ZestFest turns up the heat

January 31, 2015
RamblerNewspapers.com
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Construction begins on teen homeless shelter
By Nick Kammerer
After years of extensive research
and planning, the city of Irving began construction on its first homeless shelter for teens, thanks to city
partnerships with the La Buena
Vida Youth Leadership Foundation,
Advocates for Homeless Teens and
Bear Creek Community Development.
A formal groundbreaking ceremony for the La Buena Vida House
at 200 Alpine Court was held Thursday, Jan. 29 on the vacant lot which
will soon feature a homeless shelter
for male teens.
“This is the type of place, community outreach and community effort
that we, whether at the state level or
city level, need to be behind,” State
Representative Rodney Anderson
said. “We need to recruit more people to do this type of outreach. We
need to have more people willing to
put their time, treasure and talents
to take care of those who are the
weakest among us.”
A few elected officials were present at the groundbreaking including
Councilman Allen Meagher, Councilman Dennis Webb and Councilman Oscar Ward. Chris Allen, chairman of the La Buena Vida Youth
Leadership Foundation, discussed
the transformation of the Tutor
Lane and Alpine Court area, which
just a few years ago was lined with
neglected apartment buildings and
saturated with criminal activity.
Now, the street is home to brand
new, energy efficient housing.
“It’s a glorious day, and I think
it’s an omen for what’s going to happen on this ground,” Allen said. “It
wasn’t but a few years ago that this
block was one of the most crime-ridden blocks in Dallas County. A lot of
people worked to clean this [neighborhood] up, and this is an example
of a community coming together
and of urban revitalization. We are
proud to be a part of the solution.
“This is a wonderful moment for
everyone who has worked long and
hard to pull this off. This issue of
homeless teens is real, and it’s in
our community. The house that’s
being constructed today is in Irving,
it’s for Irving, it’s for Irving’s most
vulnerable, and it’s for our children and our future leaders. Some
of these young men are going to be
doctors, lawyers, policemen, firemen and welders. They’re going to
build our streets, and they may even
be state representatives someday. If
we didn’t have a program like this, I
guarantee those dreams would be a
lot harder to achieve.
“This project is at zero cost to the
See CONSTRUCTION Page 3
ZestFest turns up the heat
Teacher helps subdue
stabbing suspect
By Nick Kammerer
A woman was stabbed multiple
times with a screwdriver at the 24Hour Fitness on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
Police responded to the gym, located at 2407 W. Airport Freeway
near Story road, at 5:51 a.m. and
found the suspect, 32-year old Phillip Rogers, being restrained by gym
members. The victim was taken to
Parkland Memorial Hospital with
non-life-threatening puncture injuries.
The motive behind the stabbing is
unclear, and there is no known relationship between Rogers and the
victim. During the incident, brave
bystanders including Reserve Police
Officer and Jack E. Singley Academy
Criminal Justice Instructor, Justin
Harper, tackled Rogers and subdued him until police arrived.
“I never saw the [suspect] in the
gym. I just got on the treadmill and
started running,” Harper said. “The
[victim] was on the treadmill. About
four minutes into my run, I noticed
a black male walking up. At first, it
looked like the lady was falling off of
the treadmill, but I guess the [suspect] was actually pulling her off. I
thought he was just trying to help
her, and then all of a sudden I see
him start swinging and hitting, and
she fell to the ground right in front
of my treadmill. I saw another guy
in the gym that was working out
come running towards them, so I
ran around my treadmill and both
he and I tackled the guy.
“I was on the top part, which
is where his head and shoulders
were at. My concern was when he
was hitting her, I saw something in
his hand and I didn’t know what it
was. My concern was his hands, so
See STABBING Page 2
Ricky Morado samples some of the spiciest hot sauces in Texas during the 5th annual ZestFest at the Irving Convention Center. / Photo
by Beatriz Quiroz
By Nick Kammerer
Some of the nation’s hottest food
vendors gathered for Irving’s spiciest event of the year: the 5th annual
ZestFest presented by Spicy Food
Productions. Thousands gathered at
the Irving Convention Center Jan.
23-25 to enjoy a wide variety of fiery
and exotic foods from all over the
United States. The majority of the
vendors, however, were from North
Texas.
