Thursday, March 28, 2024

Southlake Firefighters & Police Officers Participate in the 6th Annual Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb

On Saturday, September 10, 2016 seven firefighters from Southlake’s Fire Department and nine police officers from the Southlake Police Department will participate in the annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb in Dallas.

Southlake firefighters and police officers are climbing to honor the 343 fallen firefighters, 70 police officers, and nine EMS personnel who were killed on September 11, 2001 when the World Trade Center Towers fell. Each climber will be wearing full firefighter, police gear and equipment, just like the New York first responders did on that day.

Southlake Fire Chief Mike Starr, Lieutenant Ryan Sessums, Firefighters Jody Keeler, Will Mayer, John Jackson, Billy Vogler, and Daniel Lyons will be representing the Southlake Fire Department. Assistant Police Chief Ashleigh Douglas, Lieutenant Randy Thomas, Lieutenant Jose Luna, Sergeant Tyler Sewell, Sergeant Jason Henninger, Sergeant Jonathan Macheca, Corporal Blas Hernandez, Officer Weston Wood, and Officer Stefan Petrovich will represent the Southlake Police Department. Each member of the Southlake DPS team, along with the other climbers, will wear the name and picture of a fallen firefighter, police officer or EMS worker.

The 9/11 Dallas Stair Climb is held at the Renaissance Tower in Dallas.  Saturday, hundreds of firefighters and police officers will join together to climb 110 floors, the same number of floors the first responders were faced with at the Twin Towers more than a decade ago.

Participating in the 9/11 Stair Climb is incredibly meaningful for all of the first responders. Fire Chief Mike Starr said, “It is an honor for us to pay tribute to the fallen firefighters and their families. We climb to remember them and to honor their memory.”

The 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb was organized following 9/11 and continues to grow each year. Assistant Chief Ashleigh Douglas said, “Participating in the stair climb is a very humbling experience. The climb allows us the opportunity to make certain these brave men and women will never be forgotten.”

Opening ceremonies begin at 8:00 a.m., followed by a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., the time the first plane (Flight 11) flew into the North Tower.  Firefighters and police officers will start their climb at 8:50 a.m., the same time first responders began arriving at the Twin Towers.

If you would like to show your support, you can come to the Renaissance Tower in Dallas to cheer on the climbers and/or if you would like to donate you can do so by going to the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.

APEX Arts League Presents “The Four Elements” Chamber Music Concert

APEX Arts League, a volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to actively advancing the arts, artists and arts education in the apex of the Dallas /Fort Worth Metroplex, is proud to announce its chamber music concert titled ‘The Four Elements’ as the first performance to introduce the APEX Chamber Series. Comprising esteemed musicians from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Opera, Les Autres will perform the music of some of chamber music’s greatest pioneers including Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. A special arrangement of a known theme by John Williams will conclude the concert.

APEX presents smallIn recognizing that that evolution of live classical musical has been increasingly predicated on the grand concert hall experience, the APEX Chamber Series invites its patrons and their guests to learn and explore the detailed nuances, color and vibrancy of the chamber music art form in more informal venues. This inaugural concert, which APEX plans as the first of many, will take place on Sunday September 25th at 630pm, in the luminous but intimate setting of Grace Chapel at White’s Chapel UMC in Southlake. Refreshments will follow the concert. Tickets may be purchased at the door. Adults – $15; Seniors, Students & Apex Members – $10.

Learn more about APEX Arts League: http://apex-arts.org/

Time to fly like a Superhero!

Seniors 55+, are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Ready to fly like a bird, plane, or maybe even a Superhero?  Then join the Southlake Activity Senior Center on trip to iFly in Dallas, July 29th!

iFLY is the experiential entertainment company that created modern indoor skydiving. They make the dream of flight a reality by giving their customers “wings” in a safe and reliable environment. Every package includes pre-flight training, all the necessary flight gear (suit, helmet, goggles), friendly instruction from a certified flight guide, and a personalized postflight certificate. Get ready for a super day and lets fly!

For more information go to www.southlakeseniorcenter.com or call 817-748-8900

Southlake's North Park will play host to Dallas Cowboys Football Academy youth summer camp

Previous year's Dallas Cowboys Football Academy summer camp attendees.

Previous year’s Dallas Cowboys Football Academy summer camp attendees.

The Dallas Cowboys Football Academy will hold a youth football camp July 7 – 9, 2015 at Southlake’s North Park. The camp is for young athletes in first through sixth grade who are interested in learning more about football from skilled instructors. Camp attendees will participate in three days of non-contact football, skill instruction, games, contests, and player evaluation that is designed to teach kids to run, throw, catch, kick, block and defend just like the Pros!

Registration for camp includes:

  • Three days full of skills and drills with former NFL players and coaching staff
  • Two tickets to a Dallas Cowboys pre-season game at AT&T Stadium
  • An appearance by Rowdy, the official mascot of the Dallas Cowboys
  • Exclusive Nike camp shirt
  • Exclusive Dallas Cowboys Football Academy drawstring backpack and wristband

Each session is designed to maximize growth for players at all skill levels. Instruction challenges the most experienced players, effectively introduces players to the game of football, and increases the skill set of everyone in between. In addition, the final day of camp will include a 7 on 7 tournament!

