White Rock Valley Neighborhood Association

2011: October/November/December

Glenn Vance — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:15:44 +0000

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

2011: July/August/September

Glenn Vance — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:14:27 +0000

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

2011: April/May/June

Glenn Vance — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:13:34 +0000

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

Lake Highlands American Flag Project

Glenn Vance — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:19:03 +0000

Troops 707 and 719 now maintain the Lake Highlands American Flag Project, which you’ve no doubt seen around the neighborhood on many patriotic holidays. They have their own site now to raise money for scouting, but let’s let Pete Puckett, Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 707, tell you more:

“My name is Pete Puckett. I am an Asst. Scoutmaster with Troop 707, sponsored by the Dallas Elks Lodge in the neighborhood. Our Troop along with Troop 719 now, maintains the Lake Highlands American Flag Project. You may be aware that we put out the 3X5 American Flags throughout the neighborhood to promote our community, patriotism and to help raise money for the boys and their scouting endeavors. We now have a web site with information on the Flag project and subscription details. We gain subscribers primarily in a door to door fashion but have found that many like the ease and privacy of subscribing via the web. The web URL is simply LHFLAGS.ORG.”

2011: January/February/March

Glenn Vance — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:08:20 +0000

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

The budget can be viewed as a pdf here.

President’s Message from Chris Bellew

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays. If you’re like me you are really starting to look forward to the warmer spring weather.
It’s that time of year again to renew your WRVNA membership. If you haven’t already, you will be receiving the annual renewal form in the mail this year. Please take a moment to complete it and mail in your membership dues. You can also join by visiting our web site, www.WRVNA.org and using Paypal to pay. Last year’s membership dues allowed us to accomplish a lot of great things, including:

National Night Out
Beautification/Landscaping
Quarterly General Membership Meetings
Quarterly Newsletters
Email communications
Volunteer-in-Patrol (VIP) – over 240 hours patrolled
Enhanced Neighborhood Patrol (ENP) – 772 hours patrolled

We plan to continue a lot of the programs in 2010 but need the neighborhood support to make it happen. Remember without your voluntary participation we are not able to keep our neighborhood the clean and safe place we have come to expect.

Everyone stay warm and I look forward to seeing all of you at the General Meeting on February 7th. Please note that our meeting is usually on the second Monday in February, but this year it falls on Valentine’s day so we have rescheduled it for a week early.

Directory UpDate

I know many of you have been anticipating a directory with this newsletter, and I am sorry to disappoint you.

It has been necessary to make a few changes, and we are busy determining the best way to provide current, accurate information and updates we have all come to depend on. We will keep you informed about the progress and ultimate decision as to the best way to accomplish this.

As you can see, we are not a static community; we continually change and we need our information updated. On page 2, are updates to post to your 2010 directory, and/or your phones, contact list etc. Continue to let us know of any errors, or changes that need to be made. There will be an ‘UpDate’ area in each issue of the WRVNA newsletter where we will publish all the changes.

Send your e-mail to: wrvna@yahoo.com. or contact any board member.

The 2011 WRVNA Board with their picture and a short bio is published on pages 3—5, along with phone and e-mail addresses.

WRVNA Membership Drive 2011

Dear White Rock Valley Neighbors, Happy New Year!

By now, you should have received the annual membership renewal letter, with signs around the neighborhood reminding you to pay your annual dues or to join the White Rock Valley Neighborhood Association. If you haven’t already, we would like to ask you to please consider joining our neighborhood association. Your participation is critical to help us to continue to provide services, including our Enhanced Neighborhood Patrol (ENP) services to make our neighborhood safer and it will also help us to continue to give back to the Lake Highlands community. You will be glad that you did. And, you will help to make our neighborhood even better. If you have any membership questions, please do not hesitate to call me at 972-814-5960 or email via vice-president@wrvna.org.

As a reminder, you can send your payment to the PO Box listed on the membership form on page 7 in this newsletter. Of for your convenience, you can pay online using PayPal by visiting www.wrvna.org/join.