The event featured a number of
chef cooking demonstrations on
Strong economy bolsters
hospitality industry
By Jess Paniszczyn
The Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB) presented the
Irving Hospitality Industry Annual
Meeting at the Irving Convention
Center on Monday, Jan. 26.
“It has been another incredible
year for our industry, but it has
been a whirlwind,” Maura Gast,
the ICVB’s Executive Director, said.
“Tomorrow marks the start of year
number five for the Convention
Center. In our first four fiscal years,
we hosted 1,025 events attracting
over 750,000 people. Just this past
fiscal year, it was 430 events. The
new one has begun in a big way with
already 167 conventions booked, another 48 currently being negotiated,
and we are working to close another
34 prospects.
“On the Convention and Visitors
Bureau side of the equation, we
finished the fiscal year by directly booking almost 144,000 room
nights representing 600 different
bookings. We generated nearly $23
million in media exposure and now
have well over 6,000 enthused in interactive social media followers.
“Crowds big and small converged
in Irving throughout the year;
whether it was 10,000 Zestfest attendees, 15,000 sci-fi fans at either
of our comic cons, 225,000 of our
closest friends during the now AT&T
Byron Nelson Championship, the
tens of thousands of newer friends
that we met at the LPGA North Texas Shootout and the new family we
found with tennis along the way at
the Irving Tennis Classic.
“Our industry outlook remains
positive. The corporate economy
continues to hold strong, and Irving
benefits greatly because of that.
“Travel is one of the country’s
strongest, most stable and fastest
rising exports: four times faster
See HOSPITALITY Page 4
the Celebrity Chef Stage. This year,
chefs Peter Mollet, Jon Bonnell, Eddie Dean, Eduardo Alvarez, Grady
Spears and Enam Chowdhury took
to the stage to share their cooking
expertise.
Many anticipated food demon-
strations by Chef Sara Penrod, a top
contender on the Food Network’s
“Next Food Network Star” and one
of the newest celebrity chef additions to the ZestFest lineup.
“New this year, we’re having Chef
See ZESTFEST Page 7
Page 2
January 31, 2015
www.RamblerNewspapers.com
Meeting encourages ongoing dialogue
between community and police
By Nick Kammerer
Dozens of concerned citizens
gathered for the second “Interaction with Law Enforcement” on
Monday, Jan. 26 at the Bear Creek
Community Church. Hosted by the
Irving-Carrolton Branch NAACP,
the event featured a panel of high
ranking Irving police officers prepared to answer questions from the
community.
“Right now, there is a lot going
on in our nation,” said Irving Police
Chief, Larry Boyd. “What we want
to [ensure], as best we can, is that
Irving doesn’t have to go through
those kinds of pains and issues, and
that we can build this relationship
[with the community] even better
than it is today. We can open up
these forums, so that we can have
the conversations and questions
answered to help us, as a community, steer on a good path rather than
learning lessons the hard way.
“What we’re talking about is having safe communities. We want to
know how we can work better together. That’s a big part of what this
is about. We need to do the kinds of
things that make this a great community. You’ve got to be able to talk
about what’s going on in order to fix
what’s going on,” he said.
Retired Irving Police Lieutenant,
Richard Gilmette, presented an indepth “Law Enforcement and You”
curriculum composed by the National Organization of Black Law
enforcement Executives. Gilmette
discussed “the talk” that parents
should have with their teens.
“What should the talk include?
The first thing you should tell them
is that if they are stopped by the
police, they should stop,” Gilmette
said. “Don’t drive four blocks up
the road. Don’t try to run. Pull over.
When the officer gives you a command, follow the command. When
you’re stopped, stay in the vehicle.
Follow the officer’s instructions. Be
respectful and speak calmly.
“If you get stopped, now is not the
time to [argue]. There is a point in
time that you can deal with that, but
now is not the time to deal with it.
Do not make sudden or suspicious
moves. When a police officer stops
someone, there are things that the
[occupants of a vehicle] do that put
us on edge. If I’m pulling a car over
and I see someone reaching under
the seat, what do you think I think?
You’re reaching for something.
“Before you reach into your car
for something, ask permission. If I
ask you for your driver’s license and
insurance, and it’s in your glove box,
ask me. Keep valid identification on
you. Keep license and insurance in a
convenient place. If you feel that you
were treated unfairly, after the incident is over make a complaint. Don’t
make it personal, and for some of us,
that’s tough,” he said.
