MOUNTAIN HOUSE — Voters have a full local slate of choices on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 6, as eight candidates are running for four seats on the Mountain House Community Services District Board of Directors.

Three four-year positions are open on the board as part of the regular election cycle for the seats of incumbents Jim Lamb, Andy Su and Bernice King Tingle, all of whom are running for reelection.

Another two-year seat could open up if voters decide to kick sitting Director Jass Singh off the board. His recall is also on the ballot Tuesday.

All eight candidates responded to questions posed by the Press in the lead-up to Election Day. Their answers have been edited from their original format.

Four-year terms Candidate Rajesh Dighe

Press: Special taxes can be raised by zero to 4 percent per year. What is an appropriate annual percentage hike?

Dighe: The majority of the Mountain House Community Services District board has been raising the special tax for the past four years. This has to stop. MHCSD needs to have a clear plan to increase our reserves and still provide quality services without burdening the residents. Our tax base remains low because commercial development is not occurring, in part because of high taxes and fees. The developer who holds the notes on our $309 million development debt is the same developer who has a monopoly on Mountain House commercial land and is waiting for highly profitable market conditions to return. The master plan needs to be revisited and potentially modified to trigger competitive business development in Mountain House through rezoning. Increasing special taxes burdens the residents, adversely affecting home values and rental costs, which hurts future growth. 

Press: Do you think contracts for community services should go through a bidding (aka RFP) process, regardless of staff limitations or projected savings? Please explain your answer.

Dighe: The CSD needs to follow a competitive bidding and RFP process for major contracts, i.e. Valley Crest Landscape. A bidding process creates competition, allowing for higher quality at lower costs. Costs are much lower now than before the housing bust, so we can safely assume we will save money by going through an RFP and bid. MHCSD lost a golden opportunity to save money on our million-dollar-per-year landscaping contract. I detailed MH landscape issues during a board meeting and explained the poor-quality landscape with pictures in my blog. MHCSD does not have a staff limitation issue.

Press: What type of traits would you like to see in a general manager?

Dighe: We are a small community, and I would really like to see a general manager who is smart in finance and human resources. Fiscal accountability is a core responsibility of the CSD. We need a GM who possesses skills to operate the district efficiently. The ratio of seven managers and seven employees is just not right for community of our size. I believe a good GM will be able to consolidate responsibilities and still keep high-quality services.

Director Jim Lamb

Press: Special taxes can be raised by zero to 4 percent per year. What is an appropriate annual percentage hike?

Lamb: I think there’s no appropriate answer to this question. The board has to evaluate each year whether or not the district can provide the necessary services, like police, fire, streets and roads maintenance, wastewater, storm water and fresh water, with available resources. If there’s not enough money to provide these critical services, then there very likely will be a need to increase taxes. The district has had a budget with a negative cash flow. Even with the increases that have been made over the last few years and cuts to service, we’re projected to run out of cash in four to five years. The time when we would effectively run out of cash would have been accelerated had we not made those increases to taxes. In my opinion, with the exception of a few events, the board has already slashed most of the noncritical budgetary items. The staff has already been reduced by 46 percent and is currently putting off noncritical functions because they are understaffed. Landscaping services were also cut back.

Press: Do you think contracts for community services should go through a bidding (aka RFP) process, regardless of staff limitations or projected savings? Please explain your answer.

Lamb: I think each contract needs to be evaluated on its own merits. There are no hard and fast rules that apply to all situations. That said, I’d prefer to seek competitive bids in most instances. For the most part, I’ve supported going to bid when it’s been an option. I was one of two board members to vote against the Valley Crest landscaping contract extension when it first came before the board. It was brought back again two months later, past the deadline for declining the extension. The new GM made it clear that he didn’t feel there was enough time left to assure the board of a smooth transition to a new service provider. For that reason, I changed my vote and supported the extension. Sometimes pragmatism is more important than idealism. I’ve sought to have the CSD create a long-range schedule for upcoming contracts that the board would review regularly. This would help ensure that contracts make it before the board in time to consider the full breadth of options that might be available.

Press: What type of traits would you like to see in a general manager?

Lamb: A team builder. There’s clearly a lack of trust right now at all levels of the organization. We need someone who can help get the board on the same page and to help promote cooperation between the board, staff and the community. We have a very diverse board with different ideas and strong wills. Our GM candidate will have to take direction from the board as a whole, but have the confidence to say “no” to individual board members. The GM candidate must have the ability to stay apolitical. The GM also needs to effectively communicate with the board, staff and community. The GM is going to have to have a vocabulary, if not a firm understanding, of finance, engineering and government administration.

Candidate Tariq Kahn

Press: Special taxes can be raised by zero to 4 percent per year. What is an appropriate annual percentage hike?

Kahn: Specialty taxes are levied to fill the gap between revenue and expenses. Any shortcoming in funds after the special tax is borrowed from general reserves. If the expenses can be curtailed, we do not need special taxes. I consider special tax as a luxury to cover up underperformance, and I am not in favor of it. In the current economic environment I do not and will not support tax increases. I believe the key is to manage expenses efficiently and work with resources that are available. If elected, I will fight hard against any increase in taxes. I will first ensure that the budget is managed in the most practical and efficient manner before we even put tax increases on the table.

Press: Do you think contracts for community services should go through a bidding (aka RFP) process regardless of staff limitations or projected savings? Please explain your answer.

Kahn: I am 100 percent in favor of the RFP process. The RFP process is important to bring in healthy competition. This will improve productivity and bring value to the community. Having no RFP would limit options, and there is greater risk of favoritism that could hurt the reputation and credibility of the management. My vision is to put a system in place. An automated system based on roles and responsibilities where only limited supervision is required for the system to work.

Press: What type of traits would you like to see in a general manager?

Kahn: A team player who is a responsible individual. A creative mind who can think beyond looking at numbers on a balance sheet. A finance-savvy person with excellent public relations skills. A person who belongs to the Mountain House community and understand its problems. One who can analyze issues and make decisions based on facts and findings. One who believes in responsibility and delegation of authorities. One who believes in macro-management as compared to micromanagement. One who can adapt to situations, take up challenges and prioritize tasks based on their merit. One who has vision, values efficiency and has a dream to make that vision a reality.

Director Andy Su

Press: Special taxes can be raised by zero to 4 percent per year. What is an appropriate annual percentage hike?

Su: Depends on the rest of the

district finances.

Press: Do you think contracts for community services should go through a bidding (aka RFP) process regardless of staff limitations or projected savings? Please explain your answer.

Su: Depends on the size of the contract and possible savings from an RFP. Continuity and consistency have value, too.

Press: What type of traits would you like to see in a general manager?

Su: Strong leadership and communication skills, because the GM is the chief executive of our organization.

Director Bernice King Tingle

Press: Special taxes can be raised by zero to 4 percent per year. What is an appropriate annual percentage hike?

Tingle: The answer is simple — the “why” is more complex. The appropriate percentage is dependent upon the financial situation coming into each annual budget consideration, including the projection for the future near-term and long-term service needs. The public financing plan required by the Mountain House Master Plan recognized that the new town’s city-like services would have to be supported by new specific, non-county revenues, and that inflation factors must be built into the rates. The special taxes, along with some ad valorem taxes granted to the MHCSD from fire district and county road district taxes, provide for all the nonutility services called out by the master plan and state law. To ensure the quality level of service anticipated by the master plan, the special taxes must keep up with inflation and help preserve a reasonable overall fund balance. The cost-of-living increases for fuel, maintenance, equipment, labor and materials must be recognized during budget hearings, as well as lowering costs of services, without lowering the quality of services. Services may not be increased, but quality services cost more to maintain. A complicating factor is that the utility funds are not yet capable of standing on their own, as public enterprise funds must do. Therefore, the general fund loans money to the utility funds each year as a subsidy, which will continue until there are enough customers to support those essential services or utility rates are increased. If the special taxes are not increased enough to continue or enhance quality services, then the utility rates must be increased. These are growing pains that must be endured if the master plan vision is to be realized. Until the town grows larger in the next five or so years, the directors will continue to be faced with the question of raising either the special taxes or the utility rates.

Press: Do you think contracts for community services should go through a bidding (aka RFP) process regardless of staff limitations or projected savings? Please explain your answer.

Tingle: All public contracts should follow the MHCSD purchasing ordinance, which provides for RFPs, quotations and other fiscally responsible measures that are similar to the ordinances of surrounding cities and the county. All contacts have followed proper protocol from year 2000 to date. As an example, the landscaping contract was awarded by the MHCSD board after going through a rigorous RFP process. That contract also allowed for board-approved extensions, provided the professional service provider provided quality services. The present board, after consideration of professional analysis and economic changes, voted to honor the contract provisions. An RFP was not necessary in that case to provide the best-quality service at a reasonable cost. The RFP process is only one purchasing tool. It should be, and has been, used on multiyear contracts and other large contracts. However, the purchasing ordinance provides other less costly and time-consuming procedures that are carried out by staff.

Press: What type of traits would you like to see in a general manager?

Tingle: There are a few obvious traits that are important. They include but are not limited to honesty, integrity, team builder, respectful to and of others, forward thinker, problem solver, strategic planner, innovative, excellent listener, creative can-do and adaptable to change. The GM must possess professional skills and know how to apply them in a political environment. The GM must understand how public agencies operate and the laws that govern the board’s actions. Public financing is complex compared to private business or personal finances. Although there are many commonalities, when you are dealing with the public’s money, the responsibility goes beyond profit motivation. The laws governing public finances are also more rigid on disclosure and transparency. The backbone of public services is responsible fiscal management. The GM must also be a generalist with many levels of expertise and have the ability to provide all the responsibilities described in the MHCSD ordinance and the CSD law. He should be able to communicate with the board, staff and the public; understand and support the master plan; and understand development and engineering processes.

Two-year term Candidate Joshua Anderson Press: Special taxes can be raised by zero to 4 percent per year. What is an appropriate annual percentage hike?

Anderson: Knowledge of “what” we are paying taxes for is critical. The zero to 4 percent increase each year that the board votes on allows the tax increase money to go toward the following categories: roads, public safety services, parks, recreation, community facilities and public works. The total amount that a 4 percent increase would raise a homeowner’s taxes by is about $70 for 2013. This tax is an important one, as we need these funds for the ongoing maintenance of Mountain House. Some argue taxes are too high — stop raising them. Unfortunately, that is not the answer. We need to maintain these services, and this is done through the special assessment taxes. But now is not the time to raise the taxes. Timing is critical, and while the CSD gets its house in order and while the residents of Mountain House get their lives in order, we can wait on the tax increase for one year. Yes, we need the increase, but now is not the time.

Press: Do you think contracts for community services should go through a bidding (aka RFP) process regardless of staff limitations or projected savings? Please explain your answer.

Anderson: Absolutely! Every contract needs to be bid out. If there is an opportunity to save money, then we need to explore each and every opportunity, and cutting cost starts with bidding out every contract. In order for the CSD to remain objective and neutral, we must bid each contract and not remain partial to any one company. In order to have full transparency at the CSD, we need to show our residents that we care about cutting costs and saving money, and one way to fully show this is to go through the RFP process regardless of the projected savings.

Press: What type of traits would you like to see in a general manager?

Anderson: The new general manager must be an effective leader. I have served on a panel of interviewers for Washington Mutual Bank, and every candidate we interviewed had leadership, but the best candidates proved that they were effective leaders. High ethics, integrity, solid management, financial and organizational skills, along with great communication, are crucial. The general manager must be visible to our community, must demonstrate excellent customer service skills and will need to lead by example. I would expect the general manager to protect and preserve the vision and quality of the community’s master plan.

Candidate Steve Gutierrez

Press: Special taxes can be raised by zero to 4 percent per year. What is an appropriate annual percentage hike?

Gutierrez: I will be able to make the appropriate and educated decision whether or not to raise taxes once I have the opportunity to fully examine MHCSD’s operational costs that are legally required. I will also review any contracts that MHCSD and the board have approved and executed under the board’s powers. My goal would be a zero tax. If a tax increase is needed, I would vote yes only after every effort was made to prioritize, reduce and cut costs throughout MHCSD. In addition, I believe that taxes should only be raised with a specific and legitimate purpose. Raising taxes in order to cover unjustified increased costs is not wise financial management. For example, approving (cost-of-living adjustment) raises for MHCSD staff is not justified in today’s financial environment. I am a firm believer there are means available now to reduce MHCSD’s operational costs and reduce tax increases. However, I reserve my recommendations until I am elected.

Press: Do you think contracts for community services should go through a bidding (aka RFP) process regardless of staff limitations or projected savings? Please explain your answer.

Gutierrez: I consider an RFP an important business tool to be used appropriately. Especially during these difficult financial times, an RFP can save our community the money when it is needed most. At the end of the 2012-13 fiscal year, the general fund balance will be approximately $3.8 million dollars, reduced from an approximate $5 million balance four years ago. This is partly due to lack of rooftops, the 2008 housing market crisis and lack of commercial development generating tax revenues. We have to do everything possible to cut costs without compromising the quality of services. An RFP is a challenging and time-consuming task, but considering our financial situation, I feel it is worth the staff time used to acquire the best services for the best price. An RFP also provides transparency to the public on how money is being spent and if the best business practice is used.

Press: What type of traits would you like to see in a general manager?

Gutierrez: The first trait is loyalty to the community. The general manager is an advocate for the community he/she serves and must maintain this perspective during his/her day-to-day operations. The second trait is integrity. The GM’s adherence to moral and ethical principles should be a routine practice in decisions and behavior. Integrity is paramount when the GM will need to inform the board of any impending issues that can adversely affect the community. The third trait is respect. The GM will be challenged in a myriad of situations where dignity, consideration and fairness are needed to resolve conflicts. Some leadership attributes that are also important for the GM are influencing, operating and improving MHCSD staff in a positive manner to elicit their best.

Candidate Corey Strock

Press: Special taxes can be raised by zero to 4 percent per year. What is an appropriate annual percentage hike?

Strock: It depends. First you do the budget with an eye toward getting the numbers as close to balanced as possible. After a majority of the interested parties agree on the budget, then the board must decide if a tax increase is warranted based on the numbers. The board cannot decide that before a budget is worked out. For perspective, the maximum raise of 4 percent equates to about $6 a month for most families. If that increase is required to maintain the Mountain House that I and the rest of the community enjoy, then I am willing to pay more.

Press: Do you think contracts for community services should go through a bidding (aka RFP) process regardless of staff limitations or projected savings? Please explain your answer.

Strock: I think contracts over a certain set amount should go through an RFP process. If the board begins the RFP process long enough before a current contract expires, I don’t see why it should cause an additional stress on staff. Some of the previous issues that resulted in contract extensions instead of a new RFP were decided because of time constraints. Eliminate time constraints, and we should be able to send our larger contracts to RFP.

