They Did It Their Way · accept our heartfelt apology! We have corrected the file and posted the...

The Community Magazine Serving Burleson, Joshua and the Surrounding AreaThe Community Magazine Serving Burleson, Joshua and the Surrounding Area

August 2009

He’s aNaturalHe’s a

Natural

At Home With

Scott and Tina Clarkson

At Home With

Scott and Tina Clarkson

They Did ItTheir WayThey Did ItTheir Way

An Ear for Music

An Ear for Music

Need It,Want It,

Gonna Get It

Need It,Want It,

Gonna Get It

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www.nowmagazines.com 2 BurlesonNOW August 2009

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The Community MagazineServing Burleson, Joshua and

the Surrounding Area

BurlesonNOW is a NOW Magazines, L.L.C. publication. Copyright © 2009. All rights reserved. BurlesonNOW ispublished monthly and individually mailed free of charge to homes and businesses in the Burleson ZIP codes.

Subscriptions are available at the rate of $35 per year or $3.50 per issue. Subscriptions should be sent to: NOW Magazines, P.O. Box 1071, Waxahachie, TX 75168. For advertising rates or editorial correspondence, call(817) 477-0990 or visit www.nowmagazines.com.

Publisher, Connie Poirier

General Manager, Rick Hensley

Managing Editor, Becky Walker

Editorial Coordinator, Sandra Skoda

Creative Director, Jami Navarro

Art Director, Chris McCalla

Billing Manager, Lauren De Los Santos

Office Manager, Angela Mixon

Burleson Editor, Melissa Collins

Contributing Writers, Lynn H. Bates Jr.

Faith Browning . Jaime Ruark

Betty Tryon

Contributing Editors/Proofreaders,

Pat Anthony . Angel Jenkins Morris

Jaime Ruark . Beverly Shay

Advertising Representatives, Will Epps

Shane Smith . Rick Ausmus

Linda Dean . Steve Hansen

Carolyn Mixon . Linda Moffett

Steve Randle . Linda Roberson

Eddie Yates . Terri Yates

Graphic Designers/Production,Julie Carpenter . Allee Brand

Cherie Chapman . April Gann

Marshall Hinsley . Arlene Honza

Brande Morgan . Pamela Parisi

Jennifer Wylie

Photography, Terri Ozymy . Natalie

Busch . Ivey Photography

On the Cover: Tye Gray has been practicing for the BMXstate championship.

Photo by Terri Ozymy.

ContentsAugust 2009, Volume 3, Issue 8

28 Around TownNOW

30 Who’s CookingNOW

32 FinanceNOW

34 HealthNOW

ArtsNOWAn Ear for Music

6

20SportsNOW He’s a Natural

22BusinessNOWJust Big Kids

24EducationNOW Need It, Want It,Gonna Get It

26

12

They Did It Their Way Big PlansAt Home With Scott and Tina Clarkson


Editor’s Note


What a Wonderful World!

Last month, we all celebrated our liberty. Here at NOWMagazines, we waited to set off fireworks until after wehad sent July’s issue to the printer — and in the process wemistakenly lopped off an entire column at the end of thestory about Rachel Hart, a beautiful clothing and dolldesigner living in the heart of Burleson. Rachel, pleaseaccept our heartfelt apology! We have corrected the file andposted the corrected version on our Web site, www.nowmagazines.com. To view thearticle, just click on “Online Editions” and then on the link to our archived editions.

This month, the magazine presents more stories of good people from all walks oflife pursuing peace and happiness in Burleson, Joshua and the surrounding area.Within these hot, August pages you will find western swing, Louisiana love thatwould not be beaten by Hurricane Katrina, youthful exuberance, chocolate indulgence,committed compassion and eclectic creativity. Happy August, y’all!

Melissa CollinsBurlesonNOW EditorP.S. Feel free to e-mail me at [email protected] with your

suggestions of people Burleson needs to know about!



W

“You perspired until you felt you were melting. When I wasa young man especially — back in the day when people hada little gentility about ’em — the businessmen in New Orleanswore seersucker suits, as light as possible, with a tie still. Herein Burleson, it’s kind of nice!”

Sonny and Jean no longer do business in New Orleans.His Aflac Insurance business traveled easily from Louisiana to Texas, and Jean is the secretary at Hill College at Burlesonwho meets and greets all students and visitors with a smile.“The decision to leave was easy because business you used todepend on was slowly but surely departing anyway,” Sonnysaid, “and with something like Katrina, it really slowed down.Katrina made New Orleans what it now is, neighborhoodskind of in a shambles, so it’s no fun anymore.”

What is fun for Sonny and Jean now, is looking back at all the so-called coincidences that paved the road to Burleson.“Hindsight’s 20-20. What we bought here for $135,000 youcouldn’t have replaced our home for $250,000 down there.The good Lord was preparing us for coming back here,” saidSonny, who owned a United Van Lines Agency in Cleburne20 years ago. His connections through that business, hismembership in Charity Lutheran Church, plus their memoriesof the beautiful hillsides in Burleson, helped them hone inon this area when deciding where to resettle after Katrina.

During a brief six months in Sonny’s cousin’s home inHouston, Jean researched the community life in the Cleburneand Burleson area, looking for a Lions Club that met in theevenings. “Back in our hometown, we were members of the

They Did ItTheir Way

Three years ago, the Bauers moved to Burleson after leaving the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina.

