December 29, 2014

Happy Holidays from ONA!

Wishing all of our Oakhurst neighbors an enjoyable finish to 2014!

Looking for a fun night out for New Year's Eve?

Image courtesy www.sundancesquare.com
Celebrate the start of a new year with Fort Worth-based singer Luke Wade, a contender on NBC’s The Voice, who will headline the Sundance Square New Year Eve’s Celebration. Admission is free. Read more »

December 14, 2014

Holiday Fire Safety Tips

Click on the image below or this link for tips on keeping your family safe over the holidays!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B69Eptb5kEO1dGx5cU9DSzFrcTQ/view?usp=sharing

December 7, 2014

December Oak Leaflet Now Online!

Check out this month's issue of The Oak Leaflet online!  This issue includes info on our upcoming Ladies' Tea, memories of Oakhurst Christmases gone by, an update on our Little Free Library, and more.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B69Eptb5kEO1dWRXbV9EYjI0RW8/view

Visit our Newsletter Archive to view or download your copy.

November 29, 2014

Upcoming ONA Events

A quick reminder about a couple of upcoming December events:

ONA Tree Pruning Workshop
Saturday, December 6, 9am
West Lotus Cul-de-sac

 
Visit this link for more details!


ONA Ladies' Christmas Tea
Saturday, December 13, 1pm
Jody Johnson's residence, 2316 Marigold


Bring your favorite tea cup and saucer and Christmas goodies to share with your neighbors!

November 27, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving!

ONA wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday with family and friends!

November 24, 2014

No Grease Down the Drain!


A reminder from Madelyn Gibbs at the FW City Manager's Office:

Hello Friends,

It’s that time of the year for yummy food! Please read the enclosed attachment asking all of us not to throw grease down the drain. Please recycle it!

As always, share with your neighbors, friends and family members.


Download a flyer for more information.

November 19, 2014

Reminder: ONA Meeting at Mamma Mia!

Join us for our Thanksgiving social tomorrow night at Mamma Mia!

Take a look at the restaurant website to preview the menu:  http://www.mammamiabelknap.com/.


ONA November Meeting
Thursday, 11/20, 6:30pm
Mamma Mia, 3124 E Belknap St, Fort Worth, TX 76111

Coming Soon: Tree Pruning Workshop

Fran Burns has extended this invite to all of our neighbors:

Our ONA Beautification Committee members have been interested in learning about how to properly prune trees and thought it would be beneficial to kill two birds with one stone (so to speak).  We have some trees on our common medians that definitely need pruning and have approached Melinda Adams, Fort Worth City Forester, for assistance.  She has agreed to meet us for a "How to" session.

On Saturday, December 6 at 9am, we will meet at the West Lotus cul-de-sac.  We would like to invite committee members, Garden Club members, and anyone else that may be interested to join us and benefit from the same information.

Please mark your calendars and join us if you can!

ONA Tree Pruning Workshop
Saturday, December 6, 9am
West Lotus cul-de-sac

November 15, 2014

Police and Firefighter's Dinner Best Ever!

By Phyllis Anglin; originally published in the November 2014 edition of the Oak Leaflet.

We have wiped down the tablecloths and laundered all the aprons and put everything away for another year. But this one will be hard to beat! Because of a planned trip, I wasn’t able to help with calling our neighbors to remind them about the Dinner. But Yve Martin and Lynn Sonsel (who made a new list on Excel) and Deb Brown (who called the new neighbors) stepped up and took on the monumental calling job.

The EMTs were knocking down our door before 10am on the 16th of October at Springdale Baptist gym. This year, we decided to stay all day and not shut down between shifts. It was a good thing that we were here because there were times that we thought we would run out of food! But thanks to you, generous Oakhurst neighbors, we had just enough. Sometimes the parking lot was FULL of police cars, motorcycles and EMT vehicles.


It all started eight o’clock the night before, Beverly and Dwight Mason, Yve Martin, Randy Linville and Lynn Sonsel, with the help of the staff and congregation (including Pastor Jerry Campbell and Laura Coskrey) of Springdale Baptist, helped us get set up and decorate for the Dinner.

Bright and early, at about 8:30am, all the Oakhurst folks and many more, were busy taking in food, and setting out platters for the hungry masses. Sally Littlepage came after Meals on Wheels; Linda Plemons worked most all day, even though she had a broken wing! Randy not only loaned us all his chafing dishes but helped Fred all day long. At about 2:30am the following morning, after he, Amanda, Doyle Willis, Sandra Whittenburg, Stacey Wright, Peggy Martindale and Ann Kollmorgen had helped us get everything torn down, Randy showed up at our house to help us carry everything inside!

From six o’clock until ten o’clock, we had wonderful music, thanks to Judge Brent Carr and his band Cowtown Music Club. It was well worth the whining and cajoling that I had to do just to see Beverly Mason bust a move to “Wooly Bully”. The band played almost non-stop for four hours! I just can’t thank them enough.


It’s hard to single out just one person, because there were so many who cooked, worked the Dinner, went to get food and came backed and worked some more. Sandra Whittenburg made tons of food, including her killer pork and her version of Duffy’s buttermilk pie, then went out and got more food. Peggy and Ann always show up at the last shift with lasagna and bread. One officer in particular asked, “Is the lasagna here?” Rita Wilson stayed for many hours with Dwight Mason getting the Officers to sign in. Rita then got on her phone (when we were running out of food) and ONA sent out an e-mail message and messaged everyone ...and food showed up! Deborah Warr came in and went to work! She had never volunteered for this event before, but she can come again any time! Between Deborah and Amanda, we were in stiches toward the end.

