The Suburbia News (Seagoville, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 20, 2012 Page: 1 of 6
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INSIDE
THIS ISSUE:
Substitute Training
Pg-2
Alumni make a
difference
Pg-3
Have you noticed... Christmas Wishes
pg. 4 pg. 6
Volume 41, Edition 5
December 20, 2012
www.SuburbiaNews.com
Fifty Cents
COMMUNITY
CALENDAR
The Suburbia News joins the nation in expressing our sadness regarding the recent tragic events at Sandy
Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CTy and our thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected.
December 21
5:00 PM Deadline for
December 27th edition
December 24
Christmas Eve
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Closed
December 25
Christmas Day
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Closed
December 28
5:00 PM Deadline for
January 3rd edition
December 31
New Year’s Eve
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January 1
New Year’s Day
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Closed
Sunset Lions Club Meeting
13966 W. US Hwy 175,
Seagoville, 6:30 p.m.
Crandall Debate Competes
at State Capitol Building
AUSTIN, TX - Thursday, ceived the chance to compete
November 29 the Crandall De- in Austin and we’re hoping to
bate team participated at the return next year,” says David
Texas State Capitol in aStudent Brown, Teacher and Coach of
Congress Debate tournament, the CHS Speech and Debate
The 2nd Annual Capitol Con- Team. “The Capitol was beau-
gress, hosted by Princeton High tiful, and the team was super
School, was held in Austin and excited to havehad this oppor-
is a tournament for students tunity. We tried very hard and
where they simulate a real life practiced for several days very
session of Congress. In this case late into the night after school in
the competing students acted as preparation for Austin. Every-
members of the Texas House of one who attended is more con-
Representatives. Sophomores: fident after competing in such a
Graham Phlieger and Jessica Lu- revered place.”
tat, Juniors: Abigail Settles, Tori “This was our chance
Nolen, Laura Pulido and Zaid to speak out,” says Student
Rojas all competed this time Congress contestant Graham
around. Although this is the 2nd Phlieger.“Countless Senators
year for the Capitol Congress, it and Representatives listened
is the first time for Crandall High in to the discussions, seeking
School to compete in a competi- knowledge from a young adult’s
tion of the size and scale. point of view.”
“We’re thrilled that we re- Also in attendance were
Senator Bob Deuell, MD and these types of student speech
District 98 Representative Jodie and debate competitions typi-
Laubenberg, as well as District cally draw well-known and high
5 Representative Brian Hughes, ranking politicians.
Although Governor Rick Perry Story and photo courtesy of
did not make an appearance, Crandall ISD
January 7
Crandall City Council Meeting
7:00 pm Court Chambers,
114 South Main Street,
Crandall
Seagoville City Council
Meeting, Council Chambers,
City Hall, 702 N. Hwy. 175,
7:00 p.m. (work session at
6:30 p.m.)
January 14
Balch Springs City Council
Meeting 7:00 pm
(briefing at 6 p.m.)
Municipal Building
3117 Hickory Tree Rd.,
Balch Springs
Combine City Council
Meeting
7:00 p.m. at Combine City
Hall, 123 Davis Road
January 19
Seagoville Masonic Lodge
Pancake Breakfast
116 W. Elm Street in
Seagoville - Free
8 a.m. -10 a.m.
To have your event added
to our calendar, please
e-mail us at
News@SuburbiaNews. com
DEADLINE:
for next week’s edition is
Friday,
Dec. 2tst
at 5£0PM
for all
calendar, article and
advertising submissions.
MEMBER
2012
TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
© 2012. The Suburbia News
0 94922 74922 2
Students make a difference
BALCH SPRINGS, TX -
In 2011 Brandon Greer wanted
to do something to make a dif-
ference in his community. So
he and his sister, Lizzie, got
some friends together and put
together a Taco Dinner and Si-
lent Auction to help The Balch
Springs Community. That year
the group raised and donated
$1200.00 to the Balch Springs
Santa Cop and The Balch
Springs Pipes and Drums Band.
This year the group raised
their goal to $2000.00 with the
donations benefiting Santa Cop
and for Smoke Detectors for the
Balch Springs Fire Department.
On December 1st, approxi-
mately 100 people gathered to
enjoy the band from the Dallas
County Cowboy Church, Gene
Perkins the Cowboy Poet along
with Pizza, salad and dessert.
The Silent Auction was a hit
again this year and the 10 stu-
dents, all from A C New and
West Mesquite exceeded their
goal and raised $2020.50.
Pictured above is Brandon,
presenting Offiver Jupp a check
for $1000.00 for Santa Cop. The
students intend to try and get
discounted smoke detectors to
present to the Balch Springs Fire
Department and hope to be able
to go along with the firemen to
help install the smoke detectors
in area homes.
The Community has been
a big support for both years.
Valero on Haymarket gave a
cash donation, Jack in the Box
donated the Salad and B&B
Pawn provided some items for
the auction.
Story and photo courtesy of
Julie Greer.
DPS Announces Fourth Driver License Mega
Center Office Opening in Garland
GARLAND, TX - Texas Department of Public
Safety (DPS) Director Steven McCraw today was
joined by Rep. Kenneth Sheets, Rep. Cindy Bur-
kett, Rep. Angie Chen Button, and Garland Mayor
Ronald E. Jones for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the
new DPS Driver License Mega Center in Garland.