When Sonny Bauer wakes up to a day with 65 percenthumidity, he gives thanks. In fact, he and his wife, Jean, givethanks every day for the new life they enjoy in Burleson.Three years ago, the Bauers moved here after leaving thedestruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. One thing they donot miss is the weather. “I used to get up in Arabi, a suburbof New Orleans, where humidity was 60 percent at lowestand 90 percent on the high end,” said Sonny. “You walk outthe door and hit the air. It’s kind of like walking into a wall.”

“When something was brewing in the Gulf of Mexico, itwas not unusual for humidity to be 100 percent,” Jeanremembered. “Up here, the wind is an adjustment to have tomake. It’s not unusual to have 30 mph winds in Burleson. Ithink about putting patio stuff out in our backyard, but I thinkmy umbrella would fly off with a 60 mph wind! In Arabi, wefrequently were calm.”

“Yeah, so there was no breeze to cool you off,” Sonny said.

— By Melissa Collins

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Arabi Lions Club, which met in theold jail. We felt when we moved here,The Lions Club was a good way tolearn more about community and makenew contacts, to fill not having anyfamily or friends up here. I knew I’dbe working and would not be free tomeet in the daytime. We found that theJoshua club meets at 6:30 in theevenings.” Jean is now the eyeglasschairman, taking care of the applicationsthat come in from the schools. “Thenurses at the schools will fill out anapplication for a student who needsfinancial assistance. In April, we alwaysdo the Clay Shoot at Alpine to raisemoney to support our eyeglass charity.”

“The thing was church first, and thenLions Club,” Sonny said. “Ultimatelythings happened so fast. We had withintwo weeks settled on the town to livein, found an apartment, and found thatmy old church, Charity Lutheran, hada really great pastor, Kent Heimbigner,who has a conservative, confessionalway of doing things. No frills exceptthe usual Lutheran frills. It was like amagnet. We knew we were where wewere supposed to be.”

Once they chose Burleson to be theirnew hometown, the Bauers startedbuilding a life of friends. “The guys whoworked in the van line business withSonny helped us out to buy furniture,”Jean remembered. “Guys like MikeRitz, who were drivers and packers inthe moving business, always stayed intouch with Sonny even after the businessclosed.” They used the new furniturein their bare Arlington apartment whilethey waited for their Ashton home tobe built in the Meadowcrest subdivision,behind Burleson High School.

“Most of our neighbors are just reallynice,” Sonny said. “The people that livearound us and in this town are friendlyand open. This just is home. It’s niceto live in a town that when you have asevere weather problem coming, thecity calls you on the phone and tellsyou to take shelter. The sirens talk toyou and everything else!”

“You know, I want to be here, yetthere’s always that calling to go back





home, close to your friends and family,”Jean said. “But the problem is, yourfriends and family are all over the place!So, you put yourself in a situation.We’ve made a nice settlement here inBurleson. We’ve found a church wherethe congregation is wonderful, andbeing five minutes from work is reallynice! We’ve been blessed and guidedin this whole process,” she added witha tear in her eye. “A lot of people fromour home state still are not settled.”

“This summer has been three yearssince becoming citizens of Burleson,”Sonny said. “Everything we wantedhas been validated. It’s not something

we could have set up. It just happened.The good Lord has been really, reallygood. There’s hardly a day goes by thatI don’t think of a place or a thing weused to do in Louisiana, but you can’tdo that anymore. It’s not possible. Youstart getting back to reality and say,‘Yeah, this is home.’”

“We’re starting out almost likenewlyweds because we’re establishinga home again,” Jean said, looking forward to their 36th weddinganniversary in November. Her husbandwill be 87 when they get the mortgagepaid off, and he laughs about it. “Youdeplete your resources over time, andyou have to rebuild. I’m pretty muchthankful that we didn’t get big bucksfrom FEMA,” Sonny said, “becauseyou feel so obligated. When you do ityour own way, you can sleep at nightand live in peace.”



BBurleson is lucky to have individuals who have moved to the area

looking for exactly what the town has to offer — friendly peopleand a community that has big-city convenience in a country setting.Scott and Tina Clarkson, transplants from Pennsylvania, haveenjoyed being part of the community for the last four years. Alongwith their 16-year-old daughter, Megan, and their two dogs, Sargeand Zulu, they have made Texas their home.

Both Scott and Tina work for the U.S. Department of Justice inthe Federal Bureau of Prisons. Scott, who has also been in the AirForce for almost 22 years, is accustomed to travel, but when theClarksons were transferred to Texas, it took the family a bit of timeto become acclimated. “It was kind of culture shock for us. It tookus awhile to get used to the move,” Tina laughed. “It was really

At Home With Scott and Tina Clarkson— By Jaime Ruark

BigPlans

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hard on our middle son, Eric, becausehe was just starting his sophomoreyear of high school.” Eric, following inhis father and grandfather’s militaryfootsteps, is currently serving in theNavy at Okinawa, Japan, while Justin,the oldest son, remains in Pennsylvania,where his recent wedding gave his proudparents a reason to plan a family vacation.

Their 2,700-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-bath stone and brickhome just outside of town is perfectfor the family. “We just loved the area.We were from a very small town, outin the country, so the country setting ofthis place really brought us here. Plusmy husband just loved the four-cargarage,” Tina shared. “Of course, the kidsloved the pool, which was somethingwe promised them when we moved.”The backyard pool area, complete withgrill, covered patio, television, tablesand chairs, including a recliner thatSarge has claimed for himself, willsoon have new landscaping to matchthe front of the house, where six newtrees have been planted.

