Fall Festival Fun

DALLAS, Texas- The freshness of fall was in the air this past Saturday, at the All About Uptown Festival in historic Uptown Dallas. Presented by the Uptown Dallas Association (UDA), the event was a true celebration of art and living filled with great music, food and fun for entire family.


Dean Foods sponsored the Kid's Korner that had face painting, creative arts, crafts and a balloon artist to entertain the kiddos.


Meanwhile, the adults enjoyed the very relaxed and fun social scene like the one I found hanging around the Genghis Grill booth.


Even former Dallas Maverick basketball star DJ Mbenga was among the crowd of people enjoying the atmosphere at the festival.


I volunteered with American Film International of Dallas (AFI) as you can see my fellow volunteers were full of smiles as the day was full of cheer!


We handed out assorted goodies including a coloring sheets for the kids and information about the upcoming film festival March 26, - April 5 2009 next year. (For more information go to: http://www.afidallas.com)


A live band played a variety of hits from all genres of music as patrons gleefully strolled the boulevard soaking up the rich history and flavor of Uptown Dallas.


As we walked, Tanya and I came across a vintage antique shop called the Uncommon Market and wandered inside.

We were greeted by a robust array of antiques that filled the entire space. Classical paintings and 16th Century artistic works adorned the every inch of every room.

High vaulted ceilings with exquisitely carved moldings and uniquely crafted chandeliers delighted the eyes with a magnificent 360 degrees view.


We were given full access to the entire property and I captured the goldfish that swam in the pool that had been converted into an aquarium.


I sat down for a moment in the greenhouse to absorb some more of the history from the days of yesteryear when things were much slower.


Tanya and I walked arm in arm along the brick laid passageway and she graciously posed so that I could capture here classical beauty amiss all of the beautiful clay and ceramic flower stands that were scattered about the back yard of the estate.
My nephew Undray did not miss out on exploring the myriad of interesting pieces that were links to the past when there were no cell phones, microwaves and most shockingly no internet.
My son Reggie Jr, took a moment to have fun with his mom as he pretends to swat at her with one of the rowboat oars we found on display.
Reggie Jr. also spent a few moments reflecting by sitting at one of the old-world styled tables.


The day would not have been complete without a stunning little pup we met, named "Romo" after the Dallas Cowboys star quarterback. His sweet little eyes were so mesmerizing that I almost adopted him from the City Vet Pets R Uptown booth on the spot.

After hours of fun and artistic savor fare we prepared to bid Uptown Dallas good bye but first a trip to the restrooms....

Farewell for now Uptown Dallas but rest assured after the enormous amounts of fun we had at festival, my family and I will surely be back to visit real soon.




Photos by: Reggie "Lockdawg" Lockhart

REDSKINS SCALP 'BOYS 26-24, close out regular season rivalry at Texas Staduim

Wide receiver James Thrash #83 of the Washington Redskins celebrates his pass reception touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in the second quarter at Texas Stadium on September 28, 2008 in Irving, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)


IRVING, Texas- The Washington Redskins eked out a solid victory 26-24, against the hated Dallas Cowboys in the final regular season game to be played in this heated rivalry at famed Texas Stadium.

The capacity crowd of over 61,000 was treated to a solid game defensively from Dallas but the their explosive offense was uncharacteristically sluggish and pedestrian scoring less than 27 points for the first time this season. Unfortunately, for Tony Romo seven was not a lucky number today, as he needlessly threw another interception. This time the faux pas came late in the second half with his team driving to take the lead. The turnover ultimately spelled doom for the Cowboys.

Dallas defensive coordinator Brian Stewart and secondary coach Dave Campo had no plan to stop Santana Moss as the Redskins receiver again torched the Dallas secondary for 145 yards. Jason Campbell also had a good game going 20-31 passing for 231 yards and two touchdowns while eluding pressure from the Dallas defensive ends.

However, in heroic fashion Romo would rally the Cowboys back in the final moments to get them within two points of the lead. But, after a failed onside kick attempt floated through the arms of Dallas receiver Sam Hurd on the ensuing kick off, the Redskins only had to assume the victory formation to secure the win as Dallas watched helplessly with no timeouts.

Now, what? Dropped from the ranks of the unbeaten Dallas (3-1) is left to ponder what they have to do to get their swagger back. Rebounding from a tough back of the alley loss in the NFC East is never easy. However, their upcoming schedule of Bengals, Cardinals, and Rams should allow them adequate time to correct their early season offensive mistakes before they face the defending Superbowl champion Giants in New York.

The Dallas Cowboys now have to find a way to re-invent themselves and get back on the right course quickly if they want to end their season in Tampa Bay hoisting the Lombardi trophy.