Press: What type of traits would you like to see in a general manager?

Strock: Three traits are a must: patience, accounting experience and varied communication skills. Patience because Mountain House is a town with heavy resident involvement, and with that comes questions. Accounting experience is a must because Mountain House is on a tight budget. The town has some cash reserves, but without great budgeting and wise spending, that reserve will dwindle. An experienced GM should work with the board to come up with a budget everyone can live with. Communication skills are imperative. As Mountain House heads into the future, the new GM will need to interface with residents, builders, developers and businesses.

• Contact Jon Mendelson at 830-4231 or jmendelson@tracypress.com.

I used to work in the world of finance. I worked for a large multinational investment management firm for almost 19 years before going out on my own in a very different direction. As many of you know I am now in landscaping, so a very different field from finance. In running my own business I am aware of how long it takes to build a business and how difficult it has been to try and rebuild it after the housing and credit mess.

Bain Capital of course is the financial company that Mitt Romney was a part of starting. Looking at their website they share their philosophy of working with companies that are struggling and helping them turn around. Under their heading Key Elements of Bain Capital’s Approach you see one of three pillars is Focus on Building Great Companies. When you click on that you see their philosophy: ” At the core of our investment approach is the belief that the best way to consistently produce great investment returns is to work together with management teams on a holistic multi-year path to build the best possible company. “

This is in line with everything a really good investor in a troubled industry will do when stepping in to assist a company in recovery. They understand that this is not going to happen overnight. They understand that you have to work together and this is going to be a multi-year process.

This all leads me to wonder, what if Bain Capital had been elected and took over in 2008 to manage the country — would they have said they could have done it in four years? This of course would have been far worse than any ailing business they could possibly have tried to turn around. In addition they would not have had the ability to hire and fire the congress to get things moving in the direction they saw was needed to turn things around.

Although I had hoped that Barack Obama would have been able to make greater strides in turning things around then he has, I see the challenges he faced. He was not able to get Republicans to work with him on issues. I do understand that Republicans felt that health care was jammed through the House and Senate without regard to their input. I can see their point to an extent. However, I have to ask, does this then give them the right to not work with Democrats on other issues that are equally if not more important? If I had an employee that decided they would not work with another employee because they did something they did not like and it hurt the organization I would have no choice but to let that employee go. I think Bain Capital would feel the same. The organization is whom they are working for and that must take priority not egos. In fact on the Bain Capital website, they say: “Our integrated deal and portfolio teams work seamlessly over the life of an investment to support our management teams in achieving their plans.” So clearly an atmosphere of teamwork is encouraged. Support is clearly key in their view to achieving success.

Would have Bain Capital been able to succeed in the last four years? Doesn’t seem so. Or as they say again on their website: “Our success is built on a collaborative approach that harnesses the power of great teams to generate the best ideas and strategies.”

Building a great team requires collaboration and great teams get great things done. The challenge is building a great team and giving them the time to implement those ideas and strategies.

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The Meybohms

photography by steve bracci

Walking up the sidewalk on Meigs Street, it’s impossible to miss the bedecked stucco home with French doors opening to wrought-iron laced balconies. A quirky iron fence artfully outlines the landscaping, from which the splitter-splatter of a fountain bubbles. An evergreen wreath on an ample red velvet ribbon festively hangs on each window. More evergreen in bountiful swags adorned with red velvet bows enticingly loops along the balconies and the wonderful fence. It’s more than tempting to swing open the gate and rush eagerly to the door.   

Walking up the sidewalk on Meigs Street, it’s impossible to miss the bedecked stucco home with French doors opening to wrought-iron laced balconies. A quirky iron fence artfully outlines the landscaping, from which the splitter-splatter of a fountain bubbles. An evergreen wreath on an ample red velvet ribbon festively hangs on each window. More evergreen in bountiful swags adorned with red velvet bows enticingly loops along the balconies and the wonderful fence. It’s more than tempting to swing open the gate and rush eagerly to the door.    

Inside, the enchantment of Christmas palpably fills the five senses of all who cross the threshold, whether child or adult. Vintage Santa ornaments and figurines in classic red-and-white peer down from behind the glass panes of Sandi and Bobby Meybohm’s kitchen cabinets. Light from the kitchen window dances across the dazzling honey onyx on the central island. The warm gold and amber tones fingering through the rock slab brilliantly imitate a Texas sunset aflame on a distant, imaginary horizon. Mark Roberts elves keep watch from their dizzying perch on the mantel above the range, while the graceful arms of a crystal chandelier cradle a wreath of fresh rosemary, pinecones and holly berries. A hedge of rosemary and holly sprigs in an assortment of bud vases stands along the window ledge above the sink.

 

From the front entryway to the living room and beyond, a wonderland of holiday finery is a treat for the eyes and a delight to the heart.

 

The merry gazes of those Santas and elves hovering over this domain hint that they have been part and parcel not just to this yuletide, but to many Christmases past, as well. They hold positions of seniority over the festive season, knowing that ribbons and bows and balls and boxes will come and go; they however will be steadfast treasures for years and years hence. Many in fact stood witness to the debacle several Christmases yore that initiated the Meybohm Christmas as it is now.

Sandi recalls the lovely 10 foot evergreen she picked out that fateful December—every side a good side—having it delivered to her house and placed in the perfect corner. Its glorious aroma swallowed up any hint of pumpkin spice remaining from Thanksgiving. She invested in colorful glass balls—blues, greens, pinks, reds—in a variety of sizes. Until two a.m. she worked on that tree, her long, slender fingers nimbly delivering it from fresh-faced forestry to Christmas fantasy. Finally satisfied, she retired until dawn.

The Meybohms’ stucco house on Meigs (above), generously bedecked evergreen swags, wreaths and yards of velvet ribbon, is the very essence of Christmas.

In those few brief hours of blissful ignorance, dreams of a perfect holiday season pleasantly washing away any anxieties, she slept, unaware of the debacle unfolding across her living room floor. The next morning, leaving for a business trip, she glanced back over her shoulder at the monstrosity of branches and shattered glass tragically and broadly splayed in a glittering mess. Turning away and walking out, she closed the door on it and on ever decorating another live tree.

“Now I use only pencil trees that are artificial and manageable,” she says. This change in her approach to decorating, resulting in numerous Christmas trees displayed throughout her home in a range of heights and themes, is more in keeping with her penchant for layers and color and surprise in her decorating flare. “I have to live in color,” explains Sandi. “I do it with wall color. I do it with fabrics. I do it with my Christmas trees.” In the living room alone there are seven—one parading her cherished collection of Annalee angels, another topped with a generous red bow and hosting sparkling gold grape vine entwined among the branches, still another with delicate butterflies alight. As in every room of her house, the decorations on the trees are unique to each one, but all the trees share the privilege of reflecting the colors present in the room—a red leather sofa, gold silk upholstery on a pair of French chairs, the roadwork of green meandering through the rug.  

Built in 1987 in the transitional modern style by architect John Sandeford to be his personal home, the original portion of the Meigs Street house speaks as much to Sandi and Bobby Meybohm’s tastes as it did to Sandeford’s. From the living room doorway the eye can travel to the bar, past the dainty Christmas tree adorned with darling wine bottle ornaments and iridescent grapes, and beyond to the oil painting hanging on the powder room wall. Holiday music and scents of evergreen and cinnamon flow easily in and out and about the adjacent living room and dining room, separated by a partial wall, making the heart of the home perfect for seamless entertaining—a shared joy of both the Meybohms and Sandeford.

Sandeford, who passed away about a decade ago, graduated from Georgia Tech and moved to Augusta to begin his career in architecture. Specializing in residential design work, for several years he partnered with fellow architect Jim Webb. Although Sandeford’s design style is characterized by telling features, very little information is written and recorded about the professional impact he had on the face of the CSRA.

As with every room in the house, the trees and decorations in the living room reflect the room’s colors—a red leather sofa, gold silk upholstered French chairs and the roadwork of green meandering through the rug. 

An examination of examples of his work, however, reveals that he had a penchant for traditional lines and elements punctuated by contemporary components. He emphasized doors and, in particular, front doors. As the welcoming point for all visitors to a home, he believed they should be obvious and impressive. He is also known for wide casings and unique moldings on the interiors of homes he built. More than that, however, a Sandeford house will always be a model of proportion. Room length to window height to door width was carefully considered to avoid a sensation of disjointedness or architectural features out of relationship with each other. Such attention to detail leads to comfortable, unpretentious spaces.

“We loved the house as he designed it for himself,” says Sandi. In keeping with their appreciation of the past and its influence on the present, the Meybohms changed only wall colors and updated the kitchen when they moved in six years ago. The grass-cloth wallpaper in the foyer and along the stairs leading to the second floor remains the same as when Sandeford owned the house, as does all of the unpainted woodwork.

Jimmy Garren, of Garren Construction, knew Sandeford both professionally and personally. He says of Sandeford, “He had a great artistic eye.” Though expressed in her own unique way on different types of canvases, this “artistic eye,” along with a bent to enjoy the company of others amidst its product, is something Sandi shares with her predecessor. And as Sandeford intended, guests never experience difficulty finding their way into the heart of his home. “He loved his house. He took great joy in everything about it. It was built to entertain friends,” says Garren.

Sandi and Bobby carry on that tradition. “What happens to us every year is we get the house decorated and then we start thinking about people we’d like to have over,” says Sandi. Over time she has collected all of the implements of a well-dressed table: linen tablecloths, angel bud vases, silver trays, monogrammed napkins, green Lenox glasses, dinner plates with gold edging, star-shaped bread and butter dishes and the list goes on to set an elegant table.

As much as she loves the old, admitting, “I treasure things. I keep things forever” (she, in fact, still owns her junior varsity cheerleading sweater), Sandi also embraces the new, and her mind never stops working out ideas. She and Bobby, wishing to expand their living and storage space, completed an addition to the home a little more than four years ago, in July 2008. With a courtyard between the original structure and the addition, the new square footage mimics the rectangular footprint of the old and connects on the backside of the house via a sunny glassed room that provides dual views of the courtyard in one direction and the pool paradise in the other.

A centerpiece of fresh greenery contrasts dramatically with the dining room’s varnished red walls. A sparkling array of exquisite tableware, monogrammed linens and gold angel bud vases set a beautiful table, made all the more spectacular when mirrored on either end of the room.

Upstairs, the addition includes a master suite, an office and his-and-her closets. Sandi’s immaculately organized closet is an expansive 26-by-30 feet. Cabinets with glass paneled doors allow for easy viewing of contents and drawers, each built with a specific storage need in mind, keep out clutter. Custom-designed hardware, each pull is different from every other, again reflects Sandi’s desire for color and surprise. Downstairs, the garage and the pool room, glassed on two walls with a walk-out to the outdoor kitchen, complete the added space. Complementary balconies overlooking the courtyard and the driveway tie together the exterior facades.  

In the downstairs pool room, along with a fruit-bearing orange tree posing with Annalee ornaments, are the “family and friends” Christmas trees Sandi put together last year. Having saved invitations and holiday greeting cards from year to year, she struggled with what to do with them. Finally she arrived at an ingenious solution. First she separated the Christmas cards into sets for each person or family. Once divided, she punched a hole in all of the cards of each set and secured them together with a ribbon, then tied them to the tree. She also punched holes in past party invitations and tied them with ribbons to the trees. This simple idea brings mementos out of boxes into the everyday of the season. Flipping through the galleries of cards, Sandi and Bobby and their visitors can appreciate the passage of time.

Every year, Sandi spends about nine days in November preparing their house for the holidays. Organization is the means to getting it done; not in putting everything up now, but in putting it away after New Year’s. She advises, “Label, organize, plan so that when you’re ready to bring things out the following year, it’s really a piece of cake.” Bobby helps take out all of the boxes and bags and Sandi handles the details and the baubles. Despite her meticulous organization and labeling from year to year, Sandi isn’t one to stick to mundane routines. She makes changes each year to keep her décor fresh and interesting. Guests can always expect to see a new twist on old collections.

“You never finish,” she says with a smile. After Thanksgiving, Bobby hangs the wreaths on the windows outside and drapes the garland and lights along the fence perimeter. But the best day of all, says Sandi, is the one when she and Bobby hop in the car and go on their annual hunt for fresh greenery. As much as she touts the benefits of artificial trees, Sandi emphasizes the importance of adding natural touches. Sprays of holly, cedar, rosemary, Leyland cypress, magnolia and other indigenous evergreens lend their stratum of fragrance and tradition to every room. “When you put that fresh greenery in the container, that’s what seals the deal,” she says.

The gorgeous centerpiece of rosemary and holly on the dining room table concurs, contrasting dramatically with the stunning varnished red walls,  which in turn set off the richly patinaed paneling. Gold angel bud vases offer up white camellias to diners. Apples, pears, pomegranates and grapes coated with a sugary sparkle dance on a pair of trees flanking the buffet. Gold rimmed dishes and monogrammed linen napkins from Sandi and Bobby’s wedding at the Breakers set a beautiful table among small white candles. Mirrors on either end of the room multiply the sparkle.

Don’t let the lush garlands and bows, in a spectrum of reds from pink to amber and a rainbow of greens from chartreuse to Kelly, or the poinsettias generously distributed throughout the house, from the front door to the back deck, fool you. Children and their marvelous fascination with symbols of the season are not forgotten. Sandi decorates a tree for each of the grandchildren, making it a spotlight of that individual child’s interests. In the sunroom, a receiving line of Annalee free-standing figures, at conversational height, greets young guests. The Annalees invite secret whispered conversations between themselves and little ones.

“Most of these are just made of memories,” says Sandi, glancing around the room from the Fitz Floyd ornament tree to the drummer boy tree to the Mark Roberts elves playing a xylophone. Christmas has commandeered every nook. Her attention lands on a tree outfitted in delightful, reflective glass balls in purple, pinks, greens, blues and reds; these are what remain of the 10-foot disaster that started it all. In a flash of days, all that will remain of this Christmas, like all the others, is a memory. One can’t help but get the impression, however, that somehow it will be preserved in Christmases to come.

This article appears in the November – December 2012 issue of Augusta Magazine

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Send your North Central public event notices (including recreational sports) for free to Edmond Ortiz at eortiz@primetimenewspapers.com; by fax at 250-3350; or by mail to him in c/o North Central News, P.O. Box 2171, San Antonio, TX 78297-2171. Submissions must be received by noon Friday prior to the next desired publication date. Items run on a space-available basis.

ONGOING

Wellness/support

Alzheimer’s Association, San Antonio and South Texas Chapter, co-sponsors “Living with Alzheimer’s,” a free informational program for caregivers 6-7:30 p.m. today at Arden Courts of San Antonio, 15290 Huebner Road. Caregivers will listen to discussions about a variety of issues pertaining to people coping with Alzheimer’s disease. Seating is limited. RSVP at: 408-9100 or sanantonio@arden-courts.com.