Beverly and Dwight Mason are shining examples to us all. They have no equal for their dedication and support. We are so fortunate to have them in the neighborhood and in the Citizens on Patrol group. It’s hard to put into words how much Fred and I appreciate the dedication of these people and many, many more.

Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Leasley for picking up our Barbecue from Riscky’s. We also appreciate Riscky’s for selling us the barbecue at a discount. Thanks also to Mayor Betsy for faithfully showing up every year (and for the little gift this year – what a nice surprise!) and Chief Jeffrey Halstead, who genuinely seems to like to come. Chief Halstead sits at a table with a bunch of his men and they all really enjoy the meal and the camaraderie. And, thank you Councilwoman Ann Zadeh. You were there to shake hands and to help serve too!

If I have forgotten anyone, it’s not intentional (it’s just old age). Oakhurst people are the BEST. Thank you all for your donations of food and money...but especially, thank you Fort Worth Police, Firefighters and EMT’s for giving us the chance to serve you. It’s a privilege.

November Oak Leaflet Now Online!

Check out this month's issue of The Oak Leaflet online!  This issue includes a great recap of our Police & Firefighter Appreciation Dinner, stats and info on our ONA website, our Yard of the Month, Kathryn's President's Column, and more.

November Oak Leaflet

Visit our Newsletter Archive to view or download your copy.

November 12, 2014

IMPORTANT! ONA Meeting Rescheduled

ONA Residents:

Please note that our regularly-scheduled meeting has been postponed one week from tomorrow (Thursday, 11/13) to next Thursday, November 20, from 6:30-8pm at Mamma Mia's restaurant.  This will be our Thanksgiving social, so everyone is welcome to come at 6:30 for dinner instead of bringing a dish!

ONA November Meeting
Thursday, 11/20, 6:30pm
Mamma Mia, 3124 E Belknap St, Fort Worth, TX 76111

October 25, 2014

Halloween Safety Tips

Here are some Halloween safety tips passed along by our Fort Worth Fire Department (click on the image to view larger):


Have a safe and fun Halloween!

An Invitation to Help Shape the Future of our City Parks

The following is an invitation from Richard Zavala, Director of the City of Fort Worth Parks and Community Services Department:

The City of Fort Worth Parks and Community Services Department is in the process of preparing the 2015 Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan.  The Plan will serve as a guide for the planning and development of the Fort Worth park system for the next five to ten years.  Moreover, the Plan will provide strategic direction to ensure that the existing park system is preserved and protected and the future park system is effectively planned and efficiently developed.  Most importantly, the Master Plan enables the Parks and Community Services Department to set priorities in a holistic, proactive and prudent manner to ensure the sustainability of City's present and future park system.

The City of Fort Worth has experienced tremendous growth since the current 2004 Master Plan was adopted, and it is important that the 2015 Master Plan reflect the needs and interests of the city's diverse and growing population in order to serve our citizens in the coming years.

You are invited to attend a city-wide public meeting on Saturday, November 1, 2014.  The meeting will be held in the Lecture Hall at the Deborah Moncrief Garden Center at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.  The purpose of the meeting is to inform the public and gain input to assist in the development the 2015 Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan.  View the letter from Director Zavala at this link.

If you cannot attend this event, please visit: http://fortworthtexas.gov/pacs/masterplans/, where you can provide input and complete a short questionnaire.  For more information about the meeting or to speak to someone about the Master Plan process, please contact Joel McElhany, Capital Projects/Infrastructure Manager at (817) 392-5745.

Public Meeting on the 2015 Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan
Saturday, November 1, 10am
Lecture Hall at the Deborah Moncrief Garden Center, Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Boulevard

October 22, 2014

Reminders: ONA Meeting, Halloweenie Roast

ONA Fall General Membership Meeting
Thursday, October 23, 7pm
Calvary Christian Academy

Join us tomorrow night (10/23) for ONA's fall general membership meeting!

Mary Gugliuzza of the City of Fort Worth Water Department will present a program on the growing importance of water, the need to conserve, and what the future holds for our water needs

Please bring your favorite fall goodies to share with everyone at the Fall Social after the meeting!


Annual ONA Halloweenie Roast and Costume Contest
Saturday, October 25, 2-4pm
Oakhurst Park

Bring the kids and your dogs to this annual extravaganza—costume contest, games, hot dogs, and a LOT of fun for the whole family!!

If you want to volunteer or can drop off candy, hot dogs, buns and juice boxes, please call event coordinator Glenda Shelton at 817.975.4643 or e-mail her at glendahartsell@att.net.

See you Saturday!!

October 12, 2014

ONA's Online Home

A Fresh Start
In the fall of 2012, I volunteered to overhaul our Oakhurst Neighborhood Association website, www.oakhurstfw.org. The old site contained valuable content, but it was built on an old platform, and it was beginning to show its age. Using Google Blogger, I created the website you see today. Blogger is entirely free and enables many rich features to make the site more interactive. And with some help from Libby Willis, I was able to migrate all of our old site's content onto the new one.

