Board Update: Holiday Lights Contest winners, fixing dark street lights, food truck update, walker’s solution to clean streets

Hello Eagle Nest residents,

Here’s a look at neighborhood news for the week of December 14:

HOLIDAY LIGHTS CONTEST: AND THE WINNERS ARE …

Simply put, Eagle Nest is the most festive neighborhood around. The proof? Take a drive around the neighborhood during the evening – it’s hard to go one block without seeing a house decked out in holiday lights or blinking yard displays. In fact, a record 160+ homes showed off their festive feels this year, and that made judging for this year’s Holiday Lights Contest a real challenge.

The stakes were big, too: First prize is a $50 gift card (with smaller prizes for second and third place), but more importantly bragging rights as the homeowner with the most holiday spirit. And so, drum roll, please … the winners are:

First place: 8250 Warbler Way (Tom and Cindy Corbett, Lot 120), near the north end of Bittern Lane. Said one judge: “It’s on the edge of having too much, but it is the one that makes you say ‘wow’ when you drive by. And that’s what it takes to win. We especially like the added touch of the Grinch stealing lights off the tree.” This is the Corbetts’ third win since the contest started in 2012. They also placed first in 2019 and 2014.

Second place: 7935 Tanager Lane (Troy Gabbard and Jodi Breece, Lot 311), near the three-way stop at Tanager Lane and Warbler Way. Said one judge: “All around nice composition, especially as you approach from the west. We really like the tree with the star.”

Third place: 8238 Osprey Circle (Don and Kathy Detzler, Lot 401), our first cul-de-sac off 75^th Street. Said another judge: “This is just a classic holiday look. And we know it took some bravery to string all the roof peaks. You might argue that Osprey Circle should win most spirited block – nearly every home is decorated!”

There were plenty of Honorable Mentions, too: 7710 Warbler Way, 7718 Teel Way, 7802 Warbler Way, 7832 Mallard Way, 7909 Teel Way, 7935 Tanager Lane, 8021 Teel Way, 8024 Bittern Lane, 8120 Warbler Way, 8120 Tanager Lane, 8122 Tanager Court, 8305 Warbler Way, 8329 Quail Court, 8329 Dove Court, 8415 Goldfinch Circle, 8232 Osprey Court, 8331 Mockingbird Lane, 8407 Sandpiper Lane, and the list goes on. (Click here for a list of previous winners.)

A sincere thanks to everyone for taking the time to show off your holiday handiwork and sharing the spirit of the season with all our neighbors!

RESIDENT VIDEO CAPTURES SPIRIT OF KEEPING STREETS CLEAN

It's always heartening to see how neighbors pitch in to make Eagle Nest a better place. Tanager Court resident John Strauss (right) regularly walks the neighborhood, and he often carries a bag with him to pick up litter during his outings. John is a former college instructor and longtime local journalist who enjoys making short videos – like this light-hearted public-service announcement: CLICK HERE

Thanks, John, and everybody else who pitches in to do what they can to make our neighborhood the best it can be!

CLUBHOUSE INCIDENT UNDERSCORES IMPORTANCE OF 911

Speaking of PSAs, here's one from our Crime Watch team: Last Friday evening, several teenagers were spotted smoking marijuana in their cars in the front parking lot of the Clubhouse. A Board member confronted the group and instructed them to leave, but the teens ignored the request. So, the Board immediately called 911, and within 30 minutes police responded to the scene. The teens (two girls and a boy) were gone by that time, but the point is residents should never hesitate to call 911 if they see something suspicious. We rarely have trouble in the neighborhood, and we’d like to keep it that way. Thanks in advance for keeping an eye out.

In other news:

NO FOOD TRUCK THIS WEEK; JET’S COMING SOON: We know many of you have enjoyed the weekly food trucks since the pandemic started, but scheduling vendors has been a challenge now that crummy weather is here. That means no food truck this week, but Jet’s Pizza will return with their $5 personal pizzas the week of Christmas. Watch our Facebook page and blog Events link for a confirmed date soon.

FIXING DARK STREET LIGHTS: If you spot a dark street light in our neighborhood, the Board would appreciate your help in reporting it to IPL. It’s easy to do: Click this IPL link and fill out the short form with the address closest to the light pole. You will need to include the pole tag number, found at the top near the lighting element. You can use the same link for damaged or downed poles, too.

On behalf of the Board,
ScottThien, President