The office, which will increase driver license capac-
ity in the greater Dallas area, will officially open to
the public Wednesday, Dec. 19, at 8 a.m.
“Today marks a milestone for driver license
services in the Metroplex area,” said Texas Public
Safety Commissioner Ada Brown. “Not only are we
adding a new office and new employees, but we’re
implementing new technology that will allow our
customers to reserve a spot in line without step-
ping foot in the office. Thanks to funding from the
Texas Legislature, these high-capacity, state-of-the-
art mega centers should help relieve congestion at
driver license offices in the surrounding area.”
The 82nd Legislature provided $63 million
in funding to DPS to open six mega centers, hire
266 additional employees, and purchase equipment
and technology to improve customer service and
the efficiency of the state’s driver license system.
DPS opened the first mega center in Pflugerville in
October. Last week, DPS opened two additional of-
fices in the Houston area - one in Spring and one in
Rosenberg. The Fort Worth mega center and another
in Leon Valley - near San Antonio - are projected to
open by the end of January 2013.
“The legislature recognized a need for in-
creased services in this part of our state,” Sen. Bob
Deuell said. “This center will allow folks to be
served quickly and get on with their day.”
“We are proud to have brought this state-of-the-
art mega center to our community,” said Rep. Ken-
neth Sheets. “The increased space and additional
employees, combined with the latest technology
will no doubt make for a faster and easier experience
for all who walk through the door of this facility.”
“This new driver license mega center repre-
sents a significant improvement in services avail-
able for Garland and North Texas,” said Sen. Craig
Estes. “Access to driver license services is extremely
important, and we are proud to be expanding those
resources in this area today.”
The Garland Driver License Mega Center has
24,000 square feet with 22 customer service sta-
tions, and will be staffed by 45 full-time employees
with the capacity to process more than 900 transac-
tions daily.
“The Garland Driver License Mega Center will
go a long way to meet the needs of our growing pop-
ulation,” said Garland Mayor Ronald Jones. “We are
excited and welcome this outstanding facility to the
Garland community.”
The mega centers also will leverage new tech-
nology to help DPS employees more quickly and
efficiently serve customers at these driver license
offices. A new queuing system offers customers the
convenient option to reserve a spot in line without
going to the office. Customers will virtually enter
the line via cell phone, online or using a land line,
which will also provide customers interactive op-
tions to make adjustments to their place in line -
continued on page 4
CISD named as a district
without a safety audit on
file with the Texas School
Safety Center
CRANDALL, TX - Following the Connecticut school shoot-
ing, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott released a statement on
Monday, December 17, 2012, identifying Crandall Independent
School District as one of 78 school districts in Texas without a
safety audit on file.
The Texas School Safety Center, which was created in 1999
following the Columbine tragedy, provides schools with research,
training and technical assistance to reduce youth violence and pro-
mote safety in Texas schools. According to the Texas School Safety
Center website, public schools are required to conduct a safety and
security audit of the district’s facilities every three years. Districts
are required to report audit findings to their Board of Trustees and
specified results of their audit to the Texas School Safety Center.
The safety and security audit consists of reviewing items such
as risk factors, building access, general security, and documenta-
tions of Emergency Operation Plans, Evacuation Plans and staff
communication protocol. Many other items are also reviewed dur-
ing the audit.
Crandall ISD also released a statement on Monday, stating that
“The required safety audit was successfully completed by Region
10 Education Service Center in compliance with Texas Educa-
tion Code. The audit report was presented publicly at a regularly
scheduled board meeting of the Board of Trustees on August 15,
2011. Crandall ISD will be in contact with the Texas School Safety
Center to ensure that all reporting requirements are documented
accordingly.” The district also provided a copy of the Board of
Trustee’s agenda from August 15, 2011 that showed the audit as an
agenda item.
Phone Scam Warning
SEAGOVILLE, TX - Area
residents have recently been re-
ceiving phone calls intended to
scam them out of money. One
Seagoville senior citizen said
that she received a call tell-
ing her that she had not paid
her light bill. She said that the
caller told her that she would
need to go and purchase a cash
envelope from a store and place
the payment it and then call her
back when she had done so.
When she hesitated, the caller
then convinced her to provide
a credit card number, but lucky
for the victim the caller forgot
to ask for the expiration date.
The caller even threatened
the resident that her electric-
ity would be turned off within
15 minutes if payment wasn’t
made. When the citizen got off
the phone she was able to do
some research and found that
her electricity bill was paid up
and then realized that she had
been a victim of a scam. She
did file a report with the po-
lice and has canceled her credit
card.
According to the Texas
Attorney General, telephone
scammers can be warm, slick,
pushy or threatening, like the
caller above. Regardless of
their demeanor, the value of the
prize or nature of the threat,
they usually want you to either
send them money or provide
them your personal informa-
tion. Don’t do it! Offers that
are too good to be true usually
are, and no government agency
or legitimate business will ever
ask you to “confirm” your per-
sonal information to them. If
you receive a call like the one
above, hang up and call the cus-
tomer service number that was
on your bill. Never give a caller
any personal or financial infor-
mation.
If you are behind on a util-
ity bill, usually you will receive
at least one if not more notices
in the mail prior to the company
cutting off your service.
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The Suburbia News (Seagoville, Tex.), Vol. 41, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 20, 2012, newspaper, December 20, 2012; Seagoville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth636151/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .