You can click here for the entire third quarter newsletter in pdf format.

National Night Out at WRE Playground

National Night Out is Tuesday, August 4th from 7pm to 9pm. This year is the 26th anniversary of National Night Out, and we’re expecting the best event yet. Last year’s party was attended by over 900 residents in White Rock Valley! The event this year promises to have fun for people of all ages with a few new highlights added!

White Rock Valley’s National Night Out will take place at White Rock Elementary School at 9229 Chiswell Road. Scheduled activities this year include pony rides, a petting zoo, two bounce houses, a giant inflatable tsunami slide, and an obstacle course. The Dallas Police Northeast Substation will be represented and include the canine group and mounted police patrol; and our newest police helicopter will fly-by during the evening. The Dallas Fire Department will showcase hook and ladder trucks and an ambulance as well.

Snow Cones, ice cold water, hot dogs, and shade trees are always complimentary.

Don’t forget to stop by the “Directory Table” at the main entrance which Deborah Whitington and her team manages–be sure your name, address, and phone number are correct for the new directory. Also, this event would not be possible without the 40-50 volunteers from our neighborhood. Volunteers are still needed to man the bounce houses and distribute snow cones and water among other things.

Come on out and enjoy the big event, meet your neighbors and the people who help keep White Rock Valley safe. We look forward to seeing you there!

Volunteers will don highly coveted “WRVNA Event Staff” t-shirts!

To help out, please contact Billy & Sarah Dorsey at 214/ 349-9759.

Re-Cycle Cell Phones

When we live in a community or country that discards items in such quantity it becomes an environment crisis, does that mean we are rich, or do we need to consider our priorities? The item subject to consideration in this article is cell phones, and the associated electronics we consider essential. Don’t misunderstand me; I have a cell phone, and I don’t want to be without it. But we can be more responsible in the manner in which we recycle them. Maybe you were not sure how to dispose of your replaced cell phone, so it resides in the ‘junk drawer’ or in a box on a shelf in the closet. Or, if you were the efficient type, maybe you tossed it in the trash the day you acquired the new model.

Cell Phones are Among the Fastest Growing Types of Trash. In 1985 there were less than half a million cell phone in the United States. Today there are 233 million. The average North American gets a new cell phone every 18 to 24 months, making old phones—many that contain hazardous materials like lead, mercury, cadmium, brominated flame retardants and arsenic—the fastest growing type of manufactured garbage in the nation. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans discard 125 million phones each year, creating 65,000 tons of waste. EPA has targeted cell phone recycling because only 10 percent of cell phones are recycled each year and most people do not know where to recycle them. Recycling cell phones results in significant environmental savings and can benefit those in need.

Worldwide, cell phone sales have increased from slightly more than 100 million units per year in 1997 to an estimated 779 million units per year in 2005. Cell phone sales are projected to exceed 1 billion units per year in 2009, with an estimated 2.6 billion cell phones in use by the end of that year. Sales are driven by new subscribers signing up for services, by subscribers purchasing additional phones, and by subscribers replacing obsolete cell phones.

Cell phones and accessories are made from valuable resources such as precious metals, copper, and plastics – all of which require energy to extract and manufacture. Recycling cell phones reduces greenhouse gas emissions, keeps valuable material out of landfills and incinerators, and conserves natural resources. Recycling just a million cell phones reduces greenhouse gas emissions equal to taking 33 cars off the road for a year; or if Americans recycled the 100 million cell phones that are discarded annually, the EPA estimates the nation would save enough energy to power more than 18,500 homes for a year.

The number of obsolete cell phones stored in drawers and closets by 2005 was forecast to be 500 million. For these analyses, it was assumed that the average obsolete cell phone also weighs 113 grams. (For comparison, a paper clip weighs about 1 gram.) At this weight, 500 million obsolete cell phones would have a collective weight of more than 56,000 metric tons. This study shows these cell phones would contain approximately 7,900 metric tons of copper, valued at $17 million; 178 metric tons of silver, with a value of $31 million; 17 metric tons of gold, valued at $199 million; 7.4 metric tons of palladium, valued at $63 million; and 0.18 metric ton of platinum valued at $3.9 million, producing a total of $134 million.

The United States does not mandate electronics recycling of any kind at the federal level, but a few states are getting into the act at their own initiative. California recently passed the first cell phone recycling law in North America. As of July 1, 2006, electronics retailers doing business there must have a cell phone recycling system in place in order to legally sell their products, whether online or in-store. This service is available in most places with major phone suppliers, but you may have to ask about it. Check online with your phone manufacturer, or the service provider to check your options. Taking a few minutes to learn the necessary steps to recycle and preserve the environment, is well worth it.

Cub Scouts: For Friends, For Fun, For You

As always Cub Scout Pack 891 greatly appreciates the support we receive from WRVNA. We have had a great summer.

Our Spring campout in early May at Mineral Wells State Park was great, the fish were biting but the weather a little soggy. Our district has held two summer camps. The first was a day camp where Pack 891 learned about geology, camping, crafts and skills with BB guns and Archery. The second was a 3 day overnight camp where older Cub Scouts were prepared for Boy Scouts. Also, we proudly carried “Old Glory” in the Lake Highlands 4th of July Parade, are having a swim party hosted by Troop 707, and will visit the Dallas Boy Scout National Museum.

This Fall we kick off with Join Scouting Night in September, gear up for our Fall Campout, Space Rocket Derby, “Poptober” our annual popcorn sale and fund raiser and more. If you would like information on your family joining Cub Scouts through your son or being a Parent Leader, please contact Rick Estrada 214-221-1636 or rickestrada868@hotmail.com.

Directory Up-Date

We want the WRVNA Directory to be up-to-date and accurate, so we appreciate when you keep us informed when you change your information, or when we have made an error and have listed your information incorrectly.