Nydia’s Yoga Therapy Studio, 4680 Lockhill-Selma Road, is hosting a variety of daily and semi-daily classes, such as yoga in Spanish, gentle yoga and yoga for children. Contact: 764-1616 or www.nydiasyogatherapy.com.

St. George Episcopal Church Mental Health Family Support Group holds its regular meeting at 7 p.m. second Wednesdays at 6904 West Ave. in Castle Hills. Call: 342-4261.

Eczema Support Group has formed. Contact: Gabi Mehta, EczemaGroupSA@yahoo.com or 748-8824; or Pam Van Scoyk, EczemaGroupSA@yahoo.com or 862-1684.

Oak Meadow United Methodist Church, 2740 Hunters Green, begins a faith and sports program for boys and girls, ages 6-11, interested in playing soccer. Contact: The Rev. Benitez, 378-9283.

North Central Baptist Hospital, 520 Madison Oak, hosts support groups and free educational programs: couples dealing with fertility issues meet 6 to 7 p.m. every fourth Tuesday within the atrium (call 297-4483); cancer patients and their loved ones meet at 10 a.m. fourth Saturdays (297-7005); pediatric asthma education classes 9:30 a.m. each third Saturday (297-7005); gestational diabetes program starts at 9 a.m. every second and fourth Monday in the second floor education room (297-7005); expectant mothers and their families can tour the hospital’s women’s service area at 5, 6 and 7 p.m. each first Monday; Gamblers Anonymous, 7 p.m. Thursdays (260-2616). Free health screenings are offered 7:30 a.m.-noon Tuesdays. Also, Bridges Beyond Grief meets at 10-11 a.m. Tuesdays at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 20523 Huebner Road, and 3-4 p.m. Tuesdays at Independence Hill Retirement Community, 20450 Huebner (297-4752). Additionally, Baptist Health System is sending families a summer safety tip online each week beginning in June. Visit: www.BaptistMomsAndKids.com.

The Leukemia Lymphoma Society has formed iConnect, a new networking group for cancer survivors. Adult survivors of all cancer types ages 21-40 meet once a month at La Madeleine at Loop 410 and Blanco Road. All events are free, but do require a reservation. Contact: www.LLS.org/stx or 800-683-2458.

Myasthenia Gravis Alamo Support Group of South Texas meets 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. each second Saturday (except July and August) at Baptist Health System Health Link Fitness Center, 288 Bitters Road. Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a chronic neuromuscular autoimmune disorder that causes varying degrees of weakness involving the voluntary muscles of the body. Those afflicted and caregivers are welcome. Visit: www.mgsouthtexas.org.

Overeaters Anonymous has a 12-step program, which offers recovery from compulsive eating. Visit www.oasanantonio.com, email oasaaig@live.com or call 492-5400 for local details.

Qigong for Health offers classes at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesdays at Unity Church Community Center, 8103 Broadway. Qigong is the mother of tai chi. It’s gentle movement with deep breathing yielding huge health benefits. For ages 35 to 105, Qigong can be practiced sitting, standing or even lying down. First class is free, $8 afterward or less if you purchase a pass. Contact: www.QigongSanAntonio.com or 508-5033.

San Antonio Heart Failure Group hosts support groups and free educational programs for individuals who have questions about living with heart failure or are interested in meeting others with heart failure. Meetings are held at 6 p.m. each first Wednesday at Christus Santa Rosa Medical Center, 2827 Babcock Road (cafeteria). Visit: www.sanantonioheartfailure.blogspot.com.

Mary Martha McNeel and visiting teachers lead various classes in qigong, universal yoga, tai chi and other wellness classes Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at different sites such as TriPoint, 3233 N. St. Mary’s St., and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1018 E. Grayson St. Call: 226-0345.

Inspiritas Spa and Wellness Center, 4383 Medical Drive, hosts a variety of health wellness classes. Contact: 593-2639 or www.inspiritasspa.com.

Alamo TotSports is a sport development company teaching soccer, baseball and basketball to children 18 months to 6 years in a non-competitive, fun environment. Alamo TotSports offers weekly 50-minute classes at Northwoods Ice and Golf Center, Spectrum Athletic Clubs at Rogers Ranch and at Alamo Heights, and Velocity Sports Performance. Visit: www.alamototsports.com.

Free luncheon and lectures for lymphoma patients are held noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Cancer Therapy and Research Center, 7979 Wurzbach Road. Contact: Lorrie Gutierrez, 377-1775.

Alamo Heights community members have launched an Al-Anon parents-only support group, which meets 7-8 p.m. Wednesdays at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 11 St. Luke’s Lane. Contact: 824-2483 or mgomez@ahisd.net or www.al-anon.alateen.org.

Alzheimer’s Association offers local support group meetings: 6 p.m. third Mondays at Franklin Park Stone Oak, 21802 Encino Commons (www.franklinpark.org or 483-9999); 6:30 p.m. second Tuesdays at Forum at Lincoln Heights, 311 Nottingham; 6:30 p.m. fourth Thursdays at The Haven, 511 Knights Cross; 6:30 p.m. first Wednesdays at Arden Courts, 15290 Huebner Road; 6 p.m. fourth Tuesdays at CEDRA Clinical Research, 2455 N.E. Loop 410, Suite 150. Call the helpline at 800-272-3900 for details. A grief support group meets at 11:30 a.m. first Wednesdays at Homewood Residence at Castle Hills, 1207 Jackson-Keller Road. RSVP to 375-8132. Meetings are confidential and free to attend.

Education/business

Register by today to be part of renowned artist Gary Rosenthal’s “Hiddur Mitzvah” workshop, set for Nov. 11 at Congregation Agudas Achim, 16550 Huebner Road. “Hiddur” is Hebrew for “to beautify” and “Hiddur Mitzvah” is to beautify a good deed. Rosenthal will lead students in Agudas Achim’s Inda Posner Religious School, their parents and grandparents, and anyone else from the local Jewish community in making pieces of art using kits he provides. Twenty-five percent of total sales will be donated to Fisher House/The Wounded Warrior project. Contact: www.agudas-achim.org or 479-0307.

Source of Light (SoL) Center at University Presbyterian Church, 300 Bushnell, is offering a variety of community courses, covering topics such as race, yogaia peace yoga, interfaith issues, social justice, writing, ecology and environmentalism. T’ai Chi is introduced along with gentle yoga as a meditation in motion 10-11 a.m. Tuesdays through Nov. 20 ($45). A panel discussion, “Navigating Health Care of the Aging,” is set for 7-9 p.m. Monday ($15). Contact: www.upcsa.org/sol_center or 732-9927.

National Association of Women Business Owners-San Antonio holds a Women Mean Business luncheon program, “2013 Economic Outlook: Passages Through a Sea of Uncertainty” 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday at The Plaza Club, 100 W. Houston St. (Frost Bank tower, 21st floor). Visit: http://nawbosa.org/november-2012-wmb.

Concordia University Texas MBA program hosts free information sessions for prospective students at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 8 and 15 at 8626 Tesoro Drive, Suite 112. RSVP at: www.Concordia.edu/MBA.

Saturday is the deadline to enroll in the fall watersaver landcape design school, set for 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 10 at the San Antonio Garden Center, 3310 N. New Braunfels Ave. Gardening Volunteers of South Texas and San Antonio Garden Center sponsor this school, which includes four presentations on design ideas, basic principles of contemporary xeriscapes, one year of watersaver landscape color and introduction to drip irrigation. There will be time for one-on-one landscape idea consultations with experienced gardeners. Attendees receive guides and a CD version of the book “Drip-Line Gardening. Fees: $25 individuals, $40 for two people. Contact: 251-8101 or www.GardeningVolunteers.org.

San Antonio Feral Cat Coalition holds a public, free workshop 2-4 p.m. Sunday at the San Antonio Humane Society, 4804 Fredericksburg Road, on how to properly trap, neuter and release feral cats. Visit: www.sanantonioferalcats.org.

Females ages 12 and over are invited to a powerhouse self-defense workshop 12:30-3:30 p.m. Sunday at Jazzercise San Antonio Perrin Beitel Fitness Center, 4105 Avenida Prima St. The workshop will teach attendees to be aware of their surroundings, including hand and leg techniques taught in martial arts. There also will be light refreshments and a question-and-answer session. Costs: $50 adults, $40 students. Contact: Leslie Gartin, 382-3201 or powerhouseleslieg@gmail.com; or www.powerhouseselfdefense.com.

County Line restaurant, 10101 Interstate 10 West, hosts another Pitmaster cooking class at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9 with “Thanksgiving on the Grill.” Class participants will enjoy a full serving of each of the three courses as Stephens demonstrates how to prepare each dish, taking questions from the guests as he cooks. Everyone receives a recipe book, with space to take their own notes. A cocktail reception featuring Alexander Valley Vineyard’s “dry Rosé of Sangiovese” begins at 7 p.m. Cost: $50. Contact: Garrett Stephens, 641-1998 or garretts@countyline.com.

St. Anthony Catholic High School, 3200 McCullough Ave., will host an open house for prospective students noon to 3 p.m. Nov. 11. Contact: Alejandro Calderon, 832-5632 or sachs@uiwtx.edu.

Guadalupe River State Park and Honey Creek State Natural Area, 3350 Park Road 31 in Spring Branch, offer various activities and educational programs. Join the park interpreter at 10 a.m. or 8 p.m. each Saturday for family-oriented nature programs. “Contact: 830-438-7653 or www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/guadalupe-river. Contact: 830-438-7653 or www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/guadalupe-river.

Kori Morris of Girl Scout Troop 1020 is working toward a Gold Award for community service by volunteering to lead a free deaf education workshop for third- to fifth-graders. The workshop will be held 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 19-21 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 945 Knights Cross. The first 20 children to ask will be served. Email: kori.morris@gmail.com.

Stone Oak Youth Theater and Dance Co., 21518 Blanco Road, hosts a variety of acting and dance classes and workshops for children and teenagers. Contact: 481-2400 or www.stoneoakyouththeatre.com.

Land of Virtuosity youth performing arts academy, 8126 Broadway, offers a variety of classes and special seasonal camps related to all aspects of live theater, film and dance. Contact: 844-4298 or www.landofvirtuosity.org.

Ballet San Antonio, 903 Proton Road, hosts classes for children and adults, as well as a professional training in ballet and jazz. Contact: 404-9641 or www.balletsanantonio.org.

Jensen’s Yamaha Music School, 2241 N.W. Military Highway, Suite 202-B, hosts a free music class for families at 10:30 a.m. third Tuesdays. Families and their young children (age 3 and under) can sing songs, play instruments, read stories, and make music together. Contact: 366-5048 or www.jensensyamahamusic.com.

Learn chanting “hu,” an ancient name for God, during a free class discussion at 6 p.m. Fridays at the Eckankar Spiritual Center of San Antonio, 1603 W. Lullwood. Regardless of your beliefs or religion, you are invited sing hu with the Texas Satsang Society. Contact: www.Eckankar-Texas.org or 737-6863.

Inspire Fine Art Center, 200 Queen Anne Court, hosts free Family Art Day 10 a.m.-2 p.m. second Saturdays. Contact: 829-5592 or www.inspirefineart.org.

Texas Wildlife Association and Texas AgriLife Extension will host a series of webinars covering a wide array of wildlife and land management topics. These free online webinars are held noon-1 p.m. local time so that anyone interested may tune in during the work day. Visit: https://texas-wildlife.webex.com or www.texas-wildlife.org.

Clarity Child Guidance Center outpatient campus, 2135 Babcock Road, hosts English-language parenting classes 9:30-11 a.m. Thursdays through Dec. 13 ($5 per session). Contact: 616-0300 or www.claritycgc.org.

Texas AgriLife Extension Service provides an opportunity for children ages 8-13 to learn about gardening by growing their own vegetables through the mentoring of Bexar County Master Gardener volunteers. Each child is allotted a 3.5-foot by x 28-foot plot at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. Children will grow different types of seeds, herbs, vegetables and ornamental annual flowers. Contact: Angel Torres, 467-6575 or matorres@ag.tamu.edu or http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu.

Y.E.L.L. (Youth Engaging in Leadership Learning) is gearing up to host the fourth annual San Antonio Youth Summit Oct. 10 at the Alamodome. Y.E.L.L is a 501(c)3 non-profit that helps to prepare and support youth to become knowledgeable and active decision makers in their school and community. Visit: www.yellfoundation.org.

San Antonio School for the Performing Arts, 12915 Jones Maltsberger Road, Suite 200, hosts various classes. Contact: 495-2787 or http://sanantonioschoolfortheperformingarts.com.

Ballet Conservatory of South Texas, 5200 Broadway, hosts various classes, including its popular “Budding Ballerina” program tailored for dancers ages 3-7. Students ages 3 through adult are now registering for fall classes. Fees begin at $69 per month. Contact: 820-3400 or www.balletsouthtexas.org.

Viva! Bookstore at Viva Galleria, 8407 Broadway, hosts classes, workshops and special events, ranging from exercise and meditation to writing and art. Contact: 826-1143 or www.vivabooks.com.

Free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes are held 6-7 p.m. Wednesdays at Oak Meadow United Methodist Church, 2740 Hunters Green St. Students may be asked later to purchase a text book ($22), including a CD for home study and review. Contact: The Rev. Osvaldo Benitez, 378-9283, or the church, 492-3902.

Associated Builders and Contractors, South Texas Chapter, offers weekly and special workforce development events. Regular activities include new construction industry employee orientation sessions and the basics of building construction. Visit: www.abcsouthtexas.org.

Unlimited Thought Life Enrichment Center, 5525 Blanco Road, hosts Hatha yoga classes 7-8:30 p.m. Thursdays. Cost: $12 per drop-in, $40 for one month. This is open to all ages and levels. Call: 525-0693.

The Institute of Interfaith Dialog, 4337 Vance Jackson Road, Suite 203, hosts various classes, discussions and special events. Visit: www.interfaithdialog.org.

North East Independent School District Community Education offers a variety of classes, ranging from butterfly gardening and hiking to air painting and web page publishing. Youth classes include electric guitar, sewing, video game design and more. Classes will be offered at many locations including several district schools and the North East Community Learning Center, 8750 Tesoro Drive. Contact: www.communityed.neisd.net or 657-8866.

The Josephine Theater, 339 W. Josephine St., is hosting Inish Free School of Irish Dancing classes. Visit: www.inishfreetx.com/Inishfree_Texas/Home.html. Call: 842-6407.

