in 1998, it sat vacant until 2005, when another bond package came along, allowing the city to develop the first phase of the park, which occurred in 2010.

After the park’s dedication, the nonprofit group Friends of O.S. Gray Natural Area was formed. That organization remains a force to this day, holding board meetings, planning projects and uniting for monthly work days to keep the park inviting to visitors.

Among the projects that volunteers tackle are native vegetation restoration; invasive species eradication; management of the pollinator garden; and maintaining and refreshing the mulch trails. A new focus is restoring and protecting the park’s post oak trees.

The group organizes events that range from star-gazing parties to chalk-the-walk art contests, to plant identification walks to participation annually in the Great Backyard Bird Count. A little library on the site is active, with more than 100 books available over time.

“The thing we’re most proud of is that it wasn’t a reaction to something; it was proactive,” said Kevin Donovan. “We thought it would be a great park.”

KIND ACTS EARN $$!

Share your heartwarming tales of random, and not so random, acts of kindness happening in our community.

Whether it’s a neighbor lending a helping hand, a stranger’s unexpected act of generosity, or a small group making a big difference, we want to hear about it!

Through these stories of generosity, we hope to inspire a culture of kindness in and around the community.

Help us get the word out! The inspiring story selected each month will be acknowledged with a sizeable gift card.

Submit your kindness story today at info@arlingtontoday.com

Who’s Doing Some Good in Our Neighborhood?

A Remarkable Program Continues to Excel

The26th year of the nationally-recognized Texas Rangers Richard Greene Scholarship Program is drawing to a close as graduation time grows near.

Launched in 1997 in a collaboration between the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation and the Arlington Independent School District, the objective was to annually award a promising student from each of Arlington’s six high schools with a $10,000 college scholarship.

The total investment to date of the Rangers Foundation, under the leadership of Executive Director Karin Morris, now exceeds $1.5 Million. But the program is far more than the financial investment in the scholars.

The main purpose was, and is, the development of leadership skills and community engagements for the selected students who had demonstrated both academic achievement and potential to make a difference in their professional careers and servant leadership in wherever their futures led.

The Rangers originally committed to the program for 20 years, as part of their pledge of community support after the creation of the 1991 public/private partnership and development of The Ballpark in Arlington.

However, after the Rangers were the recipient of the prestigious Major League Baseball Commissioner’s Award for outstanding philanthropic support for their host city, the Rangers decided to continue the program in perpetuity.

Arlington Today asked the AISD program’s enthusiastic faculty member, Alyce Monroe, for a quick summary of this year’s engagements by the scholars. Here’s her response:

“We started the semester breaking into two groups to participate in the Chamber of Commerce’s What’s Your Big Idea Contest. One group tackled the traffic issues in the entertainment district and the other focused on responsible pet ownership.

“This semester they have been with the City of Arlington after finishing up the final round of UTA, AISD, and Mission Arlington rotations. We took a trip to Southwest Airlines with former RG Scholar Kris Hawbaker. We learned about internships, took a trip down the emergency slide, experienced a simulator, and had a glimpse of the day in life at SWA. Kris sets up a great experience with an emphasis on leadership,

future employment, and keeping our options open when looking at the next chapter.

“We hosted a Chamber of Commerce Young Professional Java and Jabber event and then attended another one. This networking opportunity provided time for the Scholars to talk to Arlington’s Young Professionals, grow their network, and learn more about different businesses in Arlington.

“We are going to the Tarrant County Courthouse (Commissioner Alisa Simmons’ office) to learn more about voting, how to register, and how to be informed; they are bringing equipment so we can practice!

“Our first rotation with the National Medal of Honor Museum is in April. We will tour the site and the preview center, research different MOH stories, and learn more about the Medal and the values it stands for in our country.

“Our last six weeks will be many group rotations including working at River Legacy, Theater Arlington, Levitt Pavilion, another visit with the Medal of Honor Museum for leadership lessons, our last Parks and Recreation rotation, and a trip to Globe Life Field to learn about the actual scholarship.”

“Our outside reading this semester has

included a great deal about senioritis (a real thing), and creating good habits with time management, and will end with a reflection about our experience as a whole.”

Their final event will be at the Professional Development Center on Arbrook on May 21 where the scholars will make summary presentations of their full engagements throughout their senior year.

That occasion will provide an opportunity to hear directly from the students and for the audience to observe the kind of maturity and promise they demonstrate as they describe their year-long experiences in the program and their plans for the future.

Then, it’s on to college. These outstanding students had endless choices experiencing the kind of opportunities consistent with all the past Greene Scholars upon their graduation. Ms. Monroe’s quick summary of their current plans: “Chris, Gianna and Isa are for sure TCU. Tivana is going Texas A&M, Daniel to the University of Texas accepted into McCombs school of business, and Kyree chose Morehouse, Atlanta.”

New recipients have now been selected and the whole engagement commences anew with the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.

The 2023-24 Greene Scholars get up close and personal with the Rangers World Series Championship Trophy in the Greene’s home occasioned by a surprise visit from Texas Rangers Foundation Executive Director Karin Morris. Left to right are the scholars AISD faculty member Alyce Monroe, students Daniel Tepedino (Martin High School), Isabella Reneau (Lamar High School), Gianna Dangelmaier (Arlington High School), Kyree Burley (Bowie High School), Christopher Montano (Sam Houston High School) and Tivanna Campbell (Juan Seguin High School).

HONORING

dr. john r. landry

Dr. Landry is a respected podiatric physician, philanthropist, and community liaison. He began his professional journey in 1978, earning a bachelor’s in biology from Wayne State University in Detroit. He went on to get his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, Magna Cum Laude, in 1983 from Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago and completed the 2-year surgical residency in foot and ankle surgery at Kern Hospital in Warren, Michigan. Dr. Landry is board-certified in foot surgery by the American Board of Foot & Ankle Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons and is the senior partner of Arlington Foot & Ankle Center, part of StrideCare.

His philanthropic involvement began over 25 years ago when he was introduced to the Catholic Charities Assessment Center. Since then, he has been dedicated to helping children in need in our community. He is a ten-year past Director of Arlington Children’s Toys, better known in the community as the Arlington Margarita Society. In 2010 he was given the opportunity to further serve kids in the community as a member of the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Arlington, including two years as Board Chair. Dr Landry also served as a member of the Consolidation Committee that brought the Arlington and Fort Worth Boys & Girls Clubs together, creating the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County in 2018. He remains a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee and is the current Vice-chair of Board Governance for the merged organization.

Though originally from Michigan, Dr Landry has called Arlington home

last 31 years and enjoys spending time with his family, including his beautiful wife

of 44 years, his four children, and nine grandchildren.

Style

Wine Dinner

featuring William Chris Wineries Restaurant506 at The Sanford House

Mansfield

2024 Annual Spring Style Show

Walnut Creek Country Club – Mansfield

Tickets: $50 at mansfieldwomensclub.org or contact Kathleen Powers 817-932-2329

Raffle Items:

$500 Cash donated by Sarah Mascarenas – Hightower Realtors

$300 Cash donated by Andrea Sheldon – Cricket Alley

Facial & 25-minute Swedish Massage donated by Avanté Salon & Day Spa

Raffle Tickets $10 at mansfieldwomensclub.org or contact Vicki Stevenson 817-542-9725

4908Costa de Oro Court

In the heart of Arlington, stands a distinctive home designed by the renowned architect A. Hays Town, celebrated in the South. This unique residence, constructed in 1986, represents his only work in Texas, with his signature style predominantly found in Louisiana and Mississippi, evoking the essence of New Orleans. Each home is a one of a kind, while sharing many of Hays Town’s recurrent features.

Hays Town was born in Louisiana (19032005) and by age 14, he designed a remodeling plan of the family home.

According to the book, “The Louisiana Houses of A. Hays Town,” Town, a Tulane University graduate, was first nationally recognized in Life Magazine in 1940. “Always courtly and gregarious,” Hays Town had a rare intelligence, superior talent and an innate sense of quality. His use of old and new materials and his keen sense of proportion and symmetry created the timeless, exquisite homes that are still revered.

Upon arriving at 4908 Costa de Oro Court, you are immediately transported out of the hustle and bustle. You are welcomed by the charming white brick exterior, wrought iron lighting, gated drive, brick paved courtyard, tall crepe myrtle trees and elegant full-length green shutters; all reflecting southern grace. The expansive front porch includes French doors, white columns, and a peaceful atmosphere ideal for rocking chairs and cool beverages, surrounded by professionally landscaped gardens.

“ We count our lucky stars that we have had the opportunity to live and entertain in such a great house”

Every detail in this house was artistically designed and well placed. The large living area has a wall of windows and French doors which pours in light and allows the natural beauty outside to be enjoyed. In fact, most of the windows in this home have beautiful green views on the 1.3 acre lot along Rush Creek.

“Comfortable yet beautiful” is how the owners describe their home. “We count our lucky stars that we have had the opportunity to live and entertain in such a great house. The lot is at the end of a cul de sac and so we have great neighbors in the front and we are all by ourselves in the back. The oversized lot provides plenty of peace and quiet and yet, when we had kids growing up here, they had plenty of areas to run, play, swim and fish. At one time, there was a small zip line crossing the creek for the kids.”

Distinctive features typical of Hays Town's architecture are apparent throughout the property, including a magnificent New Orleans crystal chandelier in the dining room, floor-to-ceiling windows, wooden beamed ceilings, planked floors, arched doorways, brick accents, and unique elements such as wide green shutters and solid wood doors.

The house offers spacious bedrooms, two master walk-in closets, a fireplace with a hand-carved mantle, a den overlooking a wooded garden, an updated kitchen with high-end appliances, a game room with a vaulted wooden ceiling alongside an adjoining office, a beautiful pool & oversized covered patio. A floored, walk in attic off the game room is the crowning stroke.

Home listed by Jamie Adams and Kelsi Couture with Zang | Adams Team of Compass, RE, Texas, LLC. For more information please visit www.zangadams.com or call 817-688-9492

Mexicue is a big hit in Mansfield

The smell of smoking meat greets you as you walk in the door of Hurtado Barbecue in Mansfield.

But this isn’t just any barbecue, this is Mexicue, owner Brandon Hurtado’s unique blend of Tex-Mex and barbecue, sort of barbecue with a zing.

“A lot of our items have a spicy Tex-Mex flair,” said Gary Giddings, general manager.

And Texans can’t get enough of Hurtado Barbecue, named one of the Top 50 barbecues in the state by Texas Monthly and one of the top 50 in the nation by Southern Living magazine. That’s high praise coming from a state that prides itself in its beef and barbecue.

Hurtado started in Arlington, drawing lines of people waiting for their chance to order, then expanded to Fort Worth, two booths at the World Champion Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field, and last month, Mansfield.

Opening day on March 4 drew a line at the Mansfield location, but management has beefed up the staff and added another smoker to handle the crowd, serving people even faster.

“It’s an experience you have to partake in,” Giddings said. “I made it important to tell my employees that customer service is the top priority. If there’s an issue, we are going to make it right.”

So far, there have only been rave reviews for the food.

“The brisket is a no-brainer,” Giddings said. “Our chicken is phenomenal with a mesquitesmoked jalapeño glaze that has a really nice medium heat. The birria tacos are as good a taco as you will find. We dip a corn tortilla in chili sauces and fry it on a flat top. When it bubbles up, we fill it with mozzarella, brisket, chopped cilantro, onion and house-made salsa verde.”

Then there’s the pork ribs, pulled pork, pork belly burnt ends that taste like “meat candy,” and on weekends, prime beef ribs.

But it’s not just the meat that is drawing the crowds. The side dishes are also stars at Hurtado Barbecue.

The Texas Twinkie features a jalapeño stuffed with house-made pimento cheese and tons of brisket, wrapped in bacon, dusted with house pork rub and glazed with a rib glaze. The Hatch Mac & Cheese has roasted poblano peppers

made into a cream sauce that adds just a hint of spice that isn’t overpowering, Giddings said. The elote, Mexican street corn, is another top seller.

“Everything we do is made in-house and with fresh ingredients sourced from the best vendors,” he said.

The restaurant also serves domestic and craft beers, including three local craft beers on tap.

Hurtado Barbecue in Mansfield doesn’t just bring a respected name, it’s situated in a building that Mansfield came to love for its barbecue. In April 2013, Jordy Jordan along with Giddings opened Big D Barbecue in the same spot, 226 N. Walnut Creek Drive in Mansfield. Like many other restaurants, Big D was hard hit by the pandemic, Gidding said.

“COVID was terrible,” he said. “We never recovered after COVID. Business never rebounded. We weren’t able to pay people or find people to work.”

Jordan went on to open the Penn to Paper restaurant in Midlothian, and the Mansfield location was sold to Hurtado in November 2023.

“(Hurtado) felt like it was a great opportunity to serve his type of barbecue,” Giddings said. “A lot of communities feed into Mansfield.”

