Matt Lafata’s Weekly Newsletter

April 12, 2007 – Volume 6, Issue 15

matt@mattlafatamarketing.com – www.mattlafatamarketing.com

Matt and Erika pose for a picture with Carmen and Bill Herrera at a Chamber of Commerce mixer at Capital One earlier this year.

This newsletter and information source is designed to bring us all a little closer together each week by providing coverage of so many things going on in our community. There are so many amazing things in this newsletter, as there are every week. Please forward this newsletter to all your friends and neighbors and encourage them to sign up to receive it themselves. They will greatly appreciate you for it as no citizen should be without this important information at their fingertips.  Let’s work to get all Frisco citizens on this list as a more informed society is a more functional society.

If you have questions or have any community events, people or groups you want to recognize, fundraising events, or any newsworthy items you would like to see added and shared with more than forty thousand residents and businesses in Frisco and the surrounding areas, please send me an email so I may include them. The newsletter goes out each Thursday and I need materials by the end of the day on the preceding Wednesday if you want something to be included.

If you received this from somebody else and would like to be added to the list, just send me an email. Your email address will never be sold or given to anybody else for any reason. All newsletters can also be found on our web site at www.mattlafatamarketing.com.

Inspirational Quote of the Week:

“You really can change the world if you care enough.” – Marion Wright Edelman

For advertising opportunities, please contact sales@mattlafatamarketing.com

In this jam packed issue you will find lots of great information. There is something for everyone including the following…

North Texas Tollway Authority Responds to Request from Regional Transportation Council: 28

Matt’s Blog - Blog - an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page – LAST UPDATED 1/30/07

Newsletter Staff Members and Contributors

Matt Lafata – Editor and Publisher – 214-336-3355

Kaleigh Lafata – Tornado Talk

Sarah Ianace – Happenings in Frisco ISD

Glenn Kopanski – Landscape Design

Pedro Checo – Advice from Dr. Checo

Joe Hockaday, CPA – Today’s Tax Talk From Joe!:

State Representative Ken Paxton -- Capitol Steps

Citizen of the Month and Neighborhood of the Month Details

If you have a citizen or neighborhood you would like to nominate, please send it to me.

The Citizen of the Month will focus on a person in Frisco who has been nominated by another individual. He or she could be a person who has recently done something special that contributes to the well-being of our city and/or its citizens, or it could be somebody who has had (or currently has) an interesting career or experiences that could be shared with our readers.

The Neighborhood of the Month will highlight a particular neighborhood in our city. I am looking to hear from you as to why your Neighborhood is so special.

Please send an email to community@mattlafatamarketing.com to nominate and explain why a Frisco citizen or a neighborhood should be honored with this monthly recognition.

April Neighborhood of the Month

The April neighborhood of the month goes to…Stonebriar Village!!! Resident Erica Hunt submitted Stonebriar Village and was chosen the winner. In Erica’s write-up below, you can feel her pride when you read the wonderful things she wrote about Stonebriar Village and why they are so deserving of this recognition. Stonebriar Village is located on the west side of Legacy, north of the Westin Stonebriar Resort.

Stonebriar Village, in the southwest corner of Frisco, has been growing and bringing new residents to our city since the Homeowners' Association was incorporated in 1987, almost 20 years ago.

Once the site of several "Parade of Homes" events in the late 1980's and early 1990's, Stonebriar has always been appreciated by residents for its gently rolling topography, as well as for our proximity to two major roadways (The Dallas North Tollway to Downtown, and Highway 121 to the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the mid-cities, and beyond), and to the booming Corporate Headquarters area in northwest Plano, and now in southwest Frisco.

Back in the '80's, the first "settlers" in Stonebriar were often those corporate executives from EDS, JC Penney, & Frito-Lay. They raised their families here, but now many of the original homeowners have retired and moved on.  Currently Stonebriar is experiencing a "rebirth," as younger families with children are moving in and finding it worthwhile to remodel and update some of the older homes.  The Homeowners' Board of Directors has recently been busy reconstructing the community's parks and amenities with these new, younger residents in mind.

When neighbors were asked "What's so special about Stonebriar?" many were willing to share their thoughts.  One new resident (who is a busy real estate professional) said simply, "For me it was the residents!"  Another neighbor who has lived here for about 10 years added, "We look out for one another."  A third individual put it this way, "We found more than our first house, we found a home, which includes our neighborhood!"

Stonebriar Village (Originally known simply as Stonebriar, we now need to be distinguished from several other residential areas that have adopted "Stonebriar" as part of their name, i.e. Stonebriar Country Club Estates, Stonebriar Park, Creekside at Stonebriar) is surrounded by the Stonebriar Country Club on the south, the BNSF Railroad on the west, on the north by "The Lakes of Legacy" community, and on the east by Legacy Drive.  Residents are often surprised to learn that there are over 600 homes in our "Village" and they vary in size from patio or "zero lot line" homes of @ 2000 square feet up to very large, custom residences and estate homes which overlook the Country Club golf course.

Many of our residents purchased their homes because we are a 24 hour guarded & gated community.  Others love to be able to live on, or just look out over, the Stonebriar Country Club with its many water features and broad green vistas which wind their way through our streets.  The Club makes our whole neighborhood feel "easy on the eyes" as one friend told me.  "My blood pressure drops about 10 points when I drive past the gate and see the tree-lined streets, creeks, and the ponds with their fountains, plus the seasonal flowers, which are almost always in bloom!  I feel like I am home in the very best sense of the word, and I can relax and enjoy the place where I live." she continued.

One way we feel our Stonebriar community differs from other developments was by the creation of the Stonebriar Neighborhood Committee (SNC).  Anyone can join this active group of women who serve on sub-committees that create the features and activities that affect the quality of life for almost every Stonebriar resident.  The Neighborhood Committee prepares an updated Directory of residents annually, publishes a 12 page, full-color Newsletter each quarter, sponsors Playgroups for toddlers and pre-schoolers,  and activities for adults and families, as well.  The SNC supports a Neighborhood Watch program which has a National Night Out party each summer.  Committee members meet and welcome New Neighbors with information and events several times each year, while many others participate in Sunshine Committee activities to support neighbors in need with a card, visit, or meal.  Other members plan holiday decorations for the community, while another group seeks local or county organizations worthy of Stonebriar's volunteer support.

Stonebriar celebrates its delightful blend of residents - singles who work hard and come home to relax; younger families with growing children; older couples who are beginning to look toward the time when they can slow down a bit; as well as our retirees who often volunteer their time to the Board of Directors and our other various Committees.  The comfortable interaction of all these people at different points in their lives, is really what makes our neighborhood very special.  Through their gifts of time, talent, caring, and concern for their community with its people, each neighbor contributes something very personal to Stonebriar, which is really what makes it such a wonderful and unique place to live!

City of Frisco Related Question of the Week:

Q. I have about ten sprinkler heads that have popped off since I have moved into my home. At first I attributed it to cheap sprinkler heads put in by the builder. A neighbor told me that the problem is the water pressure coming to my home is 70 psi and the sprinkler heads are rated for 25 psi. He said the solution is to install a device to reduce the water pressure to the sprinklers. Is this true about the water pressure? Also, do I need a permit to add a pressure reducing device to my water line that goes to the sprinklers?

A. The water pressure in Frisco can vary from 60 to 120 psi depending on the location of your home. You may install a pressure reducing valve on your water service line. Please contact the Building Inspection Department at 972-292-5301 to check on any required permits.

Deep Thoughts from The Boss

Since I am a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen, and he is such a profound and prolific songwriter, I’ve decided to include some of my favorite lines from his vast collection of music.

“Rain and storm and dark skies
well now they don't mean a thing
If you got a girl that loves you
and who wants to wear your ring
So c'mon mister trouble
we'll make it through you somehow
We'll fill this house with all the love
all that heaven will allow” – From “All That Heaven Will Allow” off of the 1988 “Tunnel of Love” album

This Day in History – April 12, 1961: First Man in Space:

From the History Channel…

On April 12, 1961, aboard the spacecraft Vostok 1, Soviet cosmonaut
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin becomes the first human being to travel into
space. During the flight, the 27-year-old test pilot and industrial
technician also became the first man to orbit the planet, a feat
accomplished by his space capsule in 89 minutes. Vostok 1 orbited
Earth at a maximum altitude of 187 miles and was guided entirely by an
automatic control system. The only statement attributed to Gagarin
during his one hour and 48 minutes in space was, "Flight is proceeding
normally; I am well."

After his historic feat was announced, the attractive and unassuming
Gagarin became an instant worldwide celebrity. He was awarded the
Order of Lenin and given the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Monuments were raised to him across the Soviet Union and streets
renamed in his honor.