Gilmette also stressed the importance of police-community interaction and conversation.
“The second talk has to be between the community and the police. As a community you have a
right to expect certain things from
the Irving Police Department,” Gilmette said. “You have a right that
complaints are investigated and results are explained to you, and you
have a right that officers are held accountable for their actions.
“The ultimate goal for the police
and the community is that a partnership is made to make Irving a
safe community for us all. More
specifically, for every interaction
between the citizens and the police,
both sides get to make it home that
night. I ask that this conversation is
had with the youngsters in our community,” Gilmette said.
A few of the attendees voiced concerns about the training police officers receive in regards to de-escalating situations.
“In the current cycle, we have
training for what we’re calling ‘professional communications,’” Chief
Boyd responded. “The training is
about de-escalation. It’s better described as escalation avoidance. The
training is providing officers with
STABBING
Continued from Page 1
I got his left hand behind his back.
About that time, another guy came
and jumped on his legs, and I got his
right hand out. We secured him until police got there. When the police
handcuffed him and rolled him over,
that’s when the screw driver was laying under his left side,” Harper said.
Retired Irving Police Lieutenant, Richard Gilmette, speaks to a concerned Irving citizen
Harper and the other good Saat the NAACP “Interaction with Law Enforcement” meeting. / Photo by Nick Kammerer
maritans checked on the victim after the suspect was apprehended by
Irving Police.
“I did go and check to see if the
[victim] was alright, and she was
complaining that she had some
shoulder pain. I noticed that she had
two puncture wounds on her neck.
When it all happened it seemed like Phillip Rogers / Courtesy photo
it was forever, but the whole thing
probably didn’t last very long,” cerned when she observed Rogers
Harper said.
walking around the gym, carrying
“I know I’m the only one who has a suitcase and staring at other gym
kind of spoken out about it, and members.
the only reason for that is because
Police Officers arrived at the gym
I have a good working relationship and made contact with an employee
with the Irving Police Department of 24 Hour Fitness working the front
being a teacher here in Irving,” he desk. According to Irving Police Desaid. “Those other two individuals partment, the employee vouched
should also be recognized for their for Rogers, stating that he was a
bravery, because it wasn’t just me. gym member and usually carries a
They were pretty big guys.
suitcase. Officers watched Rogers’
“They were bigger than me, but behavior and asked a few of the gym
if the [suspect] wasn’t all mentally members if they found him to be
there, he could’ve easily overpow- suspicious. The members reportedly
ered me and done something
bad toSUNRISE
did not request for IRVING
Rogers to SUNRISE
leave,
RVING SUNRISE
IRVING
me, too. As a police officer, weROTARY
don’t and the police left the scene.
ROTARY
ROTARY
think about those things, we just go
Less than 20 minutes after the iniinto police mode, I guess. We just tial 9-1-1 call, the stabbing occurred.
do what needs to be done,” Harper Rogers is currently in the Irving City
said.
Jail charged with Aggravated AsMinutes prior to the stabbing call, sault – Deadly Weapon. The invesPolice were dispatched to the gym tigation is still ongoing. Witnesses
MEETINGS
to investigate a suspicious person. believe Rogers may be homeless.
7 a.m. Thursday mornings
JOIN US
JOIN US
An anonymous
caller becameeach
con-week
Las Colinas Country
Club
each week
the tools and the skill set necessary
to keep things from escalating out of
control.
“Next year, were [starting] training called Blue Courage. It is a deep
dive into the understanding of the
nobility of what officers do and the
guardianship. They’re guardians
of this community. They’re guardians of you and protectors of your
rights and liberties. We’re going to
put every officer in our department
through that training,” Boyd said.
According to pastor and Irving
City Councilman Dennis Webb, this
will not be the last “Interaction with
Law Enforcement” meeting. In fact,
organizers hope to conduct meetings quarterly, and target a younger
audience.
Irving resident, Carla Langley,
shared her thoughts about current
events and the interactive meeting.
“I have two young boys. I have a
19-year-old that’s gone through the
Irving school system. Your perception of the police department starts
at home,” Langley said. “If the parents have a negative perception of
the police department, when you
have “the talk,” your talk is going to
be negative. I’ve experienced both
the good and the bad of the Irving
Police Department.