Dallas thrwarts valiant Eagles with another historic Monday night at Texas Stadium

IRVING, Texas - Whew! What a game! What a game! The Dallas Cowboys prevailed in an early season epic and proved to be tough enough to defeat a feisty Philadelphia Eagles team 41-37 in the 28th and final Monday night game played at Texas Stadium.

This was a game for the ages, that was electrifying from start to finish.


In his post game news conference, Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips rightfully praised Philadelphia's star quarterback Donovan McNabb. "If anybody thinks Donovan McNabb is too old or can't play anymore then they're absolutely wrong" said Phillips.

Donovan McNabb, now fully recovered from the injuries which plagued him the last two seasons, proved that he is back and better than ever Monday night. When this guy is healthy his value to the Eagles team, is immeasurable. He took on several rushes from the Cowboys defenders and broke tackles like a running back. He remained poised in the pocket and completed precision passes the entire game finishing 25/37 for 281 yards and a touchdown.

The Eagles started the scoring early, kicking a short field goal for 3-0 lead after a good drive stalled at the Dallas 16-yard line with an incompletion. Dallas then countered quickly on their first possession with a 72-yard bomb from Romo to a wide open Terrell Owens. Mr."Get ya popcorn ready" ran untouched past the Eagles secondary and Cris Carter in the record books, for second place all time in touchdown receptions with his 131st career touchdown. The catch was the longest of his career as a Cowboy and gave Dallas a quick 7-3 lead. The Dallas defense stiffened again on the next series, holding Philly to another a short field goal to push the game to 7-6.

Just as the first quarter was winding down, the capacity crowd at Texas Stadium was treated and delighted to a majestic kickoff return of 98 yards by rookie Felix Jones an 8 point lead for Dallas at 14- 6.

A weird sequence of miscues by Tony Romo would cost Dallas 14 points. First, after successfully avoiding a would be tackler, Tony Romo threw a very forgettable interception to Eagles cornerback Asanti Samuel. A phantom pass-interference penalty against Anthony Henry, moved the ball inside the Dallas 10 yard line and
the Eagles capitalized quickly. A short touchdown pass from McNabb to Brian Westbrook made it a 14-13 game.

On the ensuing kickoff, Dallas was hit with an illegal blocking penalty on the return and was backed up inside it's own five yard line. After taking the snap from center, Romo fumbled the hand off to Barber. The football rolled around in the Cowboys' end zone for an eternity before the Eagles recovered for the touchdown to take a surprising lead, 20-14.

Later in second quarter, Tony Romo shook off his earlier mistakes by leading Dallas on a long touchdown scoring drive of 56 yards. The short touchdown pass to Terrell Owens (132) helped the Cowboys retake the lead briefly, 21-20. Donovan McNabb refused let his team fall too far behind the Cowboys. Midway through the second quarter, McNabb avoided a furious Dallas rush and hit rookie wide receiver DeSean Jackson over the middle for a long 61-yard completion and a sure touchdown. Then unexpectedly before, Jackson could cross the goal line, he stupidly threw the ball away behind himself back into the field of play, in a pre-mature touchdown celebration. The play was ruled a touchdown on the field but Dallas smartly challenged. The Cowboys won the challenge because the ball never crossed the goal-line but since the Cowboys didn't pick up the ball, the referee awards the ball to the Eagles at the Dallas one yard line. Thankfully DeSeah, the Eagles score on the next play with short run by Brian Westbrook and they take reclaim the lead, 27-21. The Cowboys and Eagles would trade field goals to wrap up the quarter and end the second highest scoring first half in a Monday night game with a 30-24 score.

The second half stage was set for one of those epic NFC East battles, that hinged on which team blinked first after half-time. When the Dallas offense failed to sustain their opening drive of the half, the Dallas defense stepped up their game. The second half scheme shelved the Philly air and running attacks. The explosive Eagles had scored 24 points in the second quarter, was virtually silent in the third and fourth quarters only scoring seven points.

The Cowboys defense showed a lot moxie tonight. They took all of the Eagles' punches in the first half and then they delivered the final knockout in the second half with stiff hard -nosed championship style defense. They also forced a crucial fumble and turnover on downs to seal the victory. The superb Dallas defense took control of a game that had plenty of ebb and flow until to the end. The Cowboys' fumble recovery of Donovan's only miscue proved to be just what the doctor ordered. On a what looked like a botched reverse play, McNabb short-armed the hand off to Westbrook and Dallas recovered the ball. The late fumble cost the Eagles a sure three points which could have pushed their lead back to six points. Dallas had just cut their lead to only three points after long Nick Folk field goal. The turnover would lead to bruising one yard touchdown run by Marion "the Barbarian" Barber with 4:35 left to play. The pendulum had finally swung to the Cowboys favor, yet the game was far from over. Not until the Cowboys stopped a desperation hook and ladder attempt by the Eagles on 4th 17 with a 1:10 remaining did they have a chance to exhale. Tony Romo salted away clock by taking the victory formation two times. The Cowboys victory moves them to 2-0 on the young season.