Tina, an artistic person who admitsto allowing her creative juices to flowunchecked when her husband is out oftown, always has big plans up her creative sleeves. “There really wasn’tthat much that we needed to do to the


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house when we moved in, but we aregetting ready to put in new hardwoodfloors and carpet, and, of course, wedid a lot of painting and adding ourown personal touches,” she said. Theliving room, with its glazed mossgreen walls, is a testament to Tina’spainting skills as well as the calmingearth tones she favors in her decor. Thespace, which opens to the kitchen andbreakfast area, is open and airy thanksto an adjoining bar and a multitude of

windows, another aspect of the houseshe loves.

Tina likes change, which means themom-and-daughter team are oftenrepainting walls or moving furnituretogether. Tina confessed with a smilethat her artistic spirit can sometimescause a bit of a family rift. “When myhusband would get deployed, he wouldsay he’d never know what color therooms would be or where the furniturewould be when he got home,” she said.

“He doesn’t really like the colors of thewalls in here, but I love them,” she saidof the front room and formal diningarea, painted in deep maroons andgold tones that give the space a warmglow, as well as provide a contrast foran antique armoire with red doors. “Thisis probably my absolute favorite piece,because there are hidden compartmentsinside,” she noted. “You can tell it wasused, which I love, but it was also justreally taken care of.” The shelves





inside hold woven wicker-like baskets,something found dotted here and therethroughout the home. “Up North,these baskets are really popular. They’recalled Longaberger baskets and I’ve collected them for years,” she added.

Because of her love for old things,Tina has become a frequent shopper atEllison Street Interiors, where she hasfound many lovely pieces. “I love thecharacter of antiques. They’re veryunique. It’s not like you can just go andfind them in any store,” she explained.

“They’re also just so well-built. Theydon’t make things like they used to.”A gorgeous old trunk that opens toreveal inside compartments is one ofher favorites because it was a gift fromMegan, while an apothecary, with itsmany shelves, is another unique find.Many of Tina’s antiques are made ofstrong, dark, beautifully-carved woodand serve as a perfect contrast for herearthy color palette.

Megan’s room was the latest toreceive the Clarkson makeover. It shows

off a fun teenager’s point of view, fromthe black-and-white walls and bedspreadto the polka-dotted curtains. “We didthis all ourselves, even her furniture. Welike to do projects like this together,”Tina proudly shared. “My daughter isactually the one who is really artistic.”Even the dresser drawer knobs receivedthe cute polka-dot treatment.

The office is another point of pridefor the family who has served thecountry. Numerous awards Scott hasearned line one wall, while another





displays a picture of his father, a Navyman, next to two frames holding hismany unit coins. “It means somethingpretty special to get a unit coin, andScott’s got quite a few from all over,”Tina said with admiration in her eyes.“He just came back from a deploymentin Cuba, where he was stationed for sixmonths. He blew out his knee and hashad to have three surgeries, so I’ve gothim home now. He’s an awesome guy.”Also framed is Scott’s poem, “OldGlory”, a patriotic and moving tributethat was published in TIME Magazine.

The rich mocha brown walls of themaster bedroom provide a warm backdrop for the couple’s honey oak furniture. The master bath, completewith sunken tub and seemingly endlesswalk-in closet, will provide Tina withanother redecorating opportunity. “Idon’t like the blonde wood of the cabinets, so I’m going to refinish themsomeday,” she noted.

The Clarksons have grown to lovetheir Texas home, but there is still a

part of Pennsylvania they refuse to leavebehind. “We’re huge Eagles fans, so, ofcourse, we get a lot of razzing for that.We have big parties when the Cowboysplay the Eagles,” she laughed. “Scott’sgarage is dedicated to the team, andI’m planning on painting the floor andwalls to look like the football stadium.Megan and I will be tackling thattogether. I always have big plans, andby the way — Go Eagles!”




couldn’t,” he said. “I would just put my music up on thestand like everyone else and when I would see someone turna page, I would turn mine. When they’d start learning anew song I didn’t know, I’d hide out in the hall and listen tothem play it. I got away with it for a solid year until myinstructor finally caught me with my music upside-down.”

The nomadic life of a musician began to take its toll onPat. By the time he met his sweetheart and future wife,Nellie, he had decided to put those days behind him andstick to his first love, training horses. “I was so sick of beingon the road when we got married in 1959, she didn’t evenknow I could tell one instrument from the other,” he said. “Iwas so burnt out; I didn’t even hardly play the radio for 20years. I just went back to what I knew — training cuttinghorses.” Pat worked with what he calls “second chance” horsesand became quite a legend for being a tough cowboy who couldtake “outlaw” horses and train them to win. It was a time inhis life that he recently recorded in his honest, gritty WildWest novel, Outcasts, Outlaws and Second Chance Horses.

Despite his love of being in the saddle, Pat’s fingerseventually began itching again to pluck a guitar string. “I wasliving in Oklahoma, and I needed to cash a check for somewalkin’ around money. I’d heard one of my old musician friendsworked at a bank. I went to see him so he’d cash my check,and we got to talking about the old days. He called up some

— By Jaime Ruark


FFor about 15 years, Burleson has been home to a living

legend. Seventy-two-year-old Pat Jacobs has lived a life fullof music and rodeoing excitement. Pat has met four U.S.presidents, been written about by noted author TomMcGuane, been inducted into three western swing halls offame and received the Cowtown Society of Western Music’sHistoric Western Music 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award.This cowboy just may have more stories to tell than the Bible,each one peppered with his humble humor and ready smile.