Joe Hardin VP-Membership

Update your WRVNA Directory

Lauren and Marcus Balderach
9717 Edgepine Dr.
214-923-9004

Chris and Jill Bellew
9406 Crestedge Dr
214.503.0575

Jeanette & Bruce Boettcher
9224 Meadowglen Dr.
214.553.2696

Brian and Mechelle Bongers
9514 Fieldcrest Drive
214 212 8335

Hugh and Cassie Carspecken
9767 Maplehill
214-714-7990

Les and Lauri Clark
9219 Royalpine Dr.
214- 340-1491

David and Dara Dohnalik
9711 Edgepine
214-503-1143

Brendon & Leslie Fitzgerald
9677 Crestedge
214.507.6752
Dan and Michelle Gipson
9736 Forestidge
972.863.9603

Bruce and Gerri Gregg
9415 Dartcrest Drive
214.349.9974

Joe & Aimee Hardin
9545 Crestedge Dr.
214-503-8910

Harold and Jennifer Hofmann
9426 Crestedge Dr.
214-221-1373

Glenn and Kristin Ingram
9532 Fieldcrest Drive
214-341-8880

Scotty and Lee Keith
9435 Overwood Road
214.348.0831

John and Kara Kull
9508 Fieldcrest
214-342-2255

Keith & Vicki Leo
8034 Forest Tr
214-341-3735
Paul and Amelia Lettieri
7845 Blackbird
214-629-8422

Edward C and Laura A McHam
9710Parkford Drive
214.349.7165/214-341-3735

Andrew Mabel and Kimberly Phillips-Mabel
9271 Meadowglen Dr.
214-680-8976

James and Kelly Martin
9510 Crestedge Dr
214-553-5202

Libby and Todd Nicholson
9221 Meadowglen Dr.
214-221-7053

Liz and Mike Spiewak
9426 Overwood
469-547-1247

WHITE ROCK VALLEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION 2011 BOARD

2011 President — Chris Bellew — Chris lives at 9406 Crestedge Drive with his wife Jill and three children; Julia, Christopher and Sarah. They are members of The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation. Chris is a graduate of the University of Arkansas and is an IT Director with Blockbuster. He grew up in South Arkansas, but knew the stork had delivered him to the wrong state after visiting Dallas and attending a Cowboys game as a boy. He moved to Dallas in 1990, before the ink was even dry on his diploma, and has felt at home every since. The Bellews moved to White Rock Valley in January of 2002 and moved to their second home in the neighborhood on Crestedge Dr. in March of 2010. They plan on being here when their kids graduate from LHHS. 214-503-0575 – e-mail cbellew @yahoo.com
2011 Vice President – Joe Hardin – Joe and his wife Aimee have lived in Lake Highlands for 6 years, moving to White Rock Valley in July of 2008, calling 9545 Crestedge Drive their home. Joe grew up in Seymour, TX and is a graduate of Abilene Christian University. He works in mortgage servicing as Director of Operations for GMAC ResCap. While living in his previous neighborhood, he served in several volunteer roles including Communications Chair, Vice President and President of the L Streets Neighborhood Association. Joe looks forward to serving the White Rock Valley Neighborhood Association and all of its members.
972-814-5960 – joe_hardin @sbcglobal.net
2011 Secretary – Kathy Stewart — The Stewarts moved to Lake Highlands in 1984. Kathy is currently practicing law again, focusing her practice on estate planning, probate and small business needs. Her office is the T.Hee Greetings and Gifts suite just down from Highlands Cafe. She continues to work at Highlands Café, making it a great neighborhood restaurant. Robb is an attorney with Locke, Lord and Liddell. They have three children; Cecelia is living in San Francisco and working for Google, Robbie is a sophomore at the University of Texas majoring in mechanical engineering and Mary Claire is in the 9th grade at LH Freshman Center. Robb and Kathy were first attracted to Lake Highlands because of its hills and trees (Kathy grew up in Fayetteville, AR) and have made Lake Highlands home because it is a strong stable community. 214-340-6963—e-mail kstewart220 @gmail.com.
2011 Treasurer—Erich B Ephraim—The Ephraims moved to Lake Highlands in 1998. Erich is a CPA for a boutique investment bank here in Dallas. Delene is also a CPA and currently a stay –at-home mom. They have three children, their daughter Haley is In the 3rd Grade at WRE, their son Haden is in the 1st Grade at WRE and their son Braxron is still at home. They moved to Lake Highlands for the strong schools, neighborhood feel and proximity to downtown.
214-212-3596 cell — erich.ephraim @gmail.com
2011 Beautification/Landscaping -Stephanie Lucero-Casler– Stephanie is the wife of Craig Casler and mother of twins, Craig and Thomas. The Casler’s have lived in WRV since 2000 and their boys attend White Rock Elementary. Stephanie is a reporter with CBS 11 News and she has reported on Launa’s Little Library and WRE’s “Read For Need” program, which benefits a school near Juarez, Mexico. Stephanie enjoys working out, boating, bike riding, re-learning the piano and cooking. While on jogs through the neighborhood Stephanie loves admiring the time and effort homeowners put into landscaping their homes .
469-585-6922—stephanieic @me.com