The triumph of the Soviet space program in putting the first man into
space was a great blow to the United States, which had scheduled its
first space flight for May 1961. Moreover, Gagarin had orbited Earth,
a feat that eluded the U.S. space program until February 1962, when
astronaut John Glenn made three orbits in Friendship 7. By that time,
the Soviet Union had already made another leap ahead in the "space
race" with the August 1961 flight of cosmonaut Gherman Titov in Vostok
2. Titov made 17 orbits and spent more than 25 hours in space.

To Soviet propagandists, the Soviet conquest of space was evidence of
the supremacy of communism over capitalism. However, to those who
worked on the Vostok program and earlier on Sputnik (which launched
the first satellite into space in 1957), the successes were attributable chiefly to the brilliance of one man: Sergei Pavlovich Korolev. Because of his controversial past, Chief Designer Korolev was unknown in the West and to all but insiders in the USSR until his
death in 1966.

Born in the Ukraine in 1906, Korolev was part of a scientific team
that launched the first Soviet liquid-fueled rocket in 1933. In 1938,
his military sponsor fell prey to Soviet leader Joseph Stalin's purges, and Korolev and his colleagues were also put on trial. Convicted of treason and sabotage, Korolev was sentenced to 10 years in a labor camp. The Soviet authorities came to fear German rocket advances, however, and after only a year Korolev was put in charge of a prison design bureau and ordered to continue his rocketry work.

In 1945, Korolev was sent to Germany to learn about the V-2 rocket,
which had been used to devastating effect by the Nazis against the
British. The Americans had captured the rocket's designer, Wernher von
Braun, who later became head of the U.S. space program, but the
Soviets acquired a fair amount of V-2 resources, including rockets,
launch facilities, blueprints, and a few German V-2 technicians. By
employing this technology and his own considerable engineering
talents, by 1954 Korolev had built a rocket that could carry a
five-ton nuclear warhead and in 1957 launched the first
intercontinental ballistic missile.

That year, Korolev's plan to launch a satellite into space was approved, and on October 4, 1957, Sputnik 1 was fired into Earth's orbit. It was the first Soviet victory of the space race, and Korolev, still technically a prisoner, was officially rehabilitated. The Soviet
space program under Korolev would go on to numerous space firsts in
the late 1950s and early '60s: first animal in orbit, first large
scientific satellite, first man, first woman, first three men, first
space walk, first spacecraft to impact the moon, first to orbit the
moon, first to impact Venus, and first craft to soft-land on the moon.
Throughout this time, Korolev remained anonymous, known only as the
"Chief Designer." His dream of sending cosmonauts to the moon
eventually ended in failure, primarily because the Soviet lunar
program received just one-tenth the funding allocated to America's
successful Apollo lunar landing program.

Korolev died in 1966. Upon his death, his identity was finally revealed to the world, and he was awarded a burial in the Kremlin wall as a hero of the Soviet Union. Yuri Gagarin was killed in a routine jet-aircraft test flight in 1968. His ashes were also placed in the
Kremlin wall.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month:

Last week I highlighted “Autism” as April is also Autism Awareness Month…

Alcohol Awareness Month, sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence since 1987, encourages local communities to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues. Alcohol Awareness Month began as a way of reaching the American public with information about the disease of alcoholism - that it is a treatable disease, not a moral weakness, and that alcoholics are capable of recovery. As a national public awareness campaign, Alcohol Awareness Month has featured honorary chairpersons such as Senator George McGovern, Dr. David Satcher, the former Surgeon General, Barry McCaffrey, the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, New York Yankees baseball star Derek Jeter, and has collaborated with organizations such as The Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free, a unique coalition of more than 30 Governors' spouses, Federal agencies, and public and private groups focused on preventing the use of alcohol by children ages 9 to 15. A primary focus of Alcohol Awareness Month over the past ten years has been Underage Drinking and the devastating effects it can have on our youth.

Alcoholism is the number-one drug problem in America and has likely already touched every one of our lives in some way. As recognized by the National Institutes of Health, it is a disease—a life-long chronic struggle. But, there are many resources for help.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), "Alcohol abuse and alcoholism cut across gender, race, and nationality. Nearly 14 million people in the United States--one in every 13 adults--abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. In general, though, more men than women are alcohol dependent or have alcohol problems. And alcohol problems are highest among young adults ages 18-29 and lowest among adults ages 65 and older. We also know that people who start drinking at an early age--for example, at age 14 or younger--greatly increase the chance that they will develop alcohol problems at some point in their lives."