You can do that via e-mail at wrvna@yahoo.com or visit the directory table at National Night Out, Tuesday, August 4th. There will be print-outs of the directory information where you can verify your personal information and make any changes necessary.

Make the changes to your directory for the following entry:

Bryan and Milissa Bedford 9582 Highedge 214.341.4856

WRNVA Financial Statement – Jan 1 2009– March 31 2009

Click here for to see the statement in pdf format.

For questions or further information about the WRVNA Financial statement, contact Treasurer Laurie Bubel 214.340.2059 or e-mail bubel2@sbcglobal.net

The Buzz of LH Businesses

Everyone knows Lake Highlands is a great place to live, and some businesses know it is a great place to start their new business.

A really dynamic business that we showcased the end of 2008 when T-Hee Gifts moved into the shopping center at Audelia and Walnut Hill, is again on the move. Don’t worry, they aren’t leaving. They have expanded their retail area so that they are bursting at the seams, necessitating the wholesale printing portion relocating across the parking lot. Visit them at their retail shop and support LH! 214.747.5800 www.t-heegifts.com

Another change occurred at the end of 2008, when Lake Highlands Floral experienced a management change; new owner is Linda Miles. Linda was previously part of the staff there, so continue to expect quality products and a full range of the floral services to meet your needs. 214.340.9950 www.flowersofdallas.com

The Walgreens opened on May 7th, after construction of a new building, and parking area, landscaped with attractive wrought iron fence and plantings. There is even a cozy bench beneath the Walgreen Sign in a garden setting. The next time you enter the store, glance over your shoulder; the view of our neighborhood is great. The store manager is Chris Hensley, Pharmacy manager is Stephanie Duong-Ly and the helpful assistant manger is Jeremy Richeal. Drop in to see them soon. 469.341.3908 www.walgreens.com

Another name to mention is Offshore’s Next Door, located in the SW corner of the Walnut Hill and Audelia crossroads. Don’t head there for lunch; they open at 3:30 pm for the afternoon and evening crowd. Call 214.503.1012 for details and description of the menu.

We welcome another new business in our area: the Cake Ball Company. Robin Ankeny started her company with her family recipe she grew up with. The Ankenys moved into WRV in April, shortly after they established the Cake Ball Company in the shopping center in the SW corner of the intersection of North West Highway and Ferndale. The phone is 214.727.1340 and the website is www.cakeball.com.

Cheesecake Love shares the retail space and the commercial kitchen with the Cake Ball Company. Cheesecake Love is primarily a wholesale supplier of cheesecakes, but can be available for events or large groups. Joann Sitton is the owner of Cheesecake Love. The phone is 214.707.0545, www.cheesecakelove.com.

Richland Community College Has a Deal for You!

Have you just met your new neighbor, and you don’t know if they are avid birdwatchers, or just computer savvy? The conversation was sprinkled with ‘tweets’, ‘ twitters’ & ‘flickr’ and you weren’t sure if the ‘message on the wall’ indicated Lake Highlands had graffiti, or you were hearing a foreign language.

Well, step back, take a deep breath; you have just entered the world of social networking and micro-blogging. Is this for you? I don’t know, but I do have a suggestion of a place to start, if you want to find more information; the internet. And if you are uncomfortable with computers and the internet, I have a further suggestion; enroll in classes at Richland Community College.

There is a special program for plus 50 individuals, the Baby Boomers that make up a significant portion of our population. Through the Emeritus Program, if you have reached your 65th birthday, you can enroll in 6 hours per semester of credit classes FREE, as long as you have lived in Texas for one year and now live in Dallas County or own property. As an additional inducement, as a student, you are eligible to purchase the latest Microsoft edition of Office Suite software 2007 at only $59.95 in their offer ‘THE ULTIMATE STEAL’. What a deal!

The Spring 2010 Emeritus Back-to-School Kickoff is Tuesday, December 8, 2009, 8:30-11:00am in Fannin Performance Hall. It’s free, and Dr. Wright L. Lassiter, Chancellor, Dallas County Community College District is speaker. Call 972-238-6972 or 972-238-6958 for more information. Ask for a Emeritus Booklet listing all classes, which include art, music, & genealogy as well as computer technology. Never stop learning.

The emeritus student studies because he wants to learn; but there is no homework or tests. Yea!

Elementary Registration Begins Aug. 11

The 2009-2010 school year begins on August 24. Elementary parents are strongly encouraged to register their children in school prior to the first day of classes. Parents can register at their home campus on Tuesday August 11, through Friday, August 14, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Please bring the following documents for registration:

• Birth Certificate
• Social security Card
• Proof of Residence in RISD (utility bill or current lease)
• Parent Driver’s License
• Current Immunization Record
• Last Report Card

Lake Highland Area Early Childhood PTA

Annual Kick-Off Party & New Member Social

Saturday, September 13th

9:30 a.m. to noon

Highlands Christian Church

9949 McCree Road

(between Audelia & Ferndale)

HB 3 – Change in Graduation Requirements

During the recent session of the Texas legislature, House Bill 3 was passed which included a change in the state requirements for high school graduation. Typically, new graduation requirements take effect with the incoming freshman class.  However, the new HB 3 graduation requirements impact all high school students beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.

In summary . . .

HB 3 allows students more electives by eliminating health, technology applications, ½ credit of physical education and possibly* speech as required courses.

The RISD encourages students to continue with their pre-enrollment schedules for the 2009-10 school year due to the late notice of the graduation plan changes.

Courses no longer required by the state may be requirements for college or post-secondary program entry (please check college/post-secondary entry requirements).

Courses already taken prior to HB 3 changes will count toward student graduation plans. High school counselors will return to work on Aug 3, 2009.