2011 Crime Watch — Bruce Bowles — Bruce and his family have been residents of Lake Highlands since 1973. Bruce retired after 27 years as president of Baptist Church Loan Corporation, a church lending agency of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He is married with two children and three grandchildren. Bruce has served in several positions on the WRVNA board, and keeps everyone informed of important neighborhood information as well as crime statistics. If you would like receive e-mails, contact the information given below.
214-341-5660 bwbowles @sbcglobal.net

2011 ENP – Public Safety – Ken and Rhonda Coutant – Ken and Rhonda have lived in the neighborhood 21 years with Ken having previously served on the WRVNA board as Beautification/Landscape chair and Treasurer. Ken is a partner in a local CPA firm and Rhonda works in the home. They have two sons, one a student at Texas A&M and the other a civil engineer in Dallas. 214-340-3953 – kcoutant @hmcco.com

2011 Volunteers in Patrol—Jane Clarke—Jane has been a member of Volunteers in Patrol for well over five years. She has lived in Lake Highlands for 14 years and loves the feeling of community in White Rock Valley . Jane and her husband, Michael are both active in the field of International Education. Jane works for a British university, Edge Hill University, as their US Director for Study Abroad. She recruits US students to spend a semester or a year abroad studying in England. Her husband, Michael, is the Executive Director for the International Center at Southern Methodist University. They’re both looking forward to the new Lake Highlands Town Center! You can see Michael each morning walking and, of course, you can catch Jane patrolling the streets with the rest of the VIP crew. 214-503-8789 clarkejane @aol.com

2011 Newsletter –— Dana Kimbrough – Dana and her family have lived at their present address since 1970. She and her husband Kermit were local business owners, and their two children started their education at WRE. The major motivation of accepting the position of newsletter editor was to re—establish close ties with the neighborhood, which was easier to maintain before her two children graduated from high school. She is a consultant with BeautiControl Cosmetics and works from a studio in her home. She added MySelectiveMemories as a new department in her business. She is “Nana” to her two granddaughters. 214-341-3266 - danakimbrough @sbcglobal.net

2011 National Night Out – Billy & Sarah Dorsey – Sarah grew up in Lake Highlands, attended WRE, graduated from LHHS, then returned to teach 3rd grade at WRE for six years. Billy is a graduate of Texas A&M. They own Dorsey Construction, a residential roofing company. Sarah and Billy are proud parents of Elaina & Michael, who attend White Rock Elementary, and a three-year-old daughter, Julianna. White Rock Valley residents since 1999 and Social Chairs since 2000, the Dorseys are also trained Volunteers in Patrol. The Dorsey Family loves all things White Rock & LH. 214-349-9759 goredorsey @gmail.com.