We're Getting Noticed!
The new site has been popular. Here are some statistics that might surprise you (as of today):
  • Our site has had nearly 20,000 page views since we went online;
  • There were 1,189 page views last month;
  • With 1,140 visits, our most popular page is the Gallery of Homes;
  • With 218 visits, our most popular post was Amon Carter-Riverside High School: History at a Glance, published on 1/6/13;
  • We have published 120 posts to date, including this one;
  • Most visitors (81%) are here in the U.S.; the second most popular location is Germany (3%);
  • Most visitors use Windows PCs (60%) and Internet Explorer (32%);
  • But 12% of them access our site from an iPhone;
  • More users find our site through Google than through all other sources combined; and
  • The most popular search phrase is "Oakhurst Neighborhood Fort Worth".
How to Use Our Website
As mentioned above, our new ONA website offers some features that make it easier for you to keep up with the latest news and events. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of it:
  • On the homepage, you will find Follow ONA on Twitter and Follow ONA by Email at the bottom left. If you connect your Twitter account or submit your email address, you’ll be notified when we publish new posts to the site.
  • You will also notice a scrolling bar listing current events near the top of the homepage. Click anywhere on that scrolling text to jump to our Current Events page for more details.
  • The Search bar on the left side of all pages will quickly find any keywords anywhere on the site.
  • You can share any post on any page via Gmail, Facebook, Pinterest, and more using the small buttons found at the bottom of each post.
  • The Visit Oakhurst page features an interactive Google Map that makes it easy for you to direct visitors to our neighborhood.
  • Contact information for city departments, elected officials, schools, and much more is found on the City Services and Links of Interest pages.
  • You can join ONA or renew your membership on the Join ONA page, including making any optional contributions to various committees. Transactions are handled securely through PayPal.
  • The Contact Us page contains a web form that will directly notify me of any requests. Please feel free to submit any of your neighborhood questions or website feedback using that form, and I will forward to the appropriate officers for assistance.
Thank you for visiting our website, and happy browsing!
Aaron Vorwerk
ONA Webmaster, Morning Glory Ave Street Representative

October 9, 2014

October Oak Leaflet Now Online!

Check out this month's issue of The Oak Leaflet online!  This issue includes details on our upcoming ONA Fall General Membership meeting, Police & Firefighter Appreciation Dinner, and other October events; our neighbor Sally Browning's EcoScape award; Kathryn's President's Column; and more.


Visit our Newsletter Archive to view or download your copy.

October 8, 2014

City of Fort Worth Storm Pickup

The City is making collection of tree and yard debris a priority after damage caused by an Oct. 2 storm.  For the next three weeks, the city will not charge extra to collect large piles of tree limbs felled during the storm.  Limbs should be cut to no more than eight feet long and four inches in diameter and placed at the curb for pickup on residents' normal collection days and/or bulk collection week.

Residents with limbs stacked larger than 10 cubic yards (roughly the size of a Volkswagen Beetle car), are asked to notify the call center at 817.392.1234.  This will allow the city to identify collection needs and assign additional equipment if needed.

As always, keep tree and yard waste separate from other bulky trash so that yard trimmings can be chipped into mulch and re-used.

To learn more, visit http://fortworthtexas.gov/solidwaste/yardtrimmings.  Please share with your neighbors, friends and family members.

Madelyn Gibbs
Neighborhood Education Coordinator
City Manager’s Office
818 Missouri
817.392.8890
madelyn.gibbs@fortworthtexas.gov

October 2, 2014

City of Fort Worth Statement on Ebola Virus Situation

The City of Fort Worth’s Office of Emergency Management is monitoring the situation that has recently been reported concerning the first human case of ebola virus disease in Dallas County. The Tarrant County Public Health Department is taking the lead locally in this case.

"We are closely monitoring the Ebola case in Dallas. There are no cases or known contacts in Tarrant County at this time," said TCPH Health Director Vinny Taneja. "We feel confident that residents in our community are safe."

"Our team will continue to seek out the most updated information so we can to ensure the health and safety of everyone in Tarrant County. We intend to relay that information to the public through our website at www.tarrantcounty.com," Taneja said. "We are prepared for any changes in the situation." TCPH has compiled a bulletin of useful information on ebola. You can find more information HERE.

Madelyn Gibbs
Neighborhood Education Coordinator
City Manager’s Office
818 Missouri
817-392-8890
madelyn.gibbs@fortworthtexas.gov

September 17, 2014

On Track with Fort Worth ISD

Join Fort Worth ISD School Board Member Ashley Paz and other community leaders to ask any questions and share your thoughts.  This community conversation is free and open to all.  No RSVP required—just drop by and walk with us a while.  All you need is a pair of walking shoes, a water bottle, and an enthusiasm for your schools.


Need more information? Call the Parent Information Line at 817.814.2070 or email parentinfo@fwisd.org.


On Track with FWISD
September 29, 6pm
Riverside Middle School (large track behind the school)
1600 Bolton, Fort Worth, Texas 76111

September 11, 2014

Save the Date: Police and Firefighters Appreciation Dinner!

Reprinted from Phyllis Anglin's article in this month's edition of the Oak Leaflet:

Oakhurst cooks are gearing up for a cooking and baking marathon that culminates in a whole day and night of good meals for the police and firefighters that serve our area. This way, we get the chance to serve them! This annual dinner is sponsored by Oakhurst Neighborhood Association and the Oakhurst chapter of Citizens on Patrol (Code Blue).

The date is set for October 16th and will encompass all three shifts for our boys in blue and three meals for the Firefighters. The Patrol invites and encourages all new residents of Oakhurst to come, meet your neighbors and visit with the police and firefighters.

Past and present Oakhurst cooks at the 2009 dinner, from left to right: Beverly Mason,
Michelle Rush, Yve Martin, Thelma Cayton, Shirley Odell, and Phyllis Anglin

Pastor Jerry Campbell at Springdale Baptist Church again has graciously offered the use of the kitchen and gymnasium of the church for the dinner. Springdale Baptist is on the corner of Selma and Riverside Drive. Enter at the northeast door of the gymnasium, off Selma Street.

The barbecue, bread and drinks will be furnished. We need Oakhurst residents to provide salads, vegetables, casseroles and desserts. This year, we are going to try something different. We will open at 10am and will not close until 1am the next morning! We have found that “closing up” and then “opening” takes so much time that we only have a few minutes between shifts. Also, we have found that the officers sometimes come by when they are free, and that can be when we are closed!

