January 2024

January 2024

your community • your magazine

Mojy Haddad of Oakhollow Group Development Company

Real Estate Professionals You Need to Know A RLINGTON n DA LWORTHI NGTON GA R D E N S n GR A N D P R A I R I E n M A N S F I E L D n PA N TEG O

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UT ARLINGTON TAKES A STAR TURN CAMPUS FEATURED ON THE COLLEGE TOUR SERIES

T

he University of Texas at programs, organizations, traditions, and Arlington is ready for its closemore. They also share their own unique up! On Feb. 27, Amazon Prime stories and explain what drew them to will debut the latest episode of The UTA and Arlington.

College Tour, an award-winning streaming series that gives viewers Ke’Sean Paire, for example, is a an in-depth look at college campuses sophomore nursing major who moved across the country. Each episode is away from his native Woodville, Texas, dedicated to a single institution, and and his twin brother to attend UTA. He CAMPUS FEATURED ON THE COLLEGE TOUR SERIES this time the star is UTA. was drawn by the University’s adaptive sports program and long traditions, record of and he University of Texas at programs, organizations, ready for its closemore. alsoand share their own DuringArlington the show,iscurrent students offeringThey access resources forunique up! On Feb. 27, Amazon Prime stories and explain what drew them to guidedebut viewers aroundepisode campus,of The students with disabilities. The Movin’ will the latest UTA and Arlington.

College Tour, an award-winning introducing the University’s many Mavs wheelchair basketball streaming series that gives viewers Ke’Sean Paire, for example,star is a is

flourishing in his new home and hopes to soon join the long list of UTA alumni who have represented Team USA at the Paralympics.

Other College Tour segments highlight campus resources like the FabLab and glass arts studio, student groups like the Formula SAE racing team and Science Ambassadors, campus traditions Waffleopolis flourishinglike in his new homeand andthe hopes to soon join the long list of UTA Homecoming parade, and many alumni others.

UT ARLINGTON TAKES A STAR TURN

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an in-depth look at college campuses across the country. Each episode is dedicated to a single institution, and this time the star is UTA.

sophomore nursing major who moved away from his native Woodville, Texas, and his twin brother to attend UTA. He was drawn by the University’s adaptive sports program and long record of offering access and resources for students with disabilities. The Movin’ Mavs wheelchair basketball star is

who have represented Team USA at the Paralympics.

Other College Tour segments highlight campus resources like the FabLab and glass arts studio, student groups like the Formula SAE racing team and Science Ambassadors, campus traditions like Waffleopolis and the Homecoming parade, and many others.

You can watch the UTA episode of The College Tour online at UTA.EDU/THECOLLEGETOUR or streaming via Amazon Prime, Tubi, or The College Tour app.

During the show, current students guide viewers around campus, introducing the University’s many

You can watch the UTA episode of The College Tour online at UTA.EDU/THECOLLEGETOUR or streaming via Amazon Prime, Tubi, or The College Tour app.

UTA.EDU UTA.EDU

LET’S GET ROLLING: TRASH CARTS COMING TO ARLINGTON IN FEBRUARY

Arlington residents and businesses who have curbside trash collection will soon see a change in their service.

YARD WASTE: Two cubic yards of bundled brush and/or bagged leaves collected each week. (12 30-gallon bags of leaves)

Beginning in February, the City of Arlington and its contracted trash hauler, Republic Services, will be switching to once-per-week automated trash cart service from manual bagged service.

There will be no changes to recycling, brush, and bulky collection.

CART STORAGE

The new collection day for all services – trash, recycling, brush and bulky items – will be the same day as their current recycling day.

at 817-459-6777 to request the following: • Additional 95-gallon trash cart(s): A monthly fee will apply. Maximum of 3 carts per residence.

• Reduce to a 65-gallon trash cart: Delivery of smaller carts will begin in June.

• Door-side accommodations for residents who are visually- or mobility-impaired: There must be no other physically capable resident in the home, and documentation must be provided.

TRASH CART ROLL OUT

COLLECTION DETAILS

Trash carts will be delivered in February by the following estimated schedule: • Monday Recycling Day: Week of Feb. 5 • Tuesday Recycling Day: Week of Feb. 12 • Wednesday Recycling Day: Week of Feb. 19 • Thursday Recycling Day: Week of Feb. 5 • Friday Recycling Day: Week of Feb. 12

PLACEMENT TIME: All trash, recycling, brush and bulky items must be at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day.

CLOSED LIDS: All cart lids must be completely closed. Recycling or bags of trash outside the cart may not be collected.

CART PLACEMENT: Carts should be placed with the wheels against the curb or edge of the alleyway. They must be 3 feet apart and a minimum of 15 feet of overhead clearance so that they can be serviced on the collection day.

For the delivery to be as efficient as possible, all households and businesses will initially receive a 95-gallon cart.

CART SPECIAL REQUESTS

BULKY ITEMS: Two cubic yards of large household items collected each week. (2 cubic yards is the size of a washer and dryer.)

Residents who have special cart requests can use the Ask Arlington App, go to www.ArlingtonTX.gov/TrashPickup, or call the Action Center

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

When your trash and recycling carts are not placed at the curb for scheduled collection, they must be stored out of public view. For example, the carts may be stored in the garage, behind a fence or in the backyard.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION More information about the trash cart transition is available at ArlingtonTX.gov/TrashPickup.

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CONTENTS January 2024 • Volume 11 • Issue 1

FEATURES

46

Tibor Rubin: G.I.Joe

The fifteen-year-old Hungarian who made a promise to himself to become a “G.I. Joe.”

26

Making His Mark on Arlington Architect and developer Mojy Haddad of Oakhollow Group, has a passion for high-quality development in Arlington.

HIGHLIGHTS Starting Line 10 Itinerary 12 Scene 14, 22, 36, 38, 44, 54, 57 This ’n’ Data 16, 18 Around Town 20 Speaking of Sports 56 Bulletin Board 60 Keen Cuisine 64 Finish Line 66

50

Stock Show Time The Mansfield FFA gears up for show season.

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

Teaching the Mind and Nourishing the Soul for 29 years.

2024-2025 Registration Opens February 6, 2024 Join us for Open House January 28 12-3 pm

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Truth, beauty and goodness are fully present in the traditions of Catholic education.

Come see the difference.

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STARTING LINE

your community • your magazine

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Today

JUDY M.

EXECUTIVE BOARD Executive Publisher Judy M. Rupay CEO Richard Greene

RUPAY We usher in the New Year with a focus on the community’s real estate professionals with developer Mojy Haddad in our spotlight. You have likely been in more than one of his modern retail/restaurant/office centers found throughout the area..

EDITORIAL Sports Columnist John Rhadigan

Discover his success in the three-page feature that begins on page 29. Former mayor Jeff Williams sums up Mojy’s impact on the region with his commitment to community service beyond his business interests.

Website & Social Media Manager Bailey Woodard Graphic Artists Francisco Cuevas Betsy Lewis

On your way to that story you will find our columnist Kenneth Perkins examining the question of whether or not keeping your New Year’s resolutions matter - in case you were wondering.

Contributing Writers Richard Greene, Bob Kowalski, Kenneth Perkins, Amanda Rogers, Kali Schick

We also have a report on how Arlington residents and businesses that have curbside trash collection will be introduced to significant changes in how this essential service will work beginning next month.

Contributing Editor Betsy Lewis

There’s another update on how your Arlington ISD taxes are being used to improve facilities and programs preparing the next generation for success in meeting the challenges in our ever-changing world.

Contributing Photographers Kevin Bowens, Ryan Brown, Vicky Hale, Terry Ip, Dwayne Lee, Heather Lee, Bruce Maxwell, Joshua Stephen

In our Mainly Mansfield feature we celebrate the life of the last Comanche war chief with the special exhibit now on display at the city’s historical museum and heritage center. There’s a special evening planned on January 19 with Quanah Parker’s great-great grandson. There’s some remarkable Texas and Native history to be discovered in this rare opportunity.