Alcohol abuse causes over 100,000 deaths each year. Long-term heavy drinking damages the liver, nervous system, heart and brain, causes high blood pressure, stomach problems, medication interactions, sexual problems, osteoporosis and cancer.

Just a reminder - this newsletter is put together with information from many different sources. You can also view this newsletter and past newsletters in the News section of my web site at www.mattlafatamarketing.com. If you do not receive your emailed newsletter for some reason, please visit www.mattlafatamarketing.com each week as some mail servers block emails that are sent to multiple recipients. Just remember that if you don’t get it by each Friday, you can read it on the web site.

For advertising opportunities, please contact sales@mattlafatamarketing.com

Answering Questions for Kids and Young Adults:

As you know, communication and sharing information is something that I spend a lot of time doing. I frequently get asked to answer questions for kids and young adults for school projects or leadership programs. Usually the project involves getting these questions answered from somebody in a leadership position, and as a City Council member, I’m always happy to take the time to do this. If your son or daughter ever needs questions answered from a leadership figure for projects of any kind, please feel free to contact me or have them contact me directly.

Alternatively, if your child is interested in learning more about city government and has questions, feel free to contact me.

Finally, if you are looking for a speaker to talk to a group of kids or young adults about city government or Frisco in general, I’m happy to try and schedule something.

All the opinions, endorsements or recommendations in this newsletter are mine alone and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of any organization or group with whom I am affiliated or the individuals who are a part of such organizations and groups.  You should not rely on any statement made in this newsletter as evidenced of how I may act as a member of any organization or group.  Inclusion of news, events and other information in this newsletter does not imply an endorsement; it merely serves as my effort to be of service to the readers.

All About Frisco:

In our continuing efforts to bring information to our great community, we have updated our web site with listings of:

• Frisco Neighborhoods and Homeowner Associations
• Churches and other places of Worship
• Clubs and Organizations
• The Frisco Independent School District and other Schools

Visit www.friscocommunity.com to access this information and I look forward to your feedback. This site will continue to grow and evolve over time.

About Matt Lafata:

Matt Lafata is the proud parent of three children and moved to Frisco from Gloucester, MA in January, 1999. Mr. Lafata has helped build several highly successful businesses for more than 20 years. A long-time business consultant and entrepreneur, he is the Director of Sales and Marketing with the Frisco-based HR technology consulting firm HRchitect (www.HRchitect.com). He is also the founder of several marketing and public relations agencies including The Matt Lafata Marketing Group (www.mattlafatamarketing.com). Previously, Mr. Lafata was an Executive Vice President of a computer software company where he was responsible for corporate development, strategic supervision of marketing and sales, product development and more. Mr. Lafata studied finance and business management at Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts.

Mr. Lafata is involved in numerous organizations throughout Frisco. He is in his 2^nd term as a Frisco City Council member and is also involved in the following…

• Former Deputy Mayor Pro Tem on the Frisco City Council
• Former Planning & Zoning Commissioner
• Graduate of Leadership Frisco
• 2005 recipient of the “21 Leaders of the 21^st Century” by Inside Collin County Business
• Graduate of the Citizen’s Police Academy and a member of the Alumni group
• Youth sports coach
• Past board member for the Frisco Family Services Center
• St. Francis of Assisi Knights of Columbus Member
• Member of the Frisco Heritage Association
• Member of the Frisco Association for the Arts
• Community Advisory Board member for the Frisco Women’s League
• Board member for the Frisco Square Municipal Management District
• City of Frisco Technology Committee member
• City of Frisco Budget and Audit subcommittee member
• Tax Increment Finance board member
• Co-Director of the Mrs. Texas United States Pageant

Since 2001, Matt has produced this very popular e-newsletter that goes out every week to over 40,000 people and businesses which keeps the Frisco community in touch with local events and businesses.

Matt recently became engaged to Erika Howe of Frisco, who also has three children.

How to “Whitelist” this Frisco Community Newsletter in Your Spam Filter:

With the advent of outrageous volumes of unwanted email these days, of which I get a ton, it's unfortunate that legitimate email publications like this are not being seen by some of the readers who enjoy those publications. There is much fear today that the email publishing/marketing industry is in serious trouble, due to mistakes in filtering when legitimate email is erroneously tagged as unwanted email.