Hurtado may have been surprised at how many different communities would embrace the Mansfield restaurant, said Creighton Barnhill, area general manager.

“We underestimated how many in South Arlington would come,” Barnhill said. “The line in Arlington is so long.”

Customers are also coming from Burleson, Midlothian, Waxahachie, Cedar Hill and Duncanville, Giddings said.

The barbecue restaurant has been remodeled but there are still some remnants of Big D, Giddings said. The bench made from the tailgate of a Ford pickup sits just inside the front door and Old Hickory, the massive pit behind the counter, are the same ones that were there. The tables were refinished and a new wooden bar and wood booths were added, along with photos of “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan, one of Hurtado’s friends.

Hurtado Barbecue in Mansfield is open 11 am-9pm daily. For more information, go to hurtadobbq.com.

by Amanda Rogers

Bianca Pennell and GM Gary Giddings

GM Gary Giddings in the Hurtado dining room

Brandon Hurtado’s custom rub is available to purchase

Arlington-South

5001S.CooperStreet,Suite111

Arlington,TX76017(817)557-2253

Arlington-North

839ELamarBLVD

Arlington,TX76011(817)583-6522

Mansfield

3141EBroadStreetSuite115

Mansfield,TX76063(682)204-0235

NothingBundtCakes.com

04/31/2024

Thank you

Thank you, Sponsors:

Baylor Scott & White

Orthopedic and Spine Hospital Arlington

Pantego Lions Club

Frost Bank

Amegy Bank

Sutton Frost Cary LLP

Tarrant County College-Southeast

SMR Landscape Architects, Inc.

Con-Real

WellMed

Trinity Community Foundation

Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP

Clifton Larson Allen

Moritz Dealerships

Media sponsors: Arlington Today • 360 West • WFAA-ABC

to everyone who made this year’s Help & Hope a SOLD-OUT success:

Thank you, Chefs:

Chef Amber Williams, Le Rouge Cuisine Food Company

Chef Aziz Kobty, Prince Lebanese Grill

Chef Maurice Ahern, Grounds & Gold Co.

Chef Darrin Green, Hearsay

Chef Leo Medina, Marcona Kitchen

Chef Robert Carr, Cut & Bourbon

Chef Jeff Williams, Taste Project

Chef Greg Almendarez & Chef Nelly Sanchez, AISD Culinary

Chef Katrina Warner, CEC & Chef Alison Hodges, CEPC, TCCSE Culinary Arts Program

Don’t miss out next year!

& Keep up to date on the fight against hunger and poverty in our community at Arlington Charities:

MLB rule changes: 2024 edition

JOHN RHADIGAN

Depending on when they happen, just three strikes – three simple strikes – can have a monumental impact on the game.

If you’re like me, you now hear the voice of Eric Nadel in your head “Sborz kicks and fires, he struck him out looking! It’s over! It’s over! The Rangers have won the World Series! Rangers fans you’re not dreaming. The Rangers are the World Series Champions!”

That called strike three was monumental for a team, a franchise and a long suffering fan base. So perhaps it should not be surprising that last year three rule changes had a similarly monumental affect. In 2023 three rules changed and so did baseball in a very positive way.

“From its inception, the Joint Competition Committee’s constructive conversations between players, umpires and owners have produced rules that significantly improved the game for fans,” Mariners chairman and Competition Committee chairman John Stanton said in a release. “Last year’s work was a resounding success with our fans and for the sport. I want to thank the Commissioner’s Office, the Players Association and the Umpires Union for their dedication to the greatest game ever invented.”

Major League Baseball games averaged 2 hours 40 minutes last year. The shortest average game time since 1985. Mission accomplished right? Well not so fast. The MLB Competition Committee noticed that the average length of game increased in all but one month during a six-month season. By September, games were averaging 2 hours 44 minutes and were seven minutes longer than the games in April.

All six of the rule changes this year are really tweaks to existing rules, four of those are designed to make sure we keep the pace. We will address those four first.

The pitch clock is the main reason for the reduction in game time. A two-second modification means that pitchers will be allotted only 18 seconds between pitches with runners on base. It remains 15 seconds between pitches with nobody on.

Last season pitchers began their deliveries with an average of 7.3 seconds remaining on the 20-second clock so a dramatic increase in pitch clock violations is not expected.