Pat’s introduction to music began when he was just a boy.“I got started playing guitar at barn dances and churchsocials in Kansas with my dad when I was 5. I just grew upwith music,” he recalled. “As a teenager, I just kind ofrubbed elbows with the right people and worked my wayup. I spent some time on the road with Lefty Frizzell. Hewas the George Strait of the ’50s. My guitar playing wasn’tas good as it should be and my tenure with the band wasquestionable. They needed a bass player, so I took up bass forjob security. I guess it was just a natural fit, because I couldimmediately play.”

A lack of any kind of formal musical training never stoppedPat until he went to college, where being unable to read musicfinally became a problem. “When I was going to school atPanhandle A&M, I was working with their horn band. Itwas required that everyone know how to read music and I

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of the old guys we used to play withand we organized a jam session,” herecalled with a laugh. “I guess it’s likebein’ a cigarette smoker, ’cause onetime and I was hooked again!”

About a year ago, Pat finishedrecording a historical CD called TheOklahoma Swing Project, featuring manyof the older western swing musicians.They just released a second CD calledPat Jacobs with the Over the Hill Gang,which was recorded in Allegro SoundLabs in Burleson. “We actually recordedit in 1980 with some of the Bob Wills’Texas Playboys musicians,” he said,explaining that the project came to ahalt until recently. “We remastered andremixed it and added Barry Corbin, themovie star, who did the narration. DaveAlexander, Leon Rausch and RedSteagall were all on it as guest vocalists.It traces the roots of western swingmusic clear back to the turn of thecentury, at the 101 Ranch in PoncaCity, Oklahoma.”

Western swing music has a distinctivestyle, with what Pat calls “an Oklahomaflavor.” He explained, “It incorporatesmore horns instead of all string instruments. I guess you could say it’sa form of jazz, and they just put cowboyhats on it.” His western swing band,The Over the Hill Gang, is comprisedof local musicians. “We’re so fortunatein the Dallas/Fort Worth area to haveso many really good western swingmusicians. When I moved to Burleson,it was just a natural fit for me to fallright in with these guys. On this lastCD, we got over 450 years of totalmusical experience.”

Having recently played at a VanCliburn reception and on the TodayShow, Pat’s notoriety continues to grow,and his love for western swing refusesto diminish. “I have fun,” he smiled.“To me, it’s just the most enjoyabletime. I’m physically exhausted after athree- to four-hour show, but I justlove playin’.”


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EEvery now and then, 13-year-old Tye

Gray takes a couple of friends out tothe bike trails behind Taylor Elementaryfor a little digging. Shovels and dirtflying, Tye’s team builds the jumps fortheir bicycle motocross (BMX) fun. Allsummer long, Tye and 30-40 of hisfreestyling friends have ridden thetrails in Burleson, having a good timeand training for races in other statesand in the nearby cities of Fort Worthand DeSoto.

In fact, Tye has been practicing forthe state championship, to be held atMetroplex BMX in DeSoto the firstweekend of this month. Tye need onlywin 16 more races before turning 15years old to qualify for the right to rideprofessionally and, hopefully, competein the Olympics. Each ride pushes himforward. “When you come back from thetrails, you’re just pumped and want todo more stuff, like jump bigger stuffand go different places and try otherthings,” Tye said. “On the trails, youdo a lot of jumping!”

How high a BMX rider jumpsdepends on the size of the moundeddirt; but whether the rider gets off theground is a matter of skill. “To makesure you don’t break your leg or ankle,you got to get enough speed and you

got to pull up,” said Tye. “Landing isthe easy part. Taking off is the toughpart.” Without enough speed, or withtoo much speed, an inexperienced person could crash and burn, withoutgetting off the ground.

One day Tye hopes to follow in thetracks of Jason Rogers, a professionalfrom Mesquite who is well-known fortaking time from his own race scheduleto give young riders pointers on goingfaster, staying the course, and winningthe race. Tye, who started riding abicycle without training wheels at theage of 2 and has been trekking to thetrails, about a mile from his home, eversince he was 4, is grateful for all theencouragement he has gotten over theyears. “The first time I succeeded ingetting up over a jump, I was in likesecond grade. These older kids weredown there and saying to jump this onejump, and I did it and made it. It juststarted from there,” remembered Tye,who spends an average of eight hoursper day trail riding.

Tye can often be found in his folks’garage, maintaining his two bicycles.“I prefer a Haro for trail riding, becausethey’re built to hold up and are a goodstarting bike for people. For racing, Iride a Crupi,” he said. After learning

from his father to do his own mechanicalwork, the neighborhood children startedcoming to Tye. “If someone needssomething done, I’ll go to their houseand help them out.”

While he works, Tye plans his nextride. “Racing other kids that are fasterthan me,” explained Tye, “makes mewant to try harder. You gotta practiceand get better so you can beat the otherkids in your age group.