SALES / CIRCULATION Business Manager Bridget Dean

Amanda Rogers reports on the Mansfield FFA’s busiest time of the year - show season.

The Mansfield ISD will participate in numerous stock shows between now and March.

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

Sports columnist John Rhadigan takes a look at how the Cowboys, Rangers and Mavericks have all changed that shapes up to a potential fantastic 2024 outcome for all three of our area’s pro teams.

Distribution Manager Hanna Areksoussi

Our classic car feature not only pays tribute to David Oberle’s 1937 Packard but how he has honored his grandmother, born in the same year the exceptional model was introduced, to compete with the cars marketed by General Motors, Chrysler, and Lincoln as the economy of the Great Depression era began to recover.

PRODUCTION Production Manager Betsy Lewis

We conclude with former Mayor Richard Greene’s account of one of the most critical tipping points in Arlington’s history and how that moment in time helped to shape today’s national identity as a top visitor and tourism industry in our country.

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.

Welcome to 2024 and all the promise it holds for us all. We’ll be here to cover it as it unfolds for our readers all as a result of our fantastic advertisers that make every issue possible.

We hope you enjoy!

To subscribe, e-mail subscriptions@arlingtontoday.com

Happy New Year to all, Judy Rupay judy@arlingtontoday.com

Phone us at (817) 303-3304

ARLINGTON TODAY GIVES BACK

Arlington Today magazine proudly sponsors Arlington Urban Ministries, the Medal of Honor Museum, River Legacy Nature Museum, Back the Blue, Timeless Concerts, the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Theater Arlington and Alliance for Children.

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

ITINERARY

Arlington Music Hall

Pauly Shore: Stick with the Dancing – Stories from My Childhood January 12 • 8pm

Rangers Fan Fest – Championship Edition Have your photo taken with the Commissioner’s Trophy, get autrographs from current and former players, sit in on Q&A sessions, run the bases and more!

January 27 • 9am-4pm

Atlanta Rhythm Section January 20 • 7:30pm

Globe Life Field

COMEDY Air Supply A fun-filled evening of improv, sketch comedy with a few musical numbers and occasional stand-up

January 14 7:30pm - Doors 6:30pm Bonnie & Alan Petsche Cabaret Stage at Theatre Arlington • 305 W. Main St.

January 27 • 8pm

Direct from Las Vegas “The Magic of Jen Kramer” January 28 • 6pm

TICKETS ON SALE NOW Chris Stapleton’s All American Road Show

Def Leppard, Journey and the Steve Miller Band

June 15 • Globe Life Field

August 12 • Globe Life Field

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

Herman’s Hermits Starring Peter Noone February 2 • 8pm

BE AMAZING DO YOU HAVE THE MAVERICK FACTOR?

UTA.EDU

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19th Annual Holiday Lights Parade

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

TOUCHING HEARTS CHANGING LIVES

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THIS ’N’ DATA

AMA Rolls Out New Membership Program

Join now, and and membership includes free admission to every exhibition at the new AMA throughout 2024.

Annual membership offers more benefits, access, programs, and discounts. There are several member levels, including a new Kids Club. Benefits include free ticket packages, private opening events, discount tickets to programs, exclusive member events, gift shop discounts, and much more. iStockPhoto.com

DID YOU KNOW? JANUARY 9 is NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY

3 SCOOPS 1. In 2021, approximately 38.1% of Arlington residents worked within the city of Arlington and approximately 61.9% worked outside the city, traveling about 27 minutes to their job. Nearly 86% of those commuting drive alone in a car, truck or van.

Across the country on January 9th each year, citizens take the lead to show support on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Be sure to thank an officer today!

#atpetofthemonth Princess Peaches, named after Mario’s (Mario Brothers) girlfriend.

Peaches is a 9 week old English Springer Spaniel.

She is enrolled in Puppy School to learn house manners and have lots of world and stranger exposures safely.

I work from home, as many do these days, so Peaches keeps me connected to what’s important.

– Sam Smith

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

2. There are three power grids in the U.S., one for states east of the Rocky Mountains, one for the states between the Pacific and the Rockies, and one for the state of Texas. The Texas power grid was established during World War II to make sure all of the Texas factories producing critical war supplies were selfsustainable.

3. From 1980 to 2002, voters in the city of Arlington rejected three proposals to establish and fund a public transit system for the city. The last vote was 58% against. The city lies between the service ares of the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (“The T”) and Dallas Area Rapd Transit (DART).

Arlington has transportation available through Via rideshare and now Arlington On-Demand, available citywide, that connects to the TRE Centreport Station and the Eastchase Parkway area, and includes connections with two Trinity Metro bus routes.

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THIS ’N’ DATA

Arlington by the

NUMBERS

Happy New Year from all of us at Arlington Today.

May you be blessed with peace, love and joy.

4,600

There are approximately 4,600 acres of parks in the city, including 7 recreation centers, 2 senior centers, 8 pools, 50 tennis courts, 26 basket ball courts, 3 softball complexes and 85 miles of park trails.

8,200

The Arlington Independent School District is the city’s largest employer with approximately 8,200 employees. UTA is second with approximately 5,300 employees.

ARLINGTON RENEGADES ANNOUNCE ADDITIONAL PREMIUM SEATING OPTIONS FOR 2024 SEASON

Due to the demand for premium seating at Choctaw Stadium, the Arlington Renegades have announced that tickets for the Bandit Club are now available for purchase. The Bandit Club, which was formerly known as the Batter’s Eye Club, features four rows with seating for approximately 100 that provides a spectacular view of the field through two-way glass.

The climate-controlled club will feature its own buffet, bar, dining area and restrooms.

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

20

The number of consecutive winning seasons by the Dallas Cowboys, a record that still stands to this day. The seasons ran from 1966 to 1985.

PLAY MORE. PAY LESS.

2024

Arlington Golf is excited to announce our 2024 Frequent Players Club, which rewards you, the golfer for your loyalty to our courses. Passes are available for purchase and use at Tierra Verde Golf Club, Texas Rangers Golf Club, Lake Arlington Golf Course and Meadowbrook Park Golf Course.

PROGRAM BENEFITS:

• 15% off green fee and cart rental good anytime Monday–Thursday and after 11 AM on Friday–Sunday.

• 10% off non-sale merchandise.

• 15% off food and non-alcoholic beverages.

• A complimentary round of golf with ½ cart at your choice of our courses. At Meadowbrook Park, Lake Arlington or Tierra Verde, comp round may be redeemed Monday–Thursday anytime or after 1 PM Friday–Sunday at these three courses. At Texas Rangers Golf Club, the complimentary round is redeemable only Monday–Thursday anytime, or after 1 PM on Fridays.

• Twilight advantage – receive the twilight rate 1 hour prior to normal twilight start time.

• 8-day advance reservation privilege.

2024 PRICE: $12999 or $16999 (includes GHIN Handicap Service) For more information on the 2024 Frequent Players Club, please call or visit one of our golf shops. Prices of membership are subject to change without notice.

Not valid with any other offers, replay fees, external tournaments, leagues, or on City observed holidays. This offer is good January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 regardless of purchase date. Card must be presented at each visit. We will send you periodic emails detailing upcoming golf and food specials.

All data is kept confidential, and you may opt-out of our communications at any time.

Donna J. Smiedt and her team of fine Lawyers have nearly 4 decades of family law experience.

Donna J. Smiedt is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been so certified for 32 years.

Donna J. Smiedt has been practicing family law for 37 years. y

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

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

AROUND TOWN

Promises, Promises. Does It Matter That We Don’t Keep Our Resolutions?

KENNETH

PERKINS

W

hen you’re my age (don’t ask) your resolutions don’t come by the year.