2011 Welcome – Dara Dohnalik – Dara and David her husband have lived in the White Rock area since 1996 and in WRV since 2002. Their first home was on Meadowglen, and they moved to Edgepine in 2010. Both daughters, Emma and Addie attend WRE. Dara served as PTA Liaison in 2010 and this year will serve in the position of Welcome chairperson. 214-503-1143 – dohnalikfamily @att.net

2011 Government Liaison – Douglas Potts – My wife Sally and I went to a party in this neighborhood in 1990, and decided then we needed to move here. We moved to here in 1991, drawn by the trees, rolling landscape, Flag Pole Hill, and White Rock Elementary. Our children have grown up here, and we love the small-town feel this neighborhood has. As the Government Liaison, I help in communicating with the elected and appointed officials of the city. Should you have any issues with the city that you feel affect our entire neighborhood (traffic, crime, businesses, etc.) please let me know so that we can communicate the concerns to the appropriate department or official. 214-340-4389 – douglaspotts @gmail.com

2011 LHAIA Liaison—Jason Thomas—Jason and his wife Wendy along with their three sons; Tucker, Hank and Owen live at 9520 Crestedge. Jason and Wendy both graduated from Texas Tech and moved to White Rock Valley in May of 2002. The only move they plan to make from here on out will be to a bigger house in the Valley. Jason is a Realtor with Ebby Halliday here in Lake Highlands. 214-538-3390—jasonthomas @ebby.com

2011 Website – Glenn Vance – Glenn and his wife Kim have lived in WRV for the past 10 years, first on Eagle Trail and now on Forest Trail. Glenn is a graduate of Baylor University and works with Kim in their own marketing consulting firm: Trügenius Marketing. On their down time from building websites and bottom lines, Kim and Glenn like to spend their time running after their two sons – Noah, a second grader at WRE and his younger brother Peyton. He looks forward to a successful year for WRV and welcomes any content, changes or suggestions you have for your neighborhood website.
214.714.4807 / email glenn @trugenius.com.

2011 PTA Liason – Anna Wrightsman—We moved to Lake Highlands in the summer of 2002 knowing very little about the White Rock Valley Neighborhood but we were drawn to the home we purchased since it fit our family’s needs. Little did we know what a gem of a neighborhood we stumbled upon – we feel so fortunate to have found this area! My husband Don is in Construction Development with Stream Realty and we have three kids: Leslie is a sophomore in College Station, Webster is in the 4th grade at WRE and Benjamin is three years old and active with the neighborhood kids and families. 214-342-8883 – e-mail: minorblues @earthlink.net

Our Christmas Gifts—Electronic Marvels
By Dana Kimbrough

Now that you have opened the brightly wrapped holiday gifts, ohooed and ahaaed the appropriate amount, and carried the electronic wizards home, what now?

They are lined up on the coffee table, waiting to ‘change your life’. They don’t take up much room. After all, the trend for electronics in the last few years is to become much more powerful, flexible, and tiny. The camera in my iPhone has more pixels than my first digital camera of just a few years ago.

To tell the complete truth, I didn’t start this article when I contemplated the electronics unwrapped on Christmas morning. I realized early on while shopping, that I didn’t know what half the items touted as the ideal Christmas Gift, actually did. And I set out to discover what I could about at least some of the top ten gifts. So where to look? The internet, of course where there were at least ten top ten lists.

If you are beyond the age for the Nintendo and it’s competition (X-Box) (and on-line there was the suggestion that one never reached the age that was ‘beyond’ the age for electronic games), you are maybe looking at a ‘smart’ phone that your adult children want you to use to bring you into the current century. If you just want a phone to call home if the car won’t start, you are sooooooooo behind the times. It would appear your phone can plan your day, prioritize your appointments, select wardrobe appropriate for ‘dressing to impress’, research which restaurant is the ‘in’ place, and suggest the entree that will not blow the current healthy life-style you are currently pursuing. There is an app for that, as well as one to guide you to the currently open parking spot right in front of the place!!!!! Well, maybe not that. But if you have an idea for an app not yet available, you are urged to design it and add you bit of wisdom and genius to the wonderful world of apps.

Good luck on achieving all the possibilities offered by our electronic focused society. I have signed up for classes for my new iPhone; come along with me.

