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Erika and I went up to New England for
Easter with my family. On our last day there, we drove up the coast and
stayed in Kennebunkport, Maine. The beautiful place we stayed at was
overlooking the water and former President Bush’s vacation home, Walker
Point, which you can see in the background of this picture. After taking
the picture, several secret service agents starting chasing me down the
street. I was able to stay ahead of them the whole time and one of them,
between huffing and puffing, yelled out that he just wanted to talk with
me and wasn’t going to take my camera. So I finally stopped and asked
him why they were chasing me for so long. He indicated that he found out
we were from Texas by running a quick check on our rental car license
plate and that George and Barbara just wanted to extend their welcome to
fellow Texans. Ok, actually that’s not true. Nobody ever chased us…but
that was their vacation home.
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:
“The function of leadership is to produce
more leaders, not more followers.” – Ralph Nader
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…
Matt Lafata’s Weekly Newsletter
1
Newsletter Sponsor – HRchitect and Commission-Based Sales Positions here
in Frisco:
1
Spotlight on…FC Dallas and Frisco Community Night:
2
Open Letter from Former Kokopelli’s Employees:
3
Mrs. Texas United States® Pageant – Be a Part of It:
4
Tornado Talk…by Junior Sports Reporter, Kaleigh Lafata:
4
FC Dallas Home Opener This Sunday:
5
100.3 JACK FM Frisco’s “Jacked Up-Date”:
5
Legendary Self Storage:
5
Summer Fashion Show and Silent Auction:
6
Queens Gate Garage Sale:
6
Centennial Sweethearts Drill Team Garage Sale:
6
The Fairways Annual Neighborhood Garage Sale:
6
Fisher Elementary PTA Presents the 6th Annual Spring Carnival
– A Jungle Safari:
7
Isbell Elementary Carnival & Silent Auction:
7
Sparks Elementary Carnival Looking For Volunteers:
7
Tuscany Meadows Community Garage Sale:
8
Huge Three Community Garage Sale:
8
Tuscany Square Community Garage Sale:
8
Preston Vineyards North Community Garage Sale:
8
Huge Neighborhood Garage Sale – Turnbridge Manor:
8
Frisco Boy Scout Troop 51 Annual Spring Fundraiser:
9
Do You Want To Go To Cabo?:
9
Third Annual Frisco Special Olympics Golf Tournament:
9
Fourth Annual Curtsinger Elementary Golf Classic:
9
Collin County Songwriters Association News:
10
The Embassy Suites Frisco Presents Mother’s Day Brunch:
11
Hats Off For Cancer:
11
Saturday, April 28th 20007, Arbor Day 5K and 1K Seedling Run:
11
2nd Annual Motherless Daughters Day Luncheon:
12
Frisco Residents of Color to Host a Soiree for the Senses:
12
Frisco Football League 2007 Registration and Skills Assessment:
12
First Baptist Church Frisco Charity Golf Tournament:
13
Mayor’s Golf Classic to be Held Monday, May 7, 2007:
13
ITIP Golf Classic to be held on May 14, 2007:
14
First Annual Grace Avenue United Methodist Church GAMMA (Grace Avenue
Missions, Ministry and Assistance) Golf Tournament:
14
One Day – Two Green Events:
15
Frisco Square to Host “Fair in the Square” with State Fair Carnival
Operator – Talley Amusements:
15
Happenings in Frisco ISD by Sarah Ianace:
16
City Council Elections This May:
17
Dallas Baptist University Free Summer Basketball Camp:
17
City of Frisco Homebuyer Training Class:
18
Boy Scouts Circle 10 Council Value Card and 2007 Scout Show:
18
Leadership Empowerment Lecture at DBU North:
18
Frisco Women’s League 2nd Annual Tea Party:
18
Frisco-OnLine.com 2nd Annual Child Safety Day! FREE!!!:
19
4th Annual Monte Carlo Night:
20
Just Being A Woman Can Cost You $500K!:
20
Single Parent & Family Social:
21
Elder Care Series at Grace Avenue United Methodist Church:
21
Advice From Dr. Checo – HPV:
21
Viva Collin County Expo and Festival:
23
Texans Credit Union Hosts FREE Shred Day – Open to the Public:
23
The Frisco Area Children’s Theater is offering a wide range of Acting
Classes for the Summer:
24
“How to Enjoy Shakespeare Without Really Trying”:
25
Arts and Science Summer Camp 2007 - Trash to Treasure: Learning to
Recycle:
26
Liverpool 97 Girls Soccer Fundraiser:
26
Landscape Design/Detail:
27
Library Hosts “Undiscovered Talents of City Staff” Arts and Crafts
Exhibit:
28
Drought Update:
28
Building Permit Update for March:
28
Police Update For March:
29
Sales Tax Revenue Update:
29
Update From Recent Planning and Zoning Meeting:
29
Emergency Operations Center Improves Crisis Communications:
29
Writers’ Block Presents the Professor’s Corner at the Frisco Public
Library:
31
Capitol Steps by Rep. Ken Paxton:
32
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.
What are the rules and regulations for having a block party on our
street. Our thought is to block off the middle part of the street for a
gathering area. Are there permits or something like that we have to get
from the city?
A.
Currently the city does not require a permit in order for a citizen to
have or host a block party on their street or in the surrounding
residential area. However, should the event involve food vendors we
strongly recommend that the requester contact Carey Frazier with City
Building Inspections at 972-335-5580 ext 186 as permits may be required
in this case. Regardless of the size and nature of the block party, the
police department asks that the party organizer complete a block party
registration form at least one month prior to the date of the party.
There is no cost associated with the registration process. A block party
registration form can be obtained by contacting the Frisco Police
Department Records Division at 972-292-6000.
The block party registration form serves in
part as a notification mechanism for various departments within the city
that may potentially be affected by the party. Additionally, the form
also serves as a method for the party organizer to make special requests
(i.e., if they would like the FD and/or PD to attend, if they plan on
blocking off a street, etc.). Once the form is submitted it must be
approved by the PD Operations Bureau Commander and the Fire Chief.
Copies of the form are also sent to the City Street Department, PD
Community Services and Police Dispatch. The block party organizer will
be contacted by the Police Records Division no more than one week prior
to the date of the party in regards to the status of the request.
During National Night Out (and NNO only) a special block party
registration form is used. This form is distributed by the Frisco Police
Department Community Services Division and is generally
available/distributed beginning in May.
Normally the biggest concern surrounding block parties is the blocking
off and closing of streets. In most cases the city will allow a
residential street to be blocked off for this purpose, but in case where
the city deems that the closing of the area requested poses a hazard
(i.e., an intersection, highly traveled thoroughfare, etc.) the request
may be denied. The city also recommends the use of cones when blocking
off streets (cars or other vehicles are NOT to be used for this
purpose).
Cones are available for rent from the Department of Public Works.
Specific information concerning cones (and much of what is mentioned
above) is also addressed in the registration form itself.
This Day in History –
April 19, 1861: First Blood in the Civil War:
From the History
Channel…
On April 19, 1861, the first blood of the
American Civil War is shed
when a secessionist mob in Baltimore attacks Massachusetts troops
bound for Washington, D.C. Four soldiers and 12 rioters were killed.
One week earlier, on April 12, the Civil War began when Confederate
shore batteries opened fire on Union-held Fort Sumter in South
Carolina's Charleston Bay. During a 34-hour period, 50 Confederate
guns and mortars launched more than 4,000 rounds at the poorly
supplied fort. The fort's garrison returned fire, but lacking men,
ammunition, and food, it was forced to surrender on April 13. There
were no casualties in the fighting, but one federal soldier was killed
the next day when a store of gunpowder was accidentally ignited during
the firing of the final surrender salute. Two other federal soldiers
were wounded, one mortally.
On April 15, President Abraham Lincoln issued a public proclamation
calling for 75,000 volunteer soldiers to help put down the Southern
"insurrection." Northern states responded enthusiastically to the
call, and within days the 6th Massachusetts Regiment was en route to
Washington. On April 19, the troops arrived in Baltimore, Maryland, by
train, disembarked, and boarded horse-drawn cars that were to take
them across the city to where the rail line picked up again.
Secessionist sympathy was strong in Maryland, a border state where
slavery was legal, and an angry mob of secessionists gathered to
confront the Yankee troops.
Hoping to prevent the regiment from reaching the railroad station, and
thus Washington, the mob blocked the carriages, and the troops were
forced to continue on foot. The mob followed close behind and then,
joined by other rioters, surrounded the regiment. Jeering turned to
brick and stone throwing, and several federal troops responded by
firing into the crowd. In the ensuing mayhem, the troops fought their
way to the train station, taking and inflicting more casualties. At
the terminal, the infantrymen were aided by Baltimore police, who held
the crowd back and allowed them to board their train and escape. Much
of their equipment was left behind. Four soldiers and 12 rioters were
killed in what is generally regarded as the first bloodshed of the
Civil War.
Maryland officials demanded that no more federal troops be sent
through the state, and secessionists destroyed rail bridges and
telegraph lines to Washington to hinder the federal war effort. In
May, Union troops occupied Baltimore, and martial law was declared.
The federal occupation of Baltimore, and of other strategic points in
Maryland, continued throughout the war. Because western Marylanders
and workingmen supported the Union, and because federal authorities
often jailed secessionist politicians, Maryland never voted for
secession. Slavery was abolished in Maryland in 1864, the year before
the Civil War's end. Eventually, more than 50,000 Marylanders fought
for the Union while about 22,000 volunteered for the Confederacy.
April is Mathematics
Awareness Month:
So far this month we
have highlighted “Autism” and “Alcohol” as April is also Autism
Awareness Month and Alcohol Awareness Month…
Mathematics Awareness Month is held each
year in April. Its goal is to increase public understanding of and
appreciation for mathematics. Mathematics Awareness Month began in 1986
as Mathematics Awareness Week with a proclamation by President Ronald
Reagan, who said in part:
“Despite the increasing
importance of mathematics to the progress of our economy and society,
enrollment in mathematics programs has been declining at all levels of
the American educational system. Yet the application of mathematics is
indispensable in such diverse fields as medicine, computer sciences,
space exploration, the skilled trades, business, defense, and
government. To help encourage the study and utilization of mathematics,
it is appropriate that all Americans be reminded of the importance of
this basic branch of science to our daily lives.”
In 1986 activities concentrated on
national-level events, such as opening an exhibit at the Smithsonian
Institution on mathematics and hosting a Capitol Hill reception. Since
that time the focus has shifted to activities at the local, state, and
regional levels. Over the years, the general purpose has consistently
been to increase the visibility of mathematics as a field of study and
to communicate the power and intrigue in mathematics to a larger
audience. In 1999, Mathematics Awareness Week became Mathematics
Awareness Month.
Visit
www.mathaware.org for more information.
