The Colony Courier-Leader (The Colony, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 21, Ed. 1 Sunday, June 25, 2017 Page: 4 of 10
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4A starlocalmedia.com
The Colony Courier Leader
Sunday, June 25,2017
EDI VATCON/TOVERNMENFANOCHES
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VOICES
Don’t
take it for
granted
T I’m sitting on my front porch at
2 in the morning appreciating
what I can and cannot see. I.know
that sounds a little weird but it is true.
Many years ago I decided to try not to
take anything for granted, because it can
always end badly.
It is easy enough
to take most of what
we get from life for
granted, but it does
injustice to it and to
ourselves. Once we
start taking folks for
granted they start to
disappear because
nobody wants to be '
TOM
OLIVER
tomwoliver@
live.com
treated that way.
There are still those who don’t care how
you treat them, good, bad or indifferent,
but that is their problem.
For 20-something years, I stopped
behind my neighbor’s house and raised
my garage door to see if my wife still lived
with me. I felt that the day I quit would
be the day I took her for granted. Man,
was I wrong. I believed that my wife and
daughters were the biggest gift from God
that I had. I forgot to consider my health
as a gift and one day my health went south
and the wife left. Losing something I took
for granted and something I didn’t gave me
a lot to think about.
This week marks seven years since I had
my stroke. I don’t know if it was a minor or
a major stroke because anytime it occurs
with you it is a major one. I lost my ability
to speak, to write, to do math, the ability
use my right side and to understand many
things. Some of it came back, some of it
didn’t. I was lucky and I praise the Lord
every day for it.
Recovery brought me stuff that I didn’t
have before; patience with myself and oth-
ers was probably the greatest thing. I no
longer speak without thinking anymore be-
cause if I don’t, I’m not sure what I’ll actu-
ally say. That is something I wish everyone
did but I give folks a break because I know
about screwing up vocally. Did you know
profanity comes back first when learning to
speak again? It gives me another reason to
think carefully about what I say.
I now tell folks that I love them.
Doesn’t sound like much, but it is. Guys,
I know you love your friends, but it isn’t
always a manly option to tell them. Two
weeks ago I had breakfast with an old
friend, and this week I get to bury him. I
never tell my daughters goodbye or good
night without telling them I love them
because life can end so quickly. I tell my
girlfriend that I love her, too, and she
doesn’t have to love me; she just does.
Take advantage of what we have,
appreciate it and don’t take it for granted.
Read the local papers instead of the large
market ones so you can find out what real-
ly matters in your community. Walk around
the town square when you have nothing
else to do, and speak to folks as you pass,
kind of like the old days. Go to the movies
on the square and watch the youngsters
as they enjoy themselves. Sit outside in
the middle of the night, listening to bugs,
trains and the occasional howl and appre-
ciate the fact that you can hear.
Tell a loved one how much they mean
to you and appreciate the fact you said it.
They won’t be here forever and neither
will you.
The opinions that appear in
the “Voices" section are not
necessarily those of Star
Local Media. Send your letter
to the editor to Imcgathey@
starlocalmedia.com..
STARLOCALMEDIA.COM
ONLINE QUESTION
OF THE WEEK:
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SPENDING
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General law cities may
enact child safety zones
Amendment expected to protect against sex offenders
STAFF REPORT
Thanks to an amendment
containing legislation filed by
Texas State Senator Jane Nelson,
general law municipalities may
enact child safety zones to
protect young Texans from
sex offenders.
“Children in every city
deserve to be protected
from sex offenders, and
we kept fighting to make
that clear. I am pleased
Sen. Jane Nelson
general law cities will have
the same authority as home
rule cities to pass child safety
zones.”
HB 1111 has been signed
into law with the language of
SB 76 by Nelson, allowing
Texas’ nearly 800 general
law citied - typically
cities with a population
of under 5,000 - to
enact ordinances that
restrict the residen-
cy of convicted sex
we have finally put this
issue to rest,” said Nelson, whose district
includes Little Elm. “Under this new law,
offenders.
This caps a nearly 10-year struggle
dating back to an attorney general opinion
requested by Nelson. On March 6,2007, At-
torney General Abbott issued Opinion 0526
concluding that Texas law does not allow
general-law municipalities the authority to
implement residency restrictions; however,
home rule cities have the authority to have
such residency restrictions.
. In 2015 similar legislation died in the
House Calendars committee. This session
HB 387, the House companion to SB 76,
stalled on the House calendar on the. last
night for the House to act on it. With the
help of other members, Nelson was able to
attach SB 76 to HB 1111 in committee. The
House voted to concur with the amend-
ment, and the governor has signed it into
law. •
Denton County Specialty Courts
receive Seed Money Grant
Funding- to go toward supportive pilot programs
STAFF REPORT
The philanthropy of a private do-
nor will empower necessary client
support services for three Denton *
County Specialty Courts in the com- a
ingyear. I
Following a March 2017 vote,
the Denton County Behavioral •
Health Leadership Team presented ‘
mosu sous
Family Drug Court
i Thousand
$10,000
and-
%W/Wy,Mww.6ob
$10,000 checks to Denton County
Drug Court, Family Drug Court and
Mental Health Treatment Court. photo courtesy of united WAY OF DENTON COUNTY
This funding will support the de- Alex Reed, Gary Henderson and Joe Mulroy present Judge Tiffany
velopment of evidence-based pilot Haertling with a $10,000 check for Denton County Family Drug Court from
programs that provide supportive the Denton County Behavioral Health Leadership Team.
