Division I is a league for teams with more advanced skills. Only team registrations are accepted for this league; and teams must provide their own coach and jerseys. Division II is a recreational league and is a great way to learn the sport! Individuals are placed together on teams and paired with volunteer coaches. Be sure to indicate if you are interested in coaching when registering your child! Also new for the summer is the 14 & Under age division; this division will be a great opportunity for girls to practice their skills prior to try-outs in the fall for Middle-School.

The registration deadline for both divisions is Friday, May 31 by 5:00  p.m.  The cost is $385.00 for Division I teams and $60.00 for Division II individuals. Practices will be the week of June 17, and games will start on Saturday, June 22.

You can register online or in-person at the Parks and Recreation office located in Town Hall, 1400 Main St, Suite 210.  Please contact (817) 748-8019 for more information or visit www.SouthlakeParksandRec.com.

Matthew Friske who will be attending SMU received a scholarship from Frank Bliss of Coopers and Stebbins. Jennifer Hall who will be attending University of Texas in Austin received her scholarship from Dr. David Hunter. Mimi Tran represented Frost Bank in presenting a scholarship to Aaron Ireland who is headed to Washington University. On behalf of Tommy Pennington Realty, Christina McCombs presented a scholarship to Julie Kresky who will be attending University of Southern California (UCLA). Kaci Lambeth who is headed to Trinity University received her scholarship from Dr. Shadid Shafi. Vighnesh Nair who is headed to the University of Texas in Austin received her scholarship from Dr. Ron Groves. Nathan Taylor of Farmers Insurance presented a scholarship to Sarah Philip who is headed to University of Dallas. Brittany Wang, who will be attending Harvard, received her scholarship from Dr. Mark Mason. Kristin La received an appreciation internship from Mrs. Sarah Mason and Dr. Mark Mason.

Carroll Medical Academy would like to thank the businesses that sponsor the CMA Senior Scholarship: Frank Bliss of Copper and Stebbins, Mimi Tran with Frost Bank, Dr. Sandra Armstrong and Dr. Amy Watts with Giggles and Grins, PLLC, Dr. Trung Tran with Clinical Pediatric Associates, Dr. David Hunter with NTFOS, Dr. Ron Groves with Groves Orthodontics, Dr. Mark Greenberg with All-Star Orthopedics, Nathan Taylor of Farmers, Dr. Shadid Shafi with Surgical Group of North Texas, Christina McCombs with Tommy Pennington Realtor and Dr. Mark Mason, MD with Southlake Plastic Surgery.

The Carroll Medical Academy is also proudly supported by Children’s Medical Center for the 2012-2013 school year.

Nature recycles and replenishes the soil of the forests and prairies.  Come out and see how your garden and yard can benefit from this natural process using leaves and other compostable materials

By composting kitchen wastes as well as leaves and grass, households are recycling and reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfills and creating greener gardens, healthier lawns, and Eco-friendly living.

Join Master Composter and Master Gardener, Charlie Shiner, for a series of free 2-hour workshops this spring and summer at the Bob Jones Nature Center. If you miss a workshop, join us for the next one as each class stands alone! Charlie has taught composting workshops in the Arlington, Fort Worth, and Southlake area for over seven years. His presentation is full of practical tips and techniques on creating a successful home composting area.

Teresa Moss, Executive Director of Bob Jones Nature Center says, “Charlie Shiner is a master composter extraordinaire!  Workshop participants will walk away with the knowledge and confidence needed to develop a compost system at home and reap the satisfaction of knowing that they are taking a step to living a more natural, healthy, and green lifestyle” Check out the following dates and times to get involved:

Workshop Dates & Times

Time: 9:00 to 11:00 am

Dates:
Saturday, May 11
Wednesday, May 15
Saturday June 8
Wednesday, June 12
Saturday, July 13
Wednesday, July 17
Saturday, August 10
Wednesday, August 14

Location: Bob Jones Nature Center

Cost: FREE!