Fans were treated to a truly spectacular game Monday night that many will remember for years to come. The win also allowed Dallas to remain even at 2-0 with the defending Superbowl champion New York Giants, in the NFC East division. If these two teams stay healthy, one can only imagine what the final game of the season between these two power houses will be like when they face off for the rematch in Philadelphia.


GO COWBOYS!!

Quest for Grand National Glory

SHAWANO, Wisc. - Cedar Hill's own Quinton "Q" Dawn will be racing in the ROTAX Grand Nationals this week (Sept 9th -13th). Determined to claim his place in victory lane, Quinton continues on the long journey that has led to this important race week. His inclusion in this highly competitive event was earned with tons of hard work, dedication and plenty of love and support from his father Jimmy Dawn Sr. This week is the biggest kart racing week of the season and one that has been Q's focused on for a long time.

The father and son recently shared some of their preparations for the race week and the 1150 mile trip from the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) area to Wisconsin.

(Interview with Jimmy Dawn)
Q. Is Q, excited about Nationals?

A. Very. he is looking forward to this one more than all others in the past.

Q. What does he see as challenges as he goes into the race?

A. He's never raced there before and the biggest challenge will be getting the track down as fast as possible.

Q. Does he have any rivals going into the race?

A. There some racers that he competed with in the races to get to the nationals that he really wants to do well against.

Q. Can you describe what winning the Grand Nationals will mean to Q and his racing future in 10 words or less?

A. Well, winning the Grand Nationals gets your name out there on the national scene and will hopefully make names like Louis Hamilton notice you.





(Interview with Quinton Dawn)
Q. Are you excited about Grand Nationals?

A. Yes, I am very excited about this year's Grand Nationals, the track looks amazing and the competition will be fierce.

Q. What do you see as challenges as you go into the race?

A. The biggest challenges are getting the track down as fast as possible and then to working with the team fine tune the kart to get every ounce of speed out of it that we can.

Q. Who is your competition?

A. Mainly the large funded teams such as MRP BIREL, and SSC RACING. However there are also smaller teams which are always at 110% and up front as well.

Q. Do you have any rivals going into the race?

A. Yes, a few drivers in which I ran against to qualify for the Grand Nationals will also be there, it would be another achievement for me to finish ahead of my close competitors.

Q. Can you describe what winning the race will mean to you in 10 words or less?

A. ROTAX Immortality. A large step in forwarding my racing career.

Q. What goes into learning the track?

A. To begin, as a driver I must know the track details in and out before you even arrive to the track. This helps the process of learning the track go much faster and allows me to have more confidence when I’m in the drivers seat going around the track at high rates of speed. And it is also important to note any elevation changes the track contains, in order help predict “blind corners”. As I get the track down and gradually go faster I work closely with my dad and the team to help determine our situation as far as track setup.

Q. How long does it you to "get a track down" enough to not only race and place but win?

A. Once, I drive the track for the first time usually by the end of the first day of practice (about 2hrs), we should be close to almost going 100% and my knowledge of the track should be almost perfect. By the end of the second day we must be fine tuning the kart looking for those extra tenths of a second that can mean the difference between qualifying 1st or 15th. By day three it is simply “ALL OUT” try to go as fast as possible in order gauge yourself with the competition and to ensure you have the best possible setup for the upcoming qualifying session and races.

Q. Are there any new strategies that you guys are hoping to employ this year that you can share with fans?

A. At the race (and most races) fans can purchase “pit passes” which allows them to go directly into the pit lane with the drivers and teams competing. Many times people have simple questions or want to know bits of info about many aspects of karting world, and with this direct access to the teams and drivers it makes for a very interesting day (or weekend) at the track for the fans.

Q. Q, do you have any special rituals that you go through as you prepare for each race?

A. My rituals are just to simply relax and get my mind focused on the race (specifically, the start as it is the first and the most gut wrenching part of the entire race). Then I just close the visor on my helmet, have a quick prayer and wait for the signal to roll off the grid.

Q. What is your favorite soda?

A. About 95% of my time at the track I really prefer not to have any soda. My preferred drink at the track is Gatorade ™ (and sometimes energy drinks such as Red Bull ™ and Sobe Adrenaline Rush ™ and others) as it does the best job of keeping me hydrated not only while walking around in the heat but mostly while im working hard driving the kart with my driving suit, helmet, neck brace, shoes and gloves on.