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 2nd 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 21st
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.
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This week’s newsletter is proudly sponsored
by HRchitect, a nationwide
HR consulting firm headquartered
here in Frisco. HRchitect continues to grow and has openings for
commission-based sales positions. 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 won the first round of
the playoffs and move on to round two starting this weekend. Games 3 and
4 will be played Tuesday and Wednesday night here in Frisco as they
continue their pursuit of a 4th 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 24 or April 25 and type in the code “Lafata”
to take advantage of this great offer.
A great new seafood restaurant has opened
up in Frisco called BayGrill. It is located over near the Silver Fox
Steakhouse and Isabella’s Italian restaurant on the west side of Legacy
Drive, south of the Westin hotel. You will hear more about this
restaurant in next week’s newsletter.
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 – HRchitect and
Commission-Based Sales Positions here in Frisco:
HRchitect, a small nationwide and fast
growing human resources technology consulting firm based in Frisco, TX,
is a leading provider of consulting services to major corporations.
We are currently searching for highly
motivated individuals to drive sales within existing and new clients. We
are searching for entrepreneurial-minded people who would like to work
in a unique environment with independent and flexible work hours
(part-time and full-time territories available), and great earning
opportunities.
Sales representatives earn a straight
forward and lucrative commission. The majority of leads come from
HRchitect, our business partners, and numerous other sources. This is a
commission only position where our sales representatives make great
money and enjoy uncapped commissions. The right candidates have the
potential to build a six figure income stream very rapidly.
This is the perfect opportunity for people
who want the flexibility to enjoy their family life, enjoy what they do
and make great money while doing it.
Requirements:
* Outside or Inside, commission sales
experience
* Proven record in a challenging,
fast-paced environment
* Excellent verbal and written
communication skills
* Commitment to excellence and customer
service
* Ability to work independently
* Very Organized
* Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel
If you are a success-minded, goal oriented
person who enjoys a family friendly work environment, we are ready to
give you the opportunity to achieve your goals.
Qualified candidates should submit a cover
letter and resume to:
Matt Lafata
Director, Business Development
HRchitect
mlafata@hrchitect.com
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”.
Dear Former Kokopelli’s Spa Patron,
As former employees of Kokopelli’s Wellness
Spa and Yoga Center, we would like to extend our sincere empathy for the
unfortunate closing of the doors. We share in the shock and the
financial burden it has caused so many of you.
As professionals in our respective fields,
we understand the close bonds that are built with clients / students. We
know that a trust factor is formed by our clients and it is important to
us that we make an attempt to ensure that you continue to receive
quality services from us as individual professionals. Due to
circumstances beyond our control, we have found ourselves scrambling for
a new home to continue those services for the community. We pray we
remain unified as a team and the family we have become, with the hopes
to rebuild a new wellness environment. We appreciate your patience and
support while we get established.
If you are the recipient
of a Kokopelli’s gift certificate, we will do our best to honor it as
individual personal service providers and in good faith, to retain you
as a valued customer. We appreciate your understanding that the gift
certificate was purchased from the spa and not from individual service
providers.
In the interim, you may find us at our
temporary home. Make your appointment today! Please email us at:
crma4u@aol.com.
Respectfully,
The Former Kokopelli’s Employees
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 214-878-8846 for advertising and
sponsorship information. Visit
www.mrstexasunitedstates.com for more information.
Tornado Talk…by Junior Sports Reporter,
Kaleigh Lafata:
The Tornado have made it to the 2nd
round of the playoffs, winning the series 3-2, giving the fans a little
scare. As we all know, the boys always pull through in the playoffs, so
let’s hope its going to be the same way this year. Friday night was a
5-2 win, Saturday a 4-1 loss, and the final game was an outstanding 9-2
win.
Friday night Rob Blanchette scored a goal 2
minutes in with Dylan Cooper and Tom Brooks assisting. The 2nd
period was started of with a Santa Fe goal, but John Bullis pulled the
Tornado ahead 2-1 a couple minutes later. Less than a minute later Santa
Fe tied it up 2-2, but that was their final goal of the night and the
Tornado cranked it up a notch. Colin Long got a beautiful goal with less
than 1 second left in the 2nd period, to make it 3-2. In the
3rd period, Lyon Messier made a nice goal from the point,
with Sean Roadhouse and Nielsson Arcibal assisting. Jake Newton finished
off the night with a empty net goal to make the score 5-2. Stephen
Ritter played a strong night in net, saving some tough shots. Shots on
goal were 32-19 and the stars of the game were: Sean Roadhouse, Lyon
Messier and John Bullis.
Saturday was a grueling 4-1 loss, even
though the Tornado dominated in shots 34 to 28. A lot of bad calls also
could have affected the loss.
Monday night was the deciding game and the
Tornado fought through it and ended up with the best score of the
season, 9-2. Stephane Da Costa started off the game right away a minute
and half in. Santa Fe tied it up for a little while, but they had no
chance of that happening again. Rob Blanchette scored his 2nd
goal of the playoffs on a one timer to make it 2-1 with assists to Brian
Reagan and Stephane Da Costa. John Bullis snagged a goal with help from
Stephane Da Costa and Colin Long. Soon after, Nielsson Arcibal put in an
unassisted, shorthanded goal that deserves a lot of credit. The Tornado
completely decimated the Roadrunners in the 3rd period, with
a 4-1 lead after two periods. Brad McCabe put goalie Nick Hopper out of
his job as he scored the 5th goal against him. Not that
switching goalies helped much, because Dylan Cooper scored 2 minutes
later with Jake Newton and Adam Flink assisting. Santa Fe scored their 2nd
and final goal of the night, which was definitely not enough to beat the
fired up Tornado. Adam Flink got a goal of his own after a night of
assisting, with Tom Brooks and Lyon Messier helping him out. Tom Brooks
got a power play goal a few minutes later and Santa Fe knew the game was
over with a score of 8-2. Brian Reagan added one more goal with 30
seconds left to make it and outstanding final score of 9-2. Goalie
Thomas Tragust did a wonderful job in net, and the Tornado actually got
out shot 34 to 26 and the 3 stars were well deserved: Stephane Da Costa,
Adam Flink and Thomas Tragust.
The Tornado now play their biggest
opponent, the St. Louis Bandits this weekend in Missouri, then return
back home on the 24th and 25th.To buy tickets go
to
www.tornadohockey.com or call 972-335-9800. Have a great weekend!
FC Dallas Home Opener This Sunday:
Be at Pizza Hut Park this Sunday to welcome
back the boys from their road trip as they take on last year's Western
conference playoff rivals, the Colorado Rapids in the 2007 FC Dallas
home opener. Limited tickets and are still available at
www.fcdallas.net, and the first 5,000 kids (16 years old & younger)
through the gates will receive an FC Dallas soccer ball, courtesy of
Pizza Hut and WFAA.
100.3 JACK FM Frisco’s “Jacked Up-Date”:
**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 THIS Saturday,
April 21st for food, fun, and a chance to win Gwen Stefani/Akon tickets!
Food will be provided by Josephine’s Wine Bar & Bistro, and an entire
bedroom suite worth $900 will be given away at noon to those who
register while JACK is there!
**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’s
live webstream 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
kandkguz@msn.com or 469-633-0232 for babysitting reservations. This
event sells out each year, so don't delay in purchasing your tickets
today!
Queens Gate Garage Sale:
Saturday, April 21st from 8:00am to 2pm
Queen's Gate Subdivision at the North East
quadrant of Preston Rd. and Rolater. It is behind the Kroger grocery
store.
Centennial Sweethearts Drill Team Garage
Sale:
Saturday, April 21st 8:00-3:00 at Kroger
parking lot in Frisco on Preston Rd.
The Fairways Annual Neighborhood Garage
Sale:
Saturday, April 21st from 8AM - ???
Come out and see what bargains you can
find. Furniture, baby and children's items, household items, clothing,
and much more. Streets with participation include April Sound,
Blackhawk, Horseshoe, Silver Horn, Sleepy Hollow, Southwyck, and
Tenison. The Fairways neighborhood is located north of Main/Teel.
Come to the pool area for a street map with
garage sales listed! From the Main/Teel intersection go north on Main,
take a left on Blackstone (the 1st entrance), take a left at Las Polamas
(the 1st stop sign), and turn into the pool area. Bulletin board with
maps is located just in front of the pool area.
Fisher Elementary PTA Presents the 6th
Annual Spring Carnival – A Jungle Safari:
Fisher Elementary PTA will present their
6th Annual Spring Carnival on Saturday, April 21st, from 3:00 p.m. -
7:00 p.m., rain or shine!
The carnival will bring back some old favorites like bounce houses,
midway games, candy and cake walks, laser tag, giant slide, face
painting and a silent auction. Frisco and Fisher entertainment will set
the stage from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. followed by a live auction from 5:30 -
6:00 p.m. Come hungry as there will be such favorites as hot dogs,
popcorn, snow cones and cotton candy to choose from. For those who love
new treats, we've added Nestle Toll House Cookies and Little Caesars
Pizza!
Some newcomers have been added and are sure to be a hit! They include
The Critter Man, Safari Train, Jungle Joust, and the Tropical Obstacle
Course. Fisher Principal, Nancy Lawson and Assistant Principal, Manuel
Gonzales will face off in the "King and Queen of the Jungle" contest at
6:30 p.m.!
The carnival is open to the public and admission is free. Food and game
tickets are $.50 each. Games, activities and photos range from 1-10
tickets. Food and beverages range from 1-2 tickets.
Fisher Elementary is located at 2500 Old Orchard Drive, Frisco, TX
75034. For information call (469) 633-2600. Fisher PTA is a non-profit
organization.
Isbell Elementary Carnival & Silent
Auction:
Friday, April 27th from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00
p.m.
Isbell Elementary is holding its first ever
carnival and silent auction on Friday, April 27th. The festivities will
begin at 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. There will be games, food, bounce houses
and a silent auction. The night will end with an Eddie Coker concert.
Wristbands and tickets will be sold at the door. Isbell Elementary is
located in the Hunter's Creek subdivision which is north of Highway 121
between Custer and Independence. The address is 6000 Maltby Drive in
Frisco, Texas 75035. Come join us for a fun-filled night!
Sparks Elementary Carnival Looking For
Volunteers:
We are looking for volunteers to work
Friday, April 27th from 5-9pm at the Sparks Elementary
Carnival. The carnival will be held at Sparks Elementary, 8200 Otis
Drive in Frisco. Volunteers may work 1, 2, 3 or 4 hours at the carnival.
Please contact Tricia Pratt if you would like to help out with this
event. It is a great way for youth to earn their community service hours
for high school/confirmation and to do something great for your
community. Please contact Tricia at
tricia@arbonnestars.com
Tuscany
Meadows Community Garage Sale:
The Tuscany Meadows Community (Wade & Ohio)
is having a community garage sale on April 28th from 8 am – 2 pm.
Huge Three Community Garage Sale:
Saturday, April 28th from 8am to 2pm
Heritage Village, Westfalls
Village and Waterford Falls - All located on Main St between Dallas
North Parkway and FM 423.
Nearly 100 homeowners will have many items
for sale.
Tuscany Square
Community Garage Sale:
Tuscany Square, is having a
Community Garage Sale on Sat. April 28th from 8 am - 3pm. We are located
at Hillcrest and Darkwood (across from Plantation Resort community)
Preston Vineyards North Community Garage
Sale:
Saturday, April 28th beginning at 7am
Preston Vineyards North is located on the north side of Rolater between
Hillcrest and Coit. Look for red signs in the yards of participating
homes. One of our neighboring communities is holding their garage sale
Saturday as well so come out for a big selection and great bargains.
Huge Neighborhood Garage Sale – Turnbridge
Manor:
Saturday, April 28th from 8am to
1pm
Turnbridge Manor neighborhood is located
just north of 121 off Independence.
Look for balloons on mailboxes for
participating homes!!
Frisco Boy Scout Troop 51 Annual Spring
Fundraiser:
Frisco Boy Scout Troop 51 is currently
soliciting donations for their Annual Spring Garage Sale to be held on
Saturday, May 5th. The troop will be happy to make arrangements to pick
up your donation or they can be brought to Frisco First United Methodist
Church on the evening of Friday, May 4th. For additional information
please contact Mary Peebles at
mpeeb30@sbcglobal.net or 972-529-1144.
Do You Want To Go To Cabo?:
Frisco Family Services Center
is hosting the Mayor’s Golf Classic on Monday, May 7, 2007. As part of
this tournament they are selling raffle tickets for some great prizes.
For only $10, you will have the opportunity to win a trip to San Jose
del Cabo, Mexico and stay in a luxurious 2 bedroom penthouse condominium
and includes airfare for 2, a 26” LCD HD flat panel television, a $250
Visa gift card or an I-Pod Shuffle. The drawing will be held at the
tournament and you do not need to be present to win. Please support
Frisco Family Services Center by purchasing a raffle ticket. If you are
interested, please let me know so that I can get a ticket/s to you or
feel free to purchase online with a credit card at
www.friscocenter.org under Mayors Golf Classic. This is a great
deal you don’t want to miss.
Third Annual Frisco Special Olympics Golf
Tournament:
Frisco Special Olympics is hosting
their 3rd Annual Golf Tournament on Monday, April 30th, 2007 at the
Tribute Golf Club, located in The Colony. A Shotgun Start will begin the
tournament at 8:00 AM.
If you would like to help us raise money to
support our athletes throughout the year in their sporting events and
competitions, sign up to golf! The price this year is $150 per player or
$550 per team.
There are also business sponsorship
opportunities available. For more information on participating in or
sponsoring the tournament, contact Justin Ryan at
friscospecialolympicsgolf@hotmail.com or log on to our website and
register online:
www.friscospecialolympics.org.
Tournament sponsored by
the PGA Tour Superstore, DeWolf/McCaffity LLP, Safety-Kleen, and
Transplace.
Fourth Annual Curtsinger Elementary Golf
Classic:
Sunday, May 6th Shot Gun Start
at Plantation Resort Golf Club.
$80 for adults and $30 for children 18 and
under. There will also be a $2500 golf ball drop. 2500 balls will be
available for purchase at $5 each. Contact Judy Bowker at 972-712-3454
or
sbow@aol.com if interested.
Deadline for entry is April 24th.
Contact Sarah McArdle at 972-335-0824 or
sarahmcardle@tx.rr.com for volunteer, sponsorship and donation
information. Contact Betsy Vascil at 972-712-1427 or
betsyvas@tx.rr.com for a registration form.
Collin
County Songwriters Association News:
From April 20 through 28, Frisco is alive
with music and music-career enhancement opportunities, as CCSA members
play, present seminars, and support local charities.
4/20 – American Cancer Society Relay for
Life: Frisco musicians, including CCSA members Dan Scot Parr and Ryan
Michael Galloway, will perform throughout the evening (more acts to be
added closer to showtime). The event starts at 7 PM at Dr. Pink Field
behind Pizza Hut Park. It is open to the public, there will be food and
drinks for sale. 30+ teams will be walking throughout the night to
raise money for the fight against cancer. With special programs and
presentations through the evening, this is a very emotionally uplifting
event--highly recommended.
4/26 – FREE Gigster Clinics Live Sound
Seminar: Guitar Center, 4519 LBJ Freeway, 7:00 PM. Do you want to
learn how to manage your live sound better? How do you control
feedback, what causes distortion, why do you sound “good” sometimes and
“bad” others—and on the same night?!?! The Alpha Gigster and clinician
Ryan Michael Galloway has your answers in this not-so-nerdy technical
and practical application program. Call 972-841-0226 for more
information.
4/27 – FREE CCSA Songwriter Seminar and
Panel Discussion: Anderson Guitar Gallery, 6811 Oak Street, Frisco,
7:00 PM. Join CCSA songwriters and learn basic and advanced songwriting
techniques. Even more fun, listen to the panel argue over (er…discuss)
what makes a “good song,” learn about hooks, structure, basic
songwriting theory, and find out what not to write about. Call
214-387-4050 or 972-841-0226 for more information.
4/28 – FREE Concert: The CCSA joins the
City of Frisco to sponsor Rockin’ the Park III, the third annual
community concert to gather food and raise awareness for the Frisco
Family Services Center. As most of you know, the center manages a food
pantry that combats hunger by serving 375 families in Collin County.
The concert features top-notch North Texas performing songwriters and
bands, including Diane Hart, C. Aaron Moore & But I Digress, and The
Founders with Dan Scot Parr, Michael Reames, Ryan Michael Galloway,
Scott Thomas and Chad Ireland. Jimmy Buffet’s been invited—hey, he’s
playing practically next door!
Mr. Buffet’s doubtful appearance
notwithstanding, the concert starts at 4:00 PM on Saturday, April 28th,
2007 at Frisco Commons Park on McKinney Road in Frisco in the park’s
amphitheatre. Concertgoers should bring one canned item per person for
entry, monetary donations accepted. No alcohol allowed—food, blankets,
water and soft drinks allowed and encouraged. Current sponsors are
Anderson Guitar Gallery, Dunn Bros. Coffee, and Papa Murphy’s Pizza
(there will be pizza slices and drinks for sale). Sponsorships and
partnerships are available for local businesses that would like to be
involved. For more information, contact Ryan Michael Galloway,
972-841-0226.
The Embassy Suites Frisco Presents
Mother’s Day Brunch:
The Easter brunch at
the Embassy was a big success! If you have never attended one of the
holiday brunches at the Embassy, you are really missing out on
something. I highly recommend it and recommend you make reservations
early.
Sunday, May 8 from 10am to 1pm at the
Embassy Suites, located at 7600 John Q. Hammons Drive here in Frisco.
The experience includes:
·
Unlimited Champagne & Mimosas
·
Full Kiddie & Adult Buffets
·
Seafood & Sushi Bar
·
Carved Prime Rib
·
Chocolate Fountain and Dessert Extravaganza
·
And a little something for Mom
$44.95 adults, $34.95 for seniors 55+ and
kids 6-12, $9.95 for toddlers to five, and babies are free. Call
972-624-7055 for more information and reservations and you can also
visit
www.cyprusgrille.com for full menu, details and reservations.
Hats Off For Cancer:
97.5 KLAK is helping support the collection
of new hats for kids with cancer. They will broadcast from Cooper
Aerobics Center at Craig Ranch from 9am-noon on Saturday, April 21.
Hats Off For Cancer strives to bring
awareness to childhood cancer while helping to make a childhood cancer
patient’s smile a bit brighter and their day a bit happier.
http://www.hatsoffforcancernorthtexas.com/
Saturday, April 28th 20007, Arbor Day 5K
and 1K Seedling Run:
Join the City of Frisco’s Urban Forestry
Board and the Parks and Recreation Department at Frisco Commons Park on
Saturday April, 28th for the inaugural Arbor Day 5K and 1K Seedling
Run. The 1K Seedling Run will begin at 8:00 am and is for the young and
young at heart. All finishers will get a finishers medal and a live
seedling to take home and plant. The chip timed 5K will start at 8:30
a.m., wind through surrounding neighborhoods, and finish on the hike and
bike path inside Frisco Commons Park. This very exciting course has a
variety of surfaces and lots of turns. Join us after the races for tree
tours with members of the Urban Forestry Board!! Event proceeds will
benefit the Urban Forestry Board's mission to create resources for
future forestry education.
For more information go to
www.FriscoFun.org or call 972-292-6506
2nd Annual Motherless Daughters Day
Luncheon:
If you are a woman or girl who has known
the joy of having a mother and now suffers the pain and grief of mother
loss, this celebration is designed especially for you.
You are cordially invited to honor the
memory of your mother by commemorating her life with other women and
girls who have walked the same path.
Saturday, May 12, 2007 from 11am-2pm at
Marsha Clark’s Home, 4631 Pine Valley Drive, Frisco. Cost is $25 and
lunch will be catered by Elke’s Market Café
Contact Charmione Marcell at
Charmione@marshaclarkandassociates.com or 972-838-6796 or register
online at
www.marshaclarkandassociates.com and click on Calendar.
Frisco Residents of Color to Host a Soiree
for the Senses:
Frisco Residents of Color is hosting a
WineTastic Spring Fling on Saturday evening, May 5th from 7:30-10:00 at
CrossRoads Winery at 15222 King Road – Suite 301 in Frisco. Come out
and enjoy an evening of fine wine tasting paired with delicious
appetizers, as you meet, mingle, network, and “un-wine” with a diverse
group of business professionals.
Members $10, Non-Members $15, and couples
$25. Price includes one complimentary glass of wine.
A portion of the proceeds will go toward
the organization’s scholarship fund. For additional information, email
FROC_TX@yahoo.com.
Frisco Football League 2007 Registration
and Skills Assessment:
Ages 5 - 12
Saturday, April 28th & May 5th, 2007 from
9am to 3pm at Frisco High School
Save TIME and MONEY by PRE-registering
online at
www.friscofootballleague.com
Football Fees are $115 and Cheer Fees are
$220. $10 DISCOUNT for online pre-registration: given at checkout on
April 28th or May 5th. Coach Application - $20
Pre-registering online gives you a savings, as well as the convenience
of keying in your child's information from home, saving you time from
having to fill out the information onsite. However, your child(ren) must
attend onsite registration on April 28th or May 5th for fittings,
football skills evaluation, weigh-in and final payment. Registration
will not be complete if your child does not attend onsite registration.