Texas Thunder Cloggers offers beginner clogging lessons 6-7 p.m. Wednesdays (except Tuesday final week of the month) at San Antonio Street Dance and Drum Co., 1026 Donaldson. No partner is necessary. Visit: www.texasthundercloggers.org.

Art Works, 1840 Nacogdoches Road, hosts art classes for ages 2-18, as well as occasional Arts Night Out (parents’ night out). Contact: 826-2787 or www.artworkstx.com.

Trilogy Dance Center, 2602 N. Loop 1604 West, offers classes in yoga, Pilates, Latin and ballroom dance and more. Kids’ nights out, also, are offered. Contact: 479-1551 or www.trilogydancecenter.com.

Texas Cheer and Dance has begun providing cheerleading lessons on Wednesdays at Hardy Oak Elementary School, 22900 Hardy Oak Blvd., from 6:30-7:30 p.m. for kindergarteners through second-graders, and 7:30-8:30 p.m. for third- through eighth-graders. Cost: $39 a month. Call: 289-2921 or 323-6094.

School of Rock-Stone Oak, 109 Gallery Circle, Suite 101, hosts various music classes. Visit: www.stoneoak.schoolofrock.com.

Young Chefs Academy in Stone Oak, 20330 Huebner Road, Suite 110, hosts various weekly classes Mondays-Thursdays and Saturday mornings as well as special workshops. Contact: 402-0023 or www.youngchefsacademy.com/stoneoak.

Perspectives Gallery of Art at The Village at Stone Oak retail center, 22610 U.S. 281 North, hosts a children’s drawing and painting workshop 1-4 p.m. each third Saturday. The gallery also provides adult portrait, watercolor, painting and drawing classes. Contact: Judy Payne-Korge, 704-7555.

UTSA Small Business Development Center offers integrated, low-cost training and free counseling services to meet the needs of small business owners in San Antonio and surrounding counties. A variety of training opportunities and special events are offered throughout each month. Contact: Erica Rodriguez, 458-2460, or sbdcworkshop@utsa.edu.

Brilliant lighting, sound effects and video are featured in the Dinosaur Quest animatronic exhibit of life-sized dinosaur skeletons 10 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. Sundays at Rivercenter Mall (near AMC Theater), 849 E. Commerce St. Visit: www.dinosaur-quest.com.

Conjunto Heritage Taller, 725 S. Presa St., offers classes in button accordion to students of all ages 5-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays with accordion instructor Bene Medina, and 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays with accordion instructor Lorenzo Martinez. CHT offers acoustic guitar classes for students of all ages 5-8 p.m. Wednesdays and 2-5 p.m. Saturdays with Ismael Rivera. Classes are $40 per month. Contact: 212-8560 or conjunto.h.taller@sbcglobal.net.

San Antonio Dance Academy, 15714 Huebner Road, offers classes in ballet, hip-hop, Mexican folkloric, ballroom, prep for dance team, adult tap/flamenco and Mommy-n-Me for ages 2-up. Contact: 341-7574 or www.sadance.info.

Performing Arts San Antonio, 15717 San Pedro Ave., offers an array of acting classes and workshops for adults and youths, as well as special live productions. Contact: www.performingartssa.org or 557-1187.

L.A. Performing Arts, 19239 Stone Oak Parkway, Suite 202, hosts acting, dance and vocals classes. Contact: 842-6407 or www.laperformingarts.com.

Heather Stolle’s School of Dance, 20323 Huebner Road, Suite 106, hosts a variety of dance classes. Contact: 481-9999 or www.hssdance.com.

Performing Arts Conservatory of Texas, 22610 U.S. 281 North, Suite 221, hosts various classes in ballet, tap, lyrical, jazz and hip-hop. Contact: 494-5100 or www.performingartsconservatoryoftexas.com.

Fred Astaire Dance Studio, 115 N. Loop 1604 East, Suite 1200, hosts one-on-one and group lessons for various dance styles. Contact: 490-3733 or www.fredastairesanantonio.com.

Ballroom Dance Annex, 8123 Broadway, hosts ballroom dance classes for children and teenagers in performance and competitive categories. Contact: 240-0070 or www.ballroomdanceannex.com.

La Fonda Latina, 6714 San Pedro Ave., hosts Argentine tango lessons 6 and 8 p.m. Wednesdays. Contact: www.susurrodetango.com or 467-2838.

Jazzercize Dance Studio, 1031 Patricia, hosts beginner and intermediate Argentine tango lessons Sundays. Call: 363-6070.

Alamo Arts Ballet Theater, 2103 Lockhill-Selma Road, hosts various classes. Visit: www.alamoartsballet.org.

Entertainment

Jazz Poets of San Antonio offers a weekly writing session and live poetry – with accompaniment by the Jazz Poetry Band – at 7 p.m. Thursdays at Espresso Gallery, 529 San Pedro Ave. Donations are appreciated. Call: 573-5115.

Wonderland of the Americas Mall, 4522 Fredericksburg Road, hosts “90 Live SA,” a free, open-air entertainment program in the format of a late night talk show with a house band, local guests, variety acts, regional talent and more. Roy Lopez Jr. of San Antonio’s “The Cleto Show” hosts the shows 8-9:30 p.m. Fridays in the in the outdoor amphitheater. One show is to be held. Victoria Acosta and Los Bad Apples will be the house band. Visit: www.facebook.com/90LiveSA. To book talent (comedy or variety), call 623-0732; to book a band, call 865-0523.

Ocho Lounge at Hotel Havana, 1015 Navarro, hosts various events such as Havana Hi-Fi DJ Nights 7-10 p.m. every other Tuesday. Contact: www.havanasanantonio.com or 222-2008.

La Taza Coffee House, 15060 San Pedro Ave., hosts “Heartbeat of the Soul,” a weekly session of open-mike poetry at 8 p.m. Mondays as well as open-mike sessions 8 p.m. Fridays. Contact: 494-8292 or www.lataza.biz. La Taza also hosts chef, business owner and cookbook author Michael Flores in free cooking demonstrations at 10:30 a.m. each fourth Saturday. Visit: www.cookwithmichael.com.

Lion and Rose British Restaurant and Pub at Park North, 842 N.W. Loop 410, hosts karaoke 9:30 p.m. Thursdays.

Lion and Rose British Restaurant and Pub, 700 E. Sonterra Blvd., hosts live Celtic music by Boru 7-9:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Boru is a seven-piece acoustic band specializing in blazing melodies and driving rhythms. Boru draws from its diverse musical backgrounds ranging from classical to country and western, bluegrass to Irish and American folk. Admission is free and all ages are welcome. Contact: 798-5466 or www.TheLionandRose.com.

LOL (Laugh Out Loud) comedy club, Park North Plaza, 618 N.W. Loop 410, hosts feature shows 8 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; and 8 and 10:15 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Open mic night is held 8 p.m. Tuesdays. The Oxymorons offers family night – family-friendly improv comedy – 5 p.m. third Saturdays ($5-$9). Contact: www.lolsanantonio.com or 541-8805.

ComedySportz improv offers fast-paced comedy shows for the family, schools, business conferences, parties and special events. Two teams battle for laughs and points as they make up scenes, games and songs from audience suggestions, similar to “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” ComedySportz also provides remote shows, corporate training and improv classes. Live performances are given 7:30 p.m. Saturdays at Acting Up Creative Drama Academy, 12002 Bandera Road. Contact: www.cszsa.com or 338-0279.

Madexalli’s Cultural Coffee Bar, The Alley on Bitters, 555 W. Bitters Road, hosts karaoke Friday nights. Admission is free. Contact: 233-1974 or www.madexalli.com.

Orderup locations at 999 E. Basse Road and 20821 U.S. 281 North host free live music at 7-9 p.m. Fridays.

Local Coffee, 700 E. Sonterra Blvd., Suite 1113, hosts open mic (acoustic music) sessions 6-9 p.m. every other Friday, and live musicians in concert 6-9 p.m. most Saturdays. Visit: www.localcoffeesa.com.

Come unwind on the new outdoor patio of The Quarry Golf Course and Restaurant, 444 E. Basse Road, and enjoy free, public concerts 6:30-9:30 p.m. Fridays. Visit: www.quarrygolf.com.

H-E-B Central Market, 4821 Broadway, hosts free live music in the café noon-3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Daily Grind Coffee Shop, 1911 Huebner Road, hosts open-mike sessions for comedians and acoustic musicians 7-11 p.m. Fridays. Call: 481-0444.

Barriba Cantina, 111 Crockett St., hosts live music 9 p.m. daily, and during the day Fridays through Sundays. Admission is free. Visit: www.barribacantina.com.

Clubs/special interests

San Antonio Audubon Society holds its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. first Thursdays at The First Tee, 915 E. Mulberry Ave. SAAS and Bexar Audubon Society will host a public screening of the documentary film “Green Fire!” about legendary conservationist Aldo Leopold at 7 p.m. today at TriPoint Center, 3233 N. St. Mary’s St.. Non-members are welcome. Admission: $5 minimum suggested donation/ Contact: 308-6788 or www.saaudubon.org.

Greater San Antonio Camera Club meets at 7:30 p.m. each first and third Thursdays at the Lions Field Adult Center, 2809 Broadway. The first gathering is an educational meeting, the third Thursday is a competition with members presenting alternating digital and print photographs for peer judging and commentary. Admission is free and all skill levels of photographers are welcome. Visit: www.gsacc.org or Facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Greater-San-Antonio-Camera-Club/121865424504012.

San Antonio Calligraphers Guild meets 7 p.m. first Thursdays at Christ Episcopal Church, 510 Belknap Place (except for the summer). Visitors are welcome and may attend two meetings without paying memberships dues. Visit: www.sanantoniocalligraphy.com.

Newcomers of San Antonio holds its monthly meeting, social and luncheon first Thursdays, usually starting at 11 a.m. Newcomers of San Antonio is a non-profit social club founded by women who wanted to get to know San Antonio through meeting new people with similar interests. There are a number of interest groups and activities offered each month. Visit: www.NewcomersofSanAntonio.org.

Northeast Bexar County Democrats meet at noon first Saturdays at 7122 San Pedro Ave. Lunch will be available. Admission is free and open to the public. Visit: www.nebcd.org.

“Landscaping for Wildlife” is the topic of Judit Green’s talk at the San Antonio Garden Center’s regular meeting at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at 3310 N. New Braunfels Ave. Admission is free and open to the public. Contact: 824-9981 or www.SanAntonioGardenCenter.org.

San Antonio Women’s Chamber of Commerce holds its Constellation of Stars Gala at 6 p.m. Nov. 9 at the San Antonio Airport Hilton, 611 N.W. Loop 410. Heloise will be the guest speaker as the chamber honors four local women who advocate, connect and empower women in our community. Costs begin at $65. Visit: www.sawomenschamber.org.

San Antonio Musical Club presents its annual fall scholarship program and luncheon, featuring singer Patsy Torres, at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 10 at the San Antonio Country Club, 4100 N. New Braunfels Ave. This includes a social and a silent auction. Cost: $50. RSVP by Tuesday. Call: 858-4721.

Rose Treiman Group of Hadassah holds its general meeting/luncheon 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Nov. 14 at La Fonda Oak Hills, 350 Northaven. Guest speaker Diane Gal will discuss “From Christianity to Judaism.” Cost: $15. Note that your check be made out to Hadassah is your reservation. Call: Micki Harris, 824-4178, or Ruth Toback, 694-7552.

San Antonio Audubon Society presents its second Saturday beginners’ bird walk, starting at 7:30 a.m. Meet trip leader Georgina Schwartz at the Judson Nature Trails in Alamo Heights, 246 Viesca. Non-members are welcome and binoculars with instructions can be provided. Contact Schwartz for details: 342-2073 or www.saaudubon.org.

Alamo Sierra Club meets at 6:30 p.m. third Tuesdays at the Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway. Admission is free and open to the public. Socializing and snacks begin at 6 p.m. Contact: 828-1233 or gaywright46@yahoo.com.

North San Antonio Retired Teachers Association holds a meeting/luncheon at 11 a.m. third Wednesdays at San Pedro Presbyterian Church, 14900 San Pedro Ave. Contact: Martha Windham, 490-3783; or 494-6560; or http://localunits.org/NSARTA.

San Antonio Chapter, Sons of The American Revolution, holds its monthly meeting and luncheon at 11:30 a.m. third Wednesdays at The Petroleum Club, 8620 N. New Braunfels Ave. Cost: $23. There will be a guest speaker. Guests and prospective members are welcome. RSVP by the preceding Monday to treasurer Bob Clark, reservations@sarsat.org or 402-0871.

San Antonio Storytellers Association presents monthly story swaps 6:30-9 p.m. first Wednesdays at Brook Hollow Library, 530 Heimer Road. Beginners and non-members are welcome. Call: 496-6315.

Friendship Force of San Antonio regular monthly meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. second Tuesdays at Northeast Methodist Hospital (Community Health Center meeting room), 12412 Judson Road in Live Oak. Contact: www.thefriendshipforce.org or Imelda, 590-4634, or Faye Minnis, 499-4929.

Rotary Clubs: Sunrise, 7 a.m. Fridays at Pericos restaurant, 1439 E. Sonterra Blvd. (www.sasunriserotary.org): Alamo Heights, noon Tuesdays at The Barn Door, 8400 N. New Braunfels Ave. (www.ahrotary.org); Stone Oak, noon Thursdays at The Club at Sonterra, 901 Sonterra (www.stoneoaksarotary.org); San Antonio Airport, noon Wednesdays at Old San Francisco Steakhouse, 10223 Sahara.; San Antonio North Central, 6 p.m. Mondays at Little Italy, 824 Afterglow; San Antonio Oak Hills, noon Fridays, Pappasito’s, 10501 Interstate 10 West; SA Amigos Internacionales, 6 p.m. Tuesdays at Taco Tote, 9502 Interstate 10 West; Northwest, noon Thursdays at Sushihana Japanese Restaurant; 1810 N.W. Military Highway (www.rotarynorthwest.com).

Cerveceros, group of people interested in beer and home brew beer (craft beer), holds a meeting and social at noon each third Sunday at 500 Carolina St. Membership is up to the individual. Bring some friends as well as a sampling glass and lawn chair. Email: c_seanli@yahoo.com.sg.

Encino Park neighborhood senior citizens may take part in a “Seniorific” social to be held each fourth Thursday at the Encino Park Community Center, 1923 Encino Rio. Attendees may bring a dish to share.

Lions Clubs: Alamo Heights, 7 p.m. first and third Wednesdays at the Magic Time Machine, 902 N.E. Loop 410; Northside, noon first and third Thursdays at Little Italy, 824 Afterglow; Oak Hills, 7:15 p.m. third Wednesdays at Denny’s, 9550 Interstate 10 West; Central Park, 7:30 a.m. first and third Tuesdays at Jim’s, 9950 San Pedro Ave. Visit: http://texaslions2a2.org/clubs.html.

Optimist Clubs: Alamo Heights, 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at The Barn Door; Towne and Country, 7:30 p.m. Thursdays at Grady’s BBQ on San Pedro Avenue. Visit: www.stxd.org.

Toastmasters Clubs: Alamo Heights, 7 p.m. Wednesdays at University of the Incarnate Word – administrative building Room 265 (www.alamo.freetoasthost.org); Business-Professional, noon Fridays, Barbaresco, 9715 San Pedro Ave. (www.bp2207.freetoasthost.us); North San Antonio, 7 a.m. Wednesdays, Egg I, 830 N.W. Loop 410 (www.nsatoastmasters.com); San Antonio, noon Fridays, Taste of China Super Buffet (sanantonio.toastmastersclubs.org); San Antonio Discussion and Debate, 7 p.m. second and fourth Mondays, IHOP, 14424 San Pedro Ave. (sadd.toastmastersclubs.org); San Antonio Sociable, 7 p.m. Mondays, St. Andrews Lutheran Church, 16320 Huebner Road (sanantonio.freetoasthost.com); Stone Oak, noon Wednesdays, The Egg I, 700 E. Sonterra Blvd. (http://stoneoaktoastmasters.org).

San Antonio Astronomical Association offers Astronomy in the Park, free night-sky viewings, at sunset on Wednesdays at McAllister Park, 13102 Jones-Maltsberger Road. SAAA meets at 6:30 p.m. each second Friday at Christ Lutheran Church, 6720 Broadway. SAAA also hosts a spring star party at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday at Guadalupe River State Park. Telescopes will be set up in the day use area. Visit: www.sananantonioastronomy.org.

A Fort Sam Houston historical landmark since 1888, Stilwell House is now open for tours, receptions and parties. Stilwell House is managed by non-profit Society for the Preservation of Historic Fort Sam Houston Inc. Contact: 224-4030 or 655-0577 or drushrsvp@aol.com.

Games/crafts/sports

Rolling Hills Catholic School, 21240 Gathering Oak, is set to host its fall festival and a 5K/1-mile family run/walk benefit at 9 a.m. Saturday. Entry fee: $15 per person/per event; $50 per family. Make checks payable to RHCS. Each participant will receive a T-shirt and be eligible for post-race drawing. Bring Box Tops 4 Education and receive an extra raffle ticket (10 box tops= one ticket). Contact: Kathy Schroeder, 545-0098 or jschroeder3@satx.rr.com; or RHCS, 497-0323 or www.roliinghillscatholic.org.

The Heart Walk, beginning at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at Brackenridge Park, raises funds for cardiovascular research and education programs. Visit: www.sanantonioheartwalk.org.

Second Annual Puppy Up! Walk San Antonio begins at 8 a.m. Sunday at McAllister Park. The pet- and family-friendly event includes live music, food trucks, the Barkinista Pawfashion Show, games, pet products and information, a canine agility course, awards ceremony and more. This raises awareness and funds for the 2 Million Dog Foundation, which researches common links between canine and human cancers and their causes through comparative oncology research. EZ’s Brick Oven Grill, 6498 N. New Braunfels Ave., hosts an event packet pick-up reception and “Paw-ty on the Patio” 5-7 p.m. Friday. That includes a visit by Fifi and Fido’s Pet Boutique with dog treats and an outdoor screening of the movie “Beethoven.” Plus, walk participants picking up their packets may receive a free beer or glass of wine. Those who buy dinner that evening can drop their receipts into a specially marked box; EZ’s will donate 15 percent of the pre-tax proceeds to Puppy Up! Visit: www.2MillionDogs.org.

St. George Episcopal School benefits from the 3-Par Golf Tournament at 11:30 a.m. Monday at SilverHorn Golf Club, 1100 W. Bitters Road. This includes lunch. Call: 342-4263.

Celebrate San Antonio’s fall with the Culinaria Golf Classic Wednesday at Silverhorn Golf Club, 1100 W. Bitters Road. This includes a fine wine and chef-driven reception. Visit: http://culinariasa.org.

Mays Family YMCA holds its fifth annual golf tournament benefit Wednesday at TPC San Antonio. Visit: amandan@ymcasatx.org.

Epilepsy Foundation Central and South Texas will hold its Seize the Moment 5K Fun Run/Walk benefit Nov. 17 at Shavano Park City Hall, 900 Saddletree Court. Contact: 653-5353 or epilepsyrun.com.

National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) San Antonio Chapter’s fifth annual 2012 Run/Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer will take place Nov. 17 at Brackenridge Park (Joske Pavilion). Registration is at 7 p.m.; opening ceremonies are at 9:15 a.m. Visit: www.nocc.kintera.org/sanantoniotx.

Entries are being accepted through 5 p.m. Nov. 15 for the amateur tamale-making concest, part of the Tamales! Holiday Festival taking place Dec. 1 at Pearl . Prizes are up for grabs. Visit: www.atpearl.com/tamales.

San Antonio Table Tennis Club launches a series of “adapted table tennis” for disabled players at 6 p.m. Thursdays at Alamo Fitness Center, 16675 Huebner Road. Military (wounded warriors) members are especially invited. First session admission is free. For ongoing participation, a $5 donation of per session is requested. Visit: www.satabletennis.org.

San Antonio Gaelic Athletic Club’s football practices are open to men ages 18 and up at 6:15 p.m. Wednesdays and 8 a.m. Saturdays at Olmos Basin Park. Visit: www.sanantoniogac.org.

Knitting and crocheting lessons, and game days are offered 9-11 a.m. each Tuesday at Shearer Hills Baptist Church, 12615 San Pedro Ave. Game day is open to the public. Snacks are provided. Contact: Sandra Baskin, 275-8503.

Geeks Who Drink presents trivia games at local Lion and Rose Pub locations — 8 p.m. Tuesdays at 700 E. Sonterra Blvd., and at 5148 Broadway; 8 p.m. Wednesdays at 842 N.W. Loop 410 (Park North Plaza). Games also offered at 8 p.m. Thursdays at Firewater Grille, 26108 Overlook Parkway, and 8 p.m. Mondays at Freetail Brewing Co., 4035 N.W. Loop 1604. Prizes and free pints are up for grabs. Visit: www.geekswhodrink.com.

Alamo Heights United Methodist Church hosts bingo at 10:30 a.m. Thursdays through this summer at Chandler Center, 137 W. French. Lunch is served at noon for $5. Call: 737-5196.

Tejas Rodeo Co., 401 Obst Road in Bulverde, hosts live professional rodeos each Saturday night now through November. There’s also live music and dancing most Thursdays through Saturdays, dining at Tejas Smokehouse and at Tejas Steakhouse and Saloon, a Mexican charreada each fourth Sunday, as well as children’s activities and a petting zoo. Saturday rodeo admission: $5 children 6-12; $10 adults; free for children 5-under; $2 military discount. Contact: 980-2226 or www.tejasrodeo.com.

Retail activities

Satel’s, 5100 Broadway, hosts a “Mad Men”-themed evening 5-9 p.m. today with cocktails by Bohanan’s Restaurant Bar, and men’s fashion. Proceeds benefit HeartGift, an organization committed to providing lifesaving heart surgeries to children all over the world who may not have access to necessary medical care.

Shetler Wade Jewelers, 7373 Broadway, Suite 106, hosts a cocktail reception benefiting Girls Inc., featuring a trunk show by Armenta, 6-9 p.m. today.

Pearl Brewery, 200 E. Grayson St., holds First Thursdays 5-8 p.m., featuring special deals from Pearl shops along with pop-up sidewalk sales, music and refreshments. Admission is free and open to the public.

Boardwalk on Bulverde food truck park, 14732 Bulverde Road, offers free beer Fridays from 6 p.m. until the supply is gone.

Wonderland of the Americas, 4522 Fredericksburg Road, hosts Wonderland Market Days 10 a.m.-5 p.m. first Saturdays and Sundays with arts and crafts, clothes, jewelry and more. Also, karaoke is offered 1-5 p.m. Sundays in the Shops at the Marketplace section.

Dog owners and their pets may visit any San Antonio-area EZ’s Brick Oven and Grill between 4 and 7 p.m. Sundays through November and drop their receipts into specially marked box to benefit Puppy Up! San Antonio, which helps in the fight against canine cancer.

Green Fields Market, 19239 Stone Oak Parkway, hosts: free wine sampling at noon Saturdays; special wine tastings at 7 p.m. every second Tuesday. Visit: www.greenfieldsmkt.com.

C. Aaron Peñaloza Jewelers 999 E. Basse Road, hosts its sixth annual estate jewelry sale Nov. 8-17. Penaloza will have a question-and-answer session on estate jewelry 5-7 p.m. Nov. 13 with wine and light foods; and 10 a.m.-noon Nov. 14 with coffee and pastries. Call: 822-4044.

Haute and Fresh Market hosts the Legacy Outdoor Market 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays at The Legacy shopping center, U.S. 281 and Loop 1604. More than 40 vendors showcase arts, crafts, gifts and food. Children’s activities, food and live music are included. Contact: www.hauteandfresh.com or 451-0603.

Tuesdays and Sundays at Boston’s Pizza, 1827 N. Loop 1604 East, children may eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée.

Rome’s Pizza, 19298 Stone Oak Parkway, celebrates its 26th anniversary by offering customers 26 percent off on the 26th day of every month this calendar year. Visit: www.romespizza.com.

Jewelry Exchange and Auction, 19903 Stone Oak Parkway, is hosting live auctions at 7 p.m. Saturdays. Public peeks at items, ranging from jewelry to collectibles, take place 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. and 7 pm. Saturdays. Visit: www.jewelryexchangeandauction.com.

Food Truck and Boxcar Fest is available 5-8 p.m. Wednesdays at The Yard, 5300 McCullough Ave. in Olmos Park, featuring various food trucks. Admission is free and open to the public.

Red Collar Media and Revolution Room, 8123 Broadway, hosts “StrEAT Food” with local food trucks inside the parking lot, on Wednesdays, starting at 4 p.m. They can be found there at varying hours through the evening. Admission is free and open to the public.

The 281 Mobile Food Park is open 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, and 1-6 p.m. Sundays at 25080 U.S. 281 North. Admission is free and open to the public. Contact: www.theparkatsummerglen.com or 908-4815.

Destination Maternity, 9802 Colonnade Blvd., hosts various nutrition and exercise classes and workshops for mothers-to-be throughout this month. Destination Maternity also offers a selection of maternity fashions. Contact: 694-4692 or www.destinationmaternity.com.

Volunteers/charity

St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School celebrates its 70th anniversary with a banquet Saturday at Omni San Antonio Hotel at the Colonnade, 9821 Colonnade Blvd. The event supports student tuition assistance. Donations for planned live and silent auctions, and drawing are sought. Contact: Roberta Guajardo, 735-1381 or rmguajardo123@yahoo.com.

Texas Music Coalition holds its annual fundraiser 7 p.m.-midnight Saturday at The Evil Olive, 2950 Thousand Oaks. Cost: $5 at door. Contact: 520-1714 or emmelhymel@gmail.com.

Castle Hills Police Officers Association is accepting San Antonio Food Bank donations today through Jan. 7. CHPOA is also accepting toy donations for Blue Santa Nov 23-Dec. 26. Both kinds of donations can be made at Castle Hills City Hall, 209 Lemonwood Drive.

San Antonio Zoological Society benefits from the 30th annual Zoobilation Ball set for 6 p.m. Nov. 8 at the San Antonio Zoo, 3903 N. St. Mary’s St. This black-tie gala features live and silent auctions, dinner and dancing. Cost: $300 per person. Contact: www.sazoo.org/events/zoobilation-ball or 734-7184 extension 0149.

SpaySA will benefit from a casino night event at 7 p.m. Nov. 24 at The Dominion Country Club, 1 Dominion Drive. The cocktail-attire event includes food, entertainment, gaming and more to help San Antonio achieve no-kill status concerning homeless animals. For sponsorship, tickets and other details, call 351-7729.

Security Service Federal Credit Union service centers, through Nov. 30, are accepting donations of non-perishable food for its 10th annual Food 4 SA campaign. Donations will benefit the San Antonio Food Bank.

Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA), 406 San Pedro Ave., is a nonprofit that recruits and trains volunteers who are appointed by courts to advocate for the “best interest” of abused and neglected children. Volunteers visit with the children and gather information to help a court make informed decisions and ensure that children are placed in safe, permanent homes. An information session is set for 9-10 a.m. Saturday. CASA offers free volunteer training throughout the year; daytime, evening and weekend training available. Contact: Belinda Cox, bcox@casa-satx.org or 225-7070; or www.casa-satx.org.

Staci Almager, executive director of Transplants for Children, aims to raise $10,000 for the organization by selling 500 copies of the 2013 “Book of Free” by Thanksgiving. Contact: 949-1212 or staci@transplantsforchildren.org.

For every home it sells through Dec. 31, 2012, Sitterle Homes will donate $250 to Animal Defense League and $250 to the San Antonio Humane Society in the homebuyer’s name.

St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1602 Thousand Oaks, is collecting inkjet and toner cartridges for recycling. Proceeds will benefit the church children’s ministry Lion Store. Contact: Theresa Crow, 494-7434, extension 324, or tcrow@stmarkevangelist.com.

Animal welfare

Pet Supplies Plus offers “Toenail Tuesdays” – pet nail trimmings for tips – 4-7 p.m. third Tuesdays at 15034 San Pedro Ave., Suite A, and at 1248 Austin Highway, Suite 108.

Non-profit, no-kill Animal Friends Humane Society, 28730 Interstate 10 West, needs assistance in relocating to safety “hard to place” dogs. Contact: P.O. Box 691403, San Antonio, Texas 78269; 830-981-2300 or www.animalfriends4ever.org.

San Antonio Pets Alive! seeks volunteers to work with shelter dogs and cats, as well as qualified individuals willing to foster animals awaiting permanent homes. SAPA also seeks donated items to help support animals in its care. SAPA works with San Antonio Animal Care Services. Visit: www.sanantoniopetsalive.org.

Tejas Rescued Pet Adoptions seeks donations of dry cat and dog food, dog leashes and collars. Monetary donations also are accepted. Visit www.tejasrescues.org to donate via PayPal. Donations can also be mailed to TRPA, P.O. Box 790372, San Antonio, Texas 78279. Call 416-3947 or email TRPA@wt.net for a donation pick-up at your chosen site.

Seguin-based SARA Sanctuary seeks donations of flea treatment and protection, as well as monetary donations to help provide food for the sheltered animals and to pay electricity bills. Food donations are accepted, too. Volunteers also are needed. Contact: 830-379-1750 or www.sarasanctuary.org.

