Starting in March 2010, Lakewood Heights residents will have all garbage and recycling collected on the same day – once a week. Other parts of Dallas are already in the One Day program. In addition to the obvious benefit of saving the City money, the program also is eco-friendly because it encourages (and actually increases!) recycling.

To help educate residents on the benefits of the new 1X weekly program, the City of Dallas has created a website (One Day Dallas) and plans to hold informational meetings throughout Dallas. Meetings closest to Lakewood Heights are scheduled as follows:

Monday, January 11, 2010 – 6:30 pm
St. Thomas Aquinas Church
6306 Kenwood

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 – 6:30 pm
Stonewall Jackson Elementary
5828 East Mockingbird Lane

Thursday, January 21, 2010 – 6:30 pm
Lakewood Branch Library
6121 Worth Street

If you think it’s cold today, just wait until Thursday, when, according to the weather forecasts, the temperatures will be dipping down into the teens. The City of Dallas Office of Emergency Management encourages Dallas residents to “begin preparations for sub-freezing weather,” and provided a link to the What2do website. Here are some of their tips to prepare for the frosty weather:

Winter Weather Safety Tips

• Wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing instead of one heavy layer of clothing. Make sure that outer garments are water-repellent.
• Ensure that your heating source is working properly and well ventilated. Have it serviced regularly.
• Avoid driving on overpasses and bridges—they often freeze more quickly than roads.
• Winterize your car. Flush the cooling system, replace the coolant, replace the wiper blades, etc. Create a Winter Weather Kit in case you’re stranded.
• Winterize your pipes. Keep faucets dripping when the temperature drops below freezing.
• Take extra precautions to ensure the wellbeing of your animals by providing plenty of water and food, as well as appropriate shelter (which means: keep them inside!)

See more emergency tips at the What2do website.
City of Dallas Office of Emergency Management Facebook Page

Santa’s elves brought snow on December 24 to deliver Lakewood Heights first “White Christmas” in more than eighty (80!) years. Stories and photos from the Dallas Morning News website:

Dallas Area Snow a Record for Christmas Eve (Dallas Morning News)
Many North Texans take advantage of a rare white Christmas (Dallas Morning News)

Recycle your Christmas tree and get free mulch! Remove all ornaments, lights, tinsel, stands and drop off at one of five convenient City of Dallas locations.  Christmas tree recycling program from December 28, 2009 to January  15, 2010 (9am to 4pm). For Lakewood Heights residents, the closest location is Flag Pole Hill (map link) at Northwest Highway and Buckner.

Free mulch can be picked up at the McCommas Bluff Landfill and the Bachman Transfer station. Bring your shovel and container (more details here).

Don’t forget to recycle your Christmas greetings cards, wrapping paper, gift bags, cardboard boxes (no styrofoam) tissue paper and your holiday party items such as aluminum cans, plastic and glass bottles.

A Christmas Coffeehouse benefiting the Interfaith Housing Coalition will be December 20 at 4:00 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.  Performers include blues and jazz ensemble Next Level, cellist Francesco Matromatteo, and SMU vocalists Madelyn Fortner, Damon Clark and John Campione.

Interfaith Housing is an East Dallas organization that helps families with children transform their lives from poverty and homelessness to self sufficiency.  Bring any new kitchen or household goods such as dishtowels, serving utensils, silverware, cups, plates, pans, small appliances, linens, towels, and pillows.

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church is located at 3204 Skillman at Monticello. For more information, call 214 821-9989 or go to www.standrewsdallas.org.

This Sunday, December 13, 2009, the White Rock Marathon makes its annual run right through our Lakewood Heights Neighborhood. In fact, we actually received a door hanger notice trumpeting the fact that the 40th Annual Dallas White Rock Marathon “will be held in your neighborhood.”

The flyer includes a turn-by-turn narrative of the course description. For our neighborhood, that would be:

10:30 am – 2:30 pm across Abrams onto Belmont, Belmont between Abrams and Alderson, Alderson between Belmont and Richmond, Richmond between Alderson and Empire, Empire between Richmond and Swiss Avenue…whew. Being more of a visual guy, I found it easier to look at the map – here.