For more information, contact the
Bob Jones Nature Center
817.491.6333 or visit http://www.bjnc.org/

Pictured above from left to right: Dick McCauley, Coordinator Nancy Brown, Council Members Pamela Muller, Jeff Wang, and Carolyn Morris

The Southlake Senior Activity Center (SAC) celebrated its 15th anniversary April 30, but its roots go back much further. The building in which it is located is the former home of Gail Eubanks, the first mayor of Southlake, who donated it to the City specifically to be used by seniors. Renovation of the home began on October 25, 1997, on national Make A Difference Day. More than 100 volunteers  ̶  including Southlake residents, city employees and building contractors  ̶  helped remodel and enlarge the home in a mere six months. Records state more than $100,000 worth of construction materials, furniture, fixtures and labor were donated by local businesses. The 3,566 square foot center opened April 30, 1998, amidst much fanfare and a ribbon cutting ceremony. It includes a reading/visiting room, meeting room, crafts room, computer room, and wheelchair-accessible kitchen. Today, the 4,500 square foot center includes a 900 square foot addition that opened in 2009.

According to Nancy Brown, senior services coordinator, a special luncheon and reception was held April 30 to commemorate the occasion. The event theme was “Memories: Those We’ve Made and Those in the Making” and included remarks from  Dick McCauley, chairman of the Senior Advisory Commission, and Kari Happold, Southlake deputy director of community services.

“Instead of having our normal lunch provided from Metroport Meals on Wheels, we setup food and beverage stations so people could come-and-go,” said Brown. “This was an opportunity for us to look back on how far we’ve come and also be optimistic about the future. We’re out of space here and are looking at options for bigger quarters.”

This is especially evident at the Tuesday luncheons which draw approximately 100 seniors and fill every table. In addition, SAC offers a full calendar of activities for the mind, body and spirit, including bridge, zumba, line dancing, art classes, health seminars, and trips to area museums and special events.

Membership at SAC is free and open to all people 55 years and older. There are no geographic restrictions for membership or attendance. Membership applications can be picked up at the SAC, located at 307 Parkwood Drive. For more information about SAC, call 817-748-8398 or click here.

Note: Senior Services Coordinator Nancy Brown has regretfully resigned her position for personal reasons; her last day is May 10. A search is underway for a new coordinator.

The City of Southlake is  looking for volunteers to help clean up the trail system at the Bob Jones Nature Center & Preserve.  All individuals, families, groups, organizations and businesses are welcome to participate. The Great American Cleanup is one of the nation’s largest community improvement initiatives.  Millions of volunteers come together for this annual event to cleanup and beautify their communities.

If you are a current volunteer and interested in volunteering, please contact Stacey Udoni at sudoni@ci.southlake.tx.us or 817-748-8036.  If you are a new volunteer and interested in volunteering, please visit our website www.volunteersouthlake.com. Please register to volunteer by Thursday, May 23!

According to an excerpt from the magazine: “If there is one word to describe Southlake Tennis Center in Southlake, Texas, it would be “active.” Between league matches, 10 and Under Tennis, lessons, clinics and tournaments, the joint is always jumping.”

Mia Gordon-Poorman, general manager for Southlake Tennis Center, confirms participation in both adult and junior programs is up and the courts are busier than ever.

“To be recognized as one of the best tennis facilities in the country an incredible honor for myself, the staff and City of Southlake. Tennis is my passion and I put my heart and soul into the game, the players, and making the facility  the best in the Dallas Fort Worth area,” Gordon- Poorman states, noting STC is known for its outstanding junior program. “Our motto is ‘tennis is for everyone’ so I make sure our schedule accommodates both the recreational player and the player training for tournaments.”

Owned by the City of Southlake, Southlake Tennis Center is the second largest public tennis facility in the DFW metroplex. Constructed to maximize viewing and player enjoyment, the original 13 courts surround a circular center court stadium that is accessible from both the east and west, with tiered levels for viewing. Six courts were added in 2010 in two banks of three to maximize land use. The facility added QuickStart permanent lines, and a handful of courts have blended lines. Each pair of courts has a bench with a shade structure and water jug and individual courts have benches with umbrellas. Open seven days a week, STC maintains a full schedule year-round with adult league play, a junior program, private and group lessons, and tournaments.