“The positive thing I wanted to
talk about is the Irving Police Athletic League. My son did it for all of
high school. Because he was introduced to the program, he is now at
Stephen F. Austin in the Criminal
Justice Program. It all started with
the relationship he built with the
school resource officer at MacArthur High School. It’s about building
healthy relationships with the police
department,” she said.
4400 N.O'Connor Blvd
Irving, Texas 75062
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and motivational
and motivational
A Reminder about what
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speakers
MEETINGS
7 a.m. Thursday mornings
Las Colinas Country Club
4400 N.O'Connor Blvd
Irving, Texas 75062
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4400 N.O'Connor Blvd
Irving, Texas 75062
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JOIN US each week
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motivational speakers.
MEETINGS: 7 a.m. Thursdays
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Irving, Texas 75062
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January 31, 2015
Page 3
CONSTRUCTION
Continued from Page 1
tax payers of Irving. It’s being built
by private dollars and federal home
funds. It’s a win for Irving. This
project transcends politics, race
and religion. With that being said, I
don’t believe it should be a political
issue, and I don’t believe it should be
opposed by anyone,” he said.
According to Allen, there is still
much to be done about Irving’s
homeless population, and the foundation will soon begin working on a
separate homeless shelter for homeless teen females.
“This project only addresses one
segment of the homeless population. We plan to double down on
these efforts,” Allen said. “Once this
project is completed, we plan to
move right into a project for female
students. There’s much to be done
to address the different segments
of homelessness in our community,
and I challenge each one of us to try
Pizza delivery leads to
three-hour SWAT stand-off
By Nick Kammerer
and noises, and the suspect ran out
On Tuesday, Jan. 27, at approx- of the back door of the home in an
imately 8:45 p.m. Irving Police Of- attempt to flee. He was confronted
ficers responded to 2408 McClure by perimeter units and ran back inStreet after a pizza delivery employ- side of the home.
ee called 9-1-1. The delivery person
Several other family members
suspected that the recipient of the were inside of the residence and surpizza was using fraudulent credit rendered to police during the standcard information.
off. Through the family members,
Police arrived, and upon fur- police confirmed that the suspect
ther investigation
was inside of the
discovered
that
home and was not
the home was a
going to surrender.
“caution address”
At this time, the
due to one of the
police determined
residents having
that it was going
a violent history
to be a high-risk
with police. Priapprehension and
or to contacting
called for SWAT
the home, police
Officers.
ran the suspects
For three hours,
information and
tactical
officers
learned that he
continued to call
Daniel Gurney / Courtesy photo
had four outstandthe suspect out of
ing warrants out
the home with no
of Dallas County for Probation Vi- success. They escalated their tactics
olation – Aggravated Assault with a by shooting bean bags into the home
Deadly Weapon.
and breaking out the windows,
Police met with the pizza delivery where they discovered that the susemployee off site and determined pect was attempting to barricade
that no offense had occurred in ref- himself further by stacking furniture
erence to the fraudulent credit card in front of entrances and windows.
information; however, police turned
Eventually, SWAT began deploytheir focus to apprehending the sus- ing tear gas to force the suspect out
pect for his outstanding warrants.
of the home. He eventually surrenUpon contacting the persons in- dered and was taken into custody
side of the residence, police knocked without further incident. The suson the door and identified their pect was later identified as Daniel
selves verbally as “Police.” Subse- Gurney of Irving.
quently, they heard loud stomping
to eradicate homelessness. Irving’s
too good of a community to have
homelessness in it. Irving is a great
community and together we can do
great things, and this is just one example of that.”
The vision for the house began
nearly six years ago when five women noticed that Irving’s teen homeless population was a growing problem. To spearhead the problem,
Dr. Lori Davis and her colleagues
founded Advocates for Homeless
Teens. The five ambitious women,
with the guidance of former Mayor
Herbert Gears, began researching
their cause, which led to their partnership with La Buena Vida.
“In 2009, four women and myself got together to discuss what was going on in Irving, and within three days
we were in Herbert Gears’ office,” Davis said. “He listened,
and then he said ‘go out and study the problem and come
back with some solution, and we’ll talk about it.’ We did a
lot of work, and we did a lot of research. The purpose of
this home is to help kids get a high school diploma. I know
the Buena Vida house is going to help lots of kids.”
