|





























We want your organization's news!
Submit your press release here!
Find more local
news each month in:
The Cross Timbers Gazette
Since 1979
We want your organization's news!
Submit your press release here!
We want your organization's news!
Submit your press release here!
We want your organization's news!
Submit your press release here!
We want your organization's news!
Submit your press release here!
|
News
From Your Neighborhood


Download the latest Cross Timbers Gazette Newspaper 
Dedication held for new school
Karen Satterwhite, Blanton Elementary
principal, introduces fifth-graders Drew Mizer and Emily Schatz at the
school's dedication ceremony on Tuesday.

Brownie Scouts, Sara Ann Miller, E.P. Rayzor Elementary student, and
Sara Ceanna Cooksey, Blanton Elementary student, led the crowd in the
Pledge of Allegiance during the dedication ceremony.
Bluegrass fest is hot ticket
Don't
fiddle around too much or you may miss out.
Tickets for the
2009 Argyle
Bluegrass Festival are going fast, and organizers want to make sure
that area residents don't miss a note of it.
"Our most common complaint is that
the diehard bluegrass fans snap up all the tickets and local folks don't
get any," said Jackie Thomas, Executive Director of the annual event.
The festival will be held March 6
and 7, 2009 at Cross Timbers Church in Argyle.
Two day reserved and general
admission tickets are on sale now, with single day seats going on sale
January 5th.
Click here to purchase tickets.
The festival features such acts as
the Dan Tyminksi Band, Tony Rice, Mountain Heart, Michael Cleveland &
Flamekeeper, the Carolina Chocolate Drops and more.
Comment
on this story

Mr. K's Cleaners offers FREE pick up and delivery service to Lantana.
Mention this ad and get 50% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER! (New customers
only) Call 972-539-3142 and ask for the LantanaLinks.com Special!
Commercial real estate foreclosures up
Foreclosure
postings of commercial real estate skyrocketed this year in Denton
County.
Filings on commercial property
surged 78 percent over last year, according to figures released by
Foreclosure Listing Service, Inc. These included retail centers, office
and industrial buildings, apartment complexes, and unimproved commercial
land.
"Foreclosure postings of commercial
real estate climbed at a much steeper pace than residential postings,"
said George Roddy, Sr., president of Foreclosure Listing Service.
The research firm reported that 132
foreclosure postings were filed on Denton County commercial properties
this year, compared to just 74 in 2007.
Roddy said the good news is that
quality properties are not going into default.
"The largest share of commercial
properties posted for foreclosure this year due to a mortgage
delinquency has involved miscellaneous buildings that were smaller,
older, and in less desirable locations," Roddy said.
"There does not appear to be an
alarming number of postings among the quality commercial properties."
Comment
on this story
Gas company to perform emergency training exercise
If you happen to see emergency vehicles on FM 1171 in the west end of
Flower Mound this Monday morning, don’t be alarmed – it is only a
training exercise.
Local emergency management agencies
and firefighters are teaming up with employees from Williams Energy from
8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Dec. 8 at a natural gas compressor site in Flower
Mound.
The event is a simulation of an
emergency. According to Williams’ safety specialist Lucas Smith, the
full-scale exercise gives everyone a hands-on opportunity to practice
their response plans.
"The goal is to see how our plans
and procedures stack up against an emergency scenario. It’s one of the
most important things we’ll do all year because we’ll come away with new
ideas for enhancing our readiness to protect the public," Smith said.
Comment
on this story

Lighting and delighting


Thousands of people turned out Tuesday
night to witness the annual Christmas tree lighting at The Shops at
Highland Village. The Our Village Glows celebration has been coordinated
by the Highland Village Women's Club since 1999 and was sponsored in
part this year by The Cross Timbers Gazette.
Police investigating weekend crime spree

Several Lantana neighborhoods were
affected by a rash of vehicle-related crimes over last weekend.
It all started late Saturday night
when thieves broke into a 2004 Chevy Tahoe and stole two vehicle jacks
in the 700 block of Skyler St. in Brenham.
Police said that the bandits
apparently used the jacks to take all four chrome wheels off a 2007
Cadillac Escalade parked on Victoria Lane in Heritage. The wheels were
valued at $1,500.
The same night, a 2005 Dodge pickup
truck was stolen in the 1000 block of Metalmark Ct. in Laurel. Police
said that the truck was later found abandoned in North Dallas.
"All three cases are most likely
related and under investigation," said Sgt. Roger Griggs with the Denton
County Sheriff's Office.
This is the third time in the past
three weeks that Escalades parked in Lantana have been stripped of their
pricey wheels. The other two thefts occurred on Nov. 13th in Magnolia
and Nov. 16th in Laurel.
Anyone with information about the
crimes should call Denton County Crime Stoppers at 800-388-TIPS (8477).
Comment
on this story
Walk this way

Work is nearing completion on the Stacee
Lane bridge modifications in Lantana near Blanton Elementary and Harpool Middle
School. The walkway on the west side of the bridge is being widened and
a concrete barrier was constructed to better accommodate pedestrians and
bicyclists. The project is being overseen by the Lantana Fresh Water
Supply District.

"The
same day the Gazette reached mailboxes, our phone started ringing – and
over a month later, callers are still referring to that ad.
We’re a little awestruck by the power of
your publication!"
- Kathryn Taylor, Owner,
Premier Academy of Bartonville
Towns promote local shopping
As
the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear, area mayors are urging
residents to keep their dollars circulating locally.
"By shopping locally, you have a
direct impact on your community," said Flower Mound Mayor Jody Smith.
"Local sales tax helps to ensure
our town remains a great place to live by funding needed municipal
services," Smith added. "Additionally, by shopping in Flower Mound, you
help make certain that our local economy remains strong and stable
despite the national outlook."
Highland Village Mayor Dianne Costa
also knows that money spent at home, stays at home.
"While it is tempting to order from
the hundreds of catalogues that will bombard our mailboxes, remember the
retailers that have invested in our community. Many of them are
residents of Highland Village and our neighboring cities," said Costa.
During the past couple of years,
Flower Mound and Highland Village have added many stores and restaurants
that residents used to have to drive to Lewisville and Southlake to
visit.
"We have pretty much anything you
could want at the shopping centers that border our western side of
town," said Costa.
To help aid in the effort of
shopping local, Flower Mound’s economic development division has created
a Shopping and Restaurant Guide, available online at
www.flower-mound.com/econdev.
Comment
on this story
Club to go private
Lantana
Golf Club officials have announced that the club will will convert to a
fully private facility effective January 1, 2009.
"We are very excited about reaching
private club status," said Stephen Phillips, General Manager of the
Lantana Golf Club. "It is quite an honor to achieve this goal as it is
something we've strived for since the club opened in 2002. Our current
members are also thrilled about the opportunity."
Going forward, only golf club
members and their guests will have exclusive use of the club. However, a
limited number of Social Memberships that allow dining in the Lantana
Grill will be available for an annual fee of $400 and $40 per month that
goes towards a food credit, officials said.
Phillips' goal for the club is to
reach 600 active golf members along with 200 available social
memberships.
Since its opening, Lantana has
hosted more than 50 tournaments a year of different sizes and skill
levels, including the PGA Qualifying School every year since 2004.
The course, designed by architects
Jay and Carter Morrish, opened for play in June 2002. At 7,147 yards
long from the championship tee boxes, it was designed to challenge the
expert player, though it's also playable for the average golfer,
officials said.
Call the Lantana Golf Club at
940-728-4653 for more information.
Comment
on this story
Holidays can be crime time
It's can be the most wonderful time of the year for criminals, too.
The holiday shopping season is a
peak time for property crimes, such as home burglaries, and authorities
are reminding residents to follow crime prevention procedures around
their home.
Basic deterrents to foil would-be
criminals include keeping holiday presents away from windows, using
outside lights, locking doors and windows, and keeping the garage door
closed.
Police officials said small, often
overlooked, details that should be taken care of while you are away from
home can make a difference.
"People need to make arrangements
to have someone pick up their daily newspapers," said Double Oak Police
Chief Jason Jones. "If they build up in their front yards after a couple
of days, the bad guys might realize that no one is home."
Comment
on this story

Delivered to your
mailbox each month OR
Pick up a free copy at:
- Papi's Tex Mex Grill in Argyle
- Snooty Pig in Argyle
- Bartonville Store in Bartonville
-
Carol's Cards in FM
- Johnny Brusco's Pizza in FM
-
LePeep Restaurant in FM
- Rockfish Grill in
The Shops at HV
- Area Town Halls
Town responds to fair housing lawsuit
Flower Mound officials have responded to a
lawsuit brought by a civil-rights organization claiming that the
town discriminates against affordable housing.
The Inclusive Communities Project,
a nonprofit corporation involved in public housing issues, recently
filed suit against Flower Mound alleging that the town has a history of
exclusionary zoning and other housing policies based on race, and that
Flower Mound refuses to participate in low income housing loan and
credit programs that help create affordable housing.
The suit further asserts that the
town’s lack of multi-family housing is a violation of the federal Fair
Housing Act.
"This lawsuit is an offshoot of the
decades-old litigation against the Dallas Housing Authority (DHA) and
the city of Dallas, by the same attorneys who represented the plaintiffs
in the DHA litigation, to force suburban cities to take their 'fair
share' of low income multi-family housing," said Town Manager Harlan
Jefferson.
"The town has not been approached
by any developer or property owner who wants to build low income
multi-family housing in Flower Mound. We plan to vigorously defend
against this lawsuit. The town does not discriminate and never has
discriminated against anyone because of race in any of its policies and
practices," said Jefferson.
Similar lawsuit have been filed by
ICP against the city of McKinney in Collin County, and has other housing
lawsuits pending against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, and
the owners of an apartment complex in Irving. Each of those lawsuits
alleges discrimination in providing low-income housing.
"We believe the federal judge will
correctly follow the law and show that ICP's lawsuit is without merit,"
said Town Attorney Terrence S. Welch.
Comment
on this story
Board names child development center
The
Denton ISD Board of Trustees recently named the first child care center
for district employees' children after Virginia Gallian, a former board
member and retired teacher.
While on the school board, Gallian
pushed for an after-school program for children of working parents that
would have a stronger academic component, according to Denton ISD
officials.
The school district piloted the
Extended School Day program in 2002 at E. P. Rayzor Elementary in
Lantana and then extended it to all of the district's 20 elementary
schools. The program now has almost 900 students.
The $2 million Virginia Gallian
Child Development Center was included in a $282 million bond package
passed last year by voters. It will be located next to the Ann Windle
School for Young Children on Audra Lane in Denton and is expected to
open on Jan. 20, 2009.
Comment
on this story

"My ads get major visibility and the readers are highly responsive. Not
only are their rates a fantastic deal, but they over deliver
on service
every time."
- Kelli Calabrese, Argyle
Adventure Boot Camp
Town
sued over lack of effort to develop affordable housing
A
nonprofit corporation involved in public housing issues recently filed
suit against Flower Mound alleging that the town did not follow federal
funding regulations that called for the development of affordable
multifamily housing projects.
The Inclusive Communities Project
filed a similar lawsuit against the city of McKinney in Collin County,
and has other housing lawsuits pending against the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, the Texas Department of Housing and
Community Affairs, and the owners of an apartment complex in Irving.
Each of those lawsuits alleges discrimination in providing low-income
housing.
According to their
website, the mission
of the ICP is to promote low-income housing in communities that offer
good schools, safe neighborhoods, and economic opportunities, with
particular focus on communities that have little or no affordable
housing.
"ICP will work to help overcome the
effects of NIMBY ("not in my back yard") attitudes where they create
barriers to such development. Where necessary, we will engage in
aggressive adversarial advocacy in furtherance of the mission of the
organization," the website states.
Comment
on this story
Shale slump temporary, experts say
Those
with natural gas interests in the Barnett Shale should not be alarmed
about the recent drop in commodity prices,
according
to industry officials at a conference co-sponsored by the Fort
Worth Business Press and the TCU Neeley School of Business.
Despite the industry's current
state, prices should bounce back and those with mineral rights will
continue to benefit in the long run, Barnett Shale experts said.
"What we’re seeing is part of a
natural cycle and this may even be a little bit more mild than what
we’ve seen in the past in our industry. We’ve seen much worse than
this," said Larry Brogdon, executive director of the TCU Energy
Institute and a Barnett Shale veteran.
"It’s a supply and demand, and once
you start bumping up against the demand with supply, the price drops. So
it’s just kind of a natural cycle for us."
Natural gas prices have fallen more
than 50 percent from a summer peak of more than $14 to current prices of
about $6.50, but Barnett Shale Energy Education Council Director Ed
Ireland, a panelist in the oil and gas breakout session, said the $6 to
$6.50 range is more realistic, and is in line with late 2007 prices.
Click here
to read more from the conference.
Comment
on this story