Please make time to join us at the dinner hour (5-8pm). Bring a dish and visit with your neighbors and the police and firefighters.

We need neighborhood volunteers to give of their time as well as food, to help serve. As in past years, aprons will also be provided for the helpers to wear. That way, the police and firefighters will know who to ask for tea, coffee and another helping of dessert!

If you are unable to come on Thursday, October 16th, and wish to prepare a dish, you may take it the night before, or the early morning of October 16th to me, Phyllis Anglin, at 1908 Marigold (817.831.8958) and I will deliver the food to the church.

Remember to save the date – Thursday, October 16th. Everyone is welcome!

September 10, 2014

Reminder: ONA Meeting Thursday Night

Come on out Thursday evening, September 11, to hear Tom Galbreath present new information regarding the proposed development near Belknap Street and an associated plan to preserve the natural slope and bluff area along Oakhurst Scenic Drive.  Check out our previous post for background information on this zoning case.

Please take advantage of this final opportunity to have your questions answered prior to the City Council vote on Tuesday, September 16.  See you Thursday!

ONA Monthly Meeting
Thursday, September 11, 7pm
Calvary Christian Academy

September 9, 2014

I-35W Construction Update

The off-ramp from southbound I-35W to Northside Dr./Yucca Ave. will be temporarily closed beginning September 18 for approximately 3 months. As shown below, traffic will be redirected to exit at Pharr Street, where drivers will need to make a pair of left turns and use the northbound I-35W exit for Northside Dr./Yucca Ave.


September 8, 2014

Belknap and Oakhurst Scenic Zoning Change Update

As many of you know, a change in zoning to accommodate mixed-use development is being proposed to the south of our neighborhood, near Belknap Street and Oakhurst Scenic Drive.  The applicant proposes to rezone 14.48 acres from single-family, commercial, and industrial land to urban residential and mixed-use zoning.  In the words of the applicant:

The surrounding area is bounded by the Trinity River and Riverside Park to the west and is in close proximity to Sylvania Avenue and the Six Points Urban Village.  The proposed development has the opportunity to act as a gateway into downtown, due to its proximity to the river and direct access to downtown via Belknap Street and the trails.

The zoning case number is ZC-14-097.  Much more information is found in the ZC-14-097 Zoning Map Change Staff Report.

This case was originally scheduled for a vote before the Fort Worth City Council this week, but the applicant has agreed to a one-week continuance in order to provide local residents one more opportunity to hear from them firsthand.

Tom Galbreath will present the purpose of the MOU (included in the above-mentioned report) and how it will preserve the natural slope and bluff area on Oakhurst Scenic Drive at our ONA meeting this Thursday.  Please plan to attend, and bring your questions!

The City Council will now vote on this issue at their next meeting, on September 16 at 7pm.

Please note that Pre-Council and City Council meetings may be viewed live online at http://fortworthtexas.gov/fwtv/.  Previous meetings are also recorded and available for viewing.

(Updated to confirm continuance of zoning case ZC-14-097 on 9/9/14.)

September 4, 2014

Health Alert: West Nile Virus

We received the following announcement from the City of Fort Worth Code Compliance department earlier today (9/4/14):

This afternoon we were informed by Tarrant County Public Health (TCPH) there has been a confirmed West Nile Virus (WNV) positive mosquito sample collected from Fire Station #19.

It’s extremely important that residents continue to reduce the mosquito population by removing mosquito habitats from your property and to remind your neighbors.

We want to remind you that the most effective means of protection, even more protective than spraying, is to stay focused on the reduction of the mosquito population:
  • Please check your yard for standing water in empty flower pots, pet bowls, toys, etc.
  • Maintain your swimming pool.
  • When you’re outdoors, remember to wear repellent that contains DEET
  • Wear clothing with long sleeves and pants when applicable.
  • Avoid being outdoors during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. 
Additional information is available on the City’s website:  www.fortworthtexas.gov/westnilevirus.


September Oak Leaflet Now Online!

Check out this month's issue of The Oak Leaflet online!  This issue includes details on the upcoming I-35W construction, an editorial on Smokey Montgomery, Kathryn's President's Column, info on the upcoming Police & Firefighter Appreciation Dinner, Oakhurst Cycling Club news, and more.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B69Eptb5kEO1UVZPbDFtejlXbjA/edit?usp=sharing

Visit our Newsletter Archive to view or download your copy.

September 3, 2014

This Saturday: embRACE the STREET 2 and OCC Ride!


https://www.facebook.com/events/808112609209765/

Come out and join your neighbors THIS SATURDAY in creating a vibrant, walkable street! Enjoy vendors, artists, music, food and much more! The event is family and pet friendly! See just what Race Street could be! Check out the RAD Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/RiversideArtsDistrict) and website (http://www.riversideartsdistrict.com/) for more details.

Oakhurst Cycling Club:  Ride to The RAD
Saturday, September 6, 1:00pm
Race Street

Join the Oakhurst Cycling Club and Riverside Riders at the 2nd Better Block for the Riverside Arts District. Games, Music, Food and Shopping, all streetside and easy riding distance from Oakhurst! Take Oakhurst Scenic down to Race Street or a short 1-mile jaunt down Sylvania. Tips for cycling safety are found at http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/10Smartroutesbicycle/.

September 2, 2014

I-35W Construction Information

The reconstruction on I-35W from I-820 to I-30 is referred to as "Segment 3A".

The mandatory scope schematics for the I35 reconstruction are posted at http://www.txdot.gov/government/partnerships/current-cda/north-tarrant-express/interim-project.html.

Please note that the documents at that website reflect the original schematic design; they do not reflect the design changes that have been implemented and were recently presented to ONA.  A PDF copy of that presentation (showing the improvements to the design) is posted below.