While we applaud the anti-spam industry for removing the plethora of unwanted email from many of our mailboxes, from time to time, some legitimate email publications are mistaken as unwanted.

Sometimes, this results in our mailings bouncing back, with requests for us to respond to challenge/response messages to prevent future filtering. However, due to the size of our list, it's nearly impossible for us handle the volume of such requests.

To that end, please realize that we want our readers to always anticipate and enjoy the valuable information that this community newsletter delivers.

If you currently use an anti-spam program or service, we ask that you take just a minute or two to add this newsletter to your "safe" or permitted email sender list. This usually involves simply adding our sending address (From:) to your whitelist, safelist, or list of privileged senders. This is commonly known as whitelisting a publication. Simply add the email addresses of matt@mattlafata.com and matt@mattlafatamarketing.com.

If you wish to be removed from this list, please send an email to matt@mattlafata.com.

Dear Friends,

This week’s newsletter is proudly sponsored by Blue Dolphin Scuba. Come celebrate their grand opening celebration in their new location. They are giving a pair of tickets away this Saturday for the upcoming Jimmy Buffett concert and newsletter readers get $100 off Open Water Scuba Certification at any point during their month long grand opening celebration. What a deal! Also check out the spotlight on FC Dallas and the Frisco Community Night. There is a nationally televised game (ESPN2) on Thursday, April 26, and we are hoping to fill the stadium and show the nation our Frisco pride. Please read below about this event and get your tickets right away! A lot of work goes into putting this newsletter together and I greatly appreciate the support of our sponsors so please patronize them wherever possible.

The Texas Tornado split the first two games of the first round of the playoffs last weekend in Santa Fe. This weekend they play games 3 and 4 on Friday and Saturday night. Come on out and cheer on your Tornado hockey team as they continue their pursuit of a 4^th straight national championship! The great folks at the Tornado have once again set up a special offer for newsletter readers. For just $9.50, you can get a ticket, hot dog, chips, and Dr Pepper product. What a deal! Just go to www.tornadohockey.com, and the go to Tickets – Purchase Tickets Online. Pick either April 13 or April 14 and type in the code “Lafata” to take advantage of this great offer.

If you have a business, restaurant or a service and are interested in advertising and reaching more than 40,000 individuals and businesses in Frisco and the surrounding areas, please email us at sales@mattlafatamarketing.com for more details on the various options available to you. The newsletter is also included on the web site www.mattlafatamarketing.com and www.frisco-online.com for additional exposure. It’s a great way to promote your business, promote an event at your place of business and is the most cost effective and efficient way to reach a large segment of the Frisco population. You may want to also consider providing a special offer to newsletter readers only.

Newsletter Sponsor – Blue Dolphin Scuba:

Blue Dolphin Scuba is celebrating 5 years in Frisky Frisco, Texas.  A Grand Opening celebration begins this Saturday, April 14, in a ‘NEW’ location, and will run for 1 month.  We are located in Suite 311-C at the Preston Stonebrook Shopping Center located at Stonebrook Pkwy and Preston Rd, right next to Cici’s Pizza.

Often referred to as “Retail on Steroids,” Blue Dolphin Scuba is a PADI 5-Star IDC specializing in dive training, sales, travel and service.  We can Scuba certify you in 5 days (2 weekends) with a lifetime certification that never expires.  We can fit you in an assortment of dive gear ranging from the best on the planet to the best at a frugal price.  Our factory authorized technician at our service center can work on just about any type/brand gear you bring in.  If not ready to purchase, we have a full line of top-brand gear available for rental.  Blue Dolphin Travel can then book your dive travel for one or a hundred people traveling anywhere on the planet.

Blue Dolphin Scuba uses the spacious indoor heated Jr Olympic size Colony Aquatic Park pool for classes. 

Not sure breathing under water is for you?  We have a Discover Scuba Diving program where you can try scuba, in full gear in the shallow end of the pool.  Have an 8 or 9 year old?  The PADI Seal Team program will pool certify your child for pool diving.  Ten is the minimum age for an Open Water certification.  We also do Bubble Maker parties for your child’s birthday, where the kiddos can play in full scuba, eat cake and blow bubbles.

This Saturday we will hold prize drawings, the top prize being a pair of tickets to the upcoming Jimmy Buffett concert.

We also have a very special offer. Come in our store at any point during our month long grand opening and receive $100 off Open Water Scuba Certification just for mentioning this newsletter.