“In a BMX race, up to eight competitors will start at a gate. Thegate will drop; you’ll all take off andrace around the track, and you have tobeat several people. When you gothrough a turn, you’ll end up bumpingsomebody and take other people out,and you might fall. You gotta try to goaround each other,” Tye said. “There arejudges watching to make sure you doall this legally. If you do something likeelbow another rider, you’ll be disqualified,and I don’t want to be disqualified, soyou do everything right. Sometimes,people are not thinking and mowsomebody over, ’cause everyone’s mad ateach other and everything. I try to beat’em on the track instead of racing dirty.”

During practice trail rides, Tye thinksabout what kind of tricks he will throwover the jumps. “You are in the air, and

Natural— By Melissa Collins


NaturalHe’s a

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do a one-hander or something, or takeboth feet off of the pedals and then put’em back on before you land,” said Tye,who figures he is a year or two awayfrom doing flips over the jumps. “Ihaven’t tried it yet, but there’s a skatepark in Plano with a foam pit whereyou can try stuff and land softly.”

Before nationals, this young athletetrains with a pro rider and builds hisendurance through other sports, likeweightlifting, wakeboarding andwaterskiing. “You have to be in shapefor the sport that you do. In BMX,

you are pedaling all the time,” Tye said.“Once you stop pedaling your legs,mainly the top part of your thighs, areall burning and everything.”

Because he is a natural on the bike,his parents, Greg and Dianna, keepcheering Tye on. They plan ahead forfamily trips to each state qualifier andeach national event. They also pitch inup to $10,000 per year to fund theequipment, entry fees and travel. “Whenthey buy me new stuff, I work aroundthe house to help out,” said Tye, whoseeighth-grade teachers at Hughes MiddleSchool will find that Tye refuses to lethis schoolwork suffer even on raceweekends. Taking his homework withhim, Tye keeps on pedaling.


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loans on stick-built homes on up to 20 acres, but we do notdo loans on raw land or on commercial properties.” Both loanofficers take time explaining to each homebuyer the stepsrequired to secure their loan. “My goal is to make my customers feel at ease, to take their calls and answer theirquestions at any time,” Lisa said.

Over a span of nearly eight years as branch manager forService First Mortgage, Lisa has helped her firm weather theeconomic storms. “Texas is not really hurting like the Eastand West Coasts,” assured Lisa. “The guidelines have gottenharder and stiffer, and they’re looking closer at who they’relending to. Yet we’re still lending money.

“The perception out there is that there’s no money to lend,and you still have to put 20 percent down. That’s not thecase. We can get people in for 3.5 percent and even at zeropercent if you meet certain income guidelines or are a veteran.You can also get in for zero percent using USDA loans.”

For those interested in buying their first home, Lisa andTerrie encourage immediate action. “Time is running out onthe $8,000, first-time homebuyer government fund. Anyfirst-time homebuyer receives up to $8,000 — but loans


The Time is Now!— By Melissa Collins

WWith a reputation for delivering on their promises, the

loan officers at Service First Mortgage pave the way for people to enjoy the benefits of home ownership. Lisa Keeseand Terrie Goodloe have worked together for over nine years,and all of their customers are referrals from real estate agentsand from other satisfied customers who come back because ofthe experience they have with Terrie and Lisa. “Our ethicsand morals are lined up,” Lisa said of her friend, Terrie. “Shetakes care of her customers.”

Lisa, who serves the community as a Rotarian and boardmember of the Burleson Chamber of Commerce, has been inthe mortgage business since she was 16 years old. “I am nowstarting to hear from my customers’ children! I just heardfrom a former customer who is now a real estate agent inCleburne. She was impressed with my service on her loan andwants to refer me to her customers.”

Lisa and Terrie prepare FHA, VA, USDA and Conventionalloans for properties in Texas and Oklahoma. “Because of myexpertise in doing those standard loans, we survived the subprime crunch,” Lisa said. “Many years ago, we didmanufactured homes. Those became risky. Now, we prepare

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must be closed by December 1, 2009,”Lisa explained. “Whether you’re married or single, you are eligible. Irecommend you call a CPA to confirmwhether you qualify.”

Terrie recently closed two loans thatwere both first-time homebuyers in

their early 20s who purchased small,older homes. “It’s exciting. One was asingle young lady, and one was a youngfamily with a small child,” Terrie said.“The $8,000 tax credit is a great benefitto those first-time homebuyers whowant to get into a home and fix it upwith paint and carpet. They get the taxcredit relatively quickly to renovatetheir homes. They can file an amendedreturn on their 2008 taxes and receivethat tax credit as a tax refund within4-6 weeks.”

Terrie and Lisa know that a home isone of the biggest purchases any personis going to make in their lifetime. Fora stress-free experience when you areready to buy, call Service FirstMortgage at (817) 447-7300. Be readyfor a cheerful greeting from PhoebeSainte-Marie when you visit theiroffices in the B&G Plaza on Renfro inOld Town, Burleson. Hours of operationare 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Mondaythrough Friday.


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of the subjects on that brochure that Wanda never fails tocover is item number six, the victim’s right to informationabout the Texas Crime Victims’ Compensation (CVC) Fundand payment for medical examination for a victim of sexualassault and, on request, referral to social service agencies thatprovide additional assistance.