FLAG FOOTBALL: Ages
5-6
TACKLE FOOTBALL: Ages 7-12
(Boys entering the 7th grade this coming fall are NOT eligible)
Tackle equipment will be available through
Riddell. Fittings and purchases will be available only on April 28th or
May 5th. Please note that all football registrants are required to
attend Skills Evaluation as part of the registration process. Please
allow a minimum of an additional thirty (30) minutes for the
assessment. Players will be scored in four (4) areas: 10-yard sprint,
30-yard dash, Pro Agility drill, and broad jump. Players should wear
shorts, shirt and cleats. Registration fee includes game jersey and
mouthpiece.
CHEERLEADING: Ages 5-12
Uniform fittings will only be on April 28th
or May 5th. Please wear bathing suit under clothes for uniform
fittings. Registration fee includes cheer uniform, poms, socks and
cheer camp.
·
Birth Certificates are required for all NEW
participants to the FFL. Each participant must be at least five (5)
years old, and not more than twelve (12) years old, on or before
September 1st.
·
Coach applications are available online.
·
Third Child Discount: $30 discount for third
child and thereafter – applicable to Registration Fee only.
·
Visit
www.friscofootballleague.com for more information.
Thank you for your patience during
Registration, for the fitting of the children is very important!
First
Baptist Church Frisco Charity Golf Tournament:
The "Nicaragua 2007" Golf Tournament will
be held at Plantation Golf Club May 17th. Registration is open
to individuals and teams; the deadline is May 2. For those interested
in golf, but not ready for 18 holes there will also be a Golf Clinic
held at 4:30. There will be door prizes, a silent auction and a
chance to win $20,000 or a Harley-Davidson - - plus it is all for a good
cause.
The past 3 years FBC Frisco has taken a
team of volunteers to reach out to remote villages in Nicaragua and
another team will return to the area in August 2007. We are striving to
meet the needs of some of the most impoverished villages in the Western
Hemisphere. Our goal is to raise $10,000 to fund the pharmacy needed to
assist the medical and dental teams.
Sponsorships are available in 4 levels and
are essential to helping us meet our goal. Your sponsorship will
provide publicity for your company, enter your golf team, purchase your
dinner that night and, most importantly, help fund supplies for an area
that needs our help. Hey, there will even be prizes for the team with
the highest score! For information, please contact Shelby Yeaple @
214-680-9806 or 1st Baptist Church Frisco @ 972-335-9830.
Mayor’s Golf Classic to be Held Monday,
May 7, 2007:
The annual Mayor’s Golf Classic benefiting
Frisco Family Services Center is set to be held on Monday May 7, 2007 at
Stonebriar Country Club. We are pleased to announce that Baylor Medical
Center at Frisco is our title sponsor again this year.
Players of all skill levels are welcome to
join Mayor Mike Simpson and other community leaders for an exciting day
of golf while helping those in need. This four person scramble offers
participants an array of prizes including top three teams, longest
drive, closest to the pin, putting challenge and the opportunity to win
a vehicle on a hole in one. Players will have the opportunity to choose
to play in a morning or afternoon tournament followed by an awards
banquet and the opportunity to bid on fabulous auction items. There are
many opportunities to get involved with this tournament. Frisco Family
Services Center is currently looking for sponsors, players, auction and
goodie bag donations. The cost for an individual player is $200 and
includes breakfast/lunch or lunch/dinner, player gifts and more. For
those who aren’t golfers, but would still like to participate, they can
showcase their business by sponsoring a hole at the tournament.
New this year is a Mayor’s Golf Classic
Raffle. We encourage everyone to purchase a ticket for only $10 for a
chance to win a trip to San Jose del Cabo, Mexico and stay in a
luxurious 2 bedroom penthouse condominium with airfare for 2, a
widescreen flat panel HD LCD television, a $250 Visa gift card or an
I-Pod shuffle. Winner need not be present to win.
For more information on the tournament or
to purchase raffle tickets, visit
www.friscocenter.org or call Kimberly Girard at 972-335-9495.
ITIP Golf Classic to be held on May 14,
2007:
The Annual ITIP (Infant & Toddler
Intervention Program) Golf Classic is scheduled for Monday, May 14, 2007
at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas, Texas. For the 13th straight
year, Friendz of Kidz is the event’s presenting sponsor.
The ITIP Golf Classic is the agency’s
signature fundraising event. Now in its 13th year, the tournament
continues to be recognized in the Dallas Business Journal’s Book of
Lists as one of the top 25 charity golf tournaments in the metroplex.
Last year, the ITIP Golf Classic raised almost $100,000 providing the 26
year old agency with funds for the agency and it’s Early Childhood
Intervention Program (ECI).
For additional information on the ITIP Golf
Classic, contact Ashley Hutto or visit
www.itipnt.org
About Infant & Toddler Intervention
Program ITIP supports through promotion, early identification and
intervention, the healthy development and welfare of babies, young
children and their families. It is the vision of the agency that all
adults will experience emotionally healthy, productive lives as a result
of nurturing relationships, positive learning experiences and support of
their communities in the first five years of life.
First
Annual Grace Avenue United Methodist
Church GAMMA (Grace Avenue Missions, Ministry and Assistance) Golf
Tournament:
Sunday, September 14, 2007. Check-in is
11:30am with a 1pm shotgun start. It will be held at the Ridgeview Ranch
Golf Club at 2701 Ridgeview Drive in Plano. The entry fee is $100 and
all proceeds go to the GAMMA funds.
To register or for more information about
sponsorship opportunities, please contact Rob Cruson at 972-896-3851 or
at
robcruson@sbcglobal.net
One Day – Two Green Events:
Clean It and Green It
Join the Frisco Green Team for our city
wide clean up event “Clean it and Green it” on Saturday, April 21st,
in the IKEA parking lot, 7171 IKEA Dr. Volunteers will help clean up
litter around town, be registered for great raffle drawing prizes,
receive a free Green gift, and dine on a free IKEA lunch. Plus there
will be lots of fun and environmental education going on all day. You
can register the day of the event or pre-register online at
WWW.Myvolunteerpage.com or call 972-292-5074. Check-in will be from
8:30-9:30 and the clean up will last from 9:30-11:00am. Lunch and raffle
prizes will start at 11:15am.
Chunk Your Junk
Residents may bring the following items for
safe disposal, recycling, or donation…
Appliances*, Brush, Batteries**, Carpet,
Cell phones, Computers, Exercise equipment, Fax machines, Fencing,
Furniture, Household Hazardous Waste***, Metal, Printers, Tree Limbs,
old clothes and other items to be donated to charity
*Refrigerators and freezers must be tagged
Freon free. **Car, Boat, Cell Phone, Computer, AA, AAA, B, C, D, 9 volt,
etc. ***Paints, pesticides, and solvents.
A free paper shredding service will be
provided. A four box limit per household, size not to exceed 12” W x
15.5” L. No commercial accounts.
-Bachman Head Start will be collecting ALL
old books and magazines. Children’s material is highly desired.
-Frisco Noon Lions Club’s “Lions Recycle
For Sight” program will be on site taking all types of eye glasses
including all prescriptions, sizes, colors, and sunglasses.
-Frisco Family Services is also teaming
with the Green Team by collecting shoes in all conditions, sizes,
brands, types including athletic, dress, boots, sandals etc. for resale,
donation, and reuse purposes.
-Operation Kindness will be adopting pets
to loving homes and providing humane education on pet ownership and
responsibility.
-Medina Children’s Home will be collecting
gently used clothing and furniture.
All money collected from the metal
recycling at this event will go towards donations in the name of your
local FISD school to the World Wildlife Foundation.
If you have any questions, please feel free
to contact Jeremy Starritt at
JStarritt@Friscotexas.gov or at (972) 292-5914
Frisco Square
to Host “Fair in the Square” with State Fair Carnival Operator – Talley
Amusements:
Frisco Square, a
master-planned lifestyle community in the heart of Frisco, announced
their plans to host Fair in the Square, a family-oriented carnival,
beginning Wednesday, April 25th through Sunday, April 29th, 2007.
Talley Amusements—who operates the rides, food and midway at both the
State Fair of Texas and the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, among
others—promises a fun, safe, clean, wholesome atmosphere filled with
rides, food, games and attractions. A portion of the proceeds from Fair
in the Square will be donated to the Frisco Education Foundation.
Patrons will experience a quality fair
environment similar to that of the State Fair of Texas, including many
well-known rides such as a Carousel, Gondola Farris Wheel, Oriental
Express Roller Coaster, 3-Lane Slide, Tilt-a-Whirl, Bumper Cars,
Kamikazi, Starship 2000, and smaller-kid rides such as Bear Affair and
the Tea Cups. Fair in the Square will also feature a Midway full of
games as well as homemade food such as funnel cakes, corn dogs, sausage
sandwiches, hamburgers, cotton candy, popcorn, caramel and candy
apples.
There is no admission to Fair in the
Square, but ride tickets will be $1.00 each (or 24 for $20), with most
rides averaging two tickets. Midway games and food must be purchased
with cash only.
Here is an excerpt of their schedule and
the complete nightly schedule can be seen at
www.friscosquare.com/fair:
Wednesday, April 25: 5:00-10:00 pm -
General Fun and Games
Thursday,
April 26: 5:00-10:00 pm - General Fun and Games
Friday, April 27: 5:00 pm to 12:00 am -
Radio Disney Night (6:30 - 8:30pm)
Saturday
April 28: 11:00 am-12:00 am – Pioneer Middle School Play (1-3pm)
Sunday, April 29: 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm -
Jack FM On-Site (12 - 6pm)
Happenings in Frisco ISD by Sarah Ianace:
May 7th – Staff
Development/Student Holiday
Upcoming School
Concerts
May 10th - Centennial Percussion
Group Fusion Concert, 7pm, CHS Auditorium
May 12th – Centennial Jazz
Ensemble Concert, 7pm, CHS Courtyard
May 17th – Centennial Spring
Concert, 7pm, CHS Auditorium
FISD Summer School - All classes will be
held at Centennial High School
High School Summer School
Session 1 June 11th – June 28th
Session 2 June 29th – July 19th
Middle School Summer School
1 Session June 11th – July 13th
Frisco Community Night
at Pizza Hut Park Thursday April 26th 7pm
FC Dallas will play against NY Red Bulls in
a nationally televised game. FC Dallas, FISD and the City of Frisco have
teamed up with the Frisco Education Foundation to bring a special offer
to the community. Every student will be given a free voucher for a free
ticket to this game. Every family can buy additional vouchers at a
discounted rate of $16 for the best seats in the stadium. These can be
purchased at Frisco school offices. $2 from every voucher/ticket
purchased will be donated directly back to the Frisco Education
Foundation.
Vouchers will be redeemed at Pizza Hut Park
box office. The sooner you redeem your purchased vouchers, the better
the seat you will get to choose from.