TxDOT ONA Presentation

To stay up-to-date on road conditions, visit TxDOT's Drive Texas page:  http://www.txdot.gov/driver/travel/highway-conditions.html.  You may also sign up for e-Alerts from North Tarrant Express:  https://secure7.easyasphosting.com/NorthTarrantExpress-com/GetAlerts.asp.

August 13, 2014

Reminder: ONA Monthly Meeting Thursday Night!

Join us tomorrow (Thursday) night to hear TXDOT Fort Worth District Engineer Brian Barth give an update on the expansion of I-35W near Oakhurst, and what we should expect in the coming weeks and months.


ONA Monthly Meeting
Thursday, August 14, 7:00pm
Calvary Christian Academy Library

August 2, 2014

August Issue of Oak Leaflet Now Available!

Check out this month's issue of The Oak Leaflet online!  This month features articles on zoning changes along Oakhurst Scenic Drive, a tribute to Hazel Ruth "Tootsie" Hartsell, a recap of the ONA July 4th Picnic and Parade, and more.


Visit our Newsletter Archive to view or download your copy.

July 24, 2014

Glenda Hartsell Shelton, our dedicated event planner and ONA Secretary, lost her mother on Tuesday, July 21.  Many of you knew Tootsie Hartsell and loved her.  If you would like to pay your respects to Tootsie and offer comfort to Glenda, please plan to attend her funeral service tomorrow (Friday) morning at 9:30am at the Mount Olivet chapel.

Tootsie Hartsell

July 3, 2014

Celebrate Independence Day with Our Council Members and ONA!

Outgoing councilman Joel Burns and incoming councilwoman Ann Zadeh will be joining us for ONA's 4th of July Parade.  Come on out and meet your representatives, enjoy a hot dog, and spend some time getting to know your neighbors!  We hope to see you there!

See all the details at http://oakhurstfw.blogspot.com/2014/07/get-ready-for-july-4th-in-oakhurst.html.

July 2, 2014

July Issue of Oak Leaflet Now Available!

Check out this month's issue of the Oak Leaflet online!


Visit our Newsletter Archive to view or download your copy!

Get Ready for July 4th in Oakhurst!

The American flags are flying in Oakhurst, so the Fourth of July can't be far away!

Ethan Hodges helping to hang the American flags along Daisy Ave on July 1.

Come out to Oakhurst Park at 10:30am on Friday, July 4th for a parade around the park (decorate your bikes, wagons, and baby strollers and join us)!

Eliot Burk wins Best in Parade at ONA July 4th Picnic 

Afterwards, enjoy hot dogs and fixings and cold drinks in the park.  Bring your favorite side dish or dessert and have a good old-fashioned July 4th with your neighbors!  There will be games for the kids in the park!

For more information or to volunteer to help, call event organizer Glenda Shelton at 817.834.7920.  She welcomes donations of hot dogs, buns, and 2-liter soft drinks.  Bring your side dish or dessert on Friday morning!  Join us!!  And happy Independence Day!

June 19, 2014

Riverside Arts District Wants YOUR Input!

The Riverside Arts District is taking it to the street!  Join them for free coffee and conversation; they're looking for YOUR ideas about development and redevelopment in Riverside.  The conversation started in March with Imagine Riverside, and this is the next step forward...



Riverside Arts District:  The Conversation Continues
Wednesday-Friday, June 18-20, 11am-3pm
Tuesday-Friday, June 24-27, 11am-3pm
2902 Race Street #116

June 13, 2014

This Saturday: Oakhurst Cycling Club June Ride!

In this month's edition of the Oak Leaflet, ONA neighbor Aaron Latchaw writes:

"My wife (Jess) and I were talking among ourselves a few months ago about ways we could engage the community, our neighbors and stay active. This was something we had been discussing with Debby Stein/The Riverside Arts District about getting started in the area. We recalled the social rides we'd been on in the past around Fort Worth (Critical Mass, Night Riders) and pitched the idea on the neighborhood site Nextdoor. The response was really positive and we even did a little voting and those interested decided on the name "Oakhurst Cycling Club".


We've since been on 2 rides and had a blast meeting our Oakhurst neighbors and exploring the river trail system. On our last ride, we had about 8 riders total.

Our next ride will be a leisurely 8-12 miles and we'll finish the ride at our neighborhood brewery, Martin House for their Saturday tour & tasting. The Martin House guys are very supportive of the cycling community, it's even rumored they let cyclist in a few minutes earlier than the standard crowd.

We are eager to see rides continue to grow, Fort Worth has made huge strides to nurture the cycling community. Hope to see you on 2 wheels soon!"

Note:  All rides leave from Riverside Park, 501 Oakhurst Scenic Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76111. Routes will be posted to Nextdoor and e-mailed to our OCC and ONA email lists.

Oakhurst Cycling Club June Ride
Saturday, June 14
Departs Riverside Park at 12:30pm
Riding to Martin House Brewery (8-12 miles, leisurely pace)

June 11, 2014

This Sunday: Oakhurst Kids Neighborhood Play Date

Calling all Oakhurst parents, grandparents and kids of all ages!  Join us in the park as our kids get to know each other, see friends, and make new friends!

Call Angela with questions or if it rains:  817.944.6709.

Oakhurst Kids Neighborhood Play Date
Sunday, June 15, 4pm
Oakhurst Park

Reminder: ONA Meeting Thursday Night!

Join us Thursday evening, June 12, to hear developer Peter Aberg of Dallas' Legacy Capital Company discuss his proposed new mixed-use residential and retail development for Oakhurst Scenic Drive, between Belknap and Race Streets.