They come by the day.

As in I hope to merely get out of bed without limping.

For most, though, New Year’s resolutions arrive at this time of year like overzealous door-to-door sales folks sweating out commissions.

Never mind that by the time you read this, most of the promises – buffing up at the gym, mastering a new language, getting more organized – will have been abandoned, much like that New Year’s Eve party hat you tossed the second day of January.

her time and sanity. I caught Wright strolling through downtown.

“Three years ago, it was to travel more, to see the world, that sort of thing,” said the Arlington native who works as a bank executive in Euless. “It turned out that my job schedule wouldn’t allow me large chunks of time, and when I did get the time, all I felt like doing was destressing on my couch.”

Take sports anchor and host John Rhadigan. He wrote in an email reply to the resolution question that he resolves not to let his emotions take over when the Rangers win or lose.

“Scratch that,” he added. “Won’t happen.

Later I run into Mycah and Michael Jay leaving Inclusion Coffee. He works for Discount Tire in Haltom City. She’s a graduate student at the University of Texas at Arlington, majoring in Kinesiology.

Then he resolved not to believe the Cowboy’s pre-season hype and not to watch so many games when he’s not working, both of which he scratched out as well.

“Oh, what the heck,” he said, finally. “Eat less and exercise more.”

“I want to cook at home more and eat out less,” Michael said. “I suppose that sounds a bit incredulous seeing that we’re walking out of a coffee shop.”

There you go.

Only about nine percent of people follow through on their resolutions, according to those who research this sort of thing. About 43 percent give up by the end of January and 23 percent call it quits by the end of the first week.

“Resolutions start the first day of January,” Mycah piped in, laughing. “So, we’re good.”

Mycah can’t remember a resolution she has kept.

Many who make an about-face blame a lack of time or resources, but mostly it’s motivation. The majority are said to give up within one to six weeks of starting, only to try the same resolution the next year.

“When I was in college, one of mine was to wake up before noon every day,” Michael said. “I managed to keep that one.”

Sarah Harris, watching her four-year-old play with blocks at the downtown library, laughs at the thought of making resolutions because hers tend to fall apart by midJanuary.

“I think too many people make their resolutions unrealistic,” is how Ginger Wright put it. She knows because she did it year after year until it hit her that she was wasting 20

ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

“Lose some weight, that’s mine,” Harris said. “But I’m already thinking about January and making excuses why I won’t be able to find the time to do it.”

Some people said an accountability system would help. Like making a resolution pact with someone else who pushes you, and you them.

“You know what the other problem is, though?” Wright said. “There’s an absence of why we make resolutions. The why is what motivates people to take action and achieve goals. I think resolutions have become a traditional thing, like going to a New Year’s Eve Party even though you’d rather stay at home and watch that crap on TV.” Wellness and health guru Kenyon Godwin, of Active Family Wellness, doesn’t do resolutions but “renewals,” which I get. Wright’s resolution: “I’m renewing my commitment to my health; mind, body, and spirit. This includes saying “no” more, consistently exercising, and spending more time with friends.”

Me? I’ve been quite successful. Years ago, I made a New Year’s Resolution to stop making them.

I’ve kept it ever since.

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

arlington

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Shopping Shoppinglocal localisn’t isn’tjust justfor forthe theholidays. holidays.Make Makeitityour yourresolution resolutiontotosupport support Arlington’s Arlington’ssmall, small,local localbusinesses businessesthroughout throughoutthe theyear. year.AtAtkeepitarlington.com, keepitarlington.com, catalog right explore exploreour ourever-growing ever-growingsmall smallbusiness businesscatlogue catlogue rightatatyour yourfingertips fingertipsand and discover discoverthe theextraordinary extraordinaryininour ourcommunity. community.

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2nd Annual Francis Kobty Hospitality Scholarship Event

Photos: Facebook.com/PrinceLebaneseGrill

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

arlingtontoday.com • January 2024 • ARLINGTON TODAY

23

ON THE COVER The Village at Sports Center

Making his mark on Arlington A

nyone who has been around Arlington knows the mark that architect and developer Mojy Haddad has left on the city. But many may not realize the mark that Arlington has left on Haddad.

“I love Texas, I love Arlington and I love North Texas. I would not want to live anywhere else.”

But Haddad didn’t have Arlington in his sights when he came to the United States from Iran in 1972. After attending school in Houston to perfect his English, Haddad headed to Georgia Tech to study architecture, for which he had a passion.

Haddad came to the Dream City to get a degree in architecture at the University of Texas at Arlington. He stayed and put his skills to use, designing and developing the Arlington Chamber of Commerce complex, prominent shopping centers, religious and office buildings, mixed-use developments, schools and hospitality projects around the United States and the world.

But the architecture he was studying didn’t sync with Haddad’s vision, the study was too technical. So he got in his car and drove to different schools (no internet in the 1970s) to check out other architecture programs.

And he’s not planning to stop anytime soon.

When he got to UT-Arlington, he knew he was home.

“Arlington’s future looks great,” Haddad said.

“I fell in love with it,” he said. “I liked the

Haddad in his office

by Amanda Rogers

school of architecture, which was more design oriented,the caliber of professors and the design style they taught. The other thing that attracted me to Arlington was that it was a small town between two big cities so there was a lot of opportunity.”

By 1981, Haddad had earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture and a master’s degree in city and regional planning. While attending school, he interned in the design department with real estate developer Trammell Crow. After graduation, he worked with large architectural firms in Dallas.

“It didn’t take me long to figure out I wanted my own firm,” he said.

With two partners, he opened CHS (Caldwell, Haddad and Skaggs) Architects in 1984 in Arlington. By 1989, the business had grown to 40 employees in Arlington and 65 in the Houston office, national and international projects, from Florida to Hawaii, Japan, Europe, Australia, Mexico and Canada.

“Business was thriving,” Haddad said.

By 1990, Haddad bought out his partners and started the Oakhollow Group, a real estate investment and development company, and began designing his own development projects through CHS Architects and Oakhollow Group.

“I’m not a very large developer, but I study carefully when I buy a piece of property,” he said.

“One advantage I have as an architect/developer is that I can see the potential of the property and see it in 3D.”

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

Waters Edge at Viridian

Legacy at Viridian

of Commerce complex and the contemporary architecture of Waters Edge and Legacy at Viridian, currently under construction. He admits that Italian and Mediterranean architecture is a favorite.

Waters Edge at Viridian

“My favorite architectural style is classical Italian architecture,” he said. “I also do lots of contemporary designs with some classical design influence.

“What is interesting is that I grew up with many historic buildings around me and within walking distance,” Haddad said. “Then, I come to UT-Arlington and I’m studying these buildings that I passed every day (at home).”

In addition to growing his companies, Haddad was also growing his family. He met his wife, Julia, while he was in college. Nine months later they were married and will celebrate their 44th anniversary this month.

The Haddads have four children: Sheila, who has three sons; Cameron, who has a daughter; Cheyenne, who is married; and Sophia.

“After our kids were born, I decided I didn’t want to travel as much,” Haddad said. “So I cut back quite a bit and started on local projects. That’s when I saw the opportunity for development within a 60-mile radius from my office in Arlington.

“I scaled down and got rid of the Houston office and cut back in Arlington as well,” he said.

“I wanted to focus on development and do it for myself. I occasionally do design and architectural work for friends, like Hearsay and Mercury Chophouse for (Mayor Jim Ross), but I prefer projects of my own. I still do projects in the entire DFW area, but the majority of my projects are in Arlington.

“I build high-quality shopping centers with the

intent to keep them,” he said. “Having said that, I’m also a businessman and if I get an offer I can’t refuse, I sell and build more.”

Haddad does not build strip centers, he builds high-quality, pedestrian-oriented shopping centers that focus on his tenants and not a sea of cars and parking lots, he explained.

“My shopping centers are like a lifestyle center with wide sidewalks, fountains and lots of landscaping, which makes them more pedestrian oriented,” he said. “A strip center is a cookie cutter that a lot of developers do. The tenants benefit from a good design and high-end development. They attract high-end clients and stay busy and leased up. A good design doesn’t have to be expensive. You can achieve a great design without breaking the bank.”

Haddad enjoys traveling in Europe and admires the architecture there, which has influenced his designs by putting a unique flavor in all of his developments, such as the Venetian tone of The Village at Sports Center on South Cooper Street, the clean lines and classical architecture of the Arlington Chamber

In addition to planting his companies and many of his developments in Arlington, Haddad has also invested in the community, being named to multiple boards and commissions, including being Chairman of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Planning & Zoning Commission, UT-Arlington School of Architecture Advisory Board, UT-Arlington President’s Advisory Board, President of the Arlington Sports Authority, Vice President of the Economic Development Corp. of Arlington, Super Bowl Host Committee and City of Arlington Zoning Board of Adjustment.

“I believe in giving back to our city and our community that has been so good to me and have encouraged my children to do the same,” Haddad said.

“Mojy’s involvement in Arlington has been going on for decades, from being a small business owner to developing local projects to serving on many boards in various capacities,” said Arlington Mayor Jim Ross. “His love of this community has been demonstrated by his continual service and investment.”

Haddad also currently serves as Vice Chair of North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) and he is a member of the Regional Transportation Council (RTC).

Continued on next page

Waters Edge at Viridian

“Transportation systems and planning is the backbone of every community,” he said. “Without transportation, there would be no development.”

Entertainment District – Texas Live, Globe Life Field, AT&T Stadium and the Medal of Honor Museum.

Arlington has long been touted as the largest city in the U.S. without public transportation, but buses are not the answer, Haddad said.

“I interact with people from other states regularly,” he said. “I’ve been going to ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers) conferences for 35 years. In the past, people wouldn’t care to talk to me about development in Arlington. Now Arlington is on their map and their radar. People are eager to talk about what is going on in Arlington, the entertainment district and development opportunities.”

“I see empty buses driving through other cities every day and that is not what we want in Arlington,” he said.

“Arlington was not built around buses,” he said. “The city was not built to accommodate bus routes. (Busing) has gone before the voters three times and been defeated. Residents don’t want it.

All four of the Haddads’ children attended UT-Arlington, with three graduating from the school and the fourth transferring and graduating at Texas Christian University. All four live within minutes of their parents.

“Via (on-call transportation) is one method that could be a solution for on-demand transportation,” Haddad said. “I believe there are other ways to provide modes of transportation without going to such antiquated people movers like buses. In the age of fast-moving technology, we need to be forward thinking with our transportation options and that is not buses.”

“I encouraged them all to stay here,” Haddad said. “I told them how many opportunities are here as opposed to somewhere else.

“The economy is fantastic,” he said. “For us in North Texas, recessions have been bumps in the road, but I cannot say that about the rest of the country. Right now, the economic conditions are ripe for investment, in particular in Arlington, where everything is happening.”

So what’s next for Haddad?

“I’m working on more shopping centers, mixed-use developments, more townhomes like Main 7 in Arlington and DFW,” he said. “I definitely like the ones I’m doing at Viridian (in North Arlington). They are streamlined and have clean contemporary designs. They stay full.

The most beautiful shopping centers are when they’re full.”

Haddad is credited for bringing many national, regional and local brands, from restaurants and hotels to medical and personal services, to Arlington, including his favorite Mexican cuisine, Maria Cuca’s in Waters Edge at Viridian, Chill’s Coffee and Wine Bar, Lac Bleu, a breakfast and lunch restaurant, Magic Cup, Nanglo’s Indian Restaurant, Spazzio’s Italian Kitchen, R-Haan Thai Cuisine, First Watch, Mr. Hibachi, Chipotle, Nothing Bundt Cakes, A Loft Boutique Hotel in North Arlington, UPNT (Urology Partners of North Texas) at The Village at Sports Center, Physicians

And what does he see for the future of Arlington?

“The future looks fantastic for Arlington,” Haddad said. “People from all over the state and outside are looking at Arlington. Most recently, a lot of the attention has been attributed to the 28

Ageless Solutions, Matlock OBGYN in Waters Edge at Viridian and HotWorx, just to mention a very few. Haddad enjoys in particular working with small local and regional tenants to help them grow.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. The majority of my tenants are small and minority-owned businesses,” Haddad said.

His passion for high-quality development doesn’t stop with his commercial projects.

Main 7 Luxury Townhomes at Main and Cooper streets in Arlington is an example of Haddad’s talents in townhome development. Main 7 is the first single-family attached luxury residential development in downtown Arlington, Haddad said.

Haddad has left an indelible, positive mark on Arlington’s economy and the best is still to come.

“Mojy is a remarkable man, having great success in his business, while also caring for his family! All the while he understands the importance of giving back to the Community! We are very fortunate to have Mojy and the Haddad family in Arlington.”

W. Jeff Williams, P.E. Former Mayor of Arlington Photos by Bruce Maxwell

ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

ARLINGTON RENEGADES TICKET REPRESENTATIVE SETS WORLD RECORD AT BMW DALLAS MARATHON PENDING APPROVAL Brian Goldsmith finished the marathon with a time of 3 hours, 29 minutes and 28 seconds, becoming the fastest person in history to run a marathon in full football gear

ARLINGTON, Texas (Dec. 10, 2023) – Brian Goldsmith, an Arlington Renegades ticket representative, set a Guinness World Record on Sunday after running in the BMW Dallas Marathon. He became the fastest person in history to run a marathon in full football gear, finishing with a time of 3 hours, 29 minutes and 28 seconds. The record is pending until official review from the Guinness World Records.

“I ran along my friends who were running a relay and it helped me look forward to every step,” said Goldsmith. “Every time my friends would jump in, I kept telling them ‘hey we’re four minutes ahead of pace, we are three minutes ahead of pace, let’s do it, let’s do it.’

My last guy that ran in with me, John, he really helped push me quite a bit to get to the end.

I really wanted to celebrate a little harder coming down the shoot, but I was just trying to move forward and get it done because just nothing was working. When I turned the final corner and I heard them announcing my name I got teared up. It meant a lot to me to be able to do this. I appreciate everyone

approval from Guinness ahead of the attempt.

Goldsmith eclipsed the previous record by over four minutes, which was set by Australian Alistair Kealty who ran the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on January 25, 2019.

being so supportive and just really excited about the attempt. It was really something I will look back on as one of the best moments of my life. The marathon setup was awesome.

Thanks to all the staff and volunteers who came out to help today.”

“A lot of what I do with everything is that I like to do things to the extreme and do things that maybe make people turn their head a little bit and say ‘excuse me?’” said Goldsmith. “You should always do things that scare you and challenge you. I’m trying to lead by example. My hope is to inspire others to achieve or attempt things that they didn’t think were possible because on the other side of that it’s just an endless channel of opportunities for you to make yourself a better person and always keep growing.

That’s why I do the things that I do. I hope to be a guiding example of what is possible on the other side.”

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The Buffalo, New York native who resides in nearby Las Colinas, Texas, earned initial

arlingtontoday.com • January 2024 • ARLINGTON TODAY

45

Tibor Rubin – G.I. Joe

by Kali Schick

I

assignments. One of these left Rubin to defend a hill alone fending off a steady flow of North Korean forces for 24 hours. By the fall of 1950, most of Rubin’s unit had been captured or killed. Rubin, wounded numerous times, became a prisoner of war in November.

n May 1945, the 11th Armored Division of the US Army liberated Mauthausen Camp, one of more than 44,000 camps and other incarceration sites created under the Nazi regime in Europe. Of the thousands of Jews and political prisoners was a young Hungarian Jew named Tibor Rubin. The fifteen-yearold survivor made a promise to himself that he would emigrate to the United States and become a “G.I. Joe.”

Where many of the young prisoners found it difficult to adjust to prison life, for Rubin, the mistreatment and deprivation was nothing new. He had been liberated in 1945 barely conscious, and terribly ill with dysentery.

Rubin’s experiences in Mauthausen equipped him with the skills to survive imprisonment once again, and this time, to help those around him.

Born in Pásztó, Hungary in 1929, Rubin was one of six children. By 1944, Rubin’s oldest brother had been conscripted into forced labor while his brother Emery attempted to flee but was captured and sent to the Mauthausen camp. Rubin’s father wanted him to avoid a similar fate, so Rubin left home at fourteen for Switzerland. Captured near the borders of Italy and Switzerland, Rubin was sent to Mauthausen where he was reunited with his brother Emery in the winter of 1944.

Fellow prisoners reported that Rubin would sneak out at night, risking his life by leaving the camp to scrounge for food from enemy supply depots. Rubin was always looking for opportunities to do good deeds for his fellow prisoners and encouraging them that survival was “mind over matter” through days and weeks of starvation. At one point, the communist forces holding Rubin captive learned he was Hungarian. They offered to send him back to his “People’s Republic,” as Hungary was then communist. Rubin refused— his desire was to be freed and return to the United States.

After their liberation in May 1945, Rubin and Emery returned home to Pásztó, where their sister Irene was waiting for them. Of their immediate and extended family, only Tibor and four of his siblings survived. After several years in a displaced persons camp, Rubin emigrated to the United States in 1948, followed by Emery and their sister Irene.

In 1948, Rubin began his attempts to join the US Army. With little knowledge of English, Rubin failed the language exam on his first try.

He tried again the next year, and with some “help” from his fellow test takers, passed and was able to enlist in the US Army. He was finally a GI Joe. Unfortunately for Rubin, postwar peace was not to last long.

After two and a half years in a prisoner of war camp, Rubin was returned to US custody in a prisoner of war swap April 21, 1953.

Suffering from a severe leg wound, he was carried on a stretcher and flown to South Korea. Upon his arrival, his story began to gather momentum. Rubin, a twenty-threeyear-old immigrant who had volunteered to join the US Army, had been a prisoner in two wars. The story made newspapers across the United States, with Rubin’s face splashed across newsprint from coast to coast.

In June 1950, war broke out in a divided Korea, and the United States, as part of the United Nations, committed its military to pushing North Korean forces out of the southern half of the country. Part of the 8th Cavalry Regiment, First Cavalry Division, Rubin was part of the US forces committed to the growing war in Korea.

On November 27, 1953, Tibor Rubin’s dream came true — he became a citizen of the United States. Rubin had only been back in the United States for about six months, and his newly gained citizenship made newspaper headlines.

But after the joy of citizenship, Rubin settled

Rubin served under a sergeant who regularly gave him incredibly dangerous 46

ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

Tibor Rubin. Photo by Army News Service, retrieved from the Department of Defense.

down into life, rarely speaking about his experiences in either war.

In the 1980s, men Rubin had served with began to protest that he had not received the Medal of Honor. There were rumors he had been recommended, but the recommendation had been rejected by his sergeant. The 2002 National Defense Authorization Act called for a review of Jewish and Hispanic Army servicemen records, looking for instances where the Medal of Honor was denied due to discrimination. Rubin’s exploits in Korea were reviewed in the process.

On September 25, 2005, President George W. Bush presented 76-year-old Tibor Rubin with the Medal of Honor in a ceremony at the White House. It was the first time since the Korean War that Rubin received any official recognition for his actions in combat and as a prisoner of war. Rubin reflected on what opportunities he may have had if his sergeant had not refused to put him up for the Medal during the war. Not one to dwell on disappointments, Rubin was proud of the life he built with his wife, Yvonne, another Holocaust survivor, and took great pride in knowing what his award meant for the Jewish community.

Kali Schick is Senior Historian for the National Medal of Honor Museum

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MAINLY MANSFIELD

History Talks: Quanah Parker

M

Parker became the wealthiest Native American in the United States at the time.

ost people would be happy to be remembered in one culture, but Quanah Parker became a legend in two, walking between the Comanche and white people with ease.

“He was well regarded in two worlds,” Baber said.

Parker’s great-great grandson will be featured in a special evening, History Talks: Quanah Parker and Comanche Stories with Lance Tahmahkera, at the Farr Best Theater, 109 N. Main St., at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 19. During the free event, Tahmahkera will share family stories and the history of the Comanche, along with rare family artifacts and photos.

The Mansfield Historical Museum & Heritage Center will celebrate the life of the last Comanche war chief with the special exhibit Quanah Parker: One Man, Two Worlds through Jan. 31, and a special evening with Parker’s great-great grandson Jan. 19. The exhibit features facts and photos of Quanah Parker and his mother, Cynthia Ann Parker.

“He’s an infamous figure in history,” said Jessica Baber, museum manager. “He has historic ties to the Fort Worth area. A lot of people here don’t really know much about him. I worked for the Comanche National Museum for about a year. I can’t claim to be an expert, but I know enough.”

Quanah Parker was the product of two worlds. Cynthia Ann Parker was kidnapped as a child in 1836 by the Comanche from Fort Parker, east of Waco. She went on to marry Comanche chief Peta Nocona and have two sons and a daughter. In 1860, the Texas Rangers kidnapped her and her infant daughter, Topasannah, from her Comanche family and returned her to her white family, who she no longer remembered.

Cynthia Ann tried to escape and return to the Comanche several times, and died of influenza in 1871.

Her son, Quanah, who was 11 when his mother was taken, soon rose to become a war chief, living a traditional Comanche lifestyle, hunting buffalo and eluding the military, until 1875 when they surrendered and were moved to the Kiowa-Comanche reservation in southwestern Oklahoma.

“He was the chief at the time of transition,” Baber said. “He was a war chief that led them into battle and he also led them in finding their place in white society.”

Parker, who stood close to 6 feet tall, rose to prominence and wealth, becoming a cattle raiser and a public and political figure. He hunted with President Theodore Roosevelt, and later rode in his inaugural parade. Quanah 48

ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

by Amanda Rogers

Between the exhibit and the special evening with his great-great grandson, people can learn a lot, Baber said.

“You will certainly learn more about his life and his mother,” she said. “You will also have a better understanding of what life was like for the Comanche.”

Admission to the museum, the Quanah Parker exhibit and the evening event is free.

The Mansfield Historical Museum & Heritage Center, 102 N. Main St. in Mansfield, is open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

MAINLY MANSFIELD

Mansfield FFA gets ready for the show For a lot of people, January is a chance to catch your breath after the holiday hustle.

“We’ve got every animal that you can show, except llamas,” Willson said.

For Shaye Ann Atwood and the Mansfield FFA, it’s the beginning of their busiest time of the year – show season.

Showing an animal is not to be taken lightly, Atwood said.

“We have a big informational meeting for those who have not done it before,” she said. “We tell them you are not going to make money. The families come out to barn together and spend time together. You hope to make enough money to buy an animal for the next year.”

“When we come back from Christmas break, we don’t really stop showing until the middle of March at Spring Break,” said Atwood, who is the Agriculture Coordinator for the Mansfield ISD and principal of the Jerry Knight STEM Academy.

The Mansfield ISD has students showing at the Fort Worth Stock Show, San Angelo Stock Show, Rodeo Austin Livestock Show, San Antonio Stock Show, Houston Livestock Show and the Tarrant County Junior Livestock Show, said James Willson, a Mansfield ISD agriculture teacher who oversees the Ron Whitson Agricultural Science Center.

Some of the students are able to keep their animals at their homes, but others keep them at the Ron Whitson Agricultural Science Center, a Mansfield ISD arena and a pair of 10,000-squarefoot barns with pens for animals.

“They’re out here at 5 a.m., feeding the animals and then they have to be at school by 7 a.m.,” Atwood said. “Then they feed again in the evening.”

Mansfield, once known for the Kow Bell Indoor Rodeo, traditionally had a strong and enthusiastic FFA program. With the influx of new residents and expansion of the school district, the numbers had fallen.

High school juniors can participate in the calf scramble at the Fort Worth Stock Show, where they compete against other students to grab and tie up one of the calves turned loose in the rodeo arena. If they are successful, they receive money toward buying a calf for the next year.

“When I started in Mansfield 10 years ago, I think we maybe had 75 in FFA and not all of those showed animals,” Atwood said. “It has just exploded.”

Mansfield ISD now boasts 300 students in FFA, and 1,200 in agriculture classes throughout the district, she said. Eighty percent of the FFA members will show an animal, Atwood said, including chickens, goats, rabbits, turkeys, lambs, pigs, heifers and steers.

The Mansfield FFA will take more than 200 animals to the Fort Worth Stock Show, which runs Jan. 12-Feb. 3 at the Will Rogers Memorial Center.

Ava King braces and waits for the judge while showing her goat Oakley.

50

by Amanda Rogers

in the second grade. My youngest is 4 and he’ll be showing just like the rest of them. This is our thing. It’s part of our daily routine.”

Kolbey Florence, a 15-year-old freshman at Mansfield Legacy High School, began showing a year ago, and now has nine pigs. She plans to show at Fort Worth, San Angelo, San Antonio, Tarrant County and Houston. Florence shows gilts (female pigs that have not given birth) and barrows (castrated male pigs).

“I learned a lot of responsibility,” she said.

“I learned to trust my animal. I learned to be partners with my animal.”

Barrow pigs are sold after the show for slaughter, something that was difficult for Florence.

“The first one was hard,” she said. “I tried to jump out of the truck and get him. It’s hard. You have them for about nine months, so you get really attached.”

Sophia Patterson, a 16-year-old junior at Mansfield Legacy High School, has grown a lot in the three years that she has shown Shorthorn heifers.

“It helps every kid find a niche, a place they feel connected,” Atwood said. “When they’re involved, their grades are better and they don’t get into trouble. If they don’t pass, they don’t show. We have had that happen.”

“Mostly responsibility,” she said. “A lot of days I’m tired and don’t want to come to the barn. But it’s not really a choice. It’s a lot of work and you definitely need to know what you’re getting into.

It’s definitely worth it.”

Atwood and her husband showed animals with the FFA when they were in school, she said, just as her three young sons are doing.

Sophia’s mom, Denise Patterson, agreed.

“It’s something my husband and I don’t regret giving them,” she said. “My fourth-grade son is showing heifers, my middle son has a heifer. He’s

“She has learned life lessons,” Patterson said.

“She’s been more outgoing, talking to adults.

Studying for LDE (Leadership Development Events in FFA) has helped her study. Her grades are amazing. She is so competitive.”

Kolbey Florence shows off her gilt Savage.

Sophia Patterson feeds her Shorthorn heifer Missy.

ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

Helping close the gap on the nursing shortage Mansfield’s Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing celebrates its fourth class of nurses Methodist Mansfield Medical Center celebrated the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing’s 15 nursing graduates on the Methodist Mansfield campus with a Lamp Lighting Ceremony.

The class graduating Saturday was only the fourth group of students to complete the program since opening three years ago.

“The number of students applying for the nursing school based at the hospital has grown tremendously since it opened and has more than 80 students in the pipeline working to make their dream of becoming a nurse a reality,” Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Nora Frasier DNP, RN, FACHE, NEA-BC, FAONL says, “We’re so happy to be

fulfilling the need for nurses here locally in our community.”

•Skillful – dedicated to learning and excellence

Mayor Pro Tem Todd Tonore was also in attendance and congratulated the students on their success and achievements.

This semester’s SHINES awardee was Mackenzie McCollum who is a student nurse and Methodist Mansfield Med-Surge Extern.

She is an outstanding student and serves as a Dean’s Ambassador and is the Volleyball Director/Head Coach for USAV. She is also an active member of Phi Theta Kappa-Beta Sigma Mu Chapter Alumni. She donates items to meet the needs of the homeless and provides Christian childcare services and leads fundraising activities for elementary student athletes. She has a genuine empathy that touches the lives of patients and colleagues, making her a shining example of what it means to embody the spirit of nursing.

Every semester Methodist Mansfield Medical Center and the Texas Tech University Health Science Center School of Nursing faculty select a student who encompasses the characteristics of the SHINES Award which represents the following: •Servant Heart – compassionately putting others first •Hospitality – offering a welcoming and caring environment •Innovation – courageous creativity and commitment to quality •Noble – unwavering honesty and integrity •Enthusiasm – celebration of individual and team accomplishment

The nursing program graduates students three times per year.

The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing’s latest graduating class. arlingtontoday.com • January 2024 • ARLINGTON TODAY

Photo: Texas Tech University

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Resolutions

NEW NEW YEAR YOU! Find out what you’ve been missing – get your hearing checked at Kos/Danchak Audiology & Hearing Aids, 101 W. Randol Mill Road. For 35 years, the audiologists have been helping Arlington residents hear better.

If your spouse, friends or kids have been complaining that you don’t respond when they talk to you, you have to keep turning up the television or radio to hear it, have ringing in your ears or difficulty hearing in meetings or in restaurants, it’s time to get your hearing checked.

The Doctors of Audiology can evaluate you for hearing and tinnitus and fit you with hearing devices if needed. Don’t miss a thing in 2024. www.northtxhearing.com

Out with the old and in with the new in 2024. Shed those old skin cells with a facial at Great Skin Spa, 3851 SW Green Oaks Boulevard.

Get back to feeling like you with a chemical peel, spa treatment, microdermabrasion, Endermologie or Teen Break-out Facial. Relax on a warm bed with aromatherapy, relaxing music and complimentary wine or infused water while you get rid of stress and get your face revived. www.greatskin4you.com

You haven’t felt like you in awhile, moody, aggravated or unhappy. Maybe it isn’t your life, it might be your hormones. Men and women can experience relief for hormone replacement therapy at the Institute for Hormonal Balance, 4224 Park Springs Boulevard, Suite 100.

IV Therapy can boost your energy with a dose of antioxidants, fluids and nutrients, while injectables can erase the fine lines and wrinkles that have snuck up on you. Finally stop shaving and waxing with laser hair removal, too. Start the new year looking and feeling better. www.donovitz.com

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

Resolutions

Set your mind at ease in 2024 and make sure your family is provided for with a will from Harris Cook LLP, 1309-A W. Abram St. Make sure that your heirs know how you want your possessions and property to be handled, while making probate a lot simpler for them with a will.

Harris Cook can also help you set up Durable and Medical Powers of Attorney, Physician’s Directives, trusts and succession agreements and get your affairs in order. No matter your age, you will sleep better knowing that your family will be provided for, if something happens to you. www.harriscooklaw.com

Add some drama and culture to your life with season tickets to Theatre Arlington, 316 W. Main St. For more than a half century, Theatre Arlington has brought fun and drama to the Dream City with comedies, musicals and youth camps. Buying season tickets will commit you to stepping up your exposure to the arts, while giving you a regular fun night out. Set for 2024 are Cabaret, Steel Magnolias, Chicken and Biscuits, Big Fish, Visiting Mr. Green and Holiday Inn. www.theatrearlington.org

Stretch your brain, improve your resume, meet new friends and get out of the house with a continuing education class at the University of Texas at Arlington, 140 W. Mitchell St. Design a website, learn a new language, take a college prep class, learn how to start a new business, write a novel or begin a nonprofit with course at UT-Arlington. Earn a certificate in business communications, AutoCAD, human resources, HVAC, event management or as a paralegal or legal assistant. www.web-ded.uta.edu/wconnect/CourseStatus.awp?&Course=cedhom

Get moving with a tai chi, meditation or mindful movement with an online course from Methodist Mansfield Medical Center, 2700 E. Broad St. Older and younger residents can learn to stretch and de-stress over Zoom with a free class. After registering, participants will receive an invitation to the online classes.

