Volunteers needed to greet families moving into their areas. It’s important for us to turn new neighbors into new NHHA members. Read President’s Message on this page.

Third annual Fall Fun Festival coming up at Fretz Park. Read all about it and make plans to be there. Story on page 2.

New Albertsons retail center gets green light for 2002 opening. You can expect to see the dirt flying this fall, and a smart new shopping center next summer at Coit & Spring Valley. Details on page 2.

Beautification update includes new entrance marker on Spring Valley. Another due for Meandering Way and Belt Line. Page 2.

Northwood Hills Elementary moves up in state performance ratings. TAAS results bring recognition for students and faculty. See page 4.

Real estate report tells of rising home prices this summer. Details by price range on page 5.

July in Northwood Hills started off strong with our eighth annual “Fourth Full of Fun for Everyone” - a parade for the little ones followed by all sorts of activities plus food and cold drinks. It was a hot day, but what else is new on the Fourth of July in Texas? Mark and Lynn Carlton did a great job of organizing and they deserve our thanks. Our webmaster also earned praise for the terrific photos he took and put on our web site before day’s end. Make it a habit to check pictures and other important information regularly at www.northwoodhills.org.

Northwood Hills continues to be a very desirable place to live. Last year 73 homes sold in an average of just 44 days. So far, 38 homes have sold this year, and another 36 are listed for sale. That’s good news if you’re in the real estate business, but not so good if you’re trying to maintain a healthy membership in our Association. Lots of good members move out each year, and we need to make new members out of those moving in.

This is where we need your help.

We need volunteers who like to talk to neighbors and want to gain new members for NHHA. We have an action plan to follow - a system for identifying new families moving in, distributing leads to volunteers, and arming them with a “welcome package” of information about our neighborhood and our association. It’s a good plan, but your personal touch is essential to making it work.

With as few as ten volunteers, we should easily be able to greet all new families moving in during the year.

If we cannot maintain our membership base, we will have to cut back on the many neighborhood services we provide, and no one wants that to happen. I urge each of you reading this to be a volunteer in this vital activity.

Please call me at 972-392-2252 and let’s talk about how you can help NHHA continue its good work.

Free for family and friends…

MARK SATURDAY OCT. 6 FOR FALL FESTIVAL OF FUN AT FRETZ PARK

Last year more than 250 Northwood Hills neighbors attended NHHA’s Fall Festival and had a great time. This year marks the third in a row, and promises to be a great afternoon of fun for the whole family. We begin at 5:00 PM Saturday October 6, south side of the swimming pool at Fretz Park, with special entertainment for the children. Bring your blankets, chairs, and picnic dinners. Free soft drinks and bottled water will be provided.

Once again, the special treat of the evening will be music by the Town North Concert Band. They’ll play selections made popular by the big dance bands of the 1940s and beyond, performing from 6 to 7 PM.

Last year’s Festival was a bit warm, so we’ve moved the event back to October in hopes that it will be a little cooler.

Come join us and bring a neighbor!

New center at Coit & Spring Valley…

ALBERTSONS STILL”GO” JUST A LITTLE BIT SLOW

In our February newsletter, we reported that the Albertsons project was due to start in early summer. Would you believe early fall? The dirt should begin to fly some time in September, according to Andy Goldblatt of CenterAmerica Property Trust, which will own and manage the 20-acre site. The development on the northwest corner of Spring Valley and Coit Road will be anchored by an Albertsons supermarket of more than 63,000 square feet, and will include redesign of Sunnyland Furniture and adjoining retail stores. An additional 30,000 square feet of retail space is also available, although the start of work on Albertsons and Sunnyland is not dependent on leasing this added space.

The new center should be open for business by second quarter 2002. Keep your eye on the progress as it unfolds.

Welcome to Northwood Hills…

NEW ENTRANCE MARKER NOW GREETS TRAFFIC ON EASTBOUND SPRING VALLEY AT HILLCREST

A sculptured stone entrance marker on the median at Spring Valley and Hillcrest is at last a reality. It welcomes eastbound drivers to our neighborhood in similar manner as markers located at the intersection of Hillcrest and Meadowcreek. Stonework on the new marker is complete, with the addition of ground plants and a new tree awaiting cooler weather.

