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Published monthly by the Villages of Westcreek Owners' Association
Communications Committee - November 1, 2019 Edition!
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"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
~African Proverb
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| CULTIVATING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE |
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Thanksgiving offers us a time to sit back and reflect on all the things we should be grateful for - both personally and professionally.
Like many of us, we will begin to get wrapped up in the holiday madness and maybe forget to thank the people that help us day-in and day-out, those who work the long hours, and miss time with their own family to make the lives of families in the community just that much better.
It's important to take extra time during the holidays to pause, reflect, recharge, and re-commit to bringing gratitude to life.
For me, part of that process is reflecting on the ways we can bring more thankfulness into our leadership.
Not just because it's the "nice" thing to do but because it is a crucial part to building community relationships.
Giving thanks is about making people feel valued and when people feel valued, they are inspired to act more.
Gratitude is a selfless act and when action is taken unconditionally it shows people they are appreciated, and it becomes infectious.
It is also a sign of wisdom and maturity and an ingrained hallmark of humility.
The latest brain research shows that six doses of feeling 30 seconds of gratitude daily (a whopping 3 minutes a day) will enable your neurons to fire together and wire together around gratitude within a mere two weeks.
This means you'll more easily and frequently access the feeling of gratitude.
It will help you feel better and see the good things in life.
When combined
with a gratitude practice, you will be able to anchor that positive feeling into your brain and body, thus being able to call on that positive emotional reserve whenever you need to.
That power will give you the edge you need to quickly pivot during a stressful situation and allow you to focus not only on the present and how you can turn things around, but on hidden opportunities to be grateful.
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There are several ways you can incorporate gratitude into your daily routine, such as:
journaling, counting your blessings, honoring people with your time, saying a genuine thank you earnestly and often, giving the gift of giving back, offering to help people, and choosing the right goals.
While we tend to only think about gratitude during the holiday season or when a monumental event occurs, gratitude doesn't need to be limited to those two scenarios.
Gratitude stems from acknowledgement that where we have arrived didn't happen solely on our own.
Gratitude celebrates the good in the world and finds meaning in experiences. When we see our neighbors, friends, families, and even strangers, through the lens of gratitude, we will see the untapped potential and inspire both ourselves and others to achieve the impossible.
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Fellow Homeowners,
The Board of Directors, which consists of 5 elected members, has a vacancy that we are looking to fill. Under our
Bylaws
the remaining Board members are to vote on a replacement to serve until the term expires at the Annual Meeting in April 2020.
In accordance with
the VWOA Bylaws, paragraph 7.04, "vacancies on the Board of Directors caused by death, resignation, or disqualification...shall be filled by vote of the majority of the remaining Directors...and each person so elected shall be a Director until a successor
is elected
at the next annual meeting of the Association."
If you are interested, please submit the following information, along with a brief resume (200-300 words), to
Board@villagesofwestcreek.com.
- Name:
- Address:
- Phone:
- Email:
Each volunteer will be considered and interviewed as resumes are received until the Board makes an appointment.
Sincerely,
VWOA Board of Directors
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CONSTABLE PATROLS
In June 2018, the Board approved the use of off-duty Constables to patrol The Villages of Westcreek on a trial basis. During the initial 3 month trial period, the patrols drove over 1060 miles within Westcreek's boundaries, made contact with 54 pedestrians and 52 suspicious vehicles, and provided 30 assists to BCSO. With overwhelmingly positive resident feedback, the Board approved extending patrols through 2018 and later approved continued patrols in the 2019 budget. The Board has again approved continuing these patrols in the 2020 budget.
The Constables patrol all areas of Westcreek on random hours & nights. The schedule is customized to our area based on patterns they see with criminal activity in the surrounding areas. The schedule fluctuates from night to night so criminals can't predict when they will be in any given section of our community. The patrol cars are marked with reflective "POLICE" signs on the sides, so they are easily identifiable to residents. When patrolling, the officers have access to all dispatch calls and are able to respond/assist BCSO. To date, this has shown to drastically reduce call response time within Westcreek when Constables are on duty.
The safety of our community is a Board priority. We feel these patrols are one of the best ways to hinder criminal activity in our community. We hope for continued success and homeowner support. Statistical updates are provided at Town Halls and some Board meetings. Please check the agenda for the next Constable visit/update.