"Your Community, Your
News"
More cougar sightings reported
Copper Canyon's elusive mountain lion has made another appearance.
The large cat was spotted on Nov.
17th crossing Estates Drive between Pilot Lane and Chinn Chapel Road,
according to Mayor Sue Tejml.
This was the fourth mountain lion
sighting in the last couple of months and the second one in less than a
week.
The trap that was previously put in
place at the northeast end of Pilot Lane will be re-activated in an
attempt to catch and relocate the cougar, town officials said.
Apparently, mountain lions aren't
the only wild cats roaming the area. There is an increasing frequency of
bobcat sightings as well.
"Today my wife spotted one
(bobcat), near our back air-conditioning unit. This is the third time
that we've spotted one in our yard in less than a month," according to
an e-mail from Copper Canyon resident Dave Svatik.
There are some key differences
between mountain lions and bobcats.
Mountain lions average between 75
and 150 lbs, while bobcats average between 15 and 30 lbs. The tail of a
mountain lion is very long, while bobcats are named for their short
tails, which are usually only about 5 to 8 inches long.
Anyone who sees a mountain lion is
asked to call Mayor Tejml at 940-241-2216 or Copper Canyon Town Hall at
940-241-2677.
Comment
on this story
Argyle Police Blotter
The
following is a summary of incident reports recently made to the Argyle
Police Department as compiled by the staff of The Cross Timbers
Gazette:
Police were dispatched to the 7000 block of FM
1830 on a prowler report. A 15-year-old girl, who was home alone, said
that she heard someone trying to get into the front door of her house.
She also said that she saw something white out the window as she ran
upstairs. Investigating officers found trash cans knocked over, hoof
prints near the garage and the family’s white cow loose in the backyard,
indicating that the cow had literally come home.
A caller said that two men wearing orange jump
suits and driving an Enterprise rental truck were going through trash
cans in the 700 block of Harpole Road. Police were unable to locate the
men.
While on patrol, an officer observed an opened
front door on a home in the 300 block of Collin St. The homeowner told
the officer that everything was okay and she was just "airing out the
house."
Click
here to read more.
Comment
on this story

"The Cross Timbers Gazette has consistently generated business for
me…better than other forms of advertising I have used locally."
- Mia Dunn, Owner, Mia's Canine Solutions, Copper Canyon, TX
Plowing through town