Alamo Pet Professionals Association is leading the Bucks for Hay Bales fundraiser to help the large number of livestock displaced by the Bastrop-area wildfires. Livestock is currently eating burned hay and fields. APPA is raising funds to help in the purchase of round hay bales, square hay bales and salt blocks for livestock being re-located and rehabilitated. Some ranchers and rescuers are helping with land space and care, but they more assistance. Visit: www.bucksforhaybales.chipin.com.

Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation has domestic cats available for adoption 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays at Sherman Animal Care Complex, 137 Earl St. near Olmos Park. Contact: www.wildlife-rescue.org or 830-336-2725.

San Antonio Animal Care Services, 4710 Texas 151, is accepting donations of dog and cat food 11 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and noon-4 p.m. Sundays, for its pet pantry program. Pet owners in need can obtain pet food with proof of government assistance, a current driver’s license or picture ID and proof of their pet’s sterilization status and current rabies vaccination. Contact: www.saacs.net or 207-4738.

Reunions

Brackenridge High School “Decade of Memories” for graduating classes 1960-1970 will hold their reunion dance Nov 17 at the San Antonio Shrine Auditorium, 901 N.W. Loop 1604. There will be dance music. Cost: $20 each. Visit: www.brackenridgereuniondance.com or www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100002245128644.

The 50th Fox Tech High School reunion dance is scheduled for Oct. 5, 2013, at the San Antonio Shrine Auditorium, 901 N.W. Loop 1604. All 1963 classmates interested are encouraged to contact Lupe Leos, 372-0355, or Vangie Perales, 834-6993.

Jefferson High School’s Class of 1983 plans to have a reunion June 21 and 22, 2013. Contact: tjclassof83@gmail.com or the Facebook group, TJ 83.

Farmers’ markets

San Antonio Farmers Market Association — 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Fridays at 11121 Wurzbach Road, Tuesdays and Saturdays at Olmos Basin Park, 100 Jackson-Keller Road, and Mondays at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 16320 Huebner Road. Visit: www.sanantoniofarmersmarket.org.

Pearl Brewery Farmers Market Association — 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at 220 E. Grayson St. Visit: www.atpearl.com.

Quarry Farmers and Ranchers Market — 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays at Alamo Quarry Market, 255 E. Basse Road. This includes live music, food trucks and the occasional cooking demonstration. Contact: www.quarryfarmersmarket.com or 722-5077.

The Alley on Bitters Farmers Market — 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at 555 W. Bitters Road. Breakfast sold at Madexalli Cultural Coffee Bar beginning at 8 a.m. This includes a dog park and live music. Call: 494-3226.

Galleries/museums

Salud, 8123 Broadway, hosts “Vivan Los Muertos,” Raul Servin’s exhibit honoring Dia de los Muertos. Call: 320-6034.

REM Gallery, 219 E. Park Ave., hosts “As They Were,” works by Jenelle Esparza, through Friday. Call: 224-1227.

Gallery Nord, 2009 N.W. Military Highway, hosts an opening reception 6-9 p.m. Saturday for “You Don’t Know Who I Am, But I Know Who You Are,” a multimedia exhibit by local artist Carla Veliz exploring consumerism, technology and interpersonal communications. Contact: www.gallerynord.com or 348-0088.

Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty hosts public openings noon-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 108 Happy Trail in Shavano Park, featuring Mexican artist Yazmin Belcerra’s first U.S. art exhibit. A self-taught artist, Belcerra draws her inspiration from life’s experiences, translating her deepest feelings onto the canvas. Belcerra began showcasing her work in Mexico in 2005 and has since built a strong following. Visit: www.kuperrealty.com.

San Antonio Calligraphers’ Guild hosts an opening reception 4:30-6:30 p.m. Sunday at Crumpets Restaurant, 3920 Harry Wurzbach, for its annual fall exhibit, which runs through Jan. 6.

Texas Pastel Society holds the second biennial juried pastel exhibition through Monday at Art Incorporated, 9401 San Pedro Ave. Call: 340-1091.

Coppini Academy of Fine Arts, 115 Melrose Place, hosts a members’ fall juried exhibit through Nov. 9. Call: 824-8502.

University of the Incarnate Word Art Department hosts an exhibit, “Life Portraits: Works by Vikki Fields,” through Nov. 9 at Semmes Gallery on campus, 4301 Broadway.

South Texas Popular Culture Center, 1017 E. Mulberry, hosts its Dia de los Muertos exhibit, which visually reflects disparate musical influences of Texas. A community altar will be available for family, friends and fans of deceased musicians to bring mementos and photos for display. Altars will be auctioned in silent bids throughout the run of the show, ending Nov. 18. A portion of the artist’s proceeds will be donated to Tex Pop. Admission is free and open to the public, donations are welcome. Visit: www.facebook.com/pages/South-Texas-Popular-Culture-Center.

University of the Incarnate Word’s Rosenberg School of Optometry hosts an exhibit of photos by local photographer Bob Gardner through April 2013 at 9725 Datapoint Drive.

Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, 922 San Pedro Ave., hosts “Renacimiento desde las entranas de mi ser (Rebirth from the depths of my being),” an exhibit of ceramic works by Veronica Castillo Hernandez and family, through Nov. 17. Call: 228-0201.

J.R. Mooney Galleries of Fine Art, 8302 Broadway, hosts “Under 300,” a holiday-themed exhibit of works through December. Visit: www.jrmooneygalleries.com.

San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones Ave., hosts these exhibits: “Adad Hannah: Intimate Encounters” through Dec. 30; “Love in Three Capitals” through Nov. 11; “Aphrodite and the Gods of Love” through Feb. 17; “Rostros de Maria: The Virgin as Archetype and Inspiration” now through Feb. 20. “Ongoing events include: live music 6-8:30 p.m. Fridays at Café des Artistes; First Sundays for Families 1-5 p.m. first Sundays, “Scene at SAMA” 5:30-7:30 p.m. second Fridays with art, cocktails and live music; Run Wild Sports Tuesday Night Runs 6:30 p.m. second Tuesdays. Contact: 978-8100 or www.samuseum.org. Also, The Copperleaf Quintet performs “Rostros de Maria: Songs to the Virgin” at 7 p.m. Nov. 10. Admission: $10 for SAMA members, $20 for non-members including museum admission. Contact: www.benissimomusic.org or 912-9555.

McNay Art Museum, 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave., hosts these exhibits: “Songs of Social Significance: Designs from the Tobin Collection” through Dec. 2; “For Jerry: Masterpieces from the Lawson Bequest” through Jan. 13; “Prints of the People: The Taller de Gráfica Popular” through Jan. 20; “Estampas de la Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection” through Jan. 27; “America’s Finest: Recent Works by Vincent Valdez” through Jan. 27. Visit: www.mcnayart.org.

Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway, hosts these exhibits: “Texas Performers Under the Big Top” through Jan. 13; “Mummies of the World: The Exhibition” through Jan. 27; “Threads of South America: 2,000 Years of Textiles” through March 31. Sunday Jazz at the Witte 4-7 p.m. Nov. 11 features Henry Brun and the Latin Playerz. Ongoing activities: Children’s Chorus of San Antonio in “Informance!” at 5 p.m. Tuesdays, featuring demonstrations and performances in conjunction with the Witte’s Free Tuesdays. Contact: www.wittemuseum.org or 357-1910.

San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place, hosts: its annual “Art in the Garden” sculpture exhibit through March 1, 2013; the exhibit “Dinosaur Stampede” through Dec. 31. SABG hosts Family Flashlight Night at the Garden 6-8:30 p.m. Nov. 9 when attendees may bring their flashlight and explore the garden and night sky. Ongoing activities: Watersaver Walks conservation programs at 10 a.m. first Fridays and third Saturdays; tree care courses; beginner bird walks at 9 a.m. third Saturdays; monthly Earth-Kind Landscape classes and workshops on eco-friendly horticulture; as well as gardening and nature workshops. Contact: 829-5100 or www.sabot.org.

Holocaust Memorial of San Antonio, Barshop Jewish Community Center, 12500 N.W. Military Highway, is open 9 a.m.-noon weekdays and 1-3 p.m. Sundays or by appointment. Contact: 302-6807 or www.jfsatx.org.

SPECIAL EVENTS

TODAY

Spoof performances of the Hitchcock thriller “The 39 Steps” will be performed 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, through Nov. 15 at Sheldon Vexler Theater, 12500 N.W. Military Highway. Additional show set for 7:30p.m. Nov. 4. Tickets: $14-$20. Call: 302-6835.

North East School of the Arts students present the musical “42nd Street” 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 11 at Lee High School auditorium, 1400 Jackson-Keller Road. Tickets: $10-$12. Contact: www.neisd.net/nesa/tickets or 356-1036.

Barnes and Noble, 18030 U.S. 281 North, hosts through November a holiday book drive to benefit children of the USO United Through Reading Military Program. Contact: 490-0937 or crm2927@bn.com.

Johnson High Theatre students perform “The Real Queen of Hearts Ain’t Even Pretty” at 7 p.m. today through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the campus auditorium, 23203 Bulverde Road. Call: 356-0400.

Churchill High School theater students perform Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” at 7 p.m. today through Saturday at Lanny Naegelin Theatre on campus, 12049 Blanco Road. Contact: Kelly Wickens, 545-7848.

Christian band Tenth Avenue North performs live at 7 p.m. at Concordia Lutheran Church, 16801 Huebner Road, with special guests Audrey Assad and The Rend Collective Experiment Tickets: $24 general; $49 VIP. Visit: www.liveshowticketing.com or www.gregcarnesprod.com.

Company Theatre’s The Dinnerbox Series presents award-winning actor Damian Gillen as he gives the audience a crash course in all things Groucho Marx in “The Groucho Show: at 7:30 p.m. at Little Italy restaurant, 824 Afterglow. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m. Tickets: $30 advance for dinner and show; $40 at the door. Contact: 800-838-3006 or www.thecompanytheatre.org.

Harlequin Dinner Theater, 2652 Harney Road at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, hosts performances of the family drama “On Golden Pond” at 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays through Nov. 17. Dinner is available at 6:15 p.m. Admission: $16.50-$33. Call: 222-9694.

Overtime Theater, 1203 Camden St., hosts final performances of “Open Sesame! A Bollywood Pantomine,” a retelling of “Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves” in musical comedy form, at 8 p.m. today through Saturday. Tickets: $10-$14. Call: 557-7562.

FRIDAY

Playhouse San Antonio, 800 W. Ashby Place, hosts performances of David Mamet’s political comedy “November” 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 18. Tickets: $10-$25. Contact: 733-7258 or www.ThePlayhouseSA.org.

San Antonio Symphony provides the program “Wicked Divas” at 8 p.m. at Trinity University Laurie Auditorium. Nicole Parker and Katie Rose Clarke, stars of the hit musical “Wicked,” join guest conductor Steven Reineke in diva showstoppers including favorites from “Wicked,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “My Fair Lady,” “Ragtime” and “Chicago.” Tickets: $8-$12. Contact: www.sasymphony.org or 554-1010.

Laurel Heights United Methodist Day School, 227 W. Woodlawn Ave., hosts its annual family-friendly Octoberfest event 5:30-7 p.m. with food, music and games.

Hardy Oak Elementary School PTA host its annual fall festival and silent auction 4-8 p.m. on campus, 22900 Hardy Oak Blvd., with carnival rides, food, inflatable slides, face painting, games and more.

San Antonio’s popular Latin music series, Echale Latino Music Estyles, presents Carla Morrison and La Santa Cecilia in a free, public concert at 7 p.m. at Pearl Park Amphitheater 200 E. Grayson St. Visit: http://pearlechale.com.

SATURDAY

Olmos Park Terrace plays hosts to the 12th annual Uptown Art Stroll 10 a.m-5 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. This features 47 artists at 17 artists’ homes and studios in the San Antonio neighborhood between McCullough and San Pedro avenues, south of Basse Road and north of Hildebrand Avenue. Visitors can walk to different art venues or catch a free pedicab. Admission is free and open to the public. Visit: www.southofbasse.com.

Coker United Methodist Church, 231 E. North Loop Road, hosts its annual CokerFest 9 a.m.-4 p.m., featuring handmade arts and crafts, quilts, baked goods, holiday decorations and more from among more than 100 vendors.

Unlimited Thought Life Enrichment Center, 5525 Blanco Road, hosts its monthly body-mind-spirit fair 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday, including free lectures, vendors and $25 readings. Contact: 525-0693 or www.unlimited-thought.com.

Trinity University Jazz Ensemble gives a free, public concert at 7:30 p.m. at Ruth Taylor Recital Hall on campus.

Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, 600 Oblate, hosts a fall arts and crafts showcase 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Shavano Park residents are invited to help volunteer and clean up the city’s part of Northwest Military Highway, starting at 9 a.m. at City Hall, 900 Saddletree Court. Some equipment will be available.

The Jitterbug Vipers perform danceable jazz from the 1930s and `40s at 6:30 p.m. at Lions Field Activity Center, 2809 Broadway, as part of an Urban Campfires show. Costs: $15-$18.

Mary Ann de la Garza presents a public organ recital at 7 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 600 Oblate. Admission: $10 per person. Email Sr. Dorothy Batto, Dorothy.Batto@amormeus.org, to RSVP. Proceeds benefit the Sacred Garden ministry of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.

Vanguard Veterinary Associates offers low-cost vaccinations for dogs and cats at these times and sites: Saturday: 9-11 a.m. at H-E-B, 12018 Perrin-Beitel, and Walgreens, 22114 Bulverde Road; 12:30-2:30 p.m. at H-E-B Plus, 21019 U.S. 281 North, and H-E-B, 14087 O’Connor Road; Sunday — 9-11 a.m. at H-E-B, 18140 U.S. 281 North; Nov. 10 — 9-11 a.m. at H-E-B, 12777 Interstate 10 West; 12:30-2:30 p.m. at Pet Supplies Plus, 15430 San Pedro Ave., Suite A; Nov. 11 — 12:30-2:30 p.m. at H-E-B, 1150 N.W. Loop 1604. VVA also offers heartworm screenings and preventatives, flea and tapeworm medications, and feline leukemia and AIDS tests. Visit: www.lowcostvacc.com.

Terrell Hills Playground Association invites local children and parents to Pajamas in the Park 5-9 p.m. at the community playground near the intersection of Crestwood and Arvin. There will be refreshments, plenty of family-friendly activities and a movie screening. Proceeds will be used to make playground improvements. Wear your jammies and bring a blankie and a flashlight. Contact: terrellhillspa@gmail.com or www.terrellhillspa.org.