One of the ways pitchers were able to buy more time last year was after a dead ball, like a foul ball. The clock would not begin until the pitcher was back on the mound in those cases. Some pitchers would take a little extra time just walking around the mound to slow the pace a bit. This year that won’t be allowed. The pitch clock will start when the pitcher has the ball and play is ready to resume.

Surveys indicate that mound visits are fans’ least favorite events during a baseball game. In some ballparks mound visits are lustily booed. The competition committee has heard it too and they are listening to the fans. Mound visits have been reduced from 5 to 4. In 2023 clubs averaged only 2.3 mound visits per game.

There were twenty-four instances of dead time being added to games last year. Two actually occurred during the World Series. It happened when a pitcher was sent to the mound to warm up but then was replaced before throwing a pitch. This practice added three minutes of idle time to the games so it too was addressed. A pitcher sent to the mound to warm up for an inning must face at least one batter in conjunction with any requirements under the three batter minimum rule.

Those are the changes or tweaks, if you will, to help pick up the pace. One other rule was not changed at all but MLB is determined to see it enforced. That is the obstruction rule around the bases. Obstruction is defined as a fielder who, while not in possession of or in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. Umpires have been instructed to call the runner safe unless the fielder must move into the path of the runner to receive the ball.

Finally, there is the runners lane from home to first base. The committee has given runners the equivalent of an express lane to first base. This will be particularly well received by righthanded batters. Under the old rule 5.09(a)(11) the runner was required to run the last 45 of the 90 feet in foul territory. Under the new rule the lane is as wide as the dirt twenty-four inches to be exact. Now the runner will know if he is on the dirt he is okay, and if he is on the grass he is out of line. This change from 18 to 24 inches clarifies one of the most confusing and controversial rules in the book.

Last year baseball was as good as it has ever been for Rangers fans and a much more watchable product for fans worldwide. The competition committee hopes that this season is even better! Then again, so do Rangers fans.

The polls are now closed and the countdown to see who has won the 2024 Readers’ Choice All Star Awards has begun. The results (hopefully with some of your favorites) will be revealed in our August issue.

Mansfield Cares 24th Annual Charity Ball

WIN A WEEKEND WITH A BILLIONAIRE

This scholarship opportunity is open to all 2024 graduating high school seniors in the Arlington Independent School District of Texas who have big dreams.

To be eligible for this amazing opportunity, please submit an essay with a minimum of 500 words and no more than 1000 words.

Title the essay “Finding Your Way Home, Solutions Around Homelessness.” Submit the essay in PDF format.

The winning essays will be selected based on the quality and creativity of their proposed solution and the potential impact it could have on reducing homelessness. We look

forward to reading your essays and learning more about your innovative solutions to FINDING YOUR WAY HOME! Essays are due by April 29, 2024.

Candidates may apply for scholarships up to $5000 for education and resources that aid you in the pursuit of your goals.

Dancing with the Arlington Stars

The Rotary Club of Arlington has launched its inaugural Dancing With The Arlington Stars fundraising event with the objective of providing funding support for multiple Arlington charities.

Planning for the event, to be staged at Texas Live! In the center of Arlington’s Entertainment District on May 6, was launched by the club’s fund development director Chad Bates. Here’s how he explains the initiative:

“It is the stated vision for this signature event to become the largest and best charity fundraiser in Arlington. By design, we will be reaching and supporting a minimum of 12 charities the first year.”

He follows up with a question: “Where else can you support so many worthy charities at one event? We will also have a significant silent and live auction – and Texas Live! will be serving delicious food while we are entertained. The exclusive VIP reception will also have wonderful appetizers and live music for your pleasure.”

The inaugural group of dancers committed for performances are Arlington luminaries, who have chosen the local charity they will be

dancing for, include Georgie Zang - Mission Arlington, Cara Hackley - Open Arms Health Clinic, Noelle Slater - Hagar’s Heart, Valerie Landry - Taste Project, Bethany Tinderholt - Arlington Police Foundation, Jeff Williams - United Way and Medal of Honor Musuem, Derrick Kinney - Arlington Life Shelter, Kenyon Godwin - Arlington Urban Ministries, David Cook - Salvation Army, and Mayor Jim RossArlington Charities.

At this writing, sponsorships for the event, fully described in the ad on the next page, remain available for a variety of categories and can be secured with a phone call to Bates at 817-925-9999.

Bates concludes, “All charities will be fully vetted and 100% of the net proceeds from the event, after funding to support our adopted Title One school, Webb Elementary, will go to charity as we have no overhead – only volunteers.”

