GREENVILLE - BELMONT - HENDERSON - CENTRAL - GOODWIN

P.O. BOX 720192 DALLAS, TEXAS 75372 VOICE MAIL: (214) 967-5134 WWW.VPNA.ORG

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER

Rose-Mary Rumbley, well known East Dallas storyteller, raconteur, and author will entertain us with stories about Dallas History at the September meeting of the neighborhood association .

Thursday, September 12, 7:00 P.M.

Vickery Towers - Main Dining Room

Y'all Come and Bring a guest for a rollicking ride down memory lane.

Refreshments, door prize and a great speaker combine to make this a truly

fun filled-evening.

Vickery Place Neighborhood meetings are held the second Thursday of each month. We meet at Vickery Towers located at Belmont and Greenville 7:00pm.

Upcoming Meetings:

September 12th - Guest speaker

Rose-Mary Rumbley

October 12th - TBD

Novermber 14th - Performance by the Junior Ensemble of the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico

December - No meeting

WANTED: NEWSLETTER DISTRIBUTORS

VPNA is looking for volunteers to help get the news out.

Our volunteers distribute the newsletter once a month, usually the weekend before the general meeting.

(The general meeting falls on the second Thursday of each month so getting the newsletter out the week-

end before is essential.)

We are looking for volunteers to cover one or more of the following blocks:

5100 Miller 5200 Miller

5300 Miller 5200 Willis

5300 Willis 5400 Richard

5300 Belmont 5400 Belmont

If you would like to help out, please call

214-967-5134 and leave a message.

Bulky Trash/Ramas Grandes

Week of September 9th

VOLUME 27, ISSUE 9

September, 2002

CHANGES TO VPNA BY-LAWS

At the August meeting it was proposed and approved that minor changes be made to Vickery Place Neighborhood Association by-laws. These changes are intended to direct the future of the organization and to achieve compliance with tax regulations. The specific changes recommended are shown in italics:

Article 1

Name, Location and Purpose

1.3.4 To promote communication within the neighborhood and with other neighborhoods, and with other non-profit organizations that promote inner city living, architectural preservation, or education of historic nature;

1.3.5 To promote and encourage the safety, improvement, beautification, and general quality of life in the neighborhood, and the city;

1.3.6 To educate the broadest possible audience as the vitality of inner city neighborhoods, the social and economic significance of rehabilitated housing stock, and the importance of architectural and urban design practices of 1910-1930.

Discussion on these items will be during the

September General Meeting.

CRIME STATS

Crime Date Address Robbery 7/22/2002 56XX Goodwin Ave. Burglary 7/30/2002 55XX Goodwin Ave. Theft 7/2/2002 56XX Goodwin Ave. Auto Theft 7/28/2002 55XX Goodwin Ave. Burglary 6/29/2002 54XX Belmont Burglary 7/1/2002 54XX Bonita Auto Theft 7/21/2002 50XX Vickery Other Assault 7/14/2002 54XX Bonita Other Assault 7/10/2002 54XX Richmond Theft 7/16/2002 55XX Belmont Theft 7/1/2002 55XX Bonita Vandal 7/30/2002 56XX Richard Ave.

DRUNK DRIVING WRECK

On Aug 4th 2002 early in the morning a drunk driver raced down the 5200 block of Goodwin Avenue struck a parked car and ended up as shown in the photo below. Fortunately no one was hurt, not even the driver who was taken away in handcuffs.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE ELECTION

The Bylaws of VPNA provide that a nominating committee shall be elected at the September general meeting. The function of the committee is to prepare a slate of nominees for the VPNA officers and Board of Directors for 2003. The committee is made up of five VP residents. Their slate of nominees, plus any nominations from the floor, will be voted upon at the November general meeting.

NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR

On June the 29^th, 2002, Andy Gardner, a longtime Vickery Place resident, left Dallas with his two daughters for his lifelong dream pilgrimage to Ireland. Their trip included exploring the towns in which his mother and father were born and raised and the trip included revisiting the stories of his youth and heritage. The family had a wonderful time and the trip exceeded all of their expectations. They returned to Dallas on July 8th.

On July 10^th, after reading in the Vickery Place newsletter that there was to be a board meeting at the house across the street, our 95-year-old, jet-lagged Andy made 6-dozen fresh cookies and sent them over. Little did we know that Andy is a retired baker that just never quits as he bakes for his Skillman Avenue Church of Christ Sunday School Class every week.

Unfortunately on July 11^th Andy had a stroke and spent time in the hospital. He is now recovering but probably will never be able to live in Vickery Place on his own again. Thus, he told his daughter that he definitely plans on coming to the September VPNA general meeting so that he can hear Rosemary Rumbly speak because he thinks that she is funny. Let's all hope Andy gets well and joins in our September meeting. Also, here is Andy's special recipe for Toffee Almond Cookies.

TOFFEE ALMOND COOKIES

1-cup butter 41/2 cups flour

1-cup veg. oil 1 tsp. Baking soda

1 cup sugar 1 tsp.cream of tarter

1 cup powdered sug 1 tsp. salt

2 eggs 2 cups sliced almonds

1 tsp. Almond extract 1 pkg. Almond toffee bits

Mix all ingredients together.

Roll into 1-inch round rope.

Cut into ½ to 1-inch slices.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

May be refrigerated and baked when desired.

3

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THESE PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES

FOR THEIR GENEROUS DONATIONS TO THE 2002 VICKERY PLACE

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME BLOCK PARTY

RAFFLE PRIZES

Terilli's - $25 gift certificate

Greenville Bar & Grill - $25 gift certificate

San Francisco Rose Bar and Grill - $25 gift certificate

St Martins - $25 gift certificate

Lower Greenville Jewelry Workshop - 2 necklaces, 1 set of earrings, and 2 bracelets

Canine Commissary - $20 gift certificate

GTO Bus Co _ Round-trip tickets for two to Celaya, Mexico

Peter Fitch Mansion on Turtle Creek - Hair cut and color, $150.00 value

Bon-Ton Outfit - $30 gift certificate

Thomas Lawn Care - One free lawn mowing, edging and weed-eating.

The Nest - American flag birdhouse, $32.00 value

In Good Company - Wood and brass trunk-$100.00

Alfredo's - $25.00 gift certificate

The Whimsey Shoppe - Olive oil pot, $250.00 value

Bev Heil & Associates -Two sconces, $150.00 value and tray table, $750.00 value

M. Bountiful - Two $50.00 gift certificates

Hairway to Heaven, Jill Jones - Gift certificate for men's haircut

Salons on Willis, Rene Rodriquez - Gift certificate for haircut and blow-dry

Salons on Willis, Diane Humphries - Spa facial gift certificate

Salons on Willis, Angel Jackson - Gift certificate for pedicure

The Old Monk - 4 gift certificates for $25.00 each and 2 Old Monk t-shirts

Henderson Convenience Store _ Two $25.00 gift certificates

Alamo Glass and Mirror Co. - Oval mirror, $75.00 value

Another Time and Place -Two necklaces

La Mariposa - Gift certificate for a Mexican punched tin and tile mirror, $59.00 value

Christie's Gallery Inc. _ Rectangle-cut, turquoise, Swarovski crystal necklace with sterling silver clasp, $110.00 value