Snowy Day Pictures from Larry Nix

Glenn Vance — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:36:44 +0000

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Garage Sale Permits Now Required

Glenn Vance — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 16:41:14 +0000

As of October 1 you have to have a permit from the city of Dallas before having a garage sale.

From the city’s website -

Garage Sales (Section 51A-4.217(b)(9))
The City of Dallas permits two garage sales each year per property. The sale may last no longer than three days and a person cannot sell merchandise acquired solely for resale purposes in the garage sale. A sign advertising the sale can only be placed on the property were the sale is occurring. Garage sale signs may not be placed on property other than where the garage sale is occurring. No signs are permitted in the right-of-way or in the median. Signs placed other than on the property where the sale is occurring may be removed and/or ticketed. A person may not operate an occasional sale in the city without a valid permit issued by the director of code compliance. The fee for an occasional sale permit is $15.00. No refund of a fee may be made. Only the owner or lessee of the property upon which the occasional sale is being conducted may obtain a permit. Before a permit is issued the applicant shall provide proof that the applicant is the owner or lessee of the property (driver’s license, utility bills, or other identification).

Luckily for us one of the three locations to get one in the city is right at 7901 Goforth Rd.

You can see the flyer here.

WRVNA Board Donates $1000 to Launa’s Little Library

Glenn Vance — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:56:20 +0000

The WRVNA board donated $1000 to Launa’s Little Library, and owner/operator Arthiss Kliever sent along a very kind thank you note.

Click here to view the note.

Bruce Bowles — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 19:43:50 +0000

Good afternoon:

We have one offense reported this week in our two crime reporting areas.

04/05 – 9600 Block Spring Branch, burglary of motor vehicle by breaking the back glass of a 2006 Nissan SUV, backed into the rear driveway, and taking a yellow/black “Giant” wheel bicycle. No suspect information available.

Cost of loss — bicycle $1500

rear window $200.

NEXT VIP TRAINING CLASS CHANGED TO MAY 24,25 AND 27,

If you have not considered taking the VIP training let me encourage you to do so. We need the cooperation and help from all the residents of WRV as we continue to maintain the lowest criminal activity in our general area. If you have questions, please direct them to Sr. Cpl Ron Carpenter, Northeast Patrol Station, ronald.carpenter@dpd.ci.dallas.tx.us

I hope you had a great weekend and today continued the same.

Bruce

Community Links

Glenn Vance — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:17:56 +0000

Below are links to our online community that should be helpful to locate information.
If you find that any of these links do not work, please email admin @wrvna.org so we can correct the problem.

Lake Highlands Links

Lake Highlands Area Improvement Association – www.lhaia.org
White Rock Lake – www.whiterocklake.org
Dallas Arboretum – www.dallasarboretum.org
Richardson Independent School District – www.risd.org
White Rock Lake Elementary – www.risd.org/schools/wre/index.htm
Lake Highlands Junior High – www.risd.org/schools/lhjh/index.htm
Lake Highlands High School – www.risd.org/schools/lhhs/index.htm

Dallas Links

Dallas 311 Online System – 311.dallascityhall.com/index.html
Dallas City Hall – www.dallascityhall.com
City of Dallas Code Compliance – www.dallascityhall.com/code_compliance/index.html
Dallas Police Department – www.dallaspolice.net
Dallas Fire & Rescue – www.dallasfirerescue.com
Dallas County Online – www.dallascounty.org
Dallas Central Appraisal District (DCAD) – www.dcad.org
Dallas Public Library – www.dallaslibrary.org
Save Dallas Water – www.savedallaswater.com
Mayor Tom Leppert – www.dallascityhall.com/government/mayor/mayor.html
District 10 Councilperson Jerry Allen – www.dallascityhall.com/government/CityCouncil/District10/index.html

Transportation

DART – Dallas Area Rapid Transportation – www.dart.org
White Rock Lake Dart Station – www.dart.org/riding/stations/whiterockstation.asp
Lake Highlands Dart Station – www.dart.org/about/expansion/bluelinelakehighlandsstation.asp

Disclosure
White Rock Valley Neighborhood Association is not responsible for content of external links