World Series Champion TEXAS RANGERS

April 5-8 vs Houston Astros

4/8 – Evan Carter ALCS Catch Bobblehead

April 9-11 vs Oakland Athletics

4/10 – World Series Replica Trophy

April 23-25 vs Seattle Mariners

4/24 – Corey Seager World Series MVP Bobblehead

April 26-28 vs Cincinatti Reds

April 30-May 2 vs Washington Nationals

4/30 – Marcus Semien Silver Slugger Bobblehead

5/1 – Nathan Eovaldi Replica Postseason Jersey

CHOCTAW STADIUM IS CHOCK-FULL O’ SPORTS!

2023 Champion

Arlington Renegades

4/13 vs D.C. Defenders • 12pm

4/27 vs San Antonio Brahmas • 6pm

Choctaw Stadium

Major League Rugby

4/12 vs Utah Warriors • 7:30pm

Choctaw Stadium

North Texas Soccer Club

4/6 vs San Jose Earthquakes II • 4pm

4/14 vs Tacoma Defiance • 7:30pm

4/28 vs Houston Dynamo 2 • 7:30pm

Choctaw Stadium

Dallas Ocelots

American Flag Football League

5/4 vs Boston Brigade • 1pm

5/4 vs Nashville Nighthawks • 7:30pm

Vernon Newsom Stadium - Mansfield

APRIL BOOK CLUBS

Southwest Morning Reading Group –4/10 • 11am

Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brené Brown

Southwest Branch Library

Night Out Book Club – 4/11 • 7pm

Nothing to see Here by Kevin Wilson

White Rhino Coffee

Good Grounds Book Club –4/17 • 11am

Choose your own book

Woodland West Branch Library

Texas Authors Book Club –4/18 • 6:30pm

TBD

Fielder Museum

Southwest Spine Crackers –4/18 • 7pm

Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon

Southwest Branch Library

Silent Book Club – 4/27 • 11am

Bring any book and enjoy refreshments

Nehemiah Coffee

ARLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY HOMEBOUND DELIVERY SERVICE

Books on wheels is now serving homebound patrons! Books on Wheels is a free outreach service to our community’s most isolated residents. This service is available at select senior housing facilities within Arlington city limits. Volunteers or library staff deliver library materials to participants to borrow and socialize with them. Individuals have the choice to request items or have items selected for them. Learn more at arlingtonlibrary.org/accessibility

In February, Dalworthington Gardens Mayor Laurie Bianco and a friend were having coffee at Grounds and Gold Coffee Co.

“A gentleman who had on a veteran’s hat and was probably around 85-years-old tripped on one of the steps,” said Bianco. “His coffee went flying and so did he.

Good in Our

“Everybody went over to help him, from the owner, Jimmy Kinley, to many of the customers who frequent this awesome coffee shop. Two of my pastors, Jason Paredes and Jared Yates of Fielder Church, also witnessed this loving act of kindness firsthand.

“Jimmy got him another coffee. Once

the dust settled, we invited him to our table and discovered that he lived out-of-state, somewhere in the northeast, and was in town for his brother’s funeral.

“He was a World War II veteran. We thanked him for his service. He said he served in the military for 20 years.

“Just to watch the response of people who came to his aid and to see everybody reach out to make sure this gentleman was physically, mentally and spiritually okay – it was just a sweet act of kindness where no one was trying to be the hero but everyone came to the rescue.

“We wished him well on his journey. It is refreshing to know that kindness exists in the world when nothing is expected in return. Taking care of those generations before us, respecting their wisdom and life experiences, along with serving a little love are values that I hold near and dear to my heart.”

– Laurie Bianco

A REALLY ‘COOL CAR’

Jeff Cassell’s Woodie was salvaged from a California barn and is now winning trophies • by Richard Greene

Arlington Real Estate Broker Jeff Cassell and his wife Karina have a passion for automobiles, but, for a time, their garage and hearts had an empty space waiting for something special to fill it.

“As a kid, I washed cars for spending money in my grandfather’s small car lot,” Jeff recalls. “One day I cleaned up a 1940 Ford and got to drive it around a little. I was 12 years old and could barely reach the pedals, and that ride changed my life. I knew that, someday, I would have one of these really ‘cool cars.’”

Fast forward 36 years later, when a friend from the National Woodie Club connected Jeff with a guy in California who actually had a 1939 Ford Deluxe Woodie. The owner had acquired the vehicle from a Hollywood movie production company (more about that part of its history in a few minutes).