Emeralds to Coconuts - $100.00 gift certificate

Macho Pizza - $15 gift certificate for pizza

Sticks and Stones -Two $50.00 gift certificates

Cookie Bouquet of Park Cities _ A cookie bouquet

Homemade Gourmet - Gift Basket

Midtown Chiropractic, Dr. Rodney Wirth - Comprehensive exam, $480 value

Kerrville Folk Festival _ Golf Shirts

SPONSORS AND BOOTHS

Midtown Chiropractic, Dr. Rodney Wirth

Early Childhood Intervention, Devorah Purge

Homemade Gourmet, Colleen Robichaux

Arlene Booth - Bead art

Gary Lawler - Face painting

Pat Burke, The Burke Company - 2 Port-a-Pots

Morris Smart - donation for Mariachi Michoacan de Mario Fernandez

Dallas Police Department

Charlie Rapier _ Entertainment and sound system

Rebecca Cruz, Juanita & Elizabeth Cermenio _ Face Painting

FOOD SPONSORS

The Barley House

Fire House

The Beagle

Cuba Libre

Uptown Mortgage

Terilli's

Mission Tortilla's

Ojeda's Salsa

Dickey's BBQ

The Roundup Club

CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT

Adventure Train, sponsored by Andres Real Estate

Space Walk, sponsored by Marathon Builders

Bonkers the Clown, sponsored by Ken Lampton, M-Street-Dallas-RE/MAX

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME 2002 - LOOK AT ALL THE FUN WE HAD!

SEPTEMBER YARD OF THE MONTH

September's YOM is 5206 Richard Ave., home of Jamey and Sydnee Adams. Jamey and Sydnee bought this home in 1997 after living only 6 months Carrollton. Jamey indicated that he knew Carrollton was not the place for them and they started looking in the Vickery Place neighborhood. In December '01 the hotwater heater in their attic decided to "explode" and they've been working on the interior ever since. They've had to replace ceilings and walls but saved the original hardwood floors.

They needed a break from the inside and turned their attention to the outside. Sounds easy enough but they did it in the middle of the hot summer. They pulled out the existing landscape bushes, mostly nandinas and planted a lush curved bed in front of the house. The bed consists of several Japanese maples, creeping junipers and a lovely Japanese black pine. The bed also contains ruellia, botttlebrush, and indian hawthorne and a great hollow, faux rock that covers the gas meter. Behind the bed is a small deck with an adirondack chair waiting for a visitor in need of a rest. On the other side of the steps that lead to the porch is another new bed with a tall yaupon holly that's pruned in a topiary fashion, along with a weeping yaupon. It's an impressive installation in the harshest season. Good job! Drop by and say hello to this friendly couple.

Plant: cool-season leafy crops like carrots, beets or turnips. Finish planting warm-season grasses. Begin planting cool-season grasses. Transplant established spring-flowering bulbs like iris, daylilies, peonies etc.

Fertilize: All planting areas with a 100% organic fertilizer

Prune: Root-prune wisteria that failed to bloom and remove spent blooms from summer-flowering perennials.

Water: Infrequently but deeply. Don't forget to water small trees on the parkway that may not get enough water from the lawn sprinkler. Those with automatic sprinklers, be sure not to water between 10am _ 6pm or you may face a fine. You'll also be wasting a lot of water to evaporation in the summer heat.

Pest: Got grubs or fleas? Apply beneficial nematodes that live in the soil and love to eat fleas, chiggers and grubs. And don't forget to feed and water those birds!

Beneficial Bugs:

This month is the Assassin Bug or Giant Wheel Bug (Heteroptera:Reduviidae). Sounds sinister, and is, but also very beneficial in your garden. You won't see this bug very often in your garden unless you've got a pest in which it's particularly interested. It loves aphids, leafhoppers caterpillar and many others but the only time I ever see this bug in my garden is in the spring when the dreaded four-line plant bug comes to town. Apparently the assassin bug lies and waits for its prey and ambushes it, injecting the bad bug with a solution that dissolves it from the inside and then proceeds to eat the bad bug. A long sword-like snout that folds up under its body when not in use injects the solution.

Here's a picture of the assassin bug injecting a caterpillar. Unfortunately I don't have images of the eggs or pupae. If you ever see this bug, just stand back and let it do its stuff.