Contact Michael@BlueDolphinScuba.com, visit us at www.BlueDolphinScuba.com, call us at 214-619-3483 (dive) or stop by at 7151 Preston Rd suite 311-C.

Have a Bubbly Day!

Spotlight on…FC Dallas and Frisco Community Night:

Showcasing the Great City of Frisco to the entire country on Frisco Community Night on Thursday, April 26th at Pizza Hut Park

As part of the nationally televised Major League Soccer game featuring FC Dallas and New York Red Bulls on ESPN2, FC Dallas, Pizza Hut Park, the City of Frisco, the Frisco Independent School District, and the Frisco Chamber of Commerce will co-host a great event for the entire Frisco Community.

Our collective goal is to show the entire country that Frisco is a vibrant and supportive community which will continue to build the reputation of this great city; in turn assisting Pizza Hut Park in recruiting additional high profile events to this community.

Our collective objective is to SELL OUT Pizza Hut Park for this nationally televised game, while raising much needed funds for the Frisco Education Foundation (FEF).  $2 from every ticket sold (except Season Seats) will be donated to the FEF and an additionally amount will be donated from the FC Dallas Foundation to the FEF for every ticket that is used (Paid and Comp Seats.)

To rally the Community and ensure that Frisco Community Night is a huge success, FC Dallas with the assistance of the City of Frisco leadership developed a comprehensive plan that involves the entire community.

Frisco Independent School District

As part of the campaign, every Frisco Student, Teacher and Employee will receive a voucher good for 1 Complimentary ticket, courtesy of FC Dallas.

FC Dallas is conducting a Player Appearance in every Elementary and Middle School during the Two Weeks leading up Frisco Community Night.  For schools not able to accommodate a player appearance a video will be played to ensure every school gets enthused and gets involved.

Frisco elementary and middle schools will also be set up to sell tickets in the School Office to family members to compliment the student’s free ticket.  FC Dallas will provide the School that sells the most tickets, thus raising the most money for the Frisco Education Foundation, will receive a FC Dallas Team Appearance at their “Field Day.”

2006/7 FEF Scholarship Recipients will be recognized on the field during Halftime of the MLS game.

Frisco Chamber of Commerce

Frisco Chamber of Commerce and FC Dallas will host the “Metroplex’s Largest Networking Event” on the Pizza Hut Park Stage overlooking the field.  Together with the Chamber, FC Dallas has created a Corporate Sponsorship platform and Corporate Group Packages for the membership.  Goal will be to have all Frisco Chamber Members represented at this Networking Event that will start pre-game and continue throughout the game…on the stage overlooking the field. Frisco Chamber and Sponsors will receive Signage on the front of the stage (National TV Exposure).

City of Frisco

Every City Employee has received a Voucher good for one complimentary ticket to the game, courtesy of FC Dallas and the City of Frisco. 

We encourage everyone to get involved in this very important City-wide initiative.  Whether you have children in the school system, or your business in located in or does business with Frisco, or you are a City employee, you need to join in with this sell-out event.

If you live in Frisco, work in Frisco or have kids in the Frisco Independent School District, you can call 1-888-FCD-GOAL for more information on tickets.  If your business is part of the Frisco Chamber of Commerce, please contact the Chamber for the “Metroplex’s Largest Networking Event”.

Mrs. Texas United States® Pageant – Be a Part of It:

The Mrs. Texas United States Pageant is the premiere competition for married women. The state contest has called Frisco home for the last three years, with this year’s competition May 11-13 at the host hotel Westin Stonebriar Resort. A souvenir program book, with a long shelf life, is produced each year. Ads and event sponsorships for activities during the pageant weekend are available, tailored to your business’ needs. Contact the pageant office at info@mrstexasunitedstates.com or Marketing Consultant Tina Grimes at tina.grimes@yahoo.com or 214.228.4401 for advertising and sponsorship information.

Additionally, entries are still being accepted until April 15th. If you want to have a fun, girls’ weekend meeting new friends, consider entering the competition. Contestants must be married, living in Texas, and children are not a factor. Our winners have been all over the age and lifestyle spectrum; we’ve had stay-at-home moms win, as well as those with full-time jobs outside the home. No experience is necessary, and there is no talent competition. Most of the women who enter a pageant for married women have never done so previously. The new Mrs. Texas competes at the televised Mrs. United States Pageant in Las Vegas this summer.  Limited local titles are available. Visit www.mrstexasunitedstates.com for more information.