An antique tractor parade was
held on Nov. 15th in Copper Canyon. The event was sponsored by the Denton
County Antique Tractor, Farm Equipment and Primitive Club. Photo by
Denise Remfert
Lantana officials to get new digs
The two
Lantana Fresh Water Supply Districts will move to a larger, higher
profile location next year.
District officials signed a
three-year lease at their November 13th meeting to take over a larger space
in Bartonville Town Center.
The new space will have a large
conference room, where Fresh Water Districts #6 and #7 can hold monthly
board meetings. Currently, meetings are held at the Lantana Golf Club.
Mercer said that the conference room will be available to Lantana
community groups and could be used as a polling place for municipal
elections.
"The new location will be more
easily accessible, give the district space to grow as Lantana grows, and
provide the community with meeting space," said Max Miller, District 6
president.
Mercer said that the new office
should be ready for occupancy by mid-February.
Comment
on this story
Trailhead dropped from park plans
Equestrians
in Flower Mound will have to saddle up and head somewhere else for their
trailhead.
The proposed equestrian trailhead
on the west side of the planned Post Oak Park near Skillern Rd. and
Wichita Trail was nixed by the Parks, Arts and Library
Services Board at their November meeting.
Over 60 equestrians attended the
public hearing in support of the trailhead, while residents and others
opposed to the easement presented a petition, mostly citing safety
concerns.
After taking the trailhead out of
the park's plans, board members suggested that the trailhead may be a
better option if located in the far western part of Flower Mound.
In November 2007, the Flower Mound
Town Council unanimously approved over 25 miles of new equestrian
trails, many of which would converge at Post Oak Park.
The original three Post Oak Park
concepts presented by the town included the equestrian trailhead,
according to resident Peggie Kimberlin.
"The concepts illustrated that the
equestrian trailhead had virtually a zero impact, as the same parking
slots would serve for school buses and senior vans," said Kimberlin.
The board's plans for Post Oak Park
are expected to be recommended to the town council on Dec. 15.
Comment
on this story

"Your Community, Your
News"
Sky stripes

A striped cloud formation was seen over
southern Denton County on Nov. 14th accompanied by strong north
winds ushering in a cold front. Photo by Susan Miller
Home defaults hit record
The
filing deadline for the December foreclosure auction has passed, so we
now know just how tough 2008 was for the local housing market.
Foreclosure postings filed this
year on Denton County homes have topped 5,000 for the very first time,
according to Foreclosure Listing Service, Inc.
This year, there were 5,455
foreclosure postings filed on single-family homes, condominiums, and
townhomes in Denton County, which sets a new all time high record level
for annual postings.
Compared to last year, when 4,254
postings were filed, residential foreclosure postings have accelerated
28 percent. Over the last eight years, postings of homes within the
county have jumped 541 percent.
During twelve of the last fourteen
months, foreclosure postings filed on Denton County homes have exceeded
400 per month.
Comment
on this story

Grant to help catch speeders

The CoServ Charitable Foundation recently
presented a $5,658 check to the town of Copper Canyon to purchase laser
speed detectors for their two Deputies. Photo by Bill Castleman
School explores alternate system for
heating/cooling
Anyone
who’s ever been in a cavern or cave, regardless of the season, knows
that the temperature within that cavern is always constant, usually
between 65 and 70 degrees, despite the temperature or humidity outside.
It’s the natural principle of geothermal heat, where the combined heat
from the sun and the coolness of the earth makes the temperature
constant.
It’s that principle of nature that
Coram Deo Academy is planning to use as an alternate way to heat and
cool its planned expansion, according to Trent Clark, an architect with
A Plus Design Group of Flower Mound. Recently, the Group drilled a
geothermal test well to determine the conductivity of the soil, which
will help in the design of the system at the Flower Mound campus.
"Different types of soil and rock
each have varying amounts of conductivity," said Clark. "We’re
collecting data to determine how to design the system and to determine
how many wells are actually needed to efficiently heat and cool the new
facilities in the planned expansion."
Clark estimates that between 40 to
60 well fields will be needed, which will be under parking areas, drives
and ball fields.
Installing a geothermal heat pump
system for the heating and cooling needs of the school’s new buildings
is a way for Coram Deo to save on energy costs and significantly lighten
its carbon footprint, school officials said.
The system forces water into the
earth at a depth of about 300 feet and retrieves it through pipes
arranged in a closed loop. While under ground, the water takes on the
subterranean ambient temperature, somewhere around 65 degrees
Fahrenheit. Once looped back above ground, the water is circulated
through an exchange process, cooling or heating air that’s blown over
the pipes and into the buildings.
A geothermal system differs from a
conventional furnace or boiler because of its ability to transfer heat
and coolness versus the standard method of producing heat through
burning fuels or air conditioning using refrigerant. As energy costs
continue to rise and pollution concerns continue to dominate the news,
geothermal systems may hold a solution to both of these concerns.
Should the system prove viable, the
savings from heating and cooling costs may range anywhere from 20 to 40
percent, even more if energy costs continue to rise. The carbon
emissions avoided by such a system can be substantial as well, with some
estimates pegged at 50 to 70 percent as compared to today’s technology,
according to industry sources.
Comment
on this story
Cruising to solve crimes
The Denton County Sheriff's Office has a
new tool to promote their Crime Stoppers program. The Crime Stoppers
vehicle was funded by convicted criminals' probationary fees, according
to Sgt. Roger Griggs. The Denton County Crime Stoppers phone number is
800-388-TIPS (8477). Tipsters also have the option of anonymously giving
tips online at
www.dentoncountycrimestoppers.com