Get centered and focused in 2024 with slow and easy movements in the free weekly classes. www.methodisthealthsystem.org/methodist-mansfield-medical-center

SCENE

Diane Cravens’ Holiday Tour of Homes

Photos by Paul Knudson Photography

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

SPEAKING OF SPORTS

Our teams have changed and it feels fantastic a perfect tool for Dak Prescott and perhaps it will lead the Cowboys past the 49ers and back to the promised land.

JOHN

RHADIGAN

Consider the Dallas Mavericks. Did they change? Of course they did. They always seem to be changing. But the biggest change of all was a result of maturity and fatherhood.

W

ith the new year already flying by, it is easy to forget those resolutions we made just a few days or weeks ago. Don’t forget them, you resolved to make changes for a reason. If 2023 proved anything it is that change is inevitable, change is possible and change can be so much fun. Consider the changes we have all witnessed in the past year in the world of sports.

Anyone who has ever watched Luka Dončić can see he is special. It is hard to quantify why.

He is not faster than the other players, he’s not the tallest, he does not jump the highest and yet he is a perennial all-star and an MVP candidate.

Prior to this season anyone who watched him could also see that he was petulant. He chided, cried and died with each call the referees made or didn’t make.

A year ago this month the Cowboys lost to the 49ers in the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs.

Sound familiar? Yes they lost to the same team at the end of the 2021 season too. The reality is they could meet a similar fate this season but that does not mean there have been no changes.

In the past year Luka has gotten in better shape, he has become a dad and he has grown up. Maturity is not linear. Each person grows up at a different pace. The results have been noticeable. He is playing even better and whining way less.

Most teams that finish 12-5 don’t make wholesale changes and the Cowboys didn’t either. But they did part ways with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Every team is looking for that next wunderkind, that players coach who can relate to this generation of athletes. In Moore, the Cowboys thought they might have found him. All he needed was some seasoning as a coordinator. At thirty-one years old he became the youngest offensive coordinator in the league. But after four years of calling the plays the offense did not change. So Jerry Jones did. He fired one of his own and replaced him with a Super Bowl-winning play caller named Mike McCarthy. The west coast offense has been

Finally, the real reason I wanted to write about change. Our Texas Rangers. What a year! What a change! The first spring training I covered was back in 1990 in Port Charlotte. I asked manager Bobby Valentine about the key to success that year and he said, “pitching and defense.” Almost every manager at every spring training since the beginning of time will say the same thing. Yet for 51 years in Arlington the Rangers did not have enough pitching.

Enter former major league pitcher Chris Young.

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In his first off-season as the General Manager he acquired a five-man rotation. Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, Martin Perez and Jake Odorizzi were all either signed, resigned or acquired. Even after all of that CY told us, “you can never have enough pitching.”

We saw how right he was before the season was a month old. Odorizzi was rehabbing all year and deGrom blew out his elbow in April.

Suddenly the Rangers needed more pitching. I hate to say he told you so.

At the trade deadline they got it. Acquiring another of the best in the game, to pair with deGrom when healthy, Max Scherzer. They also traded for Jordan Montgomery and Chris Stratton. That proved to be enough, just enough to take this franchise somewhere it had never been. It went all the way to the top.

I know you have not forgotten, but Arlington’s own Texas Rangers are still the World Champions and still acquiring pitching. This off-season has not been as dramatic as the past two but the Rangers have continued to add pieces and add pitching in an attempt to become the first MLB team to repeat in over two decades.

The Cowboys, Mavericks and especially the Rangers have all changed. They didn’t just talk about change, they did it. They did not abandon their resolutions. Three examples of how change can work and how fantastic it can feel.

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

SCENE

Arlington Women’s Club’s

An Evening with Danny Wright

Danny Wright

Joann and Darrell Bender

Joe and Barbara Castano

Chip and Linda Black Jeannine Calhoon, Beth Hellier, Shirley Simpson

arlingtontoday.com • January 2024 • ARLINGTON TODAY

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TIMELESS CONCERT’S VALENTINES SPECIAL AND FUNDRAISER Sat. Feb. 10, 8:00 pm at the Holt Hickman Center Fort Worth – 3712 Wichita St. 76119

Danny has recently returned to live in Ft. Worth.

LeeAnne Chenoweth and Danny Wright reconnected in 2023 after she had performed in an orchestra accompanying Danny in the past.

Danny will give our audience a performance of his own gorgeous arrangements of Broadway and film classics by well-loved composers.

Our most popular concert of the year, the Valentines Special and Fundraiser, includes a great variety of music, a guest artist, charcuterie style bites and special desserts. As always, we offer complimentary wine and soft drinks.

Violinists LeeAnne Chenoweth and Tim Angel, cellist Alice (Jeong-A) Lee and pianist Heejung Kang will perform great tango music of Astor Piazzolla of Argentina, plus selections of the great Romantic, Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Our vocalists, tenor Sergio Cepeda and soprano Youna Hartgraves will sing beautiful songs and arias of Italian composers Verdi and Cimara, with a finale from Westside Story.

Special guest, Fort Worth born pianist Danny Wright, who sold over 11 million albums, will play a segment of this concert. He has been named twice by Billboard magazine as a top 10 artist in the New Age Music genre. Danny performed all over the world, from The Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary, to the Smith Center in Las Vegas.

The hour long concert is followed by a postconcert party with pianist Erik Barnes, who takes your requests. Table seating for 2 or up to 12.

Complimentary snacks/soft drinks/wine. BYOB allowed but bottle must be left with bartender for pouring.

Fundraiser pricing: $65 general, $55 senior, $25 college rate. Private table for 2, $150. We will allow a limited number of free youth tickets for this event, and special teacher pricing. Please contact me about details.

Concerts return April 20 in Arlington and April 27 at the Hickman, at regular prices $39-15.

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

COMING IN FEBRUARY! Share your heartwarming tales of 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.

The most inspiring and impactful stories will be acknowledged with exciting prizes.

Submit your story today at info@arlingtontoday.com

arlingtontoday.com • January 2024 • ARLINGTON TODAY

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BULLETIN BOARD

JANUARY

What is a Vision Board and Why Make One?

A vision board is usually a collage of images that represent goals and dreams. It can include cut-out pictures from magazines and words that help inspire you to manifest your dreams and get where you want to go in 2024!

BOOK CLUBS

National Vision Board Day • January 13

Southwest Morning Reading Group – 1/10 • 11am The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson Southwest Branch Library

Night Out Book Club – 1/11 • 7pm Her Majesty’s Royal Coven

by Juno Dawson Location varies

The Institute for Hormonal Balance Open House

Don’t miss out on special pricing on products and services, raffle to win free ZO skin, vitamins, SlimShots and other items, live demos on Emsculpt NEO, Emface and more and light refreshments will be served.

January 19 • 3-6pm 4224 Park Springs Blvd. Ste. 100

Good Grounds Book Club – 1/17 • 11am Choose your own book Woodland West Branch Library

Texas Authors Book Club – 1/18 • 6:30pm Empire of the Southern Moon

by S.C. Gwynne Teen Book Club – 5pm January TBA

Woodland West Branch Library

Southwest Spine Crackers – 1/18 • 7pm The First Ladies by Marie Benedict Southwest Branch Library

Seeking Sponsorships and Confectionary Artists for Eat Your Art Out 2024 Sponsorships will help the AMA solidify their platform as a world-wide visual arts magnet in the heart of North Texas.