“Working with the city has been tremendous,” says Gordon-Poorman. “Twenty years ago they added a half-cent sales tax that goes toward parks and rec, which has enabled us to do some really great things, including this tennis center.”

To read the entire article about the award, click here. For more information about Southlake Tennis Center, go to www.southlaketennis.com or call 817-421-5605.

Brave Combo’s catalog of recordings range from Japanese pop to Latin American dance tunes to the orchestral classics to rock and roll at its finest. The band recorded with the late Tiny Tim and was the band thatTalking Head’s David Byrne chose for his wedding reception.  From festivals and fairs of all varieties across the globe, rock clubs big and small, colleges, roadhouses, dances, cultural centers (including the annual Midsummer Night’s Swing at Lincoln Center in New York City), Brave Combo has charmed countless listeners and won avid devotees. The band has won two Grammy Awards and been nominated for their work 7 times.

Through the MasterWorks Series, Arts Council Northeast and the City of Southlake present free performances on selected evenings throughout the year. The MasterWorks Series is designed to offer a variety of quality family entertainment to the community by utilizing the talent of local, regional, and national artists.  For more information, please call (817) 748-8019.

ERCOT today released its final summer Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy (SARA), which anticipates tight conditions this summer, along with the semiannual update to its long-term Capacity, Demand and Reserves (CDR) report, which shows some improvement since the previous report was issued in December 2012.

Tight summer ahead, conservation calls likely

With tight operating reserves expected this summer, especially during the late afternoon hours on the hottest days, it is likely that ERCOT will initiate conservation alerts or power watches
on some days. These alerts ask the public to reduce electric use to help ERCOT maintain reliability of the grid.

“We are expecting above-normal temperatures throughout summer in most areas of the ERCOT region,” said Kent Saathoff, an ERCOT executive advisor who has overseen various aspects of grid operations and system planning for several decades. “To help ensure there is enough generation to serve consumer needs, we likely will ask people to conserve power during the hottest hours of the hottest days.”

High temperatures typically drive electric demand in the ERCOT region, especially among residential consumers, who use more than half the electricity being consumed during the peak hours of the hottest days when air conditioner use is at its maximum.

ERCOT expects power demands this summer to peak at 68,383 megawatts (MW), slightly above the 68,305 MW all-time record set Aug. 3, 2011. One MW is enough electricity to power about 200 homes in the ERCOT region when electric use is highest, typically between 3 and 7 p.m. during the hottest days of the year.

The amount of generation available to serve peak electric needs is forecast at 74,438 MW, including 925 MW of new coal-fired generation from the Sandy Creek Energy Station in McLennan County and about 700 MW of new wind power resources.

More extreme scenarios could result in more generation outages than the forecast includes or an increase in demand of as much as 2,529 MW, if weather patterns similar to summer 2011 return.

“If generation outages exceed expected conditions during peak demand periods, or if we see a return of record-breaking conditions like those in 2011, ERCOT also may need to implement Energy Emergency Alert actions, with the possibility of rotating outages if needed to protect the grid,” Saathoff added.

Drought conditions are not expected to create problems for power plant operations over the summer months. However, if dry conditions persist, some plants may experience operational challenges later in the year.

ERCOT also released a preliminary outlook for fall 2013, which anticipates sufficient resources to serve expected demand.

Long-term outlook shows some improvement, work still needed

“ERCOT currently expects the planning reserve margin for summer 2014 to be slightly above its current 13.75 percent target, an improvement since the last long-term outlook was released in December,” said ERCOT CEO Trip Doggett.

The new CDR shows a planning reserve margin of 13.8 percent for summer 2014, up from 10.9 percent when the last report was released in December. While the peak electric demand forecast for summer 2014 is a little more than 69,800 MW, assuming historical average summer weather, the total amount of anticipated generation resources has increased to nearly 77,600 MW from slightly less than 75,000 MW in the previous report.