Aberg proposes an "Austin hip" development featuring apartments, new restaurants (complementing existing establishments, e.g. the Smoke Pit), and other retail offerings.  The intent is to respect local character while taking advantage of the site's views of the Trinity River and downtown Fort Worth, as well as its proximity to the Six Points Urban Village.

See you Thursday!

ONA Monthly Meeting
Thursday, June 12, 7pm
Calvary Christian Academy

May 22, 2014

This Weekend: Oakhurst's Garage Sale!

Our 10th Annual Oakhurst Collective Garage Sale is upon us!  This event runs Friday through Sunday and draws shoppers from all over the area.  Many of our neighbors are participating, so we've put together a handy flyer of street addresses that you are welcome to save or print out for reference.  Also check out the location map below!

Oakhurst Garage Sale Location Map
So c'mon out, hunt for bargains, and meet your neighbors this weekend.  Hope to see there!
 
10th Annual Oakhurst Collective Garage Sale
Memorial Day Weekend:  May 23-25, 2014

May 16, 2014

10th Annual Oakhurst Collective Garage Sale: Sign Up Today!


Are you ready to do your Spring cleaning?  If so, sign up for our 10th Annual Oakhurst Collective Garage Sale!  Here's how it works:
  1. Print out and return the registration form by Monday, May 19th.
  2. ONA will secure the garage sale permit, place ads in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram advertising the garage sale, and provide maps and listings of all residents holding garage sales on May 23, 24, and 25. Copies of these maps will be available to you as a garage sale participant, and you can hand them out to customers.
  3. All registrants will receive a free currency forgery detection pen.
  4. More customers equal more sales for you! Joint advertising of the sale means less work for you and more customers for everyone.
10th Annual Oakhurst Collective Garage Sale
Memorial Day Weekend:  May 23-25, 2014

May 1, 2014

Oakhurst Celebrates 90th Birthday at Spring Meeting

2014-15 ONA Officers
At its April 24 general membership meeting, ONA members elected street representatives and the following officers (pictured above) to serve for 2014-2015: David Collyer, treasurer; Glenda Hartsell Shelton, secretary; Libby Willis, vice-president; and Kathryn Omarkhail, president.

Members adopted the budget for 2014-2015, including an ambitious beautification budget which will fund plantings, watering, and maintenance at the Daisy Lane/Sylvania common area, Audine’s Circle, and the common area at West Lotus. In addition, an expense of $2,500 in capital improvement funds was approved for the installation of permanent irrigation equipment at the West Lotus site.

Members also enjoyed a slide presentation with historic photos of Oakhurst through its 90 years, dating back to its first development in 1924. Residents who have lived in Oakhurst for at
least 50 years were honored, including: CeCe Thompson; Hermina Cihacek (70 years); Ray
Jefferson (84 years); Robert Gieb; Jean and Terry Smith; Beverly and Dwight Mason; Susie McKinzie; Jerry and Shirley Howard; and Lee and Joe Gorbett.

Throughout 2014, ONA will continue to honor our long-time residents. If you know of a 50-year+ neighbor whose name does not appear above, please let us know at oakhurstfw@sbcglobal.net or via the Contact Us form on this website.

April 23, 2014

ONA General Membership Meeting - New Location

Please note that the location for Thursday's meeting has changed:

ONA Spring General Membership Meeting
Thursday, April 24, 7pm
Fellowship Hall at Calvary Cathedral
Read more here!

Reminder: ONA General Membership Meeting Thursday Night!

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the development of Oakhurst. As it did 10 years ago on the 80th anniversary, the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association will celebrate this milestone occasion with a special emphasis on the history of the neighborhood.

Read more at http://oakhurstfw.blogspot.com/2014/04/spring-general-membership-meeting.html.

Please join us to celebrate the great heritage of this unique neighborhood. It promises to be a fun and interesting evening!

ONA Spring General Membership Meeting
Thursday, April 24, 7pm
Fellowship Hall at Calvary Cathedral

April 14, 2014

This Week's Events

Fort Worth's Oakhurst Neighborhood:
Book Signing by Author and Neighbor Libby Willis
Wednesday, April 16, 5-7pm
2902 Race Street
Read more here!

ONA Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 19, 10am
Oakhurst Park
Read more here!

April 5, 2014

Coming Soon: 10th Annual Oakhurst Collective Garage Sale

Are you ready to do your Spring cleaning?  If so, sign up for our annual Oakhurst Collective Garage Sale!  Here's how it works:
  1. Register using the form in our April newsletter, found here.
  2. ONA will secure the garage sale permit, place ads in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram advertising the garage sale, and provide maps and listings of all residents holding garage sales on May 23, 24, and 25. Copies of these maps will be available to you as a garage sale participant, and you can hand them out to customers.
  3. All registrants will receive a free currency forgery detection pen.
  4. More customers equal more sales for you! Joint advertising of the sale means less work for you and more customers for everyone.
The sign up deadline is Monday, May 19th!

If you'd like to help with this fun and worthwhile community event, please contact Libby Willis at 817.838.8140 or libby59@sbcglobal.net.

10th Annual Oakhurst Collective Garage Sale
Memorial Day Weekend:  May 23-25

Save the Date: ONA Annual Easter Egg Hunt

The Easter Bunny will visit Oakhurst Park on Saturday, April 19 for our annual ONA Easter Egg Hunt.  Be there with your little ones!  Egg hunting and games for ages 0-10!


Donations of candy and plastic eggs are needed. Please drop off at 1924 Bluebird Ave or contact Glenda at 817.975.4653 or glendahartsell@att.net. Adult volunteers are needed to help with the egg hunt and games.


ONA Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 19, 10am
Oakhurst Park

Spring General Membership Meeting: Celebrating 90 Years of Oakhurst!