and interventive services including while both reducing the financial ioral health.
substance dependence treatment, burden 0f behavioral’health on the “The infancy of the court limits
ol S ices and the criminal justice system and offering access to government and private
sities such as public transit passes, ajternatives to criminal prosecution funding,” said Judge Brody Shank-
The programs piloted in each spe- for people with behavioral health lin, presiding judge of Denton Coun-
cialty court will produce metrics of needs. Supporting programs through ty Drug Court.
success that inform future larger specialty courts is one method Judge Tiffany Haertling, presid-
scale interventions. nthrough which the Denton County ing judge of Denton County Family
The work done by Denton County Behavioral Health Leadership Team Drug Court, emphasized the resto-
Specialty Courts enables more ef- effects system level change to repair ration of healthy families through
fective behavioral health treatment and restore fives affected by behav- intensive treatment and recovery
support.
“More can and must be done to
break the cycle of child abuse and
parental drug addiction in Denton
County,” Haertling said.
Judge Coby Waddill, presiding
judge of Denton County Mental
Health Treatment Court, expressed
his gratitude to the district attor-
ney’s office for their continued en-
gagement and support of Denton
County Specialty’ Courts. Waddill
also serves as an appointed member
of the Denton County Behavioral
Health Leadership Team.
Each of the judges emphasized
the necessity for a coordinated,
communal approach to behavioral
health treatment. They and treat-
ment team members thanked the
philanthropic donor whose funding
will empower their courts to help
more people.
For more information about the
Denton County Behavioral Health
Leadership Team visit DentonCoun-
tyBHLT.org.
A • • throughout the community. She said ter Grandparent program at Lewis- needsare.
ge Y A A I at least eight businesses have benefit- ville and Parkway elementary schools “How can we ensure what we’re
D 1 t 1 ed from work students have done for where residents ages 55 and older doing on this side of the workforce is
them. spend 15 hours a week helping stu- what they need later on?” Ayers said.
From PAGE ONE Ayers said job placement has been dents with school work. Those business leaders provided
The district hosted Howdy Partner another way LISD can provide a recip- The district has also taken a more presentations to 800 students across
events that helped form bonds with rocal benefit. targeted approach on guest speakers, the district this past spring that
the business community. There were "We have helped multiple business- “It’s not just for the sake of having touched on how to win a job and how
two events - one on the east side of es find students they need,” Ayers said, a guest speaker,” Ayers said. “It’s for to keep a job.
the district and one on the west side. "It’s a huge benefit for the kids to get when the teacher says, ‘I need these Ayers said LISD hosted multiple ca-
Ayers said that gave district and busi- those opportunities at the high school specific TEKS covered.’” reer day events that included 84 mock
ness leaders a chance to see how they level.” Lori Walker, president of the Flow- interviews and feedback from profes-
can help each other, but with one stip- Ayers said the intellectual ap- er Mound Chamber of Commerce, said sionals.
ulation. . . proach has been crucial in LISD’s new the program has been great for all in- LISD also hosted a body language
Ayers said 80 businesses attended partnership efforts. volved. presentation in which 175 students at
the Howdy Partner events and that LISD has spent the last year doing "This has been a very good partner- Lewisville High School learned how to
there was great feedback from them, that in several ways. In early June, the ship from the chamber standpoint and present themselves.
LISD also hosted a realtor break- district hosted the Bosch STEM camp the business community standpoint,” Looking to next year. Ayers said she
last to establish a reianonsmp win in which 90 students from a low socio- Walker said. “Businesses bring in their will continue to expand the district’s
the real estate community. . economic background participated in top executives and share with the dis- database. Tech
Often they re the first touch point a five-day camp performing STEM ac- trict what’s needed to guide students There will be a partner liaison on
with the district with new families, so tivities. into the workforce.” each campus to help focus on partner-
we wanted them to be well-armed and LISD was one of six districts chosen Ayers said authentic partnerships ships and encourage bringing in indus-
well-informed, Ayers said. to participate in Tech Titans, in which is another component to LISD’s ongo-. try experts. An emphasis will be in the
Ayers said the partnership has also students got to work on STEM projects ing efforts. field of law, an area that is lacking in
taken a reciprocal approach. That to help prepare for future workforce The Superintendent Business Advi- regard to student involvement.
has included internships for small needs. sory Council was set up to talk to 20 There will also be career day events
businesses, which she has promoted The district has also begun a Fos- area business leaders about what their at each campus.
Camp
. 3%
Hanging out at
the mall and the
pool. I’m a
teacher so this
is our break.”
- Tara H.
Stay home and relax
Summer job
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McGathey, Liz & Roark, Chris. The Colony Courier-Leader (The Colony, Tex.), Vol. 37, No. 21, Ed. 1 Sunday, June 25, 2017, newspaper, June 25, 2017; Plano, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1622426/m1/4/?q=music: accessed June 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Colony Public Library.