IMPROVED SECURITY LIGHTING AT SPORTS PARK
The Board has also completed the lighting project at the Sports Park. This 3 phase project added light poles to the track, fields, parking lot, and pavilion areas. The increased lighting at the park not only allows for increased homeowner use and enjoyment in the evening hours, but also increases the security of the area. Homeowner feedback has been extremely positive and the number of residents enjoying the park in the evenings has greatly increased.
SECURITY CAMERAS
Another security initiative the Board has taken on is the installation of additional security cameras at the Sports Park and Community Center to allow for better coverage of the area. In the event of an incident, camera footage can be reviewed and turned over to law enforcement. As a part of the camera upgrades, license plate cameras have been added to both parking lots.
The Board, Association, and resident volunteers are continually looking for ways to improve our community. If you have ideas for ways to improve our community and want to become more involved, please consider joining the Suggestion and Recommendations Committee.
Submitted by: Heather Mallia, Treasurer VWOA Boad of Directors
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As you drive through our community do you ever see a maintenance issue that you would like to see addressed by the Owners' Association? Maybe it's a problem with a specific property not being maintained in accordance with our governing documents or an issue with property maintained by the Association.
If you answered "Yes," the Association needs your help in identifying these areas so they can address these problems to protect the property values in Westcreek. Listed below are three optional ways you can report an issue to the Association.
Option 1 - Report a Violation Online
This is one of the simplest way to report an issue. The online tool takes a few minutes to complete and has an option where you can upload an image to your report.
Click here to report a violation online!
Option 2 - Report a Violation by Phone
Call 210-679-8762 and speak to the Standards Manager.
Option 3 - Report a Violation by Email
Send an email to Standards@villagesofWestcreek.com. Include the address of the violation and a description of the violation. You should also include your contact information in the event we need further information.
No matter how you choose to report an issue, please be sure to include the property address of the alleged violation along with your contact information in the event we need to follow-up with you.
Under no circumstances will the Association disclose the name of any party reporting an alleged violation. These reports are confidential.
Submitted by: Beverly Hover, Standards Manager
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There was a phone call placed to the Bexar County Public Works by an unidentified caller asking about walls on the project. The caller was informed that the project would indeed have retaining walls. To help clear up any misinformation about whether or not walls would be included in this project, Reggie Fountain provided us the following information.
Retaining walls on a project are generally necessary to accommodate vertical elevation differences between the elevation of the proposed roadway, and the adjacent elevation of the land abutting the pavement. He informed us that retaining walls will be constructed with this project. He also noted that any other type of wall, be it a "sound wall," or any sort of positive traffic barrier, is not deemed necessary for this project and will not be constructed.
This project was designed by registered civil engineers, in conformance with design criteria recognized by Federal, State, County, and City engineering design professionals. As such, all vertical and horizontal geometries for the roadway have been designed to ensure there is no undue safety risk of a vehicle departing the roadway.
Further, this roadway is designed and will be speed limit enforced at 45 mph, and be an urban, curbed roadway section with sidewalks. Any adjacent properties will be well beyond the generally accepted "clear zone" for roadway designs of this type.
Submitted by: Bill Fenstermacher, Communications Committee Chair
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MICHAEL ALLSOP TO LEAD SARC
The Board of Directors, Staff and SARC Members welcome Michael Allsop as the new Chair of the Suggestion and Recommendations Committee.
Michael is originally from Wisconsin but couldn't get to Texas fast enough, as the saying goes. He and his wife are the proud parents of four beautiful girls, and have called the Villages of Westcreek their home since 2009. They have been active in the community attending numerous VWOA sponsored events and activities.
Michael served as the Landscape Committee Chair a number of years ago. Professionally he is a Facility Manager for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and has been working in this position for the last 12 years. He manages 40 facilities and his responsibilities range from managing contracts with contractors, asset management, forecasting needs and budgeting these projects, project management, and any and all other details related to the facilities.
His hope is that the SARC can be proactive in finding ways we can improve our community and providing the recommendations to the Board of Directors. We believe his strong facility and project management background will help us as we look at future projects. Michael looks forward to finding ways to better serve the HOA and working with the residents on finding ways we can improve our Owners' Association. He is excited about serving as the Chair of the SARC.
Submitted by: Bill Fenstermacher, Communications Committee Chair
BOARD ACTS ON SARC RECOMMENDATIONS
Last month, the Board of Directors acted on three of the recommendations submitted by the
VWOA Suggestion and Recommendations Committee (SARC). Listed below are those that have been approved and acted on:
The next scheduled meeting of the SARC will be held on December 2, 2019 at 6 PM in the Community Center Conference Room. This is an "Open Meeting" to all residents!