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the development of Oakhurst. As it did 10 years ago on the 80th anniversary, the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association will celebrate this milestone occasion with a special emphasis on the history of the neighborhood.

The newly published photographic history, “Fort Worth’s Oakhurst Neighborhood,” will be formally presented. There will be birthday cake and ONA members will also elect 2014-15 officers and street representatives during the Spring General Membership Meeting to be held at Calvary Academy.

Residents who have lived in the neighborhood for more than 50 years will be recognized. If you have lived in Oakhurst for more than 50 years or have neighbors who have lived here that long, please contact ONA Treasurer David Collyer at 817.838.8320 to be sure your name is on the list for recognition.

Please join us to celebrate the great heritage of this unique neighborhood. It promises to be a fun and interesting evening!

ONA Spring General Membership Meeting
Thursday, April 24, 7pm
Fellowship Hall at Calvary Cathedral

Join Us for an Oakhurst Book Signing!

On Wednesday, April 16, come out and celebrate the release of Images of America:  Fort Worth's Oakhurst Neighborhood, authored by our very own neighbor Libby Willis!  Libby will be on hand to sign copies of the book, which offers a glimpse into life in Oakhurst over the decades.  This is especially timely as we celebrate the 90th anniversary of our beloved little neighborhood this month!



Book Signing:  Fort Worth's Oakhurst Neighborhood
Wednesday, April 16, 5-7pm
2902 Race Street

March 11, 2014

Reminder: ONA Meeting this Thursday!

Fort Worth City Council member Joel Burns, representing Council District 9, including Oakhurst and two other Riverside neighborhoods, announced his resignation from the Council last month to pursue graduate studies at Harvard. A special election to elect a council member to complete Burns’ unexpired term will be held on May 10.

Four candidates have filed to run, and ONA has invited them to attend the March 13 meeting at 7:00 p.m. and present brief remarks on their platforms and why they are running for this important position. To date, all have accepted ONA’s invitation.

Candidates include:
• Greg Hughes, an engineer who lives in the University Place Addition;
• Edward Lasater, an attorney who lives in Berkeley;
• Bernie Scheffler, a self-employed businessman who lives in Ryan Place; and
• Ann Zadeh; a homemaker/volunteer who lives in Bluebonnet Hills.

Please plan to attend the meeting and hear these candidates!

ONA Monthly Meeting
Thursday, March 13, 2014, 7:00pm
Calvary Christian Academy Library

February 23, 2014

Bulk Collection Info

From Madelyn Gibbs in the Fort Worth Neighborhood Education Office:

Hi Neighbors!

Get email or text reminders for your next bulk collection week. It's easier than ever to remember when to set out that pile of items that is too large, too heavy or bulky to fit in the brown garbage cart for normal garbage pickup. Residents of Fort Worth can now sign-up electronically to receive reminder notices for their monthly bulk collection.

There's a new link on the City's website that makes it easy for residents to make just one click, and using your water bill account number, you will be able to sign-up to receive a reminder email, text message, or both. The reminder notice will be sent the week prior to your bulk collection. It's just that easy!

Sign up today at http://fortworthtexas.gov/solidwaste to receive a reminder notice.

Questions:  817.392.1234

February 11, 2014

ONA Meeting This Thursday!

Join us this Thursday for our monthly meeting, where we'll hear helpful tips from Animal Control Officer Mike Camp on keeping egrets from invading Oakhurst!

For much more information on these migratory birds and the challenges that they bring, please see our recent posts on this site:

Protect Your Property: Egret Workshop...
More Egret Information

ONA Monthly Meeting
Thursday, February 13, 2014, 7:00pm
Calvary Christian Academy Library

February 3, 2014

More Egret Information

Here are some additional resources on egrets, to help you be prepared for their arrival:

Migratory Birds: Preventing Rookeries in Residential Areas from the City of Fort Worth
DFW Heronries from Texas Parks and Wildlife
Nuisance Heronries in Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Let's be on the lookout and protect Oakhurst from these beautiful but damaging birds!

January 10, 2014

Protect Your Property: Egret Workshop on 1/22

ONA President Libby Willis writes:

"Did you ever think we would be talking about how to prevent egrets from nesting in Oakhurst? 

Remember what happened in the Tanglewood Neighborhood when egrets took up residence there a couple of years ago?  They were scared away from that area to our part of town, Sylvania Park...

Please see the attached maps showing the 4 mile radius around Sylvania Park (where egrets nested last year) where they might try to nest this year.  See also the checklist attached to know what to look for and what to do."

Egret Education (Sylvania Park area)
Egret Tree Coverage (Sylvania Park area)
Egret Homeowner Checklist

"Oakhurst is one of the potential nesting places.  WE NEED TO BE PREPARED STARTING THIS MONTH TO RECOGNIZE SENTRY BIRDS which are the initial scouts which could show up in Oakhurst and beckon others to come...working together, we should be able to fend off this threat to our trees and quality of life.  Egrets are great birds, but they belong somewhere other than Oakhurst and Riverside..."
 
Also see the announcement below regarding an upcoming informational workshop:

ONA,
 
The City of Fort Worth will host an educational workshop to help residents learn how to prevent nesting of federally protected birds.  As you might recall these migratory birds settled in Sylvania Park last year and have the potential of returning and settling within a four mile radius from last year’s nesting site.
 
This free workshop is open to all Fort Worth residents, but especially recommended for residents with mature trees and dense tree canopy on their property.
 
Egret Workshop
Wednesday, January 22, 7pm
Riverside Community Center
3700 E. Belknap St.
 