Tornado Talk…by Junior Sports Reporter, Kaleigh Lafata:

Well its playoff time again which usually ends up with the Tornado bringing home the gold. This weekend they only won one game, but with two home games this weekend and their 19-1 record for home playoff games, things are looking pretty good.              

Friday night was the win of the weekend. The Tornado dominated this game with shots on goal being 48 to 33. Halfway through the 1^st period, Ben Miller put in an all rookies goal with Julian Mikola and Mike Cifelli assisting. Stephane Da Costa got the first goal of the 2^nd period on a power play. The next goal came from John Bullis with 30 seconds left in the period. The Tornado led the game 3-0, as they headed into the third period. Dylan Cooper snagged a power play goal making it 4-0 and putting the Tornado closer to winning the first game of the playoffs. It was looking like a shut out for Stephen Ritter, but with 30 seconds left in the game Santa Fe snuck one goal in there to end the game 4-1.

The luck they had the night before was not with them on Saturday. Santa Fe scored the first goal of the game. Colin Long tied it up on a power play goal ending the first period 1-1. Then the hope of a win disappeared in the 2^nd period. Santa Fe scored 2 goals in the first 10 minutes making the score 4-1. Thomas Tragust got put into goal after the fourth goal.  John Bullis got his 2^nd goal of the weekend on a power play, but it wasn’t good enough. Santa Fe scored one final goal in the 3^rd period to leave the Tornado in the dust 5-2.  The Tornado out shot the Roadrunners 34 to 28, but just couldn’t a way to put it past their solid goalie.

With the series tied 1-1, this weekend’s games are must-sees, especially since the Tornado are back at home and ready to crank it up. The games are at 7:30 on both Friday and Saturday so be sure not to miss out. Have a great weekend and hope to see you there supporting the boys!

100.3 JACK FM Frisco’s “Jacked Up-Date”:

**Come out to Dick’s Sporting Goods THIS Saturday, April 14, from 2pm-4pm with JACK FM and play the JACKpot Machine for MySonic gift cards and Six Flags tickets!

**Try out for the next season of CBS’ hit show “Big Brother!” Casting call will be held at Grapevine Mills Wednesday, April 18th from 3pm-10pm, and JACK will be there helping to calm your nerves for your big moment! More information can be found at www.cbstv11.com

**Join JACK FM at the grand opening of Eurway Furniture in Frisco at the Shops at Preston Ridge (121 and Parkwood) from 10am-12 noon next Saturday, April 21st for food, fun, and a chance to win Gwen Stefani/Akon tickets!

**Be the next JACK FM TV star—it’s Lights, Camera, JACK! Audition to be in the next 100.3 JACK FM TV commercial on Saturday, May 19th from 4pm-8pm at Frisco Square, across the street from Pizza Hut Park! Not only will you be able to show them what you’ve got, but there will a festival-like atmosphere including music, food & beverages, and fun! If you are a local business who would like to have a booth at Lights, Camera, JACK!, contact JACK FM marketing here.

Listen to JACK FM live at www.jackontheweb.com

Legendary Self Storage:

LEGENDARY SELF STORAGE your Frisco Self Storage Headquarters with all ground level units invites you to take advantage of our BEAT ANY PRICE IN FRISCO SPECIAL.  Standard and Climate Controlled Units are available.  In addition we have locks, boxes and moving supplies at our facility and a friendly, professional stall to assist you with all your storage needs.  LEGENDARY SELF STORAGE is located just west of Preston Road on Stockard Drive behind Lee Lighting.  Stockard is north of Warren and south of Lebanon.

You may visit us in several different ways.  Our address is 8747 Stockard Drive.  Our office hours are:  9-6 Monday thru Friday, 9-5 Saturday and 11-3 on Sunday.  Our office phone number is 972-712-9188 or you may want to check out our website  -  www.legendaryselfstorage.com.

Summer Fashion Show and Silent Auction:

All ladies are invited to attend the 5th Annual Summer Fashion Show and Silent Auction hosted by the Women of St. Francis of Assisi Church at the Stonebriar Country Club.  This beautiful event will begin on Tuesday, May 1st at 11:00 a.m. where patrons can partake in the silent auction, enjoy a fabulous long lunch, and preview the latest Summer fashions.  Tickets are $40 each and can be purchased by contacting Melissa Manemann at 214-244-3786 or melissa.manemann@cbdfw.com.  Limited babysitting is available by contacting Kim Guz at