Submitted by: Francis Lomax, SARC Member
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The
VWOA Communications Committee is in the process of exploring an idea about creating a
Villages of Westcreek Public Service Announcement (PSA) video about littering. At this time, we are putting a call out for a
Volunteer Videographer from Westcreek who is skilled in creating videos for online publication. If we are successful in finding a volunteer who would be willing to take this project on, our plan is to have children play a role in the video.
If you are that person and would be willing to volunteer for this project, please contact the Chair of the Communications Committee by
clicking here!
Submitted by: Bill Fenstermacher, Communications Committee Chair
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The HOA has received many questions regarding the damaged Woods monument. While it may appear nothing is being done, let me assure everyone the HOA is working on it.
The holdup has been with the insurance company, which was challenging the bid amounts for repair. These bids included clean up and hauling off all debris, a new monument, and repairing the damaged lighting. The Board did not want to move forward (spending homeowner money) while there was still a question of whether insurance was going to fully fund the repairs or not. Now that the insurance claim has been settled, clean up and replacement of the monument will begin.
While looking at replacement monument options, the Board decided that this was an opportunity to update the look of Westcreek's aging monuments. The Board voted on and approved a new boulder style monument. As part of the Monument Beautification Project, we will begin replacing several of the older monuments in order to carry this look throughout Westcreek. The Woods and Country Oaks will be the first two villages to receive these monuments. The village names will have reflective paint, making it easier to see at night. Monument lights will be incorporated into the design.
Also as a part of the Monument Beautification Project, the Suggestion and Recommendations Committee (SARC) will explore new landscaping options for the monument islands. If you would like to become more involved in the continued improvement of our community, please consider joining the SARC!
Submitted by: Heather Mallia, Treasurer, VWOA Board of Directors
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Recently we have had an increase in ATVs trespassing in the rear section of the Sports Park. These individuals have caused quite a bit of damage to the track and fields. In an effort to put a stop to the weekly damage these individuals were causing, the Board began looking at fencing solutions. Our fencing/barrier needed to account for the creek bed that flows through the area and the abundant wildlife that visits the park, as well as, remain
aesthetically pleasing.
As a solution, the Board decided on large boulders to be placed at intervals on the rear property line. This keeps the landscape natural looking but also prevents individuals from driving in and damaging our common area property. The Board decided to bring that same look to the front of the parking lot and remove the old parking lot wire fence.
As a reminder, according to section 8.10.2 of the Standards: Motorcycles and All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) that are street legal may only be used on public streets. Those that are not street legal may not be driven within the Villages of Westcreek.
Sports Park Rules: Vehicles are only allowed in the areas that are specifically designated for parking.
Submitted by: Heather Mallia, Treasurer. VWOA Board of Directors
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ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 5th!
Texas Secretary of State Ruth Hughs encourages all eligible Texas voters to take advantage of the early voting period ahead of the November 5th election, which began on Monday, October 21st
and ends on Friday, November 1st
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Voters across the state will be casting ballots for statewide constitutional amendments, special elections, and local political subdivision elections, including those for mayor, city council, school board, municipal utility districts, and other local entities. The Secretary urged voters to research the candidates, amendments, and measures that will appear on their ballot as they prepare to make their voices heard.
Click here to visit VoteTexas.gov for specific information about what's on the ballot and to find your polling place and much more!
Submitted by: Bill Fenstermacher, Communications Committee Chair
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On behalf of the Villages of Westcreek Staff, we would like to personally thank you for attending the Fall Festival. It was a big successful event. Big thanks to our volunteers who kept everything running smoothly with the hayride.
Please visit our Social Media sites to view some of our favorite pictures from this event:
Mark your calendar for Friday, December 20, 2019, (Santa in the Park) in the WC Sports Park. More Details Soon!
Thank you again for your support.
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DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME REMINDER
On Sunday, November 3, 2019, at 2:00 AM, turn your clocks back one hour
Submitted by: Michelle de Jongh, Communications Committee Member
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SOLICITATION FOR VOLUNTEER ARC MEMBERS
The Villages of Westcreek Owners' Association is currently recruiting to fill vacancies on the Architectural Review Committee (ARC). The ARC shall consist of 3 Regular Members and 2 Alternate Members. You must be a homeowner to be appointed by the Board of Directors to serve on this committee.