San Antonian Jennie Jones discusses and signs copies of her children’s novel, “Arlie’s Dreams,” 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, 600 Oblate. The book is about a girl who has always had the same dream, which contains a mysterious man who controls the animals and the wind.

Participate in a “Tree-K Fun Run” followed by a morning all about trees as the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department and the Alamo Forest Partnership present a special fall Arbor Day celebration, 8 a.m.-noon at San Pedro Springs Park, 1415 San Pedro Ave. The first 100 people who register for the Tree-K Fun Run are guaranteed a goodie bag complete with a “tree-shirt “and a tree. A donation of $15 per person is suggested for the run. Other activities include a community tree planting at 9 a.m. followed by tree care demonstrations, an on-site saw mill demonstration highlighting the importance of recycling urban timber, informational booths, and a variety of other family fun activities. Approximately 100 trees will be adopted out at no charge (one per household) while supplies last. Adopters must first attend a brief tree education class that begins at 10:30 a.m. Contact: www.active.com/running/san-antonio-tx/arbor-day-tree-k-2012 or 207-3108.

San Antonio Metropolitan Ballet presents “The Snow Queen,” a ballet in two acts on Hans Christian Andersen’s famed tale, at 7 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry. Admission: $12-$16. Contact: 207-2234 or www.sametballet.org.

Award-winning children’s author and Rogers Ranch-area resident Catherine Stier is promoting the release of her new picture book, “Today on Election Day.” In this book, a classroom of future voters offers a child’s-eye-view of the important happenings and the hoopla of Election Day. Stier will appear at 12:30 p.m. at the San Antonio Children’s Museum, 305 E. Houston St. Stier’s books are available at www.amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and the publisher’s website, www.albertwhitman.com. Visit: www.catherinestier.com.

San Antonio River Foundation and San Antonio River Authority hold “Learning is Fun at Confluence Park,” a free-admission, public, family-friendly event 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the future site of Confluence Park, 310 W. Mitchell St. SARA and SARF envision the former CPS Energy laydown yard as an artistically enhanced educational facility that will focus on the developing Mission Reach of the San Antonio River. The future park will include such amenities as outdoor fitness equipment, gateways to riverside hike and bike trails, community gardens and more. This event will give people a chance to enjoy the r

GWEN IFILL: Next, our series on Coping With Climate Change looks at how the city of Chicago is dealing with ever warmer temperatures by trying to cool things down with changes to its landscape.

We turn again to Hari Sreenivasan, who traveled there recently.

LUXORA COLEMAN, Chicago: This is your granddaddy. That’s me.

HARI SREENIVASAN: Fifteen-year-old Janell Coleman only knows her grandfather through the photographs that her grandma Luxora Coleman shares with her.

LUXORA COLEMAN: What I can remember about 1995 is that my husband passed in his apartment. He was on the couch, and sitting up, and his — his room was extremely hot when I arrived there. And the only thing that was going was a ceiling fan.

HARI SREENIVASAN: That July in Chicago, the heat index reached 120 degrees for four straight days. Thousands of residents lost power, roads buckled, and more than 700 people, mostly the elderly and ill, died due to heat-related causes.

Since then, the city has been working to prevent such a tragedy from occurring again by improving heat emergency warnings and opening summer cooling centers.

But how can a city control the heat?

Cities are usually hotter than their surrounding rural areas, because all the buildings and pavement absorb the sun’s heat during the day and keep giving off heat into the night. It’s called the urban heat island effect.

Here’s a map of Chicago from the city’s Department of Environment. These red built-up pockets are where the temperature is hotter throughout the city. Or look at this satellite view of Phoenix’s night temperatures, where yellow areas are the hottest. The difference between Phoenix and a neighboring rural town is about 11 degrees.

And making all that worse is the fact that scientists have seen a rise in surface temperature in the last century around the world. By looking at data from urban and rural areas, land and sea, they have been able to account for local impacts, including weather stations near heat-retaining structures.

That is, they know that Chicago is warmer, and not just because of all those buildings.

Thomas Peterson is a climatologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

THOMAS PETERSON, Climatologist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: We look at temperature at rural stations and we look at temperatures at urban stations.

And we see if they are showing the same thing in the long-term trend variability and change. And they are showing the same thing in our record, both in the U.S. record and in the global record. What we find is when we account for the different factors that impact temperature at a location, we see that the temperature in urban sites is warming at about the same rate as temperature in rural sites.

HARI SREENIVASAN: Joseph Fernando of the University of Notre Dame has been studying the urban climate in both Chicago and Phoenix.

He has seen the impacts of the heat island effect and says it’s gotten more intense because of the overall global temperature rise.

JOSEPH FERNANDO, University of Notre Dame: So, that means cities usually have higher temperatures compared to rural, not only due to urban heat island, but also the climatic change. So climate change basically exacerbates the effects at night.

HARI SREENIVASAN: Fernando says that as earth’s temperature increases, a city’s developed areas will retain even more nighttime heat than other areas.

How significant is that difference between rural and urban in, say, a city like Chicago?

JOSEPH FERNANDO: Well, now, here it’s about five degrees. In 1970, it’s about two-and-a-half degrees. So it has doubled up over 40 years.

HARI SREENIVASAN: This past summer, Chicago once again saw record-breaking high temperatures. According to a climate assessment commissioned by the city, Chicago’s annual average temperature has warmed by more than two degrees Fahrenheit since 1945.

Unless something changes this trend line, by the end of the century, a Chicago summer could feel like an Atlanta, Ga., summer, and there could be more frequent, longer, and more intense heat waves like that of 1995.

There also could be more rain, since higher temperatures means less precipitation falls as snow.

KAREN WEIGERT, Chicago Chief Sustainability Officer: The data there really set the stage for us to think about what solutions could be in place. So, the data suggested things like we will see more high-heat days, more heat events, more rain, more storm events, in the context of an overall change and some warming.

HARI SREENIVASAN: Karen Weigert is the chief sustainability officer for the city heading up Chicago’s ambitious mission to cool the city down.

KAREN WEIGERT: We’re in the midst of, right now, a $7 billion multiyear program on building a new Chicago. So we’re redoing and renovating infrastructure throughout the city.

HARI SREENIVASAN: They’re changing everything from head to toe or, in a city’s case, from roof to street.

One of Chicago’s most beautiful gardens is one very few people get to see, a 23,000-square-foot green roof that sits on top of City Hall.

The difference a green roof makes is measurable. That side of City Hall’s roof used to be traditional black, like most roofs.

On a hot day, when it was 90 degrees out, they came out and measured the surface temperature. It was 169 degrees, vs. this side of City Hall, where they have a green roof, and the surface temperature was 90 degrees, almost an 80-degree difference.

Michael Berkshire administers green roof projects for the city.

MICHAEL BERKSHIRE, Chicago Green Projects Administrator: The rooftops are one of the last kind of frontiers that you can really look at, and it’s a significant amount of space.

HARI SREENIVASAN: Berkshire says the plants on green roofs soak up heat, and keep both the buildings underneath and the air above them cooler. That, in turn, reduces the cost of air conditioning. This roof saves City Hall about $3,600 a year.

Chicago has 359 green roofs covering almost five-and-a-half million square feet. That’s more than any other city in North America. MillenniumPark is the largest green roof in the world at 25 acres, covering parking garages, a railway, and an opera house.

MICHAEL BERKSHIRE: What’s interesting about a green roof is that it provides the benefits that can help mitigate in terms of, you know, keeping the temperatures lower.

But then in terms of the adaptation, we’re going to see more rainfall and heavier rainfall events.

So the more rainfall you can absorb on site, the less we’re going to overburden that combined storm sewer system.

HARI SREENIVASAN: So, a green roof not only helps reduce the heat; it also cuts back on storm water runoff.

To encourage more of them, Chicago has mandated that all new buildings that require any public funds must be LEED certified, or designed with energy efficiency in mind. And any project that includes a green roof in its application gets a faster permitting process.

Faster permits mean faster move-ins and more revenue. That, combined with energy savings, is the kind of green that incentivizes developers like Jason Westrope.

 

JASON WESTROPE, Development Management Associates: If every rooftop in Chicago was covered with green roof, the city could save $100 million in energy every year, so there is a direct benefit between the amount of heat energy gained by a building that’s not covered, or protected, by a green roof, and that does translate into cooling costs downstairs.

HARI SREENIVASAN: Downstairs is 900 Michigan Avenue, a luxury retail, office, and condo building. The green roof was installed because of the city’s incentives, but they expanded it when they realized it was attracting tenants.

Chicago is also taking the fight to the streets.

To see one of Chicago’s most ambitious projects, we met Janet Attarian in a downtown alley. She is a project director for the city’s Department of Transportation.

JANET ATTARIAN, Chicago Department of Transportation: What’s special about this alley is that it has permeable pavement. And what that means is that the pavement is designed to allow rainwater to pass through the pavement and be able to access the earth underneath, so that it can infiltrate into the soils, as it would naturally do if we were in a farm field.

An alley that has water that’s basically being stored underneath it, as that evaporates, it helps keep the air around it cool.

HARI SREENIVASAN: Traditional alleys absorb heat, and cast away potentially cooling rainwater. When you realize there are 1,900 miles of alleyways in Chicago, more than any city in the country, you start to see the potential of green alleys.

Attarian says that the goal is to make complete street systems, from bike lanes to widened sidewalks for increased pedestrian traffic to landscaping that provides shade.

She also took us to an intersection in South Chicago, a main thoroughfare for trucks coming from around the Midwest and one of the prototype examples of Chicago’s newly engineered streetscapes.

JANET ATTARIAN: The light bounces off, and also the heat bounces off, if you will, right?

HARI SREENIVASAN: OK. Yes.

JANET ATTARIAN: It doesn’t absorb the heat. It’s like when you put on a black T-shirt on a hot day vs. a white T-shirt.

HARI SREENIVASAN: Literally, between these two lanes, if you put thermometers down for an hour each, they would have a different temperature.

JANET ATTARIAN: They should have a different temperature. And we actually have a laser that’s pointed at it so that we can measure temperature right at the surface.

HARI SREENIVASAN: This streetscape is a test bed in many ways. The composition of some lanes is more porous to soak up rain. Other lanes are coated with a micro-thin concrete to reflect more light and keep the street from absorbing so much heat. And the curbs are catch basins, so excess runoff feeds sidewalk gardens, instead of ending up in the drain.

Moving forward, the city is looking to further understand where the city’s hot spots are. Thermal radar and mapping will allow them to pinpoint where heat is having the biggest impact.

While all of these efforts may be expensive, Karen Weigert says it would be more costly not to act.

KAREN WEIGERT: But it really comes down to what do we do today to make sure we’re pointed in that right direction. So there’s an economic value case out there, and there’s also just huge benefits to bring to Chicagoans right now.

HARI SREENIVASAN: Chicago’s efforts are being studied by cities around the country. They’re still early experiments yet, and it will be years until all the roofs are green or the streets are paved with permeable and reflective materials.

Until then… 

LUXORA COLEMAN: This is the fan I use in my bedroom.

HARI SREENIVASAN: … residents do what they can to stay cool.

GWEN IFILL: You can see a slide show of some of Chicago’s most impressive green roofs, plus find all of our Coping With Climate Change reports on our website.

A skeleton strapped to the light post. Several large dogs running enthusiastically about. A lifelike deer that has served an archer faithfully for target practice.

At any other place or time, any of these could prove a distraction. But when approaching the home of Wendy Varick and Dave DeSmidt for the first time, it’s hard to have eyes for anything but the charming, gray-peaked beauty ahead.

Surround such a house with a dozen garden beds and throw in a multistory, windowed barn with a gambrel roof, and you have a country-perfect picture that’s hard to beat.

Newlyweds Varick andDeSmidt have called this 2,800-square-foot original their home for the last eight years. Featuring weathered-looking board and batten siding and a large porch, the house in the Town of Erin appears substantial and cozy.

Inside the front door, a wide foyer with a low ceiling leads to a living room that rises to a height of 24 feet. A stone fireplace built at an angle, an abundance of wood trim, overstuffed furniture positioned just so, casually placed pillows, throws and accessories, and a rail-fronted loft perched above the room all conspire to provide an intimate feeling; the towering walls are practically invisible.

The couple designed the three-bedroom, three-bath house together, and DeSmidt, a carpenter by trade, spent nine months of nights and weekends building it. Varick, who works for Froedtert Hospital, did her part, too, including staining the cedar siding before it went up.

Flowing together

Special touches throughout the house include soft edges on the drywall, farmhouse casings around the windows and deep windowsills. The first floor flows from space to space.

The second floor is anchored by the loft in the center. A master bedroom suite is filled with light; lush chocolate-brown drapes barely skim the edges of the window. A bedroom for Varick’s college-age daughter, Jaimee, comes with a bath and its own loft.

The home’s third bedroom serves as the first-floor den. But when they designed the house, Varick said, “We knew it would be our one and only and we’d be here until we couldn’t anymore.” So, with its own bath, the den will become their master bedroom suite down the road, allowing the couple to stay in the house well into retirement.

DeSmidt built the barn four years ago. It houses a woodshop, greenhouse and a loft for storage. The majority of space on the second floor is used for entertaining, especially for their annual “Pumpkin Party.”

Varick and DeSmidt sat down to talk about their home on a gray fall morning, with dogs Cody, Jackson, Murphy and Cheyenne settled at their feet.

Q. Why did you decide to live here?

Varick: We were dating, and Dave was looking to move from his apartment. It was a nice piece of land, and we liked that it was in the Town of Erin. The way they parcel things out, you don’t have crowded subdivisions. It was in the country but close to work.

Q. Tell me about the design process.

Varick: It was pencils and erasers and looking through a lot of magazines. Dave would have liked to build a log home. but I wanted more wall space. We found a lot of different aspects of what we liked and put them into a home that worked for us. When we moved in, it was immediately comfortable. We knew every nook and cranny.

DeSmidt: Being in construction, I took a lot of ideas from homes I had worked on and made them ours. When I was building the house, I barely had to look at the plans.

Q. Did anything not work out for you?

DeSmidt: I would have liked stairs from the garage to the basement to keep the dust and stuff out of the house. A masonry arched fireplace instead of an insert. The countertops are laminate instead of stone. We just ran out of money.

Q. Describe your decorating style.

Varick: I just buy what I like and I try to fit it in somewhere. I like the rustic but comfortable feel. The woodwork was very important to Dave. He wanted different, more intricate woodwork.

DeSmidt: We incorporated the loft with the living area and the high ceilings of a log home. I didn’t want Wendy to put curtains on the windows. I liked the casing, the woodwork. (Looking at the curtains) But I’ve come around – a little.

Q. What kind of wood did you use?

DeSmidt: The floors are hickory, and all the trim and cabinets are ash. I like hickory for the color and the grain. The ash is a little like oak, but the grain and texture are a little different. It’s unique. Very few homes use ash. I do like painted woodwork, but not for my house.