Frisco Education
Scholarship Night
The expectations were high and the parents
were proud Thursday April 12th at the annual Frisco Education Foundation
Scholarship Night at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. The
Foundation Board and the various organizations and families who fund
scholarships through FEF were excited to be handing out college money to
a record-breaking number of seniors. More than 160 students received
funds through FEF at the event. Congratulations to the Seniors and
Thank you to FEF!
Frisco ISD Nutrition
Survey
The Frisco ISD Child Nutrition Department
is conducting its 2007 survey. Please take the time to visit
friscoisd.org and help them in meeting the needs of the Frisco students.
Pre K Registration for
2007-2008 School Year
April 30th-May 1st,
9:00am – 7:00pm
FISD Technology Annex
Student must be 4 years of age on or before
September 1, 2007 and must meet one qualifying criteria in order to
register.
·
Qualify for a free/reduced lunch program
·
Meet definition of Homeless
·
Be a member of a military family
·
Unable to speak or comprehend the English
language
For further assistance please call
469-633-6840
If anyone would like to request specific
FISD information please email me at
sianace@yahoo.com
City Council Elections This May:
Some people have asked
who I will endorse in this election. As a current public official I do
not feel it is right to publicly endorse a candidate running for office
as I will be working with whoever gets elected to office. Any of the
candidates listed below should win on their own merit and you need to
get informed about who you would like to vote for. Please keep in mind
that local officials have a greater impact on your daily lives than any
state or federal official and I hope that you will get out and vote for
who you believe is the strongest candidate to keep this city going in
the right direction.
This May (May 12) will be a local election
to fill two council seats. Six residents are running for the two open
seats and you can find information about voting on the
city’s web site.
The following candidates; Jeff Cheney, Bart
Crowder, and Fred Pascarelli, are running for Place 2, currently held by
Bob Allen.
The following candidates; Chris Moss, David
Preston, and David Prince are running for Place 4, currently held by
Maher Maso.
Dallas
Baptist University Free Summer Basketball Camp:
The Dallas Baptist University Basketball
Program will be hosting two free basketball camps this summer for boys
and girls ages 8 - 15. The first camp will be held at First Baptist
Church of Frisco, June 11 - 14 from 9am - 3pm. The camp is free of
charge and is open to the first sixty people to register.
The second camp will be held at Antioch
Fellowship Baptist Church at 7550 South Hampton Rd. in Dallas. The camp
will run June 18 - 21, from 9am - 3pm and will also be free of charge.
There are thirty spaces still available for the Antioch Fellowship camp.
The camps will include skill instruction,
games, and daily devotionals with Dallas Baptist University coaches and
players. To reserve your space for a camp please call Brandon Curran in
the Dallas Baptist University Basketball Office at 214 333 5514 or email
to
brandon@dbu.edu.
City of
Frisco Homebuyer Training Class:
The City of Frisco’s next Homebuyer
workshop will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2007 from 9 AM to 5 PM at
Frisco City Hall, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd in Frisco, TX. This program
is provided free of charge and is sponsored by the City of Frisco, the
City of McKinney and Consumer Credit Counseling Service and meets the
8-hour HUD Homebuyer Training requirement. Participants will also learn
more about the City of Frisco Down Payment Assistance Program for First
Time Homebuyers.
To register, please contact Stacy Brown at
(972)292-5114 or via e-mail at
sbrown@friscotexas.gov
Boy Scouts Circle 10 Council Value Card
and 2007 Scout Show:
Attention kids of all ages! The 2007 Big Red Xtreme Scout Show is
coming to Market Hall on Saturday, May 12th from 10am to 3pm and Cub
Scout Pack 1290 wants your family to join us. Each card (card acts as a
ticket) is $10 and gets an entire family into the show. Not only will
your family have a great time doing crafts, sampling home-cooked food,
climbing ropes courses, sailing across zip lines and more, but also will
enjoy discounts at area merchants. These discounts are good at Papa
Johns Pizza, Quiznos, Mobil Lube Express, Cold Stone Creamery, Bass Pro
Shops, Popeyes and many more. The best part is that the card can be
used over and over again and doesn't expire until March 31, 2008.
Please email or call Susan Edwards to reserve your card today! (longhornsusan@yahoo.com
or 972-712-2475) Thanks for supporting Cub Scout Pack 1290 of Frisco!
Leadership Empowerment Lecture at DBU
North:
DBU-North invites you to attend their May
Leadership Lecture. It will be held on Wednesday, May 2nd from 11:30a.m.
- 1:00pm. The guest speaker will be JoAnne Hix, DBU Business Professor.
Her topic will be "High Octane Performance Management. Please make sure
to RSVP to
http://www.dbu.edu/dbunorth/leadership_luncheon.asp or call
DBU-North at 214-333-5777.
DBU-North, 3211 Internet Blvd., Suite 100,
Frisco, TX 75034-8557
Frisco Women’s League 2nd
Annual Tea Party:
Please join Frisco Women's League in their
2nd annual Mother & Daughter Tea event, which will take place on May 5th
at Stonebriar Country Club from 2:00 - 4:00 PM. The event will host a
style show and will benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Collin County.
The theme this year will be a Mad Hatter Tea Party, so remember to wear
your hats for prizes. Tickets are $35 for adults and $15 for children
under 12. To purchase tickets, please visit our website
www.friscowomensleague.org or call 972-733-9818. Guest may also help
the Boys and Girls Clubs by bringing a new, unopened, nonperishable
healthy snack to the event. We look forward to seeing everyone there
with their hats on.
Frisco-OnLine.com
2nd Annual Child Safety Day! FREE!!!:
Frisco-OnLine.com is proud to announce the
2nd Annual Frisco Child Safety Day on May 5, 2007 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
at Legacy Christian Academy. After receiving such an overwhelming
response last year with over 600 families attending, we are excited to
be expanding this event to include:
Car Seat Safety Checks
(To make and appointment, please call 1-800-4-Presby and specify the
date/event)
FREE Fingerprinting for Children 3
years and older (ID kits are available for children under the
age of 3)
FREE Speech Assessments and
Developmental Assessments by Under the Learning Tree and ECI
Frisco Fire Department and Sparky
the Dog
Frisco Police Department and Mr.
McGruff
CareFlite Helicopter and Ground Crew
Sports Injury Tips by
Orthopedic and Sports Injury Specialists
Carter Blood Care Blood Drive
for Congenital Heart Disease. All credits will benefit children
undergoing heart surgeries. For more information, please contact Sheila
Elliott at
sheila@elliott5.com To sign up in advance,
Click Here
Pediatric Emergency Care
from First Choice Emergency
Free Health Screenings
(Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Glucose) by Centennial Medical Center
Free Asthma Screenings
from Allergy & Asthma Solutions, Dr. Birjis Chinoy, M.D.
Pool Safety Information
by ISR Swimming Resources and AquaTykes
Hands on Computer Demonstrations
by Einstein Kidz
FREE samples of RoBear's
Salsa and Bar-B-Q Sauce
Arts and Crafts donated
by Mommy and Me Music Play
HealthChoice Chiropractic is offering participants the opportunity to
get screened for postural balance problems with our 3-Deminsional
Orthotic and Weight Analysis System.
Other Sponsors Include:
Growth Charts donated by K. Barbosa Promotions, Inc.
Snow Cones and Cotton Candy for purchase from Big Fat Bounce House
Snacks and Beverages Donated By Albertsons
Eagle Gymnastics
Frisco Care
Kidz Planet Hourly Child Care
Indoor Bounce Party
Jeff Cheney – Keller Williams
FSPN
Mark your calendars for a remarkable event that will provide ample
opportunities to educate and prepare your family for a safer lifestyle.
Be sure to take advantage of this FREE event hosted by
www.Frisco-OnLine.com and Legacy Christian Academy! We all know how
busy our families get towards the end of the school year, so we want you
to MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW FOR MAY 5th to attend the 2nd Annual
Frisco-OnLine.com Frisco Safety Day from 9 am-1 pm at Legacy Christian
Academy!
4th Annual
Monte Carlo Night:
SAVE THE DATE for an evening you won't want
to miss. The 4th Annual Monte Carlo Night , An Evening Under The Stars
Saturday, August 4th 2007, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Community 8000
El Dorado Parkway Frisco, Texas Come Join an evening of Community wide
Fellowship, Food and Fun. This promises to be a premier event once
again. New Friends, New Menu, Great Live Entertainment, Casino Gaming,
Texas Hold Em, Bingo, Silent and Live Auctions and more.
Be part of the excitement. Be part of
the fun
~ Sponsorship Opportunities have Many
levels of sponsorship available. Something for everyone. Please contact
Todd Hogan at
toddhogan@tx.rr.com
~ Donations are being accepted for the
Silent Auction. Please contact Anna Tillerson at
tillyfamily@msn.com
~Want to be on the inside of this fun
filled evening as a Volunteer? Need additional information? Please
contact Angela Reed at
Adreed64@sbcglobal.net
Presented by MCN-Frisco, a non-profit
organization. Benefiting St. Francis Catholic Community's Building Fund
Just Being A Woman Can Cost You $500K!:
Business and Professional Women (BPW) all
over Texas and the Nation, will mobilize on Tuesday April 24, 2007 to
call attention to the gender wage gap. Women, on average, are still
paid only 77 cents for every dollar paid to men. Over a working
lifetime, this wage disparity costs the average American woman and her
family over $500,000 in lost wages.
Frisco BPW members will gather Tuesday,
April 24 from 7:00am until 10:00am at It’s A Grind in The Shops at
Starwood, 6959 Lebanon Road #100, Frisco, for coffee and conversation
about equal pay. Coffee drinks and merchandise will be 25% off during
the event for women, in honor of the wage gap. All working women are
encouraged to stop by and share their experiences in overcoming the wage
gap in their lives. Did you learn how to ask for better pay? Did you
learn how to figure out what you should be paid? These are critical
skills, but not widely taught.
Frisco BPW members will lead a group
discussion between 7 and 10AM with topics changing each half hour and
include issues such as negotiation skills, breaking through the glass
ceiling, and temporary leaves for child rearing and elder care. You are
invited to join the conversation and enjoy complimentary hand and
shoulder massages provided by The Green Peridot Salon, also located in
The Shops at Starwood. Come enjoy the coffee at a 25% discount for
women at It’s A Grind, share conversation and ease a little stress!
Each Tuesday, an average woman has finally
earned the same wage as an average man earned last week. April 24th
is the day that the average woman finally earns what the average man
made last year! Because women, on average, earn less, they must work
longer for the same pay.
“Poll after poll has demonstrated that
unfair pay ranks as one of the top issues of concern for working women.