The primary objective of the ARC is to enhance and preserve property values throughout the community while being as consistent and fair as possible with their decisions and recommendations. The ARC has the authority to:
- Adopt and administer the review process on behalf of the VWOA;
- Review and approve or disapprove plans and specifications for each Property Improvement Application (PIA) regarding changes to the premises;
- Make changes to the "Standards for Architectural Design and Property Maintenance" as deemed necessary in accordance with the CC&Rs and applicable Federal, State and local laws; and,
- Make reasonable efforts to assist the applicants with their requests and any other concerns regarding the "Standards."
ARC members will be trained and expected to conduct business using an automated system. This system allows ARC members to view, comment, approve or deny PIAs digitally.
Ideal candidates will
- have access to a computer and internet.
- be available on a consistent basis to meet in person should homeowners request a meeting to discuss their PIA.
- Have knowledge of the VWOA's current standards.
HOW TO APPLY!
CLICK HERE
to send an email to the VWOA Community Manager to submit your name for consideration. Be sure to include your home address, phone number and email address.
Submitted by: Jacob Fey, VWOA Community Manager
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As we approach the Holiday Season, we thought it would be a good time to review the timelines on when you can display your outdoor holiday decorations!
Holiday decorations may be displayed on the premises, without ARC approval. Under our current guidelines, you can display your Christmas/New Year's holiday decorations
forty (40) days prior to the holiday but they must be removed no later than 15 days after the holiday.
For all other holidays during the year, the decorations can be displayed 30 days before the holiday and must be removed no later than 15 days following the actual holiday date.
Special event decorations such as birthdays, anniversaries, newborns, returning veterans, etc., may only be displayed on the premises for three (3) days without the Standards Department's approval if the number of decorations are minimal and, the decorations and signs are not placed anywhere else within the Villages of Westcreek, including the properties fronting any entrance to the Villages of Westcreek.
We hope you find the chart below helpful as you decorate for the upcoming Holiday Season!
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HOLIDAY
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DECORATIONS UP
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DECORATIONS DOWN
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Halloween
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October 1st |
November 16th |
| Thanksgiving |
October 29th |
December 13th |
Christmas and New Year's
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November 15th |
January 16th |
Reference: Section 6.7 of the Standards
Submitted by: Gene Hopkins, Communications Committee Member
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Please note the following office hours for the upcoming holidays!
| NOVEMBER |
DECEMBER |
- November 11- Office Closed
- November 27- Office Closed
- November 28- Office Closed
- November 29- Office Closed
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- December 23- 9am till 2pm
- December 24- Office Closed
- December 25- Office Closed
- December 26- Office Closed
- December 27- 9am till 2pm
- December 30- 9am till 2pm
- December 31- 9am till 2pm
- January 1- Office Closed
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Your 4th Quarter Assessment of $99.00 was due on October 1, 2019.
On October 29, 2019, all accounts with outstanding balances began incurring a late fee of $20.00, plus a delinquent interest charge.
CLICK HERE
for more information about how to pay your assessments and our
Billing/Collection Policy
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NOTE
: The Office is open Monday thru Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, excluding holidays. In addition, the Office is open on the 2nd Saturday each month from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
PAYMENT OPTIONS
- Payments can still be made here at the VWOA onsite office during business hours.
- Payments may also be mailed to our office, made payable to VWOA, at 12395 Military Dr. West, San Antonio, TX 78253. You can also mail your payment directly to Spectrum Association Management, P.O. Box 299008, Lewisville, TX 75029. Mailed payments are processed electronically; please do not send cash!
- You may drop off cash (in a sealed envelope), check, or money-order at the drop box, located to the right of our front entry doors at the business office. Make sure you include your address on your check/money order.
- Cash is accepted in the office.
- Card Payments will be accepted only after the homeowner is registered with Spectrumam.com.
- Pay by Phone- 1-877-342-6233 (your account number needed).
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If you need extra time to pay your assessments, fill out the form on the website below to see if you qualify for a payment plan. Payment plan requests are reviewed within two business days, and if approved, a payment plan agreement will be emailed to sign and return to our office within five business days.
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SUPPORT OUR LOCAL FOOD TRUCKS
The Villages of Westcreek launched an experiment to see if there was enough interest and support within the community for us to host local Food Trucks.