The new total includes 385 MW of gas-fired power and 40 MW of new storage capacity in Harris County, as well as 90 MW of gas-fired power in Fort Bend County, 50 MW of new solar power in Bexar County, and about 1,080 MW of new wind generation in various locations. Two projects currently under construction by Panda Power Funds also have adjusted target commercial operations dates to make more than 1,400 MW of new natural gas-fired generation available in time for 2014 summer needs.

The 10-year outlook, which is based on a “Low Economic Growth” forecast from Moody’s Analytics and 30-year average temperatures, shows peak demand increasing to nearly 69,700 MW in summer 2015, with growth continuing annually up to more than 76,000 MW in 2023.

Load growth forecasts become less certain in the longer term. Also, available generation capacity only includes resources that have interconnection agreements and any necessary air quality permits in place.

Although reserve margins after 2014 remain below the 13.75 percent target, the future outlook has improved continually since 2011. Additional resources are in various stages of review and may be added to future reports.

Consumers’ role in a reliable grid

“We will continue to ask consumers to use power wisely, especially during the summer peak demand hours of 3 to 7 p.m.,” said Doggett. “Voluntary conservation when it is needed most — along with ongoing efforts to expand other demand response options — can help us ensure there is enough power for everyone when generation resources are tight.”

To keep up with real-time grid conditions and know when conservation is most important, consumers can download the ERCOT Energy Saver app on Apple (available at the Apple store) and Android (available on Google Play) mobile devices, follow ERCOT on Twitter (@ERCOT_ISO) or Facebook (Electric Reliability Council of Texas), or subscribe to EmergencyAlerts emails on http://lists.ercot.com.

The Southlake Scene Summer 2013 online magazine is live! It’s time to get out the calendars and plan

In this new issue, you can explore upcoming special events, summer camps, athletic leagues, wellness programs, outdoor activities, educational classes and much more! Be sure to also check out the Library, Senior Activity Center, Bob Jones Nature Center and Preserve and Tennis Center  programs as well. Where can you locate the Southlake Scene? View the newest edition with a click of a button! You can print the Southlake Scene if you prefer a in-hand copy or view the virtual magazine online.

Register online or at the Community Services Office at 1400 Main St, Suite 210, Southlake, TX 76092. For more information about upcoming programs and events, please call (817) 748-8019.

NOTEBOOK:

Rachel’s Rally/ Relay For Life Southlake is Friday, May 3 at Carroll High School
The Relay For Life Southlake Committee is expecting thousands of people to attend this year’s event located on the track behind Carroll High School. The campus is located at 800 White Chapel Boulevard in Southlake. Rachel’s Rally is Carroll ISD’s year-end event celebrating kindness and compassion. Relay For Life Southlake is the city’s largest overnight cancer fundraiser. All donations go to the American Cancer Society. Click here to participate by making a donation or join a team. Rain plan: if weather prevents organizers from hosting Relay on Friday, May 3, the entire event will move to Saturday, May 4 on the same overnight schedule. If weather still persists, an abbreviated event will be held Sunday, May 5 from 1-8 p.m.

Event Schedule

• 5:00 p.m. Shuttle Buses begin running (click here for shuttle information)
• 5:30 p.m. Survivor’s Reception and Games/ Silent Auction/ Concessions open
• 6:00 p.m. Rachel’s Rally
• 7:00 p.m. Relay For Life Opening Ceremonies
• 7:15 p.m. Survivors Lap
• 10:00 p.m. Luminaria Ceremony
• Midnight Fightback Ceremony
• 5:30 a.m. Kiwanis Breakfast
• 6:00 a.m. Closing Ceremony
• 7:00 a.m. Event ends

Volunteer at Relay

Luminaria Ceremony at Relay
You can celebrate a loved one touched by cancer by purchasing a luminaria to be lit during Relay after sundown. Click here to view and print the order form. Another unique part of Relay For Life Southlake is the slideshow presentation shown at the conclusion of the Luminaria Ceremony. Email Pam Francis at pamfrancis1@gmail.com to submit a photo of a cancer survivor or someone you know lost to cancer. Please include the full name of the person in the photograph as well as whether the photograph should be listed as “In honor of” or “in memory of.”