Another new marker is planned for the neighborhood entrance at Belt Line and Meandering Way.

You can also expect to see new trees on our medians next spring. We have met with Father John Stack, a Jesuit priest who leads volunteer tree plantings in North Dallas, and the Northwood Hills area will be included in his 2002 program.

A Special Message To Non-Members

Yes, you do receive benefits of membership without being a member. You receive our newsletter four times a year, you get the benefit of well-landscaped medians and entrances, and you get added security from the 250 hours per month Extended Neighborhood Patrol. And of course you have access to our first-class Web site www.northwoodhills.org.

But…you must be a member of NHHA to get our e-mail alerts, which notify you of upcoming events as well as give you specific reports on crime in your area. And you must be a member to access the special services of our Neighborhood Patrol of marked cars driven by armed off-duty Dallas police officers. Using a private cell-phone number given only to members, you can call the Patrol in the event of trouble, have your home watched while you are away -- with any problem reported to someone you designate -- and have the Patrol officer meet you at your home when you are returning late at night.

Most of all, you miss out on being an active and involved member of our community -- a network of neighbors helping and caring about each other. Why not become a member now. Dues are just $20 per month paid quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. If you join in the last quarter of this year and pay the annual dues of $240, you get the last quarter free and you won’t have to write another check until 2003.

Share the load with your member neighbors using the membership form below. Make your check payable to Northwood Hills Homeowners Association, Inc. and mail it to P.O. Box 800874, Dallas, TX 75380-0874.

Neighborhood school gets good grades…

NORTHWOOD HILLS ELEMENTARY KEEPS GETTING BETTER

Our wonderful neighborhood school, Northwood Hills Elementary, just moved up a notch in the rankings. Based on student performance in the most recent round of TAAS tests, the school’s official rating by the Texas Education Agency was raised from acceptable to recognized.

According to a recent article in the Richardson section of The Dallas Morning News, Northwood Hills Elementary was one of only nine schools in the district to improve their rankings. Congratulations to Dr. Everett Williams and his staff of hard-working teachers and administrators for a job well done. The staff already has their sights set on taking the school to the next highest level - which they missed by only a few percentage points this year.

Dr. Everett Williams

In addition to their academic achieve-ments, the students will now have an up-graded environment in which to grow and learn. Next time you are in the school, take time to note the many improvements. New bright blue and gold tile decorate the floors, and walls have been painted to match. Classrooms will soon get new chairs for the students and new office furniture for staff. In addition, the building’s exterior has been repainted. All this was made possible by passage of the recent RISD bond issue.

The PTA has also contributed by having lockers painted to match the new colors, providing new chairs for teachers, and planning new landscaping outside. All of these improvements at our neighborhood school enhance the learning experience for our children, and make Northwood Hills a better place to live.

DONATE USED BICYCLES TO “BIKES FOR TYKES.”

Here’s your chance to bring smiles to the faces of some needy children. It’s the “Bikes for Tykes” campaign of the Town North Optimist Club of Dallas. This volunteer organization is collecting used bikes of all types - cleaning and restoring them - and giving them to the needy children of the area. Donations are accepted through the month of September, and tax receipts will be available. Contact your neighbors, John and Jeanne Larranaga, 6260 Emeraldwood Place, 972-233-2516. They will also accept used scooters, roller skates, and roller blades. Thank you!

HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS LATELY?

Please be sure to notify NHHA at our Web site www.northwoodhills.org, or you’ll miss the benefit of our e-mail alerts.

Real estate update…

RISING PRICES MARK RECENT NORTHWOOD HILLS HOME SALES

Seventeen of the nineteen homes sold in Northwood Hills this summer went for $300,000 or more, according to the Greater Dallas Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service report for May 25 through August 16, 2001. This compares with fourteen out of nineteen in the previous reporting period. The average sales price was $428,815, while the median price was $390,000. Details follow.

Variations are due to location and condition of homes, as well as amount and quality of updating. There are currently 36 homes on the market in Northwood Hills with asking prices ranging from $189,900 to $975,000.

When new neighbors move in near you, please inform NHHA President via our website: www.northwoodhills.org.

Something for everyone…

FRETZ REC CENTER OFFERS ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES & INTERESTS

Fall is in the air, and at nearby Fretz Park Recreation Center we’re offering a full menu of indoor and outdoor activities to exercise minds as well as bodies.

Your children, ages 4-7 and 7-12 can improve their basketball skills, as well as play some floor hockey. We’ve also got men’s basketball, co-ed volleyball, and table tennis leagues for adults.

The Citysoccer League for boys and girls will kick off September 22. Sign up your young players on U8, U10, U12 or U14 teams. We also need coaches and referees for the various age groups.

Skills development in Tae Kwon Do and Judo can help your child - adults too - gain self-confidence, self-defense, and much more.

We can also help you and your pre-schooler learn to speak Spanish. Sandy Sammons teaches Mon.& Wed. 10-11 AM. Susan Rogers teaches oil painting for ages 7-17 and 18 & over on Sept. 27, Nov. 12, or Dec.10. Call for details. And how would you like to learn more about intuition, laughter therapy, stress management and self esteem? Sign up for a six-week course on Joy and Empowerment conducted by Richard Fabozzi.

And don’t forget our exercise classes taking place mornings and evenings. We’ve got something for everyone at Fretz Park!

Call 214-670-6203 for details.

Bad dog or bad master?

BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR WHEN WALKING DOGS

Most Northwood Hills families who own dogs care about their neighbors by keeping their dogs on leashes and following the rules. But a few don’t - and they are causing problems.

We have had several complaints recently about dogs running unleashed in our neighborhood. In two cases we know of other pets were attacked by unleashed dogs while being walked by their owners. Another problem is failure of dog owners to clean up after their pets - even worse, allowing them to use a neighbor’s yard instead of curbing them.

Keeping dogs on a leash and curbing and cleaning up after them is more than just a courtesy. It’s the law.

Dallas has a city ordinance in effect specifying that all dogs must be restrained by a leash when they are off the owner’s property. The city also requires owners to clean up after their pets. When you walk your dog you must have with you some means of cleaning up the mess or you can be cited by police.

If you have neighbors who let their pets run loose, talk to them about it. Save them the trouble of a possible citation and fine. If that fails, call Dallas Animal Control at 214-670-3762, or call 311. Give the dog’s description and location.

In the cases we know about, Animal Control has picked up the loose animals and taken them to the shelter. Don’t let this happen to you or your pet. Be a good neighbor - and a good master.

Timely tips on home security…

IS YOUR GARAGE DOOR A TARGET FOR CRIME?

It can be and often is, according to police investigators. The most common mistake homeowners make is leaving their garage door open during the day, especially if your garage faces onto an alley. Criminals can simply steal belongings from your garage or, worse yet, gain entrance to your house through an unlocked connecting door. An open garage door is an open invitation to trouble -- but a closed door can also be a target in two ways:

First, if you leave your car outside the garage and it contains a remote door opener, criminals can break into the car, steal the opener, and use it to enter.

Second, most motorized garage doors have an emergency pull cord just inside and overhead. Recent burglary incidents have involved breaking a window on the door or otherwise damaging it at the top to get at the emergency pull cord. Once this cord is used to disengage the lift mechanism, the door can be opened manually. To prevent this, shorten the cord to 5 inches or less and make sure there is no object on the end of it to hook on to.

Security experts also recommend you have your garage door included in your peripheral alarm system. Beyond the obvious benefits, if someone should follow you home you can enter your garage and allow the alarm to activate.

Finally, having your garage burglarized is bad enough -- your house is far worse. Make sure your connecting door has a dead-bolt. And use it.