The marathon runners will be on mile 20 and 21 when they come through Lakewood Heights. At Mile 21, there is an aid station, sponsored by Mary Kay and at 6252 Richmond, live entertainment provided by Guitars 4 Cadillacs. The fastest (elite) runners will blaze through well before 10:00. The bulk of the group an hour or two later.

Oh, and the course travels first several blocks north of Lakewood Heights (just south of Mockingbird), so you can do the math that you’ll basically be boxed in for most of Sunday morning. As the flyer says, “if there are any delays they will be only momentary.”

As an East Dallas resident, I’ve lived inside “The Rock” course for almost half of the 40 years of racing, and I’ll give you some advice for Sunday morning. Don’t bother trying to leave. Go cheer on the runners or volunteer at the race. Lots easier. Lots more fun.

Have you seen Monty? He’s a little chihuahua and lives in Lakewood Heights at 6367 Vanderbilt.

Have you seen me?

His owner Lauren, discovered him missing on Tuesday afternoon and said it is unlike Monty to get very far (if ever at all!) from the house. Here’s Lauren’s contact information. 903-918-5350 lauren.mccommon@gmail.com

Can you please pass this along to your neighbors?

October’s rainy weather threatened the National Night Out picnic, but mother nature won’t get the best of us!

National Day Out Picnic has been rescheduled:
Saturday, November 14
Noon to 3 pm at Tietze Park

The event is organized and hosted by the neighborhood associations of Lakewood Heights, Lower Greenville and Lowest Greenville West.  Also joining us are the Belmont Addition Conservation District, Friends of Tietze Park Foundation and the Dallas Homeowners League.

National “Day” Out Picnic is all about crime prevention and safety, meeting area groups, police-community partnerships and neighborhood spirit.

Exhibitors include the following:

Public Safety and Health

• Dallas Police Department
• Dallas Fire Department – Station 17
• FBI National Child ID Program – Child ID Kit

Public Service

• Angela Hunt, District 14 Councilmember
• Dallas County Elections Administrator
• State Representative Allen Vaught
• State Representative Dan Branch

Neighborhood Groups

• Lakewood Heights Neighborhood Association
• Lower Greenville Neighborhood Association
• Lowest Greenville West Neighborhood Association
• Belmont Addition Conservation District
• Friends of Tietze Park Foundation
• Dallas Homeowners League

Services and Organizations

• Genesis Women’s Shelter
• City of Dallas Service Departments
• Second Chance SPCA – pet microchipping (from 1-3, only $20!)

In addition, Hands on Yoga demonstrations for kids and grown-ups from American power Yoga. Free chair masssages courtesy of Marci Novak, RMT. Plenty of fun and refreshments for kids and adults courtesy of your neighborhood associations. Free throw contest – prizes awarded to the winners in different age brackets.

Drop by the Lakewood Heights table to meet your neighborhood reps, get info about CrimeWatch and the other great services and programs led by your neighborhood association. Let us hear your ideas and concerns.

You can subscribe to get an email letting you know when the site has been updated by completing the information below.

This summer, the Dallas Morning News featured our Lakewood Heights neighbors new eco-friendly house being constructed.  We somehow missed posting the story at the time, but thought you would still like to see neighbors in the news.

Here’s the link to the story:  New house in Dallas’ Lakewood Heights uses eco-friendly building panels

Kristi and Dave Posewitz with daughter Matilda, 2, in the stairwell of their home, which will be built using Tridi Panels, which are made of steel, styrene foam and concrete. (photo by Evans Caglage/DMN)

Mark your calendars. It’s time again for the very popular Pumpkins in the Park event. Join your Lakewood Heights neighbors at Tietze Park Pavilion, on Saturday, October 24 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Come for the fun at Pumpkins in the Park.

• Picnic
• Chili Cook-off
• Cookie Bake-off
• Pooch Costume Contest

Bring a picnic lunch and enter (or judge!) the contests for best chili or most tasty cookies.

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