Bakers can showcase their talents at the AMA’s largest event of the year!

Saturday, April 20 Arlington Museum of Art

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

Silent Book Club – 1/27 • 11am Bring any book and enjoy refreshments Location varies

Selling a business or valuable real estate?

Concerned about high capital gains tax?

Explore our solution for capital gains tax deferral and gain a financial edge.

817-274-4877 - 301 S Center St, Suite 420, Arlington, TX 76010

Selling a business or valuable real estate?

Concerned about high capital gains tax?

Explore our solution for capital Gains tax deferral and Gain a financial edge.

817-274-4877 - 301 S Center St, Suite 420, Arlington, TX 76010

BEHIND THE WHEELS

David Oberle stands with the favorite among many cars in his collection.

A classic car that honors grandmother

D

had the opportunity to show it off in fellow collector Mike Ames’ annual gathering among other invited guests with their limited edition cars at Ames’ Arlington estate.

The Packard Motor Car Company produced these mid-priced, eight-cylinder cars from 1935 to 1937 in a marketing strategy to compete with the General Motors’s LaSalle, the Chrysler Airstream and the Lincoln Zephyr. It kept the company going during the final years of the Great Depression and provided buyers the cachet of owning what was then considered one of America’s most prestigious cars.

Prices for the up-market Touring Sedan models like this one were just under $2,000 resulting in the company’s immediate success with consumers, as more than 50,000 of them rolled off Packard’s massive assembly line in Detroit.

avid Oberle has a passion for great American classic automobiles, and his collection boasts of having one from every decade from 1900 to the year 2000.

But this 1937 Packard has a special place among his other remarkable cars in that it was built in the same year his grandmother was born. So, in her honor, he calls it his “New Nana” and says it’s his favorite.

David found this exceptional model in Nebraska in 2018, and confirms that he especially enjoys driving the smoothrunning One-Twenty model motorized by its big straight-eight, 288-cubic-inch engine producing 120 horsepower. As a highway engineer, he does this on some of the roadways he helped design.

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ARLINGTON TODAY • January 2024 • arlingtontoday.com

While the car’s design presented many interior art deco features, its “Safe-TFlex” independent front suspension was considered a breakthrough in engineering, carrying the load in style and comfort – a result that its current owner finds to be as nice today as it was some 80 years ago.

What about that odd canisterstyle cylinder attached to the front passenger side window? While home air conditioning wouldn’t become widely used until the 1950s post-World War II economic boom, you could ride in cool comfort in your automobile with one of these things in the 1930s.

Called a “car cooler,” it worked via the evaporation of water inside the cooler and in the process, transferring heat from the surrounding air into cool moistureladen air inside. It worked when the car was in forward motion, or a fan-powered version would do the job when the

From the cutting-edge “air conditioner” (top left) to the unrestored 1937 license plate David Oberle obtained after buying the car, this vehicle is an authentic classic all the way.

car was standing still or moving at low speeds.

With the introduction of the 1940 models, Packard became the first car company to offer factory-installed air conditioning. Thirty years later, more than half of all new cars sold were equipped with what was fast becoming standard equipment.

David enjoys demonstrating the original technology by removing it from the car’s trunk, attaching it to the window, and showing how the air would blow through a vent at a right angle to dispel the summer heat.

He’s also pleased that he was able to find an original, unrestored 1937 Texas license plate to add to the authenticity of his proud example of one of Packard’s flagship automobiles that provided the company with its esteemed reputation that today is carried on by collectors everywhere.

Photos by Richard Greene

arlingtontoday.com • January 2024 • ARLINGTON TODAY

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KEEN CUISINE

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

Candlelite Inn

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

Italy Pasta Pizza & Subs

BARBECUE 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

Spring Creek BBQ

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 64

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01/31

Arlington-South 5001 S. Cooper Street, Suite 111 Arlington, TX 76017 (817) 557-2253 Arlington-North 839 E Lamar BLVD Arlington, TX 76011 (817) 583-6522 Mansfield 3141 E Broad Street Suite 115 Mansfield, TX 76063 (682) 204-0235

NothingBundtCakes.com 01/31/2024

arlingtontoday.com • January 2024 • ARLINGTON TODAY

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FINISH LINE

Among the Tipping Points That Have Shaped Our City vintage convertible, wearing a Rangers jersey, in front of the big, cheering crowd in the city’s Fourth of July Parade.

RICHARD

GREENE

A

I had the photo printed in an 8x10 format and sent it to Mr. Chiles with a note that read: “I thought you would enjoy seeing how much Arlington loves the Rangers.”

rlington enters the New Year hosting the nation’s World Series championship team.

We’ll be celebrating it throughout the coming months and especially on Opening Day of March 28. That’s when the World Series banner will be proudly raised in its permanent home at Globe Life Field.

It had been since April that I had first reached out to him but in just a couple of days after I had sent that photo, my phone rang and the unmistakable commanding voice of one of the area’s premier figures declared, “This is Eddie Chiles.”

And, regardless of whether or not the Rangers repeat the feat, it is a first-time triumph for the team that’s been ours for 52 years.

There are uncountable tipping points in that five-decades of our history with the team some well known and others that many have never realized.

That was the tipping point.

How did this 37-year-old photo become a tipping point in Arlington’s

My eager response was to say history? Read on and discover the answer. that I, of course, recognized him, and said I was so pleased to get looked forward to working with us. his call.

Had I just given up making the effort to get His next response was shocking. “I got the him to call me back all those previous tries, picture you sent me, Mayor, but quite frankly, likely would have resulted in him telling the we don’t feel very welcome in your city.” next owners of the Rangers, that Arlington would be of no help to them.

I asked what made him feel that way. He

I’ll share the first of those of my experience in this month’s Finish Line - maybe some more in the months to come.

It was the day after my first election as Arlington’s new mayor in 1987. I thought I should check in with then Rangers owner Eddie Chiles – just as a courtesy to introduce myself to him.

A couple of days later, I called his office and left a message that I would like to talk to him. I got no reply to that call nor a couple more that followed. I surmised that the founder of one of the nation’s largest oil industries, the Western Company of North America, must have a very busy schedule.

explained that he had tried to get the city’s help in addressing some city maintenance issues relating to the conditions of the streets and curbs around the stadium parking lots.

My next attempt would be to write him a letter for which I received no reply. The same result came with my next letter a couple of weeks later.

By now, I was concerned there may be some reason he was ignoring me.

I declared, “Mr. Chiles if you give me a chance, I promise to make it possible for you to tell your MLB fellow owners a your next meeting that none of them has a host city that appreciates their teams more than Arlington does the Rangers.”

My solution was to have my picture taken while riding high on the back seat of a

We made plans for lunch together where he said he would hold me to that promise and he

I listened to some more complaints on other matters and apologized. Then, I tried to set the stage to cover all of that.

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Instead Mr. Chiles was able, a year later, to assure George W. Bush when his group contracted to buy the Rangers, that he knew Arlington would work with them. Later he invited me to join him in his Arlington Stadium suite when he was hosting Bush for the game.

Eddie introduced me to him as “my good friend.”

I’ve always believed – without that recommendation – the future president, who lived in Dallas, would likely have concluded that the team’s future would be in that city.

Richard Greene is a former mayor of Arlington.

At WADE FAMILY FUNERAL HOME our family believes that while we all

will one day lose someone we love, there are no two families, no two funerals exactly alike.

The needs of your family will vary. The grief process for each individual will be unique. At this very difficult time, in the face of making such important decisions, the Wade Family knows you need peace of mind and the comfort that comes with the fact that your family matters most to us.

Our Arlington family is here for you.

Happy New Year & Blessings for 2024!

4140 W. Pioneer Pkwy. • Arlington, Tx 76013 • 817-274-9233 wadefamilyfuneralhome.com