Click here for more information and to register your athlete for this exciting camp.  Use promo code Southlake50 to save $50 on camp registration.

The City of Southlake Senior Activity Center Visits the Dallas Holocaust Museum, Wednesday, August 13th

2Dallas-Holocaust-Museum_114620Go back to World War II with the Southlake Senior Activity Center at the Dallas Holocaust Museum, as they learn about the occurrences of April 19, 1943. The Southlake Senior Activity Center bus will depart on Wednesday, August 13th, 2014 at 9:00 AM and will return to the Center at 4:00 PM. Please note that the arrival and return times are subject to change.

Three isolated actions occurred that day which represent an ethical lesson that will be taught at the museum. The museum’s main exhibit explains the crucial events and the distinction between them. The visit will be a self-guided audio tour, that focuses on photography and witnesses’ testimonies, along with exposure to the message learned because of that single day on April 19,1943.

The cost for transportation for this event will be $5.00 and the museum admission cost is $8.00. Please bring extra money for lunch and other purchases.

If you are interested in signing up for this interesting outing, you can register at the Southlake Senior Activity Center located at 307 Parkwood Drive, Southlake, TX. Please contact (817) 748-8315 if you would like more information.

North Texas Region joins together again to continue the fight against West Nile virus

Mosquito

Collin Dallas, Denton and Tarrant Counties are coordinating efforts to fight the West Nile Virus.

The North Texas health departments of Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant counties are again coordinating their planning efforts to make a collective impact on this year’s West Nile virus season.

The 2012 West Nile virus season was unexpected and took a significant toll on the health of citizens of the North Texas region.  Ground and aerial spraying were used in areas of the region to reduce the mosquito population potentially carrying the virus.  In 2013, North Texas health departments enhanced collaborations to prevent a potential recurrence.  Dallas and Tarrant counties began trapping and testing mosquitoes earlier than in 2012 and continued additional activities on a limited basis throughout the year.

Both counties also requested additional funding from their respective Commissioners Courts to hire more staff members. As a result of the magnitude of the outbreak in 2012, Denton County Health Department began trapping and testing mosquitoes in the unincorporated areas in 2013.  Collin County adjusted staffing to accommodate the changing situation.

In 2014, new “case definitions,” also known as reporting requirements, will change how human West Nile virus cases are counted.  These changes may lead to an increase in the number of reported human cases.

“Knowing that people are crossing county boundaries daily makes it more important for us to be strategic in our actions,” commented Collin County Health Care Services Director Candy Blair.

“Just as in 2013, we will continue to focus on the emergence of positive mosquitoes as an early indicator of West Nile virus activity.  By reducing the mosquito population we will hopefully reduce the number of human cases” said Tarrant County Public Health Director Dr. Lou Brewer.

“A major component of our unified approach will be the residents in each county,” said Denton County’s Health Director Dr. Bing Burton. “We need their help in eliminating and reducing mosquito breeding areas in and around their homes.”

“Increased vigilance by all of us will help identify and eliminate mosquito breeding locations throughout the area and also give us an edge in our collective battle against West Nile,” added Dallas County Health and Human Services Director Zachary Thompson.

All four counties will echo the prevention messages, which if followed, can help reduce human cases by reducing exposure to mosquitoes. Citizens can defend themselves against mosquitoes that may potentially carry the virus by remembering and following “The Ds”:

  • DRESS to avoid mosquito bites by wearing long, loose and light-colored clothing when outside;
  • DEFEND yourself by using insect repellents approved by the EPA or CDC;
  • DUSK to DAWN outside activities should be avoided when possible, and especially if one isn’t  dressed and prepared with repellent; and
  • DRAIN all areas of standing water in and around the home, including wading pools, pet dishes and birdbaths.  

For more information on prevention of West Nile virus infection, please visit:

Southlake Dancers Take the Stage in Dallas

Dozens of Southlake students and families from Studio A are participating in a large scale production in Dallas later this month.

The Weaving, sponsored by the International Ballet Theatre, will be performed Saturday, Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. at the historic Majestic Theatre in Dallas. The show features members of the The International Ballet Theater, Southlake’s only non-profit ballet apprenticeship. 

Act I includes members of the apprentice ballet company dancing with 6 professional guest artists, in several classical and contemporary pieces. Act II is a reprisal of The Weaving.  Studio A founder, Anita Conley produced The Weaving several years ago and took the production to Lincoln Center in New York City.  The Weaving is a dance narrative on the life of Corrie ten Boom.  Corrie was a Dutch Christian who saved the lives of over 800 Jews during the holocaust. The Weaving was originally performed on Broadway at the Lincoln Center in 2010. This is the premiere of The Weaving in Dallas.

To purchase tickets, click here.