What started with just two food trucks serving the community on Friday, Saturday and Monday evenings, has now expanded to several additional trucks offering their cuisine throughout the week.
The support we received from community members and the Food Truck vendors has made this a successful venture.
If you know of a Food Truck that you think would be interested in joining the
"StrEATS of Westcreek,"
have them contact the VWOA Office at 210-679-8761 during our normal business hours. There is a small $25 fee for each truck that participates in the program. We only allow one truck per evening.
CLICK HERE
to view the StrEATS of Westcreek Food Truck schedule and menus!
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Our next scheduled Community Yard Sales will be held on
November 9, 2019
. Community Yard Sales listings will be posted on the
VWOA website,
the day prior to the event. If you wish to add your yard sale to the listing, please call the VWOA Office at 210-679-8761 by 12 noon on the Friday before the scheduled yard sale.
Submitted by: Melissa Garcia, Administrative Director
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The Westcreek Poker Club was established by homeowner Michael Rico to bring community members together for an evening of fun. This club is exclusively for Westcreek residents.
Poker Club Rules:
- Each Westcreek resident must present a current VWOA ID card.
- Each resident may bring one guest to play.
- No alcoholic drinks (food, water, soda, snacks, etc. are okay).
- Sign-in sheet for residents.
- $20 tournament with rebuys and late entries for the first 90 minutes.
- Tournament payouts depend on the number of entries and rebuys.
The Westcreek Poker Club will get together on November 7th at 7:00 PM in the VWOA Community Center Hall.
Same format as before: $20 entry with a starting stack of 12k in chips. *Rebuys and late entries allowed no later than 8:15 PM.
To earn BONUS CHIPS, register by
7:00 PM!
For additional information or questions about the requirements and tournament format, email Michael Rico.
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Come join your neighbors in a fun game of Bingo!
Date: 1st Tuesday of the month
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: VWOA Community Center Hall, 12395 Military Drive West, San Antonio, Texas 78253
To play you will need to make either a $2.00 or Prize donation!
For questions or additional information, contact Jason Dunbar at 210-679-8761!
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The Villages of Westcreek
offers a wide variety of Sports Programs
throughout the year. Visit our "Westcreek Sports Program" website for more detailed information about our specific programs and registration information!
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STAINING OF FENCES ABUTTING MAJOR STREETS
On the fencing that backs up to the major streets, if the Standards Department determines that the kick boards were damaged by our maintenance crew and this caused rotting to the bottom of the pickets, the homeowner will be notified that:
- Other fence repairs must be performed before the Association can schedule new kick board installation and staining as well as staining any replacement pickets
- Any damaged or repaired pickets must be replaced with cedar pickets;
- A Property Improvement Application (PIA) must be submitted to the Standards Department to show the date that the repair is expected to begin; and
- Once the repairs are finished, the Community Manager needs to be notified either by calling 210-679-8761 or via cm@villagesofwestcreek.com so he can schedule the appropriate action.
If the bottom of the pickets are not rotted out, the homeowner will be provided with an approximate date the new
kickboard(s) will be installed and stained.
Submitted by: Gene Hopkins on behalf of Beverly Hover, Standards Manager.
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TIME FOR FALL LAWN FEEDING
Fall lawn fertilizing/winterizing time is upon us. Make your lawn winter hardy, and promote fast green up when spring arrives again. A healthy, well-fed lawn is the best defense against disease, insect problems, and weed infestation. Don't skip this fall gardening chore.
Apply winterizing formulas for winter hardiness. Ratios vary, but make sure they are "winter" or "fall" formulas designed for southern grasses. Rainbow Garden's 18-6-12 winterizer formula is a great choice.
Here are 5 important things to keep in mind during the fall gardening season.
- Plant, plant, plant! Fall is the best time to plant. Take advantage of fall sales, grow cuttings, sow seeds, etc.
- Dividing and Transplanting. November is prime time to move plants that might not have been planted in the right place and to divide plants that have outgrown their original planting plots.
- Watering. One of the quickest ways to invite disease into your turf is by watering at night. Water in the early morning hours instead and only as needed.
- Color. Choose a mixture of perennials and annuals so you will always have some color. Mass plantings of annual color look best, while perennials need more space between plantings so they can reach their maximum potential. Low-growing annuals are great for planting over areas where you have spring bulbs buried.