The wage gap affects women throughout their working lives and then
follows them into retirement where they receive lower pension and Social
Security benefits based on the salaries they received while working,”
says Nancy Jackson, President of Business and Professional Women/USA
(BPW/USA).
Tuesday, April 17, BPW members will accept
a Proclamation from Frisco Mayor Mike Simpson at the Frisco City Council
Meeting declaring Tuesday, April 24 as Equal Pay Day in Frisco.
“Women and their families can no longer
afford to be shortchanged. Frisco BPW is committed to empowering women
through support and knowledge. We will encourage businesses to pay
women fairly, push for laws that will enforce current equal pay
legislation, and educate women on how to negotiate for higher salaries,
“ said Frisco BPW President Diane Sirois.
Single Parent & Family Social:
This is a special time for single parents
and their children to mingle and get to know one another in a safe,
family friendly environment. Activities include games, open play. Bounce
house and trampolines. Reservations are required to adequately schedule
event staffing.
Sunday, April 22, 2007 from 5:30-7:30pm
Cost: $8.00 per family (to cover cost of
pizza and drinks)
Location: Frisco Gymnastics Center @ 7210
Meadow Hill Dr., Frisco, TX
Contact for reservations:
mykesaylor@friscogym.com or 972-377-3137
Elder Care Series at
Grace Avenue United
Methodist Church:
Please attend one or both of our programs
on Elder Care. On Mon, April 30 from 7-8:30 pm, we will be discussing
Caregiver Basics: Issues, resources and financial concerns. On Mon,
May 7 from 7-8:30 pm, we will be discussing the Emotional Issues and How
to Care for the Caregiver. Guest speakers from the Collin County
Committee on Aging and the Area Agency on Aging will be presenting the
information.
Location: 3521 Main Street
Advice From Dr. Checo – HPV:
Hello Frisco,
Political implications aside, the recent
maelstrom regarding HPV vaccines has taken on a life of its own.
Regardless of your ethical/moral/religious views towards the subject, it
is vital that all of us get informed about this important new arrow in
our medicinal quiver. As (unfortunately) is the case, the media has
managed to distort the facts regarding this vaccine. I hope that I will
be able to objectively give you the mental ammunition you need to make
the right decisions, whether for your child or yourself.
A disclaimer: this is NOT my area of
expertise, so I will beg forgiveness right from the onset. As is usually
the case, I welcome any and all comments. If someone out there knows
something I don’t, please let me know; we’re all in learning mode when
it comes to this vaccine. With that said, let’s got on with it.
Human papilloma virus has heretofore gained
dubious notoriety of late with the (fairly) recent direct association
between it and cervical cancer. Not only is it guilty in that regard,
HPV can also be responsible for ano-genital cancers arising in the
external genitalia of both
sexes. Therefore, as you can see, this is not
just another virus. In fact,
much to the surprise of many, HPV is
the single most common form of sexually transmitted sexual disease in
the United States. See what I mean about surprise; about 6
million patients contract
the disease each year! We
need to pay more attention to this, like it or not.
As you have probably deduced, HPV is almost
exclusively a sexually transmitted disease. What’s most troubling is
that males can and do carry the virus without knowing it. Said another
way, HPV rarely, if ever, causes any symptoms in male patients.
Moreover, with the unfortunate reality that unprotected sex is still
extremely prevalent, you can draw your own conclusions. As a matter of
fact, it’s not too much of an exaggeration to state that
men cause cervical cancer in women.
As bad as that sounds, it’s true. Therefore, the rationale behind the
vaccine for HPV is that if given
prior to the onset of sexual activity, it is
theoretically possible that
HPV can be prevented, hence eliminating in great part the repercussions
therein.
Recalling some long-forgotten medical
school microbiology along with some fresh research, there are about 100
different types of HPV. About 40 affect the genital region and of those,
only two are responsible for 70% of cervical cancers worldwide. When
studies are done for these purposes, 99% of patients diagnosed with
cervical cancer test positive for HPV variants. Given all of that, you
would think this vaccine would be the biggest no-brainer in the medical
world. Well… that’s where it gets tricky. BTW, these facts that have
just been presented are straight from the CDC and the Advisory Committee
on Immunization Practices. They are irrefutable. Now what you choose to
do with that information, especially in light of the recent goings on in
Austin, is a strictly personal matter.
Unfortunately, because of the sexual nature
of this topic, the political/social/ethical questions are inevitable.
Here is where personal decision-making takes over and I back off. My job
is and will be to (hopefully) give you the untainted facts about
controversial medical subjects. What you do with said information is
very personal and is best left up to the individual patient and/or her
loved ones. Patients ask me “what should I do?” constantly, as you can
imagine. Nevertheless, there is a point where the physician needs to
step back and let the patient decide for him/herself. Discuss your
particular feelings with your doctor. Whatever you do, do NOT allow the
newspapers or any other media outlet be your sole source for medical
information. Part of your doctor’s job is to provide you with sufficient
information to make intelligent medical decisions. Make him earn his
money.
Dr. Checo is a
board-certified Internist with 17 years of experience in the care and
management of the Adult patient. He can be reached by calling his office
at 469-633-9700. He can also be reached at
pcheco@drcheco.com
Viva
Collin County Expo and Festival:
The Collin County Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce (CCHCC) Annual Business Expo and Festival VIVA COLLIN COUNTY
will be held on Saturday June 30 2007 from 10am-8pm at Fairview Farms in
Plano [www.fairview-farms.com].
This promises to be a wonderful event not
to be missed. It is open to the public and admission is FREE.
Business in areas of banking, real state,
lending retail, restaurant, cosmetics, office supplies, art and crafts
and many others will be present with an assortment of their services.
Free health screenings will be available and family entertainment can be
enjoyed. The sounds and sights of colorful ballet folklorico dancers,
latin band and mariachis will transport you and your family as you visit
vendors booths and savor the flavors available throughout the day by
various local restaurants.
Fairview Farms has available petting zoo
and pony rides for the children so do not forget to bring your camera.
Discount price tickets for the Zoo can be purchase at the Expo building.
Exhibitors booths are available and going
fast. For more information visit our web site [www.vivacollincounty.com]
or call 972 838 4567.
Texans Credit
Union Hosts FREE Shred Day
– Open to the Public:
Identity theft is quickly becoming one of
the most organized and costly crimes of our time. The FTC estimates that
as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year.
In fact, you or someone you know may have experienced some form of
identity theft. In an effort to help reduce the chances of Identity
Theft for its members, and others in the community, Texans Credit Union
is hosting Texans Shred Day - a FREE “drive-thru” shred day for members
and the general public. Individuals can attend the event to properly
dispose of all personal documents and files on Saturday, April 21st
beginning at 10 a.m. at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco in the West Parking
Lot.
People are encouraged to drive by and shred
old bills and tax returns, medical records and other documents
containing personal information. Recall's Secure Destruction Service is
donating the use of their shredding trucks. “Old documents, bills and
tax forms are gold mines for ID thieves,” said Matt Bays of Recall.
“Shredding is a great way to protect yourself from becoming a victim.”
The Shred Day is free and open to the public.
Acceptable Items to Shred
* Personal Records
* Bills/Receipts
* Books
* Bound Paper
* Brochures & Envelopes
* File Folders
* Paper
* Letterhead Products
* Adding Machine Tape
Event Information:
Texans Credit Union “Drive-thru” Shred Day
presented by Recall and Pizza Hut Park, takes place on Saturday, April
21st from 10am to 1pm at Pizza Hut Park, 9200 World Cup Way,
Frisco, TX 75034 – WEST PARKING LOT
Restrictions: Limit five legal sized boxes
of information per person. Individuals only, please no businesses.
About Recall
Recall is the best at what we do -- managing your
information. We make information work for your company, not against it.
By putting your company’s valuable information into the expert hands of
Recall, you improve customer service, mitigate risk, reduce operational
costs, track finances, simplify reporting and compliance. Please visit
www.Recall.com
About Texans Credit Union
Texans Credit Union is a Texas-based,
member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative with branches
throughout North Texas, Austin and Houston. Texans provides financial
products and services to 156,000 members and has assets approaching $2
billion. Visit the Texans website at
www.texanscu.org for more information.
The Frisco Area Children’s Theater is
offering a wide range of Acting Classes for the Summer:
There is surly one to fit your schedule!
Acting teaching children a wide range of
skills that will help them for the rest of their live.
They’ll learn everything from self
confidence to working as part of a team.
For photos of past performances and classes
please visit our photo webpage at
http://photos.FriscoACTS.com
For more information contact: Aileen Brady
at (972) 377-2675 or visit
www.FriscoACTS.com
FACT CLASS SCHEDULE
Register Now for our Summer 2007 Semester.
Online Registration is open.
“What’s the Story?” (April, 2007) - Ages 4
to 18 - Act out a different story every class!
April 21, 28 and May 5, 12, 2007 - 1:30 to
2:15PM
Acting I (June, 2007) - Ages 7 and up -
Learn the Basics of Acting and Auditioning.
June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and July 7, 14, 21,
2007 - 12:30 to 1:30PM
Acting II (June, 2007) - Ages 7 and up -
Perform a show! You've learned to act now use it to perform a show!
June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, July 7, 14, 21, 2007
- 2:30 to 3:30PM
Around the World Adventure! (June 2007) -
Ages 4 to 6 - Each class is a new adventure, using your acting talent to
be different characters.
June 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 2007 - 1 to 3:30PM
“Be a Star” (June, 2007) - Ages 4 to 6 - Be
a different Character each class.
June 2, 9, 16, 23 - 1:30 to 2:15PM
Madcap Mystery Camp (Ages 8 to 12, June
2007) - Ages 8 to 12 - You’ll flip over this introduction to Mysteries
by exploring characters using improv to keep the madcap interaction and
action going.
June 6, 2007 - 10AM to 2PM
Madcap Mystery camp (Ages 13 and up, June
2007) - Ages 13 and up -
You’ll flip over this introduction to
Mysteries by exploring characters using improv to keep the madcap
interaction and action going.
June 13, 2007 - 10AM to 2PM
Broadway Forever /Musical Theater Camp
(Classic series, June 2007) - Ages 11-18 - Learn a song and dance from
one of your favorite classical musicals.
June 25, 27, 29, 2007 - 9AM to 12PM
Broadway Today/Musical Theater Camp
(Contemporary series, July 2007) - Ages 11-18 - Learn a song and dance
from one of your favorite contemporary musicals.
July 9, 11, 13, 2007 - 9AM to 12PM
Melodrama Camp (June 2007) - Ages 8 to 15 -
Act out your Favorite Villains and Heroes and learn how to express
yourself in grand style in this fun acting class.
June 8, 2007 - 1PM to 5PM
Comedy/Improv Camp (Ages 8 to 12, June
2007) - Ages 8 to 12 - You'll be really funny after this class.