Herbert Gears was also present at the groundbreaking
ceremony.
“I’m really proud of the Advocates for Homeless Teens.
It’s a small group of five women that came to my office very
compassionate about the issue of these young adults in Irving ISD being homeless,” Gears said. “All I did was guide
them along, marshal their energy and encourage them to
see it through. They knew what problem they wanted to
solve and then went through a lengthy process of educating themselves.
“When you talk about housing with regards to liabilities
and supervision, there’s a whole lot to it. It’s much more
than just a warm heart for a troubled child. Along the way,
I introduced the advocates to the La Buena Vida Foundation because they had similar interests. The partnership
The general public also is invited to donate to
the Irving Animal Services Animal Assistance
Fund, which promotes resident safety and
ensures that animals are provided a safe
and healthy environment. Visit the Animal
Services website to make a donation. For
more information, call Irving Animal Services
at (972) 721-2256.
Closure of Central Library
January 31
Following the Jan. 31 closure of Central
Library, library staff will label and move
more than 200,000 items for seven weeks.
Customers may continue to return items
to the book drop until March 31. Because
Central Library receives 38 percent of all
Irving Public Library traffic, other locations
will adopt special hours until the South
Irving Library opens. West Irving Library
will stay open until 9 p.m. Monday through
Thursday until the grand opening of South
Irving Library. As well, East Branch Library
will open for an additional day from 10 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Saturday.
Kammerer
has turned out to work really well. It’s all good for the
community of Irving. It’s a testament to what just a
few people who make a decision to do something can
get done,” he said.
Ratteree team wins third in challenge
at Universal Technical Institute
Teams from high schools in Texas and Arkansas came to Universal
Technical Institute’s Dallas/Fort
Worth campus on Jan. 24 to show
off their automotive skills and compete for prizes.
Thirty-seven teams participated
in UTI’s second annual Top Tech
Challenge; more than double the
number of 2014 competitors.
The teams of two competed in five
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Animal Services Offering $49 Adoptions
January 31, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Want some company for the Big Game? Look
no further than Irving Animal Services and
its Choose Your MVP – Most Valuable Pet
campaign. All adoptions at the Irving Animal
Care Campus, 4140 Valley View Lane, will
be only $49; regular adoption fees range
from $70 to $100. Animals adopted will be:
Up-to-date on vaccinations, including rabies if the animal is more than four months
of age.
Spayed or neutered or $50 voucher towards spay / neuter
(depending on surgery availability).
Given a general dewormer
and treated for fleas.
Microchipped and registered with 24PetWatch.
Heartworm tested
(dogs over 6 months of age).
FeLV / FIV tested
(cats over 6 months of age).
Given 30 days of 24PetWatch pet insurance (with a valid email address).
Given a sample bag of Science Diet food.
Dozens gather for the groundbreaking of the La Buena Vida
House, Irving’s first youth homeless shelter. / Photo by Nick
League of Women Voters
February 2, 6:30 – 8 pm
Join the League of Women Voters of Irving at
Northlake College - South Campus, 1081 W.
Shady Grove Road at MacArthur Blvd. Irving,
Texas 75060. Sharon Wilson – Organizer,
Texas and Gulf Region - Earthworks. Earthworks is a nonprofit organization dedicated
to protecting communities and the environment from the adverse impacts of mineral
and energy development while promoting
sustainable solutions. Zac Trahan - DFW
Program Director Texas Campaign for the
Environment. R.S.P.V. please – philudy@
tx.rr.com - www.lwvirving.org Like us on
Facebook: LWVIrving
Annual Father-Daughter Dance
February 6, 7 to 9 p.m.
Fathers, or father figures, and their daughters
ages 4 to 13 can dance the night away at
Mustang Park’s annual Father-Daughter
Valentine’s Dance. Admission is $25 per
couple ($10 for each additional daughter)
and includes music provided by a disc
jockey, refreshments, gifts and door prizes.
A professional photographer will be onsite
to capture special moments. Tickets are
limited and must be purchased in advance.
Call (972) 556-1334 for more information.
different areas: parts identification,
brake problems, climate control,
electrical problems and a written,
Automotive Service Excellence
(ASE) test with a panel of UTI-Dallas/Fort Worth instructors judging
their work.
The team from James A Ratteree
Career Development Center placed
third and received a $1000 Snap-on
tool voucher for their school Team
members, Daniel Gonzalez and
Conner Snyder, also each received a
$250 scholarship to UTI.
“The purpose of this competition is to build awareness for the
important role auto technicians
play in today’s workforce, spotlight
their specialized skills and the hightech nature of this business,” said
Jesus Miranda, campus president
of UTI-Dallas/Fort Worth. “At the
same time, we’re giving students a
chance to compete in a real-world
setting and do things professional
technicians do every day.
Transportation service technicians are experts in the complex and
innovative digital systems that keep
modern vehicles running, and technicians with high-tech, hands-on
training are in demand. According
to the Bureau of Labor statistics,
the industry will have an average of
more than 37,000 job openings for
skilled technicians every year.
“With so much talk surrounding
STEM education and its role in closing the skills gap, UTI’s role in connecting jobs to education is more
critical than ever before and the Top
Tech Challenge is aimed at doing
just that,” Miranda said.
SOURCE Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
After testing their automotive skills in competition, the James A Ratteree Career
Development Center team of Conner Snyder and Daniel Gonzalez (holding trophies)
placed third winning a $1000 Snap-on tool voucher for their school and $250
scholarships each to UTI. / Courtesy photo
Page 4
January 31, 2015
www.RamblerNewspapers.com
Irving Flood Control District Section III board members reappointed
During the January meeting of
the Irving Flood Control District
Section III (IFCD3), the announcement was made that the Irving City
Council had unanimously voted
to reappoint Kim Andres, Chris
Calvery and Dr. Mazhar Islamraja
to the District’s board of directors.
The reappointments were made
by the Council at their Jan. 15 meeting and extend the three members’
terms until January 2017.
Kim Andres, president of the
IFCD 3 board, is an attorney with
Citi, where she has worked since
1995. She has served on the Irving Arts Board and is currently is
president of the Irving Symphony
League.
Chris Calvery, board vice president, is an account executive for
WEB-TPA, a third-party adminis-
CLASSIFIEDS
(972) 870-1992
[email protected]
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
PUBLIC HEARINGS BEFORE THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF IRVING, TEXAS, TO CONSIDER AMENDING THE
COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE NO. 1144 OF THE CITY OF IRVING, TEXAS
BY AMENDING SECTION 52-40(l) REGARDING CARPORTS IN RESIDENTIAL ZONING
DISTRICTS.
Notice is hereby given that the following public hearings will be held in the City Council
Chambers, City of Irving City Hall, 825 W. Irving, Blvd., Irving, Texas, for the purpose of
considering amending the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance No. 1144 of the City of Irving,
Texas, as referenced in the caption above:
Planning and Zoning Commission: Monday, February 2, 2015, 7:00 PM
City Council: Thursday, February 19, 2015, 7:00 PM
These public hearings are held for the purpose of considering these amendments to the
Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance No. 1144 of the City of Irving, Texas, passed November
5, 1964. All citizens or interested parties desiring to be heard concerning these amendments
may speak. The proposed amendments are on file for public examination in the Development Services Department, 825 W. Irving Blvd., Irving, Texas. Please call 972-721-2424 for
further information.
Kenneth Bloom, AICP, Manager of Urban Development
This facility is wheelchair accessible. Accessible parking spaces are available. Requests for
interpretation services or assistive hearing devices must be made 48 hours prior to the meeting. Contact the City Secretary’s Office at (972) 721-2493 for assistance.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS –ZONING CHANGES
CITY OF IRVING PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL
Public hearings are held to consider applications for amendments to the Comprehensive
Zoning Ordinance and the Official Zoning Map of the City of Irving, Texas for the properties
described herein:
LOCATION, DATES & TIMES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS:
City Council Chambers of City Hall, 825 West Irving Blvd., Irving, Texas
City Council: Thursday, February 19, 2015, 7 p.m.
ZONING CASE ZC14-0025: Approximately 0.22 acres at 2713 Stanford Drive. The request
is to rezone the property from R-6 (Single Family) District to S-P-2 (Generalized Site Plan)
for R-6 (Single Family) District uses to allow a detached 2-story guest quarters building.
