{"id":478277,"date":"2026-10-27T16:02:25","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T16:02:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/478277\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T16:02:25","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T16:02:25","slug":"opening-remarks-our-neighbors-keep-the-community-spirit-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/478277\/","title":{"rendered":"Opening Remarks: Our neighbors keep the community spirit alive"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear readers, <\/p>\n

After I introduced myself in the last issue, I received a heartfelt email from a Merriman Park resident. In a few paragraphs, she explained that she is a Townview Magnet High School and Southern Methodist University alumna, and she was excited to see a fellow Mustang and Dallas native as editor.<\/p>\n

Reading that email at 7:30 p.m. on a Thursday night made my entire week and brought a huge smile to my face. Even my mom teared up when she read the email. As an editor, I get a lot of neighbor feedback like this email. I appreciate every time a neighbor reaches out and it helps me prioritize what to write about.<\/p>\n

For this issue, I focused on stories that highlight a few new things coming to our special tight-knit community. <\/p>\n

Art Boost, founded by three Dallas residents, including a Lake Highlands High School alumna, is a nonprofit that helps artists develop their brand identities and learn the business side of their craft. <\/p>\n

Neighbor Brad Ford Smith uses his artistic talents to sketch places where tragic deaths have occurred, creating a way to remember those who lost their lives there.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Albanian sisters Gondze Ajro and Vjosa Bajraktari have brought family traditions to our neighborhood with Sorella, an Italian restaurant featuring recipes they learned from their mother and grandmother as children. <\/p>\n

I hope these stories remind you that our neighborhood is ever-evolving and we both need new and old to keep the Lake Highlands spirit alive.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With gratitude, <\/p>\n

Your Lake Highlands editor<\/p>\n

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