June 15, 2007 - 1 to 5PM
Comedy/Improv Camp (Ages 13 and up, July
2007) - Ages 13 and up - You'll really laugh... - July 20, 2007 - 1 to
5PM
“How to Enjoy Shakespeare Without Really
Trying”:
(A Free Workshop to Appreciate the “Bard”)
Presented by: Frisco Community Theatre
Sponsored by: Frisco Association for the
Arts (Frisco Arts)
When: Thursday, May 17 at 8 p.m. and
Saturday, May 19 at 2 p.m.
Where: Frisco Arts Center, 6827 Main
Street, Frisco, TX 75034
For Reservations: call: 972-668-5180 or
email:
director@friscoarts.org
Countless people have had to endure
Shakespeare by either being required to read it and analyze it to death
in school or by being forced to attend performances of Shakespeare
plays. Well, there is a cure for “Barditis” and the Frisco Community
Theatre (FCT) has the cure!
Attend the “How to Enjoy Shakespeare
Without Really Trying” (A Free Workshop to Appreciate the “Bard”) at the
Frisco Arts Center in historic downtown Frisco and find out how to
understand Shakespeare’s language and how to overcome all your unhappy
experiences with Shakespeare in the past. Let FCT members introduce you
to the fun of seeing Shakespeare plays performed and prepare you for the
summertime Shakespeare programs you can enjoy around the Metroplex.
Admission to the workshop is free and
refreshments will be served. Seating is limited so reservations are
required. Call 972-668-5180 to ensure your entry into the Bard’s world.
The workshop is geared to adults. Young
children might not find this as entertaining as teenagers and adults
will.
About Frisco Association for the Arts
FRISCO ASSOCIATION FOR THE ARTS (Frisco
Arts) is a community-based organization formed by citizens and business
leaders of Frisco, Texas who believe that the arts play a vital role in
the life and well-being of the community. The organization’s goal is to
encourage the development and growth of the arts and arts groups in our
community including Frisco Area Children’s Theater, Frisco Chorale,
Frisco Community Band, Frisco Community Theatre, The Frisco Ballet,
Visual Arts Guild of Frisco, Word of Mouth Productions, Collin County
Ballet Theatre, Frisco Story Telling Festival, Plano Symphony Orchestra,
Cross Timbers Youth Orchestra, Frisco Education Foundation, Collin
County Community College and Frisco Elementary Strings. Memberships are
available. For more information, visit
www.friscoarts.org or call 972-668-5180.
Arts and Science Summer Camp 2007 - Trash
to Treasure: Learning to Recycle:
June 4 - July 20 for children 5 to 13 yrs
old.
Art education benefits both student and
society. Involving the "whole child" in the arts gradually teaches many
types of literacy while developing intuition, sensitivity, reasoning,
imagination, and dexterity. Learning in the arts nurtures active
engagement, disciplined and sustained attention, persistence, and
risk-taking.
Summer Campers will explore environmental awareness through recycling. A
different theme will be explored each week. They will work with a
variety of media, learn about artists past & present and create awesome
artwork to share with family and friends. All sessions will conclude
with an exhibit on Friday.
Location: Frisco Square - 8801 Coleman Blvd. Space is limited.
Classes: Monday through Thursday. Both sessions meet Friday
Morning Sessions: 9am-12pm
Afternoon Sessions: 1pm-4pm.
Friday 3pm-6pm for set up and Show.
Orientation May 5 at the Frisco Arts Center
4pm - 6pm, located at 6827 Main St., Historic Downtown. Sign up by May 5
for a DISCOUNTED FEE: $80 per week/per session +$20 for materials.
After May 5 the Fee: $100 per week/per session + $20 for materials. For
questions e-mail:President@VAGF.org
*Due to high demand, advanced payment is
recommended as we cannot guarantee your space until payment is
received.
Liverpool 97 Girls Soccer Fundraiser:
The 97 Liverpool girls soccer team is
currently selling ‘Enjoy the City Coupon Books’. This fundraiser will
help the team with expenses for the upcoming Select Soccer Season which
includes uniform and tournament expenses. The team will be attending
multiple competitive tournaments both in and out of state this upcoming
year and need your support.
This is not the typical coupon book that
you will struggle to recoup your money. There are some great values that
you will use everyday.
If you are interested, please respond ASAP
by calling Marissa Martinez at 972-377-7080 or by email to
charlesnsheri@sbcglobal.net.
The books are a steal at $20 each and are
only being sold for a limited time (until 4/29/07)!!!
Coupons to major chains such as Dominos,
McDonalds, Krogers, Albertsons, Etc. are generic and can be used at any
location. They are not specific to a city or area.
Landscape Design/Detail:
**By: Glenn Everett Kopanski, United States
Navy Retired
Wanted to talk "Basic Landscape" in this
segment. Confining your Perennials - Mexican Petunia - Mint - and
various other perennials/Grasses and Ferns can be described as invasive
because they spread underground where you cannot see them working
themselves into your actual lawn, To confine these kinds of plants in
your garden I have a suggestion I have done my whole life, keep the
plant in the container, cut the top of it on four sides so it can
breathe and spread without it spreading underneath mulch or rock.
Covering your soil in Texas is very important, use a heavy layer of
organic mulch if that is what you prefer. I only do Rock Gardens in my
yard, by my adding 3-4 inches of rock over the soil I get no weeds, key
is for the weed to penetrate the soil, with 3-4 inches of Rock or Mulch
even it is much more difficult for a seedling to get the source of soil
it needs to grow and survive. Key is Depth.
As far as fertilizer, decomposing mulch
frequently supplies enough nutrients to grow healthy plants, but using
real fertilizer enhances each plant to produce more flowers and leaf
growth. I must advise anyone that is not familiar with yard work, mulch
is good and protects the plants from the hot sun we get here, but that
very mulch can turn into a poison of sorts, it is wise every year to
turn that mulch over and till it up to ensure it will provide aeration
and for water to penetrate it. I see so many homes that have mulch in
their gardens that I know has been in place for 4-6 years, and I can bet
it is hard as a rock. Water cannot seep down into the mulch to give the
plant the water it needs to survive, it runs off instead. Also,
spreading Peat Moss once a year helps to aerate the garden & Lawn, just
break it up and spread by hand it will seep down in no time and assist
the soil in becoming rich top soil.
I do have a few suggestions that I promise
in every column, the listed plants are Indigenous.
Tree --- Texas Red Oak / Easy
Maintenance, Drought Resistant and a fast growing tree. Very attractive.
Ensure it is not planted close to your home to protect your foundation.
This tree is top rooted and can crack sidewalks after a ten year period.
Shrub --- Compact Carolina or Cherry Laurel
/ Easy Maintenance, flowers in the spring, and adds in new growth per
year, total size of this plant is 10-12 feet max.
Flower --Russian Sage / Beautiful Purple
Bursts of Color, attracts a range of birds including Hummingbirds,
Flowers all Summer, a great addition to a garden, this sage can get to 5
ft tall, but if kept pruned down some it can widen to look like an
actual shrub.
As always I stress to everyone about the
need to conserve our water to avoid a Stage 4 Alert. Sadly, the rains we
have been getting have not benefited Lake Lavon at all, so we will need
to keep conserving to ensure we do not get to a point where we will not
be allowed to water at all, if we head into a higher stage limit. If you
can use a pale inside the house to wash dishes taking that outside and
pouring it on a shrub is one way to conserve and use water. It will take
a Community to save our Lakes.
Hope that the info I listed will assist
you. I have much more knowledge and am willing to help anyone that needs
any kind of information you may need. I can be reached on my E-mail
address:
usnretgk@airmail.net. I will be back at the end of the month and
discuss some other issues that you may need. I do enjoy doing this for
our Community. I am a 100% Disabled Veteran & Navy Retiree, and am
limited on what I can during the day so doing this means a lot to me.
Take Care and I will be back later in the month or every 2 weeks.
Respectfully,
Glenn E Kopanski
Library Hosts “Undiscovered Talents of
City Staff” Arts and Crafts Exhibit:
The Frisco Public Library is pleased to host the “Undiscovered Talents
of City Staff” arts and crafts exhibit featuring an impressive variety
of city employee talents with creative examples ranging from paintings
and photographs to crochet, jewelry, and wood carving sculptures.
This artistic exhibit is free and open to
the public from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, in the Vivian
Stark McCallum Room (L-401) on the library’s fourth floor. The library
encourages everyone in the community and throughout the city departments
to visit this exhibit and see what neighbors or fellow employees do in
their spare time for fun and relaxation.
For additional information, please contact
the Frisco Public Library with any questions by calling 972-292-5669 or
e-mail
askus@friscolibrary.com
Drought Update:
Please continue to do
everything you can to conserve water so that we don’t face further
restrictions this summer…
We recorded 5.0 inches of rainfall in March
which gives a total of 13.8 inches for the year. We used 475.5 million
gallons (mg) of water for the month, which is about 27.6 mg less than
March of last year. The reduction in usage so far this year is 278.0 mg
less than last year. During the month of March, we disconnected 408
sprinkler systems for water restriction violations up from the 220
disconnected in February. Lake Lavon is currently about 6.1 feet Iow,
while Lake Chapman is about 9.7 feet below the normal pool elevation.
Building Permit Update for March:
In March 2007, 181 permits were issued for
new single-family homes, down from March 2006 when 292 single-family
permits were issued, but this is a slight increase in the number of
single-family permits issued over the past four months. For the 2006 /
2007 Fiscal year we have issued 1,069 single-family permits, a 35%
decrease from the total of 1,637 permits issued during the same period
in the previous year. A total of 30
Commercial permits were issued in March
2007 compared to 33 issued in March
2006.
Police Update For March:
Assaults and burglaries remained relatively
unchanged as far as overall numbers. There were nine more simple
assaults but four less aggravated assaults. Thefts increased overall by
25 percent primarily because of shoplifting and thefts from buildings.
Vehicle burglaries (BMVs) dropped to 55. Of the 55 BMVs, 27 vehicles
were entered by force, 22 were left unlocked and there were no signs of
forced entry in 5 vehicles. Eighteen of the 22 vehicles left unlocked
were parked at a residence location. Seventeen of the vehicles entered
by force were parked in a parking lot or parking garage.
High accident location: Dallas Parkway and
Main Street.
Red light camera violation notices mailed:
380
Sales Tax Revenue Update:
As you may know, sales
tax revenue is extremely important to the city to allow us to continue
to provide a high level of services and keep our taxes lower than
surrounding communities. Thus the reason I am always encouraging people
to do their shopping in Frisco wherever possible.
Sales tax revenue for the first six months
of the year is up almost 8% over the same period last year.
Update From Recent Planning and Zoning
Meeting:
At the most recent Planning & Zoning
Commission meeting, the P&Z Commissioners took the following action:
Approval of the addition of five temporary
classrooms to both Griffin Middle School and Roach Middle School.