"My ads get major visibility and the readers are highly responsive. Not
only are their rates a fantastic deal, but they over deliver
on service
every time."
- Kelli Calabrese, Argyle
Adventure Boot Camp
A bright idea

Workers from The Christmas Company adorn a
tree near McMakin Road in Bartonville with nearly 30.000 LED lights all
on one circuit. Photo by Denise Remfert
Accusations
spur probe at electric co-op
A
CoServ board director is calling for a review of election practices and
governance reform at the local electric cooperative.
In an
eight page document sent to
The Cross Timbers Gazette, Mark Glover of Flower Mound accused
CoServ of showing favoritism towards incumbents, rejecting votes for no
reason, changing election rules midstream, and intimidating prospective
director candidates.
"I believe CoServ’s CEO and Legal
Council have misled the board and members on specific facts surrounding
the most recent election, and possibly other elections," said Glover.
When contacted by The Cross
Timbers Gazette about Glover’s allegations, the cooperative
issued a response
saying that CoServ "intends to research and process each of the issues
raised by Mr. Glover, most of which have not been previously expressed."
The statement also said that "Mr.
Glover’s document contains many misstatements and mischaracterizations
of the facts," and that CoServ’s board "realizes that Mr. Glover has
been disgruntled over the resolution of certain issues that have arisen
recently related to his service as a director."
This past June, CoServ began
investigating complaints from members that Janice Brady, who
unsuccessfully ran against Board Chairman Jerry Cobb, used non-public
member information in her election campaign. That investigation is
ongoing.
Glover claims that Brady has been
"severely intimidated and harassed" by CoServ management.
"The CoServ CEO, Board Chairman,
and Legal Council have convinced the board that the Janice Brady
investigation is justified because the member list in question could
have been a security breach of CoServ computers or Janice Brady may have
hacked into the CoServ computer systems and stolen sensitive data. Hard
evidence and forensic investigation has disproved this myth," said
Glover.
Headquartered in Corinth, CoServ
serves more than 140,000 member-owners across six counties in North
Texas, including Lantana and other areas of Denton County. Members elect
the Board of Directors annually to set policy and oversee the management
of the cooperative.
"CoServ must develop fair and open
election policy, and this is a fundamental first step to assuring sound
cooperative management and transparency at CoServ in the future", said
Glover.
Comment
on this story

Local News From Your
Neighborhood
Thieves take car's wheels and rims
A Lantana resident found his 2007 Cadillac Escalade sitting on blocks
on the morning of Nov. 13th after someone stole its wheels and tires.
The SUV was parked in a driveway of
a home in the 8500 block of Tyler Dr. in Magnolia.
The resident told the Denton County
Sheriff's office that when he went outside to go to work, he discovered
his SUV's front axle sitting on blocks and the rear axle supported by a
car jack.
The tires and rims were valued at
$2,000.
If anyone has information about
this crime, call Denton County Crime Stoppers at 800-388-TIPS (8477).
Comment
on this story
Town passes ban on smoking
Smokers
will soon have fewer places to take a drag in Flower Mound.
Town Council members recently voted to ban
smoking in public places at their regular meeting.
The anti-smoking ordinance, to take
effect Jan. 1, prohibits lighting up in restaurants, bars, businesses,
parks and within 25 feet of an entrance to a public building.
Violators of the new ordinance
could face a fine of up to $500.
Comment
on this story