Victims of crimes in Burleson learn from Wanda abouttheir right to be reimbursed up to $50,000 maximum forcrime-related expenses, as well as how to apply for the funds.“If someone’s injured due to the crime, they can ask CVC toreimburse them for the loss of earnings they had due to thetime they were off,” Wanda said. “They can ask for paymentfor counseling,” she added. “If the victim is murdered, [thesecondary victim] can ask CVC to pay up to a certain amountfor a funeral. Domestic violence victims and women whohave been sexually assaulted can ask for help paying rent up toa certain amount to help them relocate to another apartment,and can get child care up to a certain amount. They can bereimbursed for medical bills due to the crime, and dentalbills. They can receive money to compensate for loss of support, if it’s a domestic violence situation, since they nolonger have the man’s income.”

Wanda is grateful for her devoted volunteer, Sheila Wakeman,who helps the victims fill out the application before Wandacoordinates it with the attorney general’s office. “Here’s the

WWanda Page operates a traveling classroom. Wherever she

is, whenever she is needed, Wanda teaches victims of domesticviolence and other crimes about their rights during thecriminal justice process. Reaching those who are in crisis toteach them how to overcome their circumstances involves awhole lot of compassion, experience and knowledge — all ofwhich Wanda has collected over the past 21 years.

Through her own journey as the mother of a shooting victim,Wanda empathizes with men, women and children who suffer at the hand of another and find themselves at a loss forinformation and understanding. “I understand why they needit, why they want it, and why they have the right to it,” saidWanda, whose daughter was shot and paralyzed at work just10 days after graduating from college with honors in 1988.

“About a year after Elizabeth became a crime victim, I wasasked to start the victim assistance program for the BurlesonPolice Department,” said Wanda, who later took a few yearsoff to supervise her daughter’s physical therapy in Florida.“After Elizabeth became a crime victim, it changed so muchof our lives. I saw the need and wanted to help others.” Since2005, Wanda has been on-call 24-hours-per-day to teachpeople how to participate in the criminal justice system afterthey have been injured or victimized.

Whether she meets with the victim at midnight or at noon,either in the person’s home, in her office or in the hospital,Wanda first supports the victim in their shock and grief. Shethen teaches the victim and any family members accompanyingthem that what happened to them is a crime. “If the victimis the child, then I’ll be educating the mother and the father.When they’re adults even, I’m often talking to more thanone victim. That’s startling news when I tell them, ‘This isa crime!’ and I help them get a protective order and putthem in touch with the lady at Johnson County that canhelp them with that.”

The next chapter in Wanda’s curriculum is a slender credit-card sized brochure from the Texas Attorney General,a list of crime victims’ rights in the State of Texas. “I usuallyask them whether they know crime victims have 13 rightsin this state. I don’t remember anyone ever saying, ‘Yeah, Iknew that’ — unless they’d been a victim themselves.” One

Need It, Want It,

Gonna Get It— By Melissa Collins

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key,” Wanda said. “The CVC is aresource of last resort, meaning that if a crime victim has medical insurance,then, obviously, the state wants theinsurance company to pay the medicalbills. What the insurance companydoesn’t pay, then we can ask CVC topay, up to $50,000.

“Month after month, I’m with thevictim explaining to them court roomprocedures, and Sheila and I are withthem in the court room during thetrial. I also explain to them the victimimpact statement,” Wanda said. “Afterthe sentencing, then the victim andtheir family have the right in thecourtroom, with the defendant present,to address the impact of the crime thatthe defendant has caused on the victimand/or the family.”

Wanda also teaches courses at stateand national levels for other crime victimsadvocates. “People that know mewould say, ‘Well, here comes Wanda.’I’m a strong victims’ advocate. I’mcompassionate about this. It’s not just ajob. It’s very deep,” said Wanda, whohad to dig for the knowledge shegained through her daughter’s healing.“I wanted to turn this to good andhelp others who unfortunately comebehind me, so I can make the road easier for them.”

“About a year after Elizabethbecame a crime victim, I was

asked to start the victimassistance program for the

Burleson Police Department.”

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1 large white or yellow onion2 16-oz. cans beef or chicken broth

Cut the ribs in half to fit your Crock-Pot. Applyrub to the ribs; cover and refrigerate at least 30minutes. Peel and cut onion into thick onionrings; place rings on bottom of Crock-Pot. Layribs on top of onions; add about 1/2-1 inch ofbroth in Crock-Pot. Cover and cook on high for 3to 4 hours until very tender.

HEAVENLY SALAD

1 small can pineapple tidbits, drained and save juice

1 small can Mandarin oranges, drained and save juice

1 cup flaked coconut1 cup mini marshmallows1 cup sour cream1 heaping tsp. flour or corn starch1 egg, beaten1/2 cup sugar

Combine first five ingredients, except the juice,

PECAN CHICKEN

4 chicken breasts, boneless1 stick butter4 Tbsp. mustard6 oz. pecans, finely chopped2 Tbsp. oil2/3 cup sour creamsalt and pepper, to taste

Pound chicken breasts flat. In a shallow dish,melt 4 Tbsp. butter; whisk in 3 Tbsp. mustard.Dip chicken in butter/mustard mixture, and theninto the pecans. Heat remaining butter and oil ina skillet. Sauté chicken 3 minutes on each sidethen place in a baking dish. Bake chicken for 20minutes in a 350 F oven. Prepare a sauce bydraining the skillet drippings into a bowl; add sourcream and remaining mustard; salt and pepperto taste. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

EASY CROCK-POT RIBS

1 slab pork ribsbarbecue rub

IN THE KITCHEN WITH EVELYN DICKSON

Look Who’s Cooking

in a bowl; set aside. In a double boiler ormicrowave bowl, combine juices and remainingingredients. Cook until thick; fold into fruit mixture and chill until firm.