Approval of an amended plat for “Shores at
Waterstone, Phase 1” which is for 63 single-family-4 lots and one
amenity center on 66.3 acres on the north side of Lebanon Road, 1,100
feet west of FM423
Emergency
Operations Center Improves Crisis Communications:
When severe weather threatens the skies
over North Texas, Frisco Firefighters are monitoring the situation from
a new Emergency Operations Center (EOC) featuring large, multiple video
screens displaying 14 different information sources including everything
from weather radar to local news stations.
“It gives us extra eyes and compliments our
efforts to help keep you safe,” Chief Mack Borchardt, Frisco Fire
Department, said. “It gives us the ability to watch multiple sources of
information, including local and national news and weather reports. We
can also monitor radar and the National Weather Service in real time.”
The high-tech, in-house facility is inside
the new Frisco Central Fire Station, at the intersection of Main Street
and Gary Burns Drive. The EOC is surrounded by reinforced, concrete
walls and equipped with 32 computers. A $250,000 grant from Homeland
Security paid to outfit the EOC.
In the event severe weather — or any other
incident — results in an emergency, city leaders and key staff will
converge in the EOC custom made for crisis management.
“In the past, we used a training room when
we activated our emergency operations plan,” Deputy Chief Paul Siebert
said. “This new facility gives us the ability to put senior level
decision-makers in one place and provide them real-time information so
they can make informed decisions.”
Chief Borchardt says the EOC improves
firefighters’ communication with HAM radio operators and “storm
chasers.” The facility has teleconference abilities, which enhance the
City of Frisco’s ability to communicate with county, state, and federal
authorities in an emergency.
Eventually, the EOC will also be wired to
display the viewpoints from various traffic cameras located throughout
the city. The video screens can also display the same screens 9-1-1
operators use when dispatching calls. This allows those working in the
EOC to monitor the status of the city’s equipment from both the fire and
police departments.
“It helps us keep up with our resources and
know exactly where our engines and other vehicles are at any one time,”
Chief Borchardt said. “Of course, we always monitored these areas, but
we haven’t been able to do this from one room and assemble a large team
because we just didn’t have the space or equipment. Ultimately, this EOC
helps us provide better service to our citizens and that’s what we’re
here for.”
Severe Weather Can Develop Quickly in North
Texas:
Severe weather is possible throughout the
year in North Texas; however, the likelihood for violent weather,
including severe thunderstorms accompanied by lightening, hail, high
winds, flash flooding, and tornadoes, increases significantly during the
spring and summer. The regional National Weather Service (NWS) office,
located in Fort Worth, is responsible for issuing thunderstorm and
tornado watches and warnings for Frisco and surrounding areas of North
Texas.
• Watch — A thunderstorm or tornado watch
is issued for a specified area and time frame whenever atmospheric
conditions are such, or are forecasted to be such, that thunderstorms
and/or tornadoes may develop. A watch simply means you should “watch the
sky” for developing weather and stay tuned to local television or radio
stations for further information.
• Warning — A thunderstorm or tornado
warning means a thunderstorm or tornado has actually been sighted or has
been indicated on NWS weather radar. A warning means people in the
affected area should take cover immediately and remain there until the
threat has passed. Again, local television and radio stations are good
sources of information regarding severe weather warnings.
Severe weather can develop quickly, and
with little or no warning. Always consider weather conditions and
forecasts when planning outdoor activities, and take immediate cover
when severe weather threatens.
The City of Frisco operates an Outdoor
Warning Siren System designed to notify residents of hazardous
situations such as impending severe weather. Frisco currently operates
24 sirens located strategically throughout the city. The sirens are
capable of being activated simultaneously to provide a generalized
warning for the entire community, or initiated individually to provide
more localized alerts. Personnel at Central Fire Station, the 9- 1-1
Dispatch Center at the Frisco Police Department, as well as personnel
assigned to certain Fire Department apparatus may activate the system as
needed.
In the event of a significant threat such
as a tornado in Frisco, the sirens will emit a wailing tone that will
last for three minutes. Further information and directions to take cover
will be broadcast through the sirens’ public address system following
the wailing tone. Remember to take cover immediately upon hearing the
sirens. It is important to remember that our sirens are designed to be
heard outdoors; therefore you may not hear them while indoors. Once
inside, tune your TV or radio to a station that provides emergency
information during severe weather.
The Outdoor Warning Siren System is
silently tested every day and is audibly tested at noon on the first
Wednesday of each month, weather permitting. The monthly audible test
lasts for one minute and is followed by an announcement over the public
address system stating that a test of the system has been conducted.
When severe weather strikes, seek shelter
in an interior room on the lowest floor of the home, such as a bathroom,
closet, or other room without windows. If you are in an office building,
school, shopping center, etc, go to an interior room or hallway on the
lowest floor or to the designated shelter area. Avoid areas near
exterior glass or doors, areas along exterior walls, or rooms with
wide-expanse roofs like gyms, auditoriums, and cafeterias. Leave mobile
homes and vehicles immediately and take shelter in a nearby building. If
no building is nearby, lie flat in a ditch or ravine. Never try to
outrun a tornado in a vehicle. Monitor radio or television reports for
weather updates and be prepared for power outages in the area.
Writers’ Block Presents the Professor’s
Corner at the Frisco Public Library:
The Frisco Public Library is teaming with
The Writer’s Garret to host a new discussion series entitled Writers’
Block presents the Professor’s Corner at the Frisco Public Library. This
series will bring in local English professors to present and lead
discussions. The Professor’s Corner series will provide the general
public with an exciting opportunity to participate in high quality
discussions of various literary works, and is completely free to all
those who wish to attend.
The Writer’s Garret, the only full-service
literary center in North Texas, is devoted to creating a literary
community where writers and the reading public can interact and thrive.
It offers live readings, writing classes and workshops, educational
programs, discussions, panels, salons, forums, and other special events,
all with the aim of cultivating educated readers and audiences,
developing writers and bringing literary work into the mainstream. As
one of The Writer’s Garret’s programs, Writers’ Block provides the
opportunity for the general public to participate in free forums focused
on discussing literary topics. The Professor’s Corner at the Frisco
Public Library series will feature four professors throughout the late
spring and summer. In the month of April, Dr.
Jill Havens will present a discussion
entitled “Hero Myths and Harry Potter,” which promises to tantalize
those readers who simply cannot wait until the final Harry Potter book
is released later this summer. The entire Professor’s Corner schedule
for the summer of 2007 is as follows.
Thursday, April 26 at 7 p.m. - Dr. Jill
Havens - “Hero Myths and Harry Potter”
Dr. Havens is a professor of English at
Texas Christian University and specializes in Anglo-Saxon and medieval
literature and culture, modern medievalism and paleography.
Thursday, May 24 at 7 p.m. - Dr. AnaLouise
Keating - “Gloria Anzaldúa’s Poetry & Prose”
Dr. Keating is a professor of Women’s
Studies at Texas Woman’s University and specializes in women’s studies,
feminist theories, multicultural literature and theories and the work of
Gloria Anzaldúa.
Thursday, June 28 at 7 p.m. - Professor Haj
Ross - “Poetry as a Path: Five Poems by William Stafford”
Dr. Ross is a professor of English at the
University of North Texas and specializes in poetics, linguistic
analysis of literature, syntax and semantics.
Thursday, July 26 at 7 pm - Dr. Rachel
Yeatts - “Frank McCourt’s Teacher Man” (memoir)
Dr. Yeatts is a professor of English at the
University of North Texas.
The staff at the Frisco Public Library is
excited to offer this new program series to you. We hope you will enjoy
the opportunity to participate in these exciting and enlightening
discussions. If you have any questions regarding the Professor’s Corner,
please call 972-292-5669 or e-mail
askus@friscolibrary.com.
Capitol Steps by Rep. Ken Paxton:
This is from one of our State
Representatives, Ken Paxton.
Immigration Bills Proposed in the Texas
House
I consistently receive a great deal of
correspondence from constituents living in my district who are concerned
about illegal immigration. Next week, the State Affairs committee, of
which I serve as Vice-Chair, will consider a series of immigration
bills. I would like to share with you information on some of these
bills that I believe will help us, as a state, address this growing
problem.
HB 38 (Rep. Solomons) - This bill would
deny illegal immigrants the right to acquire state licenses,
occupational certificates or permits. Individuals applying for
particular licenses, including a food handlers' permit, would be
required to show proof of citizenship before the state would grant them
the requested license or permit.
HB 40 (Rep. Paxton) - This bill, which I
wrote about in this column last November, aims to repeal a law that
grants in-state tuition to illegal immigrants who graduate from our
state's high schools. Currently, students brought to this country
illegally by their parents can receive in-state tuition at our state's
institutions of higher learning. In 2005, over 11,500 students who are
not legal residents of the United States received in-state tuition,
while legal residents from other states and students on legal student
visas were forced to pay the substantially higher out-of-state rate.
Providing preferential treatment for students here illegally pushes out
students who are United States citizens and students who are here
legally from countries all around the world because there are only a
limited number of admission slots available at our colleges and
universities.
HB 127 (Rep. Delisi) - This bill requires
state agencies to report the cost of services and benefits provided to
persons who are in the United States illegally. Estimates from the
former Texas Comptroller show that illegal immigration costs Texas $1.16
billion for state services. This legislation would help us with future
computations to give Texans a more precise figure relating to the
financial costs of illegal immigration to our state.
HB 291 (Rep. Jackson) - This bill requires
a governmental entity to participate in the federal work authorization
program to verify legal status of all new employees. Additionally, HB
291 prohibits a governmental entity from entering a contract with a
contractor unless the contractor participates in the federal work
authorization program.
HB 904 (Rep. Zedler) - This bill prohibits
a city from using public funds to construct or operate a day labor
center that knowingly employs individuals who are unlawful immigrants.
HB 905 (Rep. Zedler) - This bill requires
sheriffs' departments in Texas, or other officers in charge of a
correctional facility, to determine the nationality and/or immigration
status of an individual detained for a felony or an intoxication offense
and report this information to the United States Department of Homeland
Security, if the accused individual is here illegally.
HB 1604 (Rep. Zedler) - This bill relates
to the identification requirements of individuals applying for a
driver's license or for certain public benefits, public services or
governmental employment. Specifically, this bill states that a
department may not accept or recognize any identity document issued by a
consular office or consular official of another country.
HB 2998 (Rep. Christian) - This bill
allows peace officers to verify the immigration status of any person
arrested or detained for probable cause of a crime and report
information to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services,
if the peace officer has reason to believe that the accused individual
is in our country illegally.
While the majority of immigration issues
are the responsibility of the federal government, I believe we must put
in place policies that are appropriate at the state level in order to
ensure our limited resources are used to serve our citizens. |