"The Cross Timbers Gazette has consistently generated business for
me…better than other forms of advertising I have used locally."
- Mia Dunn, Owner, Mia's Canine Solutions, Copper Canyon, TX
County bond
proposals passed
Denton
County voters recently approved $495 million in road improvements
and new county buildings.
Proposition 1, which called for
$310 million in transportation improvements, passed by a wide margin.
The second bond proposal - $185
million for new county buildings and technology upgrades - squeaked by
with 52 percent approval.
"Denton County voters obviously
agree that we need these roads and buildings to respond to current
growth," said County Commissioner Andy Eads.
Some of the road projects included
in the bond package include: US 377, FM 407, FM 1171, Chinn Chapel Road,
Orchid Hill Lane, Gibbons Road, Country Club Road, Simmons Road and
Waketon.
The majority of the $185 million
buildings component of the bond package will provide funding for phase
two and three of the Denton County Administrative Complex on Loop 288 in
Denton. Construction of the first phase of the complex was recently
approved by Commissioners.
The complex will house the health
department, elections administration, agriculture extension office,
Child Protective Services, adult probation and other administrative
functions of the county.
The passage of the bonds is not
expected to affect the county's tax rate, officials said.
"These bonds will have a negligible
effect on the tax rate when you consider the county's growth rate," Eads
said.
Comment
on this story
Driller files suit against town
XTO
Energy has
sued the town of Argyle in federal court, complaining that the
town's road remediation ordinance is "unconstitutionally vague" and
violates the company's rights to due process.
XTO filed suit Sept. 30 in federal
district court in Sherman, alleging that the town ticketed truck drivers
working for the company as they drove on Frenchtown Road to work at well
sites in Bartonville.
Argyle Mayor Greg Landrum could not
comment on the lawsuit, but told The Cross Timbers Gazette that
"the Argyle Town Staff and Council is working hard on our road
remediation ordinance to protect our citizens."
He continued, "The Town of Argyle
has a significant investment in our roads and we have a very limited
road maintenance budget. Extraordinarily heavy and frequent truck
traffic destroys our country roads in a very short period of time. We
will continue to do what we can, within the limits of the law, to
protect our citizens investment in roads, intersections and other
infrastructure."
Read more here.
Comment
on this story
Students celebrate Red Ribbon Week

Blanton
Elementary in Lantana recently hosted a variety of activities during
Red Ribbon Week, the national drug and violence prevention campaign.
Among the school-wide activities, students wore crazy socks to "Sock it
to Drugs," and sported their favorite team jerseys to "Team Up Against
Drugs." Students also planted red flowers around the school as part of "Planting the Seed to be Drug-Free." Red Ribbon Week started in 1988 in
memory of Enrique "Kiki" Camerena, a drug agent who was killed fighting
the war against drugs in Mexico.
Activist says that
drilling is not inevitable
A
Dallas-based natural gas production company recently sent a letter to
Northshore residents in Flower Mound that says they have enough acreage
to begin drilling and they need to hear from residents ASAP to get on
board or be left behind.
Becky Belcher, president of Flower
Mound Citizens Against Urban Drilling, said that the letter from
Cherokee Horn Production is a bit misleading.
Belcher explained that the proposed
drilling at Northshore cannot take place without approvals for multiple
variances to the town's oil and gas ordinance.
"That is not going to happen
anytime soon, if ever. Ask Red Oak about their attempts to obtain
variances to drill at the Riverwalk site - they've been denied twice and
have now filed suit against the Town," Belcher
blogged on her website.
Northshore will be much harder to
obtain variances than Riverwalk, Belcher predicted, due to the hundreds
of residents within 1,000 feet of the proposed drill sites.
"They (Flower Mound's Oil & Gas
Board of Appeals) are protecting the citizens of the Town and in
particular, those residents who live close to the proposed drill sites,"
said Belcher.
Comment
on this story