Don't hesitate to email me with questions or suggestions about what you'd like to see or know more about. My email address is sandimholmes@yahoo.com. Happy gardening,

Sandi

2002 Board of Directors

Candy Hearne President

Shelia Huffman Secretary

Todd McCavit Treasurer

Board Members at Large

Amy Brillhart

Sunny Potter

Leah Holly

Kelly Jennings

Jennifer Bryarly Editor

The Vickery Place Neighborhood News is published by the Vickery Place Neighborhood Association.

For advertising rates and information, call the VPNA voice mail at

214-967-5134.

WEST NILE VIRUS PROTECTION

To spray or not to spray

We've all heard about this virus and the associated deaths. It is tragic. You've also heard or read about the controversy over spraying populated areas with a "safe" pesticide called "Scourge". I want to make sure everyone is armed with information regarding this toxic chemical that is being sprayed in our city and to share some information on how to better protect yourselves from bites in general.

Mosquito breeding can take place in any area there is standing water such as stagnant ponds, discarded tires, tree stumps, pet water bowls and the trays under potted plants. Be diligent! Every time it rains or you water the yard or garden, walk around your property and dump out any standing water. Mosquito eggs hatch within 48 hours of being laid and 10-14 days later they are adults and ready to breed within 48 hours. Most mosquitoes remain within a 1 mile radius of the breeding site. You can make a difference and interrupt this process by eliminating the standing water.

Protect yourselves. Mosquitoes are most active in the early morning and at dusk. Wear a long sleeve shirt and long pants if you're going to be outside in the evening. In addition to protective clothing, there are many products on the market to repel mosquitoes. Whether your preference is organic, non-toxic repellants like Cactus Juice products, Cedar-cide, citronella products etc.. or those that contain DEET such as OFF! Or Skintastic products, you should always use a repellant to lessen the chance of a bite. Don't forget to apply to your legs, ankles, feet and the back of your neck. Protecting your children and the elderly is extremely important as well.

Is spraying the answer? According to an article on ABCNews.com "Scientists at the CDC (center for disease control), which is leading the surveillance effort on West Nile virus, do not take a position on whether local health departments should spray for mosquitoes. But they do point out that spraying is the least effective method of slowing the spread of the insects. Since adult mosquitoes only live for about two weeks at the most - whether they're sprayed or not - the most effective way to limit mosquitoes is to keep them from breeding. And that means emptying out pools of water where they lay their eggs."

The city has been spraying a product called Scourge, which has been called "safe" because it contains Pyrethroids which are synthetic versions of a natural insecticide produced by chrysanthemum flowers. Although pyrethroids are among the least toxic insecticides, they are nerve poisons. Scourge can cause breathing problems, rashes or blisters and is toxic to fish (do you have a koi pond?) and will indiscriminately kill bees, many other beneficial insects and some birds. Spraying is not the answer. Preventing the breeding is the best way to protect our city. If you agree, call Environmental and Health Services department of the city of Dallas (214 670-5711)and tell them what you think.

To learn more about Scourge, go to this address; http://www.safe2use.com/poisons-pesticides/pesticides/pyrethroids /resmethrin.htm.

~ Sandi Holmes-Schwedler

CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Vickery Place is currently in the process of examining the results of our initial effort to gather signatures. Some of our completed blocks result in over 75% signatures for conservation.

Petitioning in Vickery Place has been a timely effort as Vickery Place is a large neighborhood, comprised of approximately 1100 homes. We also have a large absentee owner ratio due to rental property. Petitions must be mailed to off-premise owners, signed and returned to a Vickery Place representative.

Those factors along with a stronger response from some streets and blocks than from others may require us to designate only a portion of the neighborhood for the conservation movement, at least for phase one. This is not an unusual approach for a diverse neighborhood. Peaks Suburban Historic District began with a few streets in their historic district movement and encompassed the rest of the neighborhood a few years later.

Vickery Place is aiming at turning our petitions in to the city by the end of the year. If you would like more information or would like to help with the effort, please e-mail info@vpna.org or call voice mail at 214-967-5134.

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