- Mulch. While leaves make excellent mulch material, full-size original state leaves should not be left to decompose on the lawn. Your turf still needs sunlight and leaves can block the rays. But don't throw them away. Collect and put in your compost piles, store in black trash bags and allow them to break down for future use, collect and use as mulch in your garden beds, or mow over them to mulch them and they can then break down on the lawn.
Submitted by: Michelle de Jongh, Communications Committee Secretary
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RED CORN POPPY (PAPAVER RHOEAS
)
I thought with Veteran's Day in November I would cover the Red Corn Poppy.
- Light Requirement: Full Sun, Partial Sun
- Water Demand: Dry to Moderate
- Flower Color: Red
- Height: 12-30 inches tall
- Season: Blooms in Summer
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VIGILANCE FOR OUR CHILDREN
As caregivers, we never want to imagine our children in a threatening situation. Conversations about potential dangers may even be avoided with children for fear of scaring them. But it is important to talk with children about dangers they may face in order to develop a plan for safety.
Children should be aware that not all people with ill intentions look mean or scary like a Disney movie villain. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (2018), attempted abductions data revealed:
- Attempted abductions happen more often when children are going to and from school or school-related activities
- The majority (64%) happened to female children
- 68% involved a suspect driving a vehicle
- Common lures include offering a ride, asking questions, offering candy/sweets, money, or using an animal
Safety Tips:
- Teach kids to pay attention. Talk to kids about paying attention to their surroundings. This means phones down, faces up. Pay attention to those around. Noise-reducing headphones can reduce their awareness of their environment.
- Don't travel alone. If kids must walk home from school or even a friend's house, try and arrange for them to travel as a pair or group.
- Talk to your children about strangers. People with malicious intentions do not always look the part. Teach them to never wander off with anyone, even if offered gifts or their help is solicited.
- Simulate calling 911. If your children had to call 911 in an emergency, would they know how to? There are apps such as Ready, Set, Dial which allow practice and offer education about emergency situations.
- Supervise your children. As caregivers, the safest place for our children is under our watchful eye. So supervise your children!
References:
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. (2018). Analysis of Attempted Abductions Trends, retrieved from
http://www.missingkids.com
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The kitchen is the heart of the home, especially at Thanksgiving. Kids love to be involved in holiday preparations. Safety in the kitchen is important, especially on Thanksgiving Day when there is a lot of activity and people at home.
Did you know Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment? Here are some safety tips to keep your Thanksgiving day safe.
- Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
- Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check on it frequently.
- Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay 3 feet away.
- Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.
- Keep the floor clear so you don't trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags.
- Keep knives out of the reach of children.
- Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
- Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children - up high in a locked cabinet.
- Never leave children alone in a room with a lit candle.
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Should you need us... We'll be there for you! From all of us here at Bexar County 2 Fire Department.
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BCSO SAFETY BUMPER STICKERS
Sheriff Javier Salazar created the Bexar County Sheriff's Office Safety Bumper Stickers. These BCSO Safety Stickers are geared to assist people with special needs and specific medical conditions. The BCSO feels these stickers will assist law enforcement and fellow drivers to better understand that the individual they are interacting with may have one of the following conditions.
These free stickers are now available at both of our Substations, McCombs Ford West, Red McCombs Ford, Red McCombs Toyota, Universal Toyota, and Drive Away Toyota.
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SpotCrime is an independent, commercial site that provides crime mapping and incident information.
Official
Police Reports can be obtained from the BCSO Central Records Office. Contact information, fees, and hours of operation can be found on the
Central Records page
.
CLICK HERE to view SpotCrime mapping for the Villages of Westcreek.
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Submitted by: Patrol Administration Deputy Meyer, Bexar County Sheriff's Office
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READING LABELS
The Nutrition Facts panel on food packages tells you everything you need to know about the healthfulness of a product. You just have to know what to look for and how to interpret the information. Always read the Nutrition Facts and scan the List of Ingredients.
- Never believe anything on the front of any product. It is very misleading. All of the terms used are not regulated, so manufacturers can use whatever definition they want to make a product appear healthier.
- Look at the serving size and do the math. This is not necessarily how much you should eat. Instead, it is a standardized serving as a reference, which allows you to compare. To make the product appear healthier, the manufacturer will post multiple servings, even on a small package. Make sure to double or triple the calories, and everything else on the label, to get the accurate nutrition information for the amount you ate or drank.
- Check the calories. Some people find it useful to calculate their estimated calorie needs and then keep track of their daily intake. The total calories from fat should be no more than 20% of the total calorie content. Pull out your phone and divide the "calories from fat" by the "total calories."
- Sodium content should not exceed a 1:1 ratio when compared with calories.
- On the nutrition label, the sodium content should never exceed the calories. The exception is condiments (ketchup, hot sauce, soy sauce etc.). Here you can bend the rule, because you will be using just a little of it on top of whole food containing very little naturally-occurring sodium.
- 1200 - 1500 mg of sodium per day is recommended with an upper limit of 2300 mg of sodium per day. Interestingly, the average US intake of sodium is 3000 - 5000 mg! Note that one teaspoon of salt contains 2200 mg. of sodium.
- Do not cook with salt! Add it on the surface of the food, at the table, when you are about to eat. Why? Because then your taste buds will sense the salt, and it will have maximum impact. As an example, a typical slice of bread contains three times more salt than a typical potato chip, and yet the potato chip tastes saltier. Why is this? It is because the salt is on the surface of the chip, but with the bread, it is incorporated into the flour matrix where you do not taste it.
- Keep the sugar count low. One serving should be no more than 5-6 grams of sugar. Make sure that you are not consuming more that the daily recommended sugar consumption. Stay within the following range:
- Children under 6 months: 0
- Children: 3-4 tsp (12-16g
- Preteen: 5 tsp (25g)
- Adult women & teens: 6-8 tsp (24-32g)
- Adult men: 9 tsp (36g)
- Scan the Ingredient list. The smaller the list, the better. This list helps you determine more nutrition information about the item.
- If sugar or high-fructose corn syrup is listed before other more healthful ingredients, such as fruit, this may be a food that is high in calories from sugar and low in other nutrients. Other names for sugar include: corn syrup, maltose, dextrose, sucrose, honey and maple syrup.
- If there are more preservatives than identifiable ingredients, a food may be highly processed and, therefore, likely not as healthy as a less processed food.
- If bread is made with whole-wheat flour as the first and only flour ingredient, it is 100% whole wheat.
- If a product contains partially hydrogenated oil, this indicates it contains some trans fat despite a label that may say "0 grams" of trans fat.
You can view the following image to help you understand food labels better.
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MINI ZUCCHINI SLIDERS
Here is a very tasty mini zucchini sliders recipe that I hope your family will enjoy:
Ingredients:
- 12oz zucchini sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
- 6.5oz 90% lean ground beef divided into 3 portions
- 2 Kerrygold cheddar cheese wedges divided into 3 portions
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425
- Season zucchini with salt/pepper and spray with cooking oil spray
- Bake for 5 mins
- Turn oven to broil, place pan near the top and broil 3-5 minutes or until zucchini is tender crisp.
- For each slider take portion of beef and divide - add cheese to middle and seal beef around. Do this for remaining 2 burgers.
- Cook in skillet for 6 minutes over medium high heat and flipping after 3 minutes.
- To plate: Zucchini slice on bottom, burger, dollop of mustard, and top with zucchini. Any remaining zucchini plate as a side dish.
If you would like more recipes you can follow Melissa Motz on her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/melissaofferinghope
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TUMBLING CLASSES COMING TO WESTCREEK
Maximus Cheer & Tumbling will begin offering Tumbling Clinics at the Villages of Westcreek starting Nov. 5, 2019. The group clinics will be for ages 5-13 and for all levels of experience. Private sessions will be available for those not in that age range or who have advanced skills.
Tumbling is basic in the foundation of all individual sports and even for physical activity. It helps develop kinesthetic
awareness,
or sense/awareness of body movements. This awareness helps develop coordination, agility, and other movements. Kinesthetic awareness also can help with kicking, catching, throwing, and running, which are skills needed in multiple sports.
One of the most important skills learned in tumbling is
the handstand
. It creates a unique upper body
strength,
and provides flexibility, mind to muscle coordination, and agility. Beyond that, it also creates better concentration skills, self-esteem, and mental power.
For more information about tumbling clinics, contact Max Wright at 1-407-694-8877. You can also contact him via email at MaxWright68@yahoo.com.
Submitted by: Michelle de Jongh, Communications Committee Secretary
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SOMETHING FOR ALL AGE GROUPS!
The Villages of Westcreek offers a wide variety of
"Health and Fitness Classes" for our residents!
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