"Your Community, Your
News"
School addresses IT shortage
In
a partnership with area information technology professionals, Heritage
Elementary School in Highland Village recently kicked off a pilot
program designed to help teachers and students get excited about careers
in the IT field.
The DFW chapter of the Society for
Information Management is working with the Lewisville ISD to develop a
new curriculum tailored to 3rd through 5th graders at no cost via a
partnership with the district and Microsoft Corporation.
"Developing this curriculum allows
some of the best minds in IT to participate in a project that prepares
students for personal advancement while addressing the shortage of
students choosing careers in Information Technology engineering", said
Michael Rochelle, a Society for Information Management Facilitator and
Microsoft Corp. employee.
The number of American students
graduating with degrees in technical fields is declining, according to
the U.S. Department of Labor. The number of undergraduate engineering
degrees awarded in the United States fell by 15 percent in the most
recent 10 year period ending in 2005.
Heritage Principal Belinda Nikkel
and her staff are excited about the groundbreaking pilot collaboration
and see a broad application throughout LISD, Rochelle said. He added
that plans are being made to expand the program to upper grades and more
schools.
Comment
on this story
AG wants sex offenders offline
After
reviewing a recent case involving a Dallas sex offender caught running
an exotic dancer business on MySpace.com, Attorney General Greg Abbott
called for new laws that would ban some registered sex offenders from
the Internet.
Abbott said that at the very least,
registered sex offenders' e-mail addresses, mobile phone numbers, social
networking aliases and other electronic identification should be made
public.
"With sexual predators increasingly
using the Internet to prey upon children, Texas law needs to catch up
with modern technology," said Abbott.
Abbott
made his recommendations after a convicted sex offender was arrested
for not registering with authorities for over two years and was caught
operating a Dallas-based "modeling and exotic dancer" website.
Comment
on this story
Full of good cheer

Flower Mound Mayor Jody Smith (center)
recently joined the Flower Mound High School spirit squads to cheer on
the Jaguars. The FMHS Cheerleaders are participating in several
fundraising projects to enable their competitive squad to attend a
competition in California this January. The team works at Sonic once a
month, has delivered yard signs to Flower Mound residences and is
planning an event where Santa will help deliver presents to area homes.
For more information, contact Lori Doran at 460-438-1597.

Delivered to your
mailbox each month OR
Pick up a free copy at:
- Papi's Tex Mex Grill in Argyle
- Snooty Pig in Argyle
- Bartonville Store in Bartonville
-
Carol's Cards in FM
- Johnny Brusco's Pizza in FM
-
LePeep Restaurant in FM
- Rockfish Grill in
The Shops at HV
- Area Town Halls
West FM to bag grocery store by '10
The
long-anticipated grocery store project in western Flower Mound will
begin taking shape next year.
An upscale Tom Thumb store, along
with Walgreens, Chase Bank and other retailers and restaurants, are
expected to open for business in the Cross Timbers Village Shopping
Center on FM 1171 near Bridlewood by mid-2010, according to officials at
Direct Development.
Tom Thumb, on the southwest corner
of the intersection, will feature a "Lifestyle format" with a large
selection of natural and organic foods, floral design center, a
Starbucks and sushi and olive bars. The store will also have a gas
station out front, heavily-screened with landscaping.
Walgreens and other retailers will
sit across Bruton Orand from the grocery store, according to the site
plans.
Groundbreaking for the $30 million
shopping center is expected to occur by next June. Completion is
anticipated for May 2010, which should coincide with the widening of FM
1171, officials said.
Although the current economic
conditions are challenging, development officials are encouraged by the
area’s strong demographics. The estimated average household income in
the immediate area of the shopping center is $136,985.
Comment
on this story
Catch
up on more local news in our News Archive...
Local
Food, Fun and Observations in Lantana Living...
Express
Yourself...
Click
here to send us your Lantana area news tip!
Disclaimer |




























Back to LantanaLinks.com
Back to LantanaLinks.com
Back to LantanaLinks.com
|

|