“I immediately had to check it out,” Jeff says.

After calling him up and learning the Woodie had been scheduled for sale on Craigslist just an hour earlier, Jeff asked him if he could wait a few days until he could drive out to see it in person. The owner promised to hold it for three days –then it would go to whoever showed up first with the money.

“So,” Jeff says, “I hitched up my utility trailer that same night without actually knowing if the Woodie would fit on it, told Karina I was leaving for a 3,400-mile road trip and headed west.” A 16-hour excursion across the desert got him as far as Kingman, AZ, where he stopped for some rest and then moved on to his destination the next day.

“It was a true barn find,” he says. “It was covered in a few inches of dust, hadn’t been started up in many years, but I knew I had found what I wanted.”

After a couple of hours of cleaning up the spark plugs and the carburetor and installing a charged battery, Jeff fired it up enough to get it loaded on the trailer. Thankfully, it did fit.

There was a stop along the way back at a place with a bunch of rare Flying A Gasoline signs from the 1930s. Jeff thought one would be a nice addition for the wall in his garage and pulled in to take a look.

The owner of that shop offered a three-for-one swap for the Woodie.

Not three signs. Three cars – for the one on his trailer. Jeff said no to the proposition and moved on with the journey home.

In addition to being a very sought-after prize any Woodie collector would love to have, this car is also a movie star. It graced the big screen in the 1997 US/French reproduction of the movie “Lolita.” It was driven by the picture’s stars Jeremy Irons and Melanie Griffith in several of the film’s scenes.

“The director of the movie wanted a certain look, so he had applied hair spray and sand all over the solid maple wood body to make it less shiny and better for the visuals on film,” Jeff explains. “That is what saved and preserved the original wood that you see today.”

Jeff and his wife Karina enjoy taking their car to shows and events so others can share

in the discovery of an older generation of cars that has grown very scarce over the years. Their latest achievement was to win the “Best in Class Award” at 2016’s Concours d’Elegance of Texas event in its inaugural year in Arlington. They competed against much more restored cars but won for the automobile’s originality versus perfection.

Jeff’s Deluxe Woodie Wagon is original inside and out with leatherette interior trim, a banjo steering wheel, an optional factory clock, 3-speed manual floor shift, and a third-row seat making room inside for a total of eight.

Deluxe models came with two sun visors and two windshield wipers verses one, some additional stainless trim on the hood and front end, a dome interior light, flush mounted headlights, deluxe hub caps, two rear tail lights, and an interior mounted spare tire that Jeff removed to ease passenger access.

The 1939 4-door Deluxe Station Wagon was Ford’s answer to the competition coming from Chevrolet and Plymouth. The Woodie sported real maple wood siding that came from Ford’s own forest timber and was powered by the optional 85-horsepower, 21 stud flathead motor.

It originally sold for $916 in 1939. Really nice original ones today cost six figures, plus.

But, don’t be making any offers for Jeff’s, now occupying that empty space in his garage and in his heart – because it’s not for sale.

Jeff and Karina Cassell (and Lucky, the blue heeler) pose with their 1939 Ford Deluxe Woodie, which Jeff retrieved from a barn in California and turned into a classic.

Photos

Candlelite Inn

AMERICAN

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

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

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

Hearsay Lounge & Restaurant • 1711 E. Randol Mill Rd. • 817-591-1700 • hearsayarlington.com

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

Tipsy Oak • 301 E. Front St. • 817-962-0304 • thetipsyoak.com

The Tin Cup • 1025 W. Abram St. • 817-303-5518 • tincupdeli.com

Zack’s Bistro • 900 E. Copeland Rd. • 682-323-8789 • zackbistro.com

ITALIAN/PIZZA

Café Sicilia • 7221 Matlock Rd. #3409 •817-419-2800 • cafesicillia.com

Moni’s Pasta & Pizza • 1730 W. Randol Mill Rd. • 817-860-6664 • monispastapizzamenu.com

Italy Pasta Pizza & Subs • 2221 Browning Dr. • 817-276-3200 • italypastapizzasubs.com

Old School Pizza Tavern • 603 W. Abram St. • 682-310-6266 • oldschoolpizzatavern.com

Vietalia Kitchen • 1220 S. Cooper St. • 817-460-1945 • vietaliakitchentx.com

Piccolo Mondo • 1829 E. Lamar Blvd Arlington. • 817-265-9174 • piccolomondo.com

BARBECUE

Piccolo Mondo

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

Hurtado Barbecue • 205 Front St. • 682-323-5141 • hurtadobbq.com

Bodacious Bar-B-Q • 1206 E. Division St. • 817-860-4248 • bodaciousbarbq.com

Spring Creek Barbeque • 3608 S. Cooper St. • 817- 465-0553 • springcreekbarbeque.com

INTERNATIONAL

Gangnam Rice • 4638 S. Cooper St. #190 • 682-320-8720 •gangnamrice.com

Sunny Thai • 4306 Matlock Rd. #108 • 817-617-2216 • sunnythaitx.com

Tic-Taco • 715 W. Park Row Dr. • 817-617-2980 • tictacogo.com

Cane Rosso • 200 N. East St. • 817-533-3120 • canerosso.com

Gyros To Go • 710 E. Sublett Rd. #101 • 817-419-2878 • gyrostogo1.com

Spicy Bites Indian • 1220 S. Cooper St. • 817-642-5005 • spicybitesarlington.com

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

David’s Barbecue

Prince Lebanese Grill

Personified Bragging Rights

Thismonth I’m going to do some bragging. Forgive me if you will, but here it comes.

It’s all about my film producer, stunt coordinator, and stunt performer daughter Amy and her producer partner Chris Stinson. They have spent most of the last couple of months attending the movie industry’s multiple awards ceremonies.

Topping the list is the annual Academy Awards event where one of their films, The Holdovers, was nominated for five Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress (a winner), Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.

In January, The Holdovers staring Paul Giamatti, won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and Da’Vine Joy Randolph landed the Best Supporting Actress to go along with her Oscar.

Amy, credited as Stunt Coordinator and Chris, recognized as Executive Producer, were present on Oscar Night where the tickets are very tough to come by.

But, that’s just one of their movies.

Recent projects include the Academy Award winning Sound of Metal, Academy Award nominated Knives Out and they have won awards at film festivals including Sundance, Cannes, and The Independent Spirit Awards, including Leave No Trace, Chronic, and Low Down.

Amy had the pleasure of doubling Meryl Streep, Laura Linney, Chloe Grace Moretz, Amy Ryan, Taissa Farmiga and more.

Both Amy and Chris were Executive Producers for Ray Romano’s directorial debut and starring role in Somewhere in Queens.

Amy’s lovable little dog Louie has his own credits as he appears in many of her films, most memorably in Sound of Metal as Paul Raci’s service dog in the deaf community. Louie also worked with Thomasin McKenzie in Leave No Trace, Ray Romano and Laurie Metcalf in Somewhere in Queens. Unfortunately Louie crossed the Rainbow Bridge last year.

She played dual roles in the 2019 film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile where Zac Efron played the serial killer Ted Bundy. She served as co-producer and appeared briefly as Bundy’s only victim portrayed in the film. She also managed Efron’s stunts in the story.

Altogether her film credits include 11 as Producer, 12 as Production Manager and 22 as Stunts.

Chris’ film credits include 30 as Producer, 12 as Production Manager and 14 as Assistant Director.

Their latest movie, as Executive Directors, is the recently released Suncoast filmed in Charleston, South Carolina. Sylvia and I spent a day on the set there and got to see movie making in progress featuring Nico Parker, Laura Linney and Woody Harrelson.

Surrounded by cast and crew of a couple hundred in every aspect of the trade, she and

Chris seemed in command of all the moving parts in putting the project together.

After leaving the Oscars big event that followed their appearance on the Academy Awards Red Carpet, they left the next day for Portland, Oregon, to begin their newest project.

Amy has developed a successful career doing what she always wanted to do beginning in her drama classes at Martin High School. She graduated in 1997 and moved into seeking her college major in the field and then headed to Los Angeles and found work with a casting firm.

With that job she began networking - the essential method of advancing in the highly competitive field - and now among the leading professionals in the art.

Closer to home, last year she was among those honored with her own commemorative bronze medallion in the Walk of Fame entrance to the newly renovated Theatre Arlington.

If I had more space, I would continue this bragging because her’s and Chris’ journey has lots more stories to tell and new ones yet to come.

As lifetime movie lovers, her mother and I, along with the whole family, continue to anticipate the next award-winning production featuring their names coming early in the opening credits.

Richard Greene is a former mayor of Arlington.

RICHARD GREENE