Why attend?
  • Learn to identify nuisance birds.
  • Get practical tips to discourage nesting in your trees.
  • Protect your property from noise, odor and damage egret and heron  nesting can cause.
For more information, please call the Neighborhood Education Office at 817-392-6201 or visit: http://fortworthtexas.gov/migratorybirds/ 
 
Thanks You,

Ruben Olmos
Neighborhood Office
Planning & Development Department, City of Fort Worth
Phone: 817-392-2043   Fax: 817-392-2107

January 8, 2014

ONA Meeting this Thursday!

Join us this Thursday and meet Rosalinda Mendoza, new Crime Prevention Specialist for Oakhurst and the North Division of the Fort Worth Police Department.  Rosalinda writes:

Hello, My name is Rosalinda Mendoza, the new Crime Prevention Specialist for FWPD North Division.

Fort Worth , a beautiful city where cowboys and culture go hand in hand, with it wealth of history in the cattle industry, the art museums, Japanese gardens, the Botanical gardens, Sundance Square, the Stockyard’s area, the air show at Meacham field, Casa Mañana, along with many other interesting places has drawn visitors from near and far for many years.  I loved Fort Worth then and even more so today.  North Fort Worth has been a part of my family since my youth.  I well remember visiting my aunt, uncle and spending time with my cousins in a portion of Fort Worth lovingly called “La Loma” (the hill).

In my spare time I volunteer for CASA, (Court Appointed Special Advocate) assisting children of all ages who through no fault of their own find themselves placed in homes of strangers, who have to be away from their parents, who have to attend new schools, who are hurt, afraid and alone.  As a CASA advocate I walk with them through the legal maze, attend court hearings and speak to the judge on their behalf.  I remain by their side until they are either returned to their families or are adopted.  I also serve as a rape crisis counselor for our local Women’s Center located on Hemphill Street.  I believe it accurate to say that assisting members of our community is in my blood and definitely in my heart.

My responsibilities as the Crime Prevention specialist include meeting with you and your neighbors to discuss topics on how to better secure homes, autos from being targeted by criminals intent on removing your personal property and how to exercise caution when out alone in the neighborhood.  This is just a small example of what I would like to share with you and your neighbors.  But we can discuss that topic in more detail when we meet.

I look forward to meeting each of you soon.

Respectfully,
Rosalinda Mendoza
(O) 817-392-3537
(C) 817-992-0174


ONA Monthly Meeting
Thursday, January 9, 2014, 7:00pm
Calvary Christian Academy Library

January 5, 2014

Oakhurst Developer’s Family had Links to Literary History

The history of Oakhurst and the background of its developer, John P. King, are interesting enough in and of themselves.  King was a well-known civic leader in Fort Worth in the early twentieth century.  He was a “go to” leader before even Amon Carter arrived on the Fort Worth scene.

Less well-known is the story of John P. King’s third son, artist Clinton King, and his first wife, British born Lady Duff Twysden.  It’s a story which gives us a snapshot of what was happening in Europe in the 1920s at exactly the same time John. P. King was developing Oakhurst.

Clinton Blair King, born in 1901 to Lorena and John P. King in Fort Worth, was an artist usually associated with the regional art of Texas and New Mexico from 1924 to 1940.  After 1940 and into the 1960s, he often exhibited his work in Chicago, New York City and Paris.

Mary Duff Stirling, Lady Twysden, was born a British socialite in 1892 to Charlotte and Baynes Wright Smurthwaite.  Twice married by the time she was 25, Lady Duff “spent the winter and spring of 1925 gallivanting around Paris...attracting attention....  She became known for her style of loose sweaters and short hair.”  During this time she met a lot of members of the “Lost Generation” including Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley.

Ernest Hemingway with Duff Twysden,
Clinton King's first wife, in Spain ca. 1925
In the summer of 1925, Hemingway invited a group of friends, including Lady Duff, to join him and his wife on their annual trip to Pamplona, Spain for the Fiesta of San Fermin to see the bull fights.  After the festival, Lady Duff and friends went back to Paris; Hemingway stayed in Spain and started work on his first novel, The Sun Also Rises.  He modeled the novel’s heroine, Brett Ashley, on Lady Duff Twysden.

Maggie Van Ostrand wrote, “The qualities of Lady Brett that are the most admirable—her easy camaraderie with men, her willingness to take risks, her devil-may-care attitude (all of which were traits of Lady Duff), and that she doesn’t flinch at the carnage in the bullring, symbolize the new woman of the Twenties: the Flapper.”  Hemingway finished the book in 8 weeks and it became his first success.


It was in Paris that Lady Duff met Clinton King, nine years younger than she and already a promising artist.  He, too, had befriended Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Picasso.  They were secretly married in Bloomsbury, England in August 1928, a story reported in The New York Times.  Clinton and Duff lived in New York and New Mexico and had a home on the shores of Lake Chapala in Mexico.  Clinton King once recalled, “We lived a different life from the rather senseless Montparnasse days.  I worked all day at painting while she drew her amusing sketches in watercolor, or posed for me, or read a great deal.”

Self-portrait, Clinton King and Narcissa Swift King
“. . . Clinton’s allowance from his family had been cut off when he married her and his resources were nearly exhausted,” Van Ostrand wrote.  “They were reduced to living on small checks that occasionally arrived from Duff’s relatives in England and the rare sale of one of King’s paintings.”  Lady Duff died in 1938 of tuberculosis in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Clinton later married Narcissa Swift, heiress of the Swift packing fortune.  They were introduced by their mutual friend, the great American artist, Georgia O’Keefe.

While John P. King was developing the Oakhurst neighborhood in the early 1920s in Fort Worth, his son and his wife were part of one of the most famous chapters in literary history, that of the “Lost Generation” writers in Europe.  It’s not even six degrees of separation in this fascinating tale.

This story, authored by Libby Willis, originally appeared in the January 2014 edition of the Oak Leaflet.