MISS LILA’S MILD SALSA

2 16-oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained,rinsed

1 bunch green onionssmall bunch of cilantro1/2 tsp. garlic pastejuice of 1 limeLawry’s seasoned salt to taste

Combine all ingredients. Blend in food processerand serve.

THE $500 CAKE (RED VELVET)

1/2 cup shortening1 1/2 cups sugar2 eggs1 tsp. vanilla extract1 tsp. butter flavoring

It seems like yesterday when Evelyn Dickson marriedher high school sweetheart, Mike, but recently theyhad the satisfaction of celebrating their 40th

anniversary. During their 40 years, they have reared fourchildren and enjoyed their 10 grandchildren. “We travel tosee our kids and grandkids every chance we get!” she said.“We love Disney. We’ve taken them to Disney World andDisney Land several times. We’ve even acquired a fewrecipes from Disney restaurants,” she said.

Evelyn has many wonderful, childhood memories toshare with her grandchildren. “I grew up with my parentsowning a neighborhood corner grocery. I spent a lot of mychildhood around the store,” she recalled. “Most of oursummer family gatherings included homemade ice cream,made with the hand-cranked freezer of course!”

— By Faith Browning

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3 level Tbsp. cocoa1 1/2 oz. bottle red food coloring2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour1 cup buttermilk1 tsp. soda1 tsp. salt1 Tbsp. vinegarFROSTING: 1 cup milk3 Tbsp. flour1/2 tsp. salt1 cup shortening1 cup sugar2 tsp. vanilla1/4 tsp. butter flavoring

Cream shortening, sugar, eggs and flavorings.Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring; add to creamed mixture. Alternately, add flour andbuttermilk. Mix soda, salt and vinegar in a smallbowl. Add to batter; blend. Bake in 3 greased 9- or 10-inch pans at 350 F for 20-25 minutes.Let cool completely before layering with frosting.Prepare frosting by cooking milk, flour and saltuntil thick; let cool. Cream shortening and sugarvery well. Add flavorings; combine with the firstmixture, beat well. Frost cooled cake.

FUN SUMMER CAKEThis one is fun to make with the grandkids.

1 Duncan Hines Marble Cake Mix 1 small box strawberry/banana Jell-O 1 small box vanilla instant puddingmilk1 small container of Cool Whip

Prepare marble cake; bake as package directs in a9 x 13-inch pan; cool, do not remove from pan.With a wooden spoon handle, poke rows of holes incake. Prepare Jell-O with one cup of boiling water;pour all over cake so it will seep into holes. Coverand put in refrigerator for a while to get cold. Usinga mixer, prepare instant vanilla pudding with 1/2-2/3 of the milk that is called for on the box; addCool Whip. More milk may be added if it seems toothick to spread; it should be smooth and creamy.Spread on the top of cake, cover with foil or lid ofpan and keep in refrigerator until really cold. Sliceand eat! Store covered cake in refrigerator


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Review Financial StrategiesAfter Life Events — By Lynn H. Bates Jr.

IIf nothing ever changed in your life, you could probably

chart your financial and investment strategies and then forgetabout them. But your life is full of changes — and many ofthem will require you to take a new look at how you save,invest and protect your family.

Let’s run through some of the most common milestones inlife and see what sort of moves you might make in response:

• Marriage - It sounds obvious, but once you’re married,you have to stop thinking in terms of “one” and start thinkingof “two” in most aspects of your life — including yourfinances. For example, if you are an aggressive investor butyour spouse is more conservative, you both may need tocompromise and choose an investment strategy that’s“down the middle.” At the same time, you’ll want to setsome common goals, such as saving enough for a downpayment on a home.

• Children - When you have children, you have to protectthem today — and invest for their future. Your first step,then, might be to purchase life insurance. You can typicallybuy a term life policy at very reasonable rates. The exactamount of coverage you need depends on your individualsituation, but you’ll probably want at least enough to payoff your mortgage and send your children to college shouldanything happen to you. And to protect your income, youmight want to consider disability insurance. Finally, it’snever too soon to start saving for college. You might want toconsider opening a tax-advantaged account, such as a Section

529 college savings plan.• Job changes - When you leave a job, you may well

have an important decision to make about your 401(k) orother employer-sponsored retirement plan. If you don’t needthe money right away, you might want to avoid cashing outyour plan, because you’ll likely face an immediate tax bill —and you’ll have fewer resources for retirement. Consequently,you may want to roll your 401(k) to an IRA or your newemployer’s plan, if it allows such transfers. Before takingaction, consult with your tax advisor.

• Remarriage - If you ever remarry; you may need tochange the beneficiary designations on your 401(k), IRAand other investment accounts. You also may need to workwith your attorney to revise your will, living trust and otherdocuments related to your estate plans.

• Retirement - For many decades, you saved and investedfor your retirement. Once you retire, however, you shouldmove away somewhat from the “accumulation” phase andstart thinking instead of how best to manage the money youhave accumulated. That means you’ll need to decide whento start taking Social Security and how much to withdraweach year from your various retirement accounts, such asyour 401(k) and IRA. A professional financial advisor canhelp you develop a withdrawal rate that’s suitable for yourindividual situation.

You’ll encounter many important events on the road oflife. By making the right financial moves along the way, youcan help make the journey more pleasant.

Lynn H. Bates Jr. is an Edward Jones representative based inBurleson.

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Through the Fog— By Betty Tryon, R.N.

OOn a foggy day, the car windows often look murky. It does not

matter how hard the wipers work to clear the vision field; itremains cloudy. The world looks this way through the eyes of aperson afflicted with cataracts. If left untreated, it can lead tocomplete loss of vision. Cataracts are the leading cause ofblindness in the world. Although the condition is verycommon in America, total blindness from cataracts israre here because treatment is so readily available.

Cataracts cloud the lens of the eye. Normally,light passes through the lens on its way to theretina. The retina then sends signals to the brain.In order for the retina to send clear, sharp signals,the lens must be clear. In cataracts, the cloudedlens restricts the amount of light sent to the retinaand results in a fuzzy image.

If you have cataracts, your first symptom may beawareness that you can no longer drive safely atnight because of glare from oncoming car lights. Seeingdouble is another symptom. You may find yourself going infor frequent changes to your eyewear prescription in order tosee better. The progression of the condition varies and not

every case is the same. When symptoms reach the point thatvision is impaired, corrective action can be taken.

Diagnosis is simple and begins with a comprehensive eyeexam. The visual acuity test is a routine eye exam thatdetermines how well you can see from a distance of 20 feet. Adilated eye exam allows the practitioner to observe the retina andoptic nerve. The tonometry test is a painless process of measuringthe pressure inside the eye. These objective methods willdetermine if cataracts are present and the extent of the condition.

The natural aging process causes many cases ofcataracts; but not every senior citizen is plaguedwith this condition. Prolonged exposure tosunlight without protective eyewear is anotherrisk factor in addition to aging. Some diseasessuch as diabetes can be a causative factor.

Treatment, depending on the degree cataractshave progressed is effective. Early cataracts may onlycall for a different prescription for your eyewear.Increasing the wattage of your lighting helps also. Ifthe cataract starts to interfere seriously with yourvision, you and your eye health specialists maydecide that surgery is necessary. Surgery for cataracts

is very common and usually very safe. Cataracts need not leadto blindness. It is a condition that can be managed.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute medicaladvice. Consult with your physician for questions regarding this topic.


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Second MondayWellness Networking Group meeting: 7:30-9:00 a.m.,JJ Mocha’s, Old Town. Contact [email protected].

Second TuesdayAfter Hours networking mixer: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Roscoe’sSmokehouse. (682) 552-6750.

Every WednesdayBreakfast Club networking group meeting:7:30-9:00 a.m., Cracker Barrel. (817) 295-2161.

Burleson/Crowley Network Connection meeting: 11:30a.m.-1:00 p.m., Spring Creek Barbeque. (817) 295-2161.

Second and Fourth WednesdaysBurleson Lions Club meeting: noon-1:00 p.m., First UnitedMethodist Church. (817) 980-9436. www.burlesonlions.org.

Every ThursdayToastmasters International meeting: 7:00-8:00 a.m.,Burleson Chamber of Commerce. (817) 343-2589.

Burleson Making It Happen Network Connection meeting:11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Sammy’s Italian Restaurant.(817) 295-2161.

Job Fair: 10:00 a.m.-noon, Burleson Senior Center. Call PatCunningham, Director of Experience Works, at (817) 558-7020.

Fourth ThursdaysABWA Burleson Charter Chapter meeting: 6:30 p.m. RSVPto Linda Houst at (817) 295-7060 or [email protected] Sue McKnight at (817) 295-3220.

Every FridayBurleson Business Builders networking group meeting: 8:30-9:30 a.m., JJ Mocha’s. By invitation only;contact (817) 295-6121.

Every SaturdayBurleson Farmers Market: 7:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., parking lotof City Market, Old Town. Call (817) 295-6121 or [email protected].

Second SundayJoshua Organic Garden Club meeting: 3:00-5:00 p.m.(817) 295-2161.

August 3Burleson City Council meeting: 7:00 p.m., City Hall.(817) 447-5400.

August 8-9Texas Hunter Education safety course: Burleson CommunityCenter. Saturday: 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Sunday: noon-4:00p.m. Children 9-12 years old must be accompanied by anadult. The safety course covers the skills, regulations and

responsibilities of hunting, wildlife conservation and theoutdoors. (817) 295-8168.

August 11Burleson Heritage Foundation meeting: 7:00-8:30 p.m.,Heritage Visitors Center, 124 W. Ellison. (817) 447-1575.

August 15Little Red School House Community Fair: 10:00 a.m.-2:00p.m., Kerr Middle School. Children in need can receiveclothes, supplies, haircuts and immunizations for the firstday back to school. You can help by purchasing school supplies before August 13 and placing them in Little RedSchool House collection boxes in your favorite businessesand churches in Burleson: City Hall (141 W. Renfro); PostOffice (232 S.W. Johnson Ave.); Burleson Public Library(248 S.W. Johnson Ave.). Contact Harvest House at (817) 295-6252 or e-mail [email protected].

August 16DivorceCare: 5:00-7:00 p.m., Alsbury Baptist Church, 500Alsbury St. This is a 13-week course for those going into orrecovering from divorce. Open to the public. Childcareavailable. Contact Norma Guthrie at (817) 247-2708 orAlsbury Baptist Church at (817) 295-0134.

August 17Burleson City Council meeting: 7:00 p.m., City Hall. (817)447-5400.

August 2009 Community Calendar

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