Q. What decorating elements make a house a home for you?

Varick: Placement. I place furniture on an angle because it makes it cozier. And the biggest thing is accessories: lots of candles, pillows, colors. . . . I change things for the season. I have a closet where I keep all the seasonal decorations or items I’m not using at the time, and then I just switch them out throughout the year. I go shopping in my closet.

DeSmidt: I call it her Pier 1 closet. It’s all the different colors for the seasons.

Q. Where do you spend most of your time?

Varick: In the summer, most of my time is outside until it’s dark. In the winter, it’s the den. The dogs come in and take over the couch. That’s where we relax and watch TV and read gardening magazines.

DeSmidt: I’m in the barn working on things for the house. I don’t have a favorite space in the house. The kitchen is a nice spot. As we come home from work, we meet in the kitchen. It’s where we greet each other.

Q. Tell me about the kitchen.

Varick: The kitchen was designed for how I cook and for the dogs, so they could lie down and not be in the way. I designed the kitchen as an open concept to allow for easy entertaining. We originally thought it would be open with an island in the middle, but that didn’t seem cozy enough. We went with a peninsula instead, which provides a little privacy when cooking.

Q. What space most reflects you?

Varick: The flower gardens, the vegetable gardens. Inside, it would be the living room.

DeSmidt: The barn. I always wanted a workshop, something unique. I’d look at woodworking magazines, and I’d see the nice woodshops in those magazines, and I thought it would be nice to have one.

Q. What projects do you have planned in the future?

Varick: Finishing the basement, putting in an additional bathroom downstairs, redoing the kitchen counters and the backsplash. More trees outside, more landscaping.

DeSmidt: I planted a hundred trees this year, and they all died from the drought.

Q. What kind of gardening do you do?

Varick: Definitely, I like flower gardens. I do a lot of potted plants. We’ve got grapes growing, apple trees; we’re trying to grow an asparagus patch. I think I have the most fun with our pumpkin patch. We do it all by seed. You could go down every day and see a new one growing: how it changes, when it turns orange, how it fits into the landscape – and then using them for the party.

Q. Tell me about your Halloween party.

Varick: It started when we moved out here. We grew a small pumpkin patch for fun. We decided to have a party to pick pumpkins. That’s why we call it a pumpkin party and not a Halloween party. Then it got bigger, and we moved it to the barn. Now it’s just a good chance to get friends and their kids together and have a party – and I get to decorate with skulls and bats!

 

WANTED: YOUR SEASONAL STYLE

Do you, or does someone you know, have a distinctive way of decorating for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa or another occasion? Let us know for a possible feature in At Home.

Contact Entrée home and garden editor Tina Maples at:

Phone: (414) 223-5500

Email: tmaples@journalsentinel.com. Please put “Seasonal At Home” in the subject line.

While few new details emerged during a recent meeting of about 100 residents with consultants on proposed renovations to historic Lake Ellyn Park, serious concerns were raised about a possible reconfiguration to Lenox Road and adding parking.

The Glen Ellyn Park District has been working with Conservation Design Forum, an ecological design company, and landscape architects Farr Associates since early June to create a master plan for the park at a cost of about $56,000.

The popular 27-acre park includes the 10-acre Lake Ellyn where there is boating and ice skating, a boat house built in 1937, hiking trails, a nature preserve, a playground, and tennis courts maintained by a private club. Proposed renovations would affect the landscaping, the playground, the lake and shore line, and the boat house.

• Maps

• Lake Ellyn Park, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137, USA

“We’ve heard loud and clear your desire for restraint and control,” said David Yocca, director of landscape architecture for CDF, referring to comments at a public meeting in August and a survey completed by the park district. “We have also learned that additional on-site parking is not desired.”

Several residents questioned the need for changes on Lenox Road, which borders the park on the west, when Yocca reported on an idea for angled parking and 50 new spaces.

“Angled parking would make the street safer and calm traffic,” Yocca said. But he emphasized that the village of Glen Ellyn will ultimately determine if Lenox Road is reconfigured next year.

“The village is simultaneously discussing possible changes on Lenox,” Yocca said. “We’re trying to reach a plan that would create a shared benefit for the village and park district.”

Residents voiced concern about reducing green space, as reconfiguring Lenox Road could involve 25 feet of right of way now part of Lake Ellyn Park. Some residents voiced concern that the additional parking would be used by students at nearby Glenbard West High School.

“We’re against any changes to Lenox,” said Donna Jennings, who has lived on the street for 45 years with her husband Al.. “The street is wide enough now. We would lose trees and the street would lose its character. If these changes are made, we would leave the area.”

Other proposals would move the boat house’s garbage area from the side of the building and tearing down the mechanical room to expose the back of the original limestone chimney. Also suggested is raising the ceiling of the main hall to expose the original beams, and replacing the metal doors with wooden doors.

Other ideas include building a combination eight-foot observation tower and restrooms for public use south of the boat house. This would prevent the public from having to enter the boat house to use the restrooms when private events are in progress.

Landscape proposals include removing invasive species and restoring woodlands with young oak trees from existing plants and seed banks.

For details on the proposals, and to comment, visit the park district web site at gepark.org.

• 

Incorporating walkway lighting is a great way to enhance the surrounding landscape. Photo: McKay Landscape Lighting

Expert information and tips on walkway lighting techniques for creating inviting and functional walkways.

Calimesa, CA (PRWEB) October 25, 2012

New from LandscapingNetwork.com, the leading source for landscaping ideas online, is expert information and tips on walkway lighting techniques for creating inviting and functional walkways.

Walkways come in all forms and can be made from an assortment of materials. Most popularly, flagstone and concrete walkways can be found leading the way at homes and businesses across the country. And no matter where the placement, proper lighting techniques create safe and inviting walking environments for pedestrians everywhere.

Landscape lighting is not a subject to be taken lightly. Specifically pathway lighting can mean the difference between a path that is fully functional and safe to walk at night, to one that cannot be used at all. For this reason The Landscaping Network has published a handy article featuring expert tips on walkway lighting.

This is a guide for consumers and designers faced with a walkway lighting project. The article covers path and step lighting techniques, and offers two helpful diagrams showing where to properly place lights. The site also covers helpful tips on lighting mistakes to avoid, like placing lights too close together, and more.

For more information on walkway lighting tips, and to find local lighting landscape contractors, visit LandscapingNetwork.com.

Photos courtesy of McKay Landscape Lighting in Omaha, NE.

About LandscapingNetwork.com

LandscapingNetwork.com works with a team of professional landscape designers and writers to bring together the very best landscaping resources and information available. Homeowners, landscape designers and architects, builders and more can also stay up-to-date through the site’s extensive collection of articles, landscaping photos and videos on landscape design ideas, products and more.

For consumers ready to turn their landscaping design dreams into reality, the site offers an easy-to-use Find a Contractor directory to find local landscape contractors and designers throughout the United States and Canada.

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Landscapers at East Beach Homearama show how big ideas can be used in small spaces.

The 10 coastal cottages, which are open for tours through Sunday in the Ocean View area of Norfolk, almost fill up their lots so outdoor areas must be maximized. Landscapers manage to do that with outdoor kitchens, sitting nooks, fountains, container plantings and shrubbery.

Jamie Nisbet, whose design won gold medal at the Strickland Homes cottage, creates each landscape according to the space’s scale and needs.

His Homearama house with a curved front porch features a front garden with a water feature fashioned from three tall, stately pieces of stone. Water trickles over the stones and into a recycling pond accented with more rock. Basketball-sized evergreens frame the garden.

The look is beautifully bold — and serene at the same time — for anyone relaxing on the porch or walking along the nearby sidewalk.

“We purposely strive not to have a ‘signature look’ because we specialize in one-of-a-kind designs to meet the looks our clients prefer,” says Nisbet, owner of Outdoor Impressions (www.outdoorimpressions.org).

“We like a natural look because of our fascination with both water and natural stone and the relaxing quality that a natural look offers.”

Nisbet subscribes to a landscape philosophy that’s practical: Do not plant things close together or too close to your house unless you are prepared to maintain them as necessary. Instead, he places plants away from the house so they stand out on their own and do not cramp the structure.

Some of his favorite plants include Chindo viburnum, an evergreen that he uses as a screening, privacy hedge; it’s reliable and a fast grower, he says. He uses weeping yaupon holly as a small tree specimen because they are easy to care for and add texture and unique form to a landscape.

“I can’t resist cut-leaf Japanese maples because they are perfect in combination with ponds and natural stone,” he says.

“They also are very slow growing and good for smaller spaces.”

Bryan Ramsey, whose design won silver at the Norfolk Sea Sister cottage, likes a signature look that he calls “contained chaos.”

“I often use pots that I refer to as my ‘jewelry’ for the garden,” says Ramsey, who owns Bryan Ramsey Design (Facebook@Bryan Ramsey Design).

“I love focal points and hidden views, and I often incorporate some clipped hedges or forms to balance the whimsy of lighter items.”

Ramsey does just that at his Homearama landscape, displaying an evergreen in a waist-high burnt red pot that’s tucked into a backdrop of taller evergreens. The vignette sits at the edge of a brick patio where pink Adirondack chairs form an outdoor room.

“Use large, large pots,” he says.

“All too often I encounter dinky pots that keep you watering several times a day. The scale of pots is utmost important because it relates to the garden and home.”

Ramsey’s favorite plants include low-growing Drift roses for color and mass plantings, Silver Dragon liriope for ground covers and borders and violas for seasonal color and fragrance during cold months.

Homearama, off Shore Drive, is open noon-9 p.m. Daily and noon-6 p.m. Sunday; admission is $10. More details at http://www.homearama.tv.

Contact Kathy at kvanmullekom@aol.com.

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KEVIN CORVO

ThisWeek Community News

Wednesday October 24, 2012 11:29 AM

Capital University hosted mayors, city managers, finance directors and other officials from about 20 Ohio cities Friday, Oct. 19, with a goal of listening to each others’ ideas about government efficiency and resource sharing.

The Ohio First Suburbs Alternative Revenue Summit stemmed from a task force the city of Bexley convened earlier this year to explore alternative revenue streams within the city.

But Bexley Mayor Ben Kessler saw an opportunity to open such discussion into a broader arena, and with the sponsorship of Capital University, Greater Ohio and Columbus-based Hicks Partners, convened the summit.

“First suburbs” refers to suburbs that are landlocked or those generally considered to have exhausted all developable land, leaving them unable to rely on future commercial development as a source of new income.

Among the local elected officials who attended the summit were: Whitehall Mayor Kim Maggard, Whitehall Auditor Dan Miller, Grandview Heights Development Director Patrik Bowman, Worthington Assistant City Manager Robyn Stewart, Worthington Finance Director Molly Roberts, Upper Arlington Commercial and Economic Manager Bob Lamb, Upper Arlington City Councilwoman Debbie Johnson, and numerous elected and appointed Bexley officials.

Other Ohio cities represented at the summit include Bedford Heights, Euclid, Lakewood, Montgomery, Oakwood, Shaker Heights, South Euclid, Wyoming, Ottawa Hills and Washington Court House.

The summit featured guest speakers from a variety of Ohio agencies focused on best practices of shared services, joint purchasing, consolidations and mergers, and similar cost-saving measures.

Local officials shared their own ideas and worked in small groups following the addresses of the guest speakers.

Kessler said Bexley faced a formidable and unique challenge to balance its budget after Ohio reduced local government funding and abolished the estate tax.

About 20 percent of the city’s revenue derived from estate tax revenue, Kessler said.

Last November, Bexley voters approved an income tax increase from 2 percent to 2.5 percent, but the city still struggled to balance a budget, Kessler said.

“Any further cuts would have impacted services that our residents would not tolerate,” he said.

To that end, the Bexley Alternative Revenue Task Force was commissioned and is expected to make a series of recommendations to Bexley City Council.

Recommendations include red-light cameras, speed-enforcement cameras, the installation of parking meters in parts of the city, and a public safety fee.

The public safety fee would apply to individuals who spend substantial time in the city, but do not pay any tax used to support city services.

James Bowman, chairman of the task force, said all the ideas were recommendations requiring council approval, but a prorated formula might he applied for the public safety fee and should not exceed about $10 a month for an individual.

Lavea Brachman, of the Greater Ohio Policy Center, explained how the merger of governments can reduce funding and provided examples of successful mergers, including those of Jefferson County and Louisville, Ky., and Davidson County and Nashville, Tenn.

Brachman conceded it can take several attempts for voters to approve such mergers, and there can be “big political challenges,” but said significant savings can be realized.

Several Ohio officials shared cost-saving measures of their cities.

Jennifer Pae, finance director for Lakewood, said the city privatized prosecution for safety-code violations.

South Euclid Mayor Georgine Welo said the city’s residents have the option of contracting with the city, instead of a commercial plumbing company, to repair damaged storm water or sanitary sewer lines on private property.

Patty Alsip, a finance specialist for Montgomery, cited numerous examples of how volunteers save the city money, performing duties such as placing and removing holiday decorations, staffing a dropoff recycling center and maintaining landscaping.

Local officials voiced interest in some but not all of the shared ideas.

“There have been some interesting ideas and I hope to hear more. Some of them deserve a second look,” said Maggard, though she dismissed the use of parking meters in Whitehall as an alternative revenue source.

Stewart said she attended the summit because she wanted to hear what other Ohio cities were doing in response to reduced state funding of local governments.

“It makes sense for us to discuss some of these ideas (for Worthington),” she said.

Grandview Heights City Councilman Steve Gladman shared a similar sentiment.

“I came to see if anyone else has good ideas,” said Gladman, adding that, like Bexley, Grandview Heights is particularly vulnerable because it lacks the resource of additional land for development.

Other guest speakers included Steve Campbell, director of regional growth initiatives for Columbus, who spoke about the anti-job-poaching initiative of Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman; Jaime Sisto of Taralogix, who explained the policy of community improvement corporations; and Jill Miller Zimon, of EfficientGovNetwork.

Zimon cited examples of successful government mergers, including those of Pepper Pike and three Cuyahoga County villages, and shared service initiatives in Copley Township and the city of Tallmadge.

The keynote speaker at the summit was Randy Cole, director of the Ohio Controlling Board, whose topics included cost-savings measures in Internet technology, emergency communication and shared health insurance.

Cole said the sheer number of local government agencies and elected officials in Ohio, coupled with a “fragmented system of delivery,” has resulted in unsustainable economic practices.

Many of the practices Cole outlined are detailed on the website beyondboundaries.com, a program of the state of Ohio.

“It’s a brave new world out there,” said Cole, who encouraged cities not only to explore shared services, but to use the efficiencies of the latest technologies to save money.