Q. What's your favorite food?

A. For some reason (probably adrenaline) I don’t usually have any appetite at the track although sometimes I will have something small, such as bag of beef jerky. However when the day is over I like to hang out with my dad and fellow drivers and pig out. My favorite foods are the shrimp pasta (from Red Lobster ™) and beef enchiladas (from On the Border ™ Mexican restaurant).














The USA International Raceway is 30 feet wide and over a mile long, and the fifth-mile oval has 35 foot corners and a six foot elevation change from one side of the track to the other. The land where the track sits has gentle slopes and some severe elevation changes like a 20 foot and a 15 foot ravine, which should provide several challenges for all of the racers this week. The weather outlook is sunny and cool, with highs in the mid to lower 70's each day and only a slight chance for showers on Thursday and Saturday so the fans should see some fantastic races.

Good luck, Q! We are all pulling for you, back home in the DF-dub. Bring home the checkered flag!!

Alley of Agony

GARLAND,Texas - - Blue skies overhead, flowers blooming in the meadow, birds singing in the distance, green leaves on trees and bushes. Warmer temperatures have finally arrived and the playful laughter of children can be heard nearby. All signs that spring is here. The alluring sunshine and carefree atmosphere of spring time adds dangers for motorists and kids in the alleys of many urban communities in Texas. In just a blink of an eye, a kid chasing after a bouncing ball and a motorist looking away to change the radio station or answer a cell phone then suddenly...SCREEEECH!! BANG!!! BOOM!!!... Spring time smiles turn to frowns, emotions of gloom and despair are now present. Two lives now cling to the same breathe as a child lays helpless in a heap on the ground suffering from the trauma and shock of being hit by a 2 1/2 ton vehicle and a concerned motorist, his body riddled with shock and empathy in his heart for the child.


While playing basketball in the driveway at a friends house late in the afternoon of Tuesday April 8, 2008, a 12 year old boy was struck by a truck that was entering an alley. The little boy darted into the alley after the basketball hastily trying to retrieve the rebound of a missed shot. Seconds later he was hit and knocked to the ground, he tumbled over and over from the force of the truck until his limp body finally came to rest at the corner of the alley. They all rush to this young man, his friend and his father and the motorists. Thankfully they were all there to care for him at the scene.


Later, while he was getting checked in at the emergency room, I asked him to tell me what happened. He said, "All, I remember is I ran down the hill into the alley to get the basketball and the next thing I knew, there was the truck hitting and knocking me to the ground."

Upon hearing about such a life altering event, my parental instincts began to stir something inside of me so, I researched more into the dangers of alleys. My research lead me search to various sources, on-line journals and state and government websites.

Do you know the speed limit in an alley? Who has the right of way, the pedestrian or the motorist?

According to the Texas Driver's Handbook, when entering or crossing a road, street, or highway from a private road, alley, building, or driveway after stopping prior to the sidewalk, you shall yield the right-of-way to all approaching vehicles and pedestrians, the speed limit is only 15 miles per hour (mph).

In an report obtained from Personalinjurylawers.com, the site estimates that, "every year approximately 5,000 pedestrians are killed in motor vehicle collisions in the United States. Tens of thousands more are injured in such accidents. Pedestrian accidents account for two percent of those injured or killed in traffic accidents annually. Pedestrian accidents can also occur as a result of non-vehicular incidents. While statistics show a drop in pedestrian fatalities in recent years, pedestrian safety is still a problem."

The causes of pedestrian accidents are wide ranging; however, some of the more common causes are:

· Pedestrian walks/runs into the roadway and is struck by an oncoming vehicle.

· Motorist does not see the pedestrian in time to stop.

· Motorist runs a red light at an intersection.

· Pedestrian is struck while getting out of a parked vehicle.

· Pedestrian is struck by a car moving in reverse or turning a corner.


Overall, the most common cause of pedestrian accidents is human negligence. If we can do nothing else, let's practice some of the following suggestions to help increase our awareness of the things around us so that we can all better enjoy ourselves:

1. Turn off the cell phone or pull over and park. Any call that you must take you should take when you are not moving in your car.
2. Turn down the radio. No reason why everybody has to "Lean wit it, rock wit it" with you!
3. Don't eat, sleep, read books or the newspaper. If you need a break then take one when its' safe not while you're behind the wheel!
4. Limit passenger distractions. If you have small ones in the car, be sure you have adequate snacks and activities (DVDs, handheld games, puzzle books) available and accessible.
5. Stay alert and Stay Alive!!!