LOCATION, DATES & TIMES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS:
City Council Chambers of City Hall, 825 West Irving Blvd., Irving, Texas
Planning & Zoning Commission: Monday, February 2, 2015, 7 p.m.
City Council: Thursday, February 19, 2015, 7 p.m.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT AND ZONING CASE ZC14-0079: Approximately
16.39 acres located on the north side of Valley Ridge Drive, between Valley View Lane and
State Highway 161. The request is to amend the Comprehensive Plan and rezone the property from M-FW (Freeway) District to S-P-2 (Generalized Site Plan) for R-6 (Single Family)
District uses to allow single family development.
All interested persons are encouraged to attend the public hearings and express their opinions on the zoning change request. Written response for the record may also be submitted
to:
City of Irving – Planning & Community Development Dept., 825 W. Irving Blvd., Irving,
TX 75060.
The applications are on file for public review in the Planning & Community Development
Dept. at the address listed above during normal business hours. For additional information,
please contact the Department at 972-721-2424. Please reference the case number when
requesting information.
This facility is wheelchair accessible. Accessible parking spaces are available. Requests for
interpretation services or assistive hearing devices must be made 48 hours prior to the meeting. Contact the City Secretary’s Office at (972) 721-2493 for assistance.
EMPLOYMENT
Irving based Limo Company
hiring all positions: Drivers,
Dispatchers, Secretarial,
Car washers.
Send info or resume to
214-878-0214
Outside Sales
Representative
Wanted
Rambler Newspapers is
currently seeking outgoing
individuals who enjoy working
closely with community
business leaders.
Requirements:
Personal Transportation &
Valid Driver’s License and
Insurance
Preferred Skills Include:
Prior Sales Experience
(not retail) & Basic Computer
Skills
Willingness to establish and
maintain profitable relationships
with customers .
To apply send resume to
[email protected]
For more information call
972-870-1992
Sr. Online Software Engineer. Home
Depot USA, Inc. Irving, TX office (Dallas
Technology Center). responsible for
designing, implmntg & supprtg web
apps using WebSphere commerce to
support the dynamic growth of Home
Depot ecommrc across var chnls (web,
mobile,tablet). Reqs at least Bachelor’s
degree in CS, Engin. or rel. field. & 5
yrs of rel. exp. Must pass Drug Test
& Bckgrd Check. Up to 10% travel.
Email resumes to natascha_brouwer@
homedepot.com. Ref. job 89850.
trator in the health insurance industry.
Mr. Calvery is an Irving native
and currently serves as the president of The Collections homeowners association.
Dr. Islamraja, IFCD 3’s secretary,
is the president of Mach B Technologies. Prior to starting Mach B Technologies, he was an executive director at Verizon Communications.
“I’m honored to continue working
alongside Chris, Mazhar, and the
rest of the IFCD 3 board to ensure
that the District continues to actively manage the community’s flood
control assets and resources,” said
Kim Andres, Irving Flood Control
District Section III president. “IFCD
3 relies heavily on community engagement and having the experi-
ences and broad knowledge base
that our board members possess are
crucial.”
Continuing in board service with
Andres, Calvery and Dr. Islamraja
are William Correa, P.E., IFCD 3
board treasurer, and Neha Kunte,
IFCD 3 board member.
SOURCE Irving Flood Control District
Section III
hospitality
Continued from Page 1
than any other. The industry is actually larger than the automotive
manufacturing industry. More than
16,000 jobs comprise the hospitality
industry in Irving with a payroll of
over $421 million. It is a key part of
our economy, a key part of our stability and a key part of the amenities
are residents and corporations enjoy,” Gast said.
Greg Malcolm, Chair of the Irving
Greater Las Colinas Hotel Association, updated the crowd on the status of the Irving hotel industry.
“The hotel industry is been riding
a roller coaster since 2000 from record-breaking highs to devastating
lows. December data shows Irving
finished 2014 with occupancies at
72.6 percent, up nearly 6 percent
from the prior year. The average
daily rates citywide: $94.60. That’s
up 4 percent from 2013,” Malcolm
said. “The 10 percent increase in our
revenue for available rooms allowed
Irving hotels to go about 2014 books
in a very positive way.
“The tremendous economic boom
we are riding has seen six consecutive years of increasing occupancy
and the highest levels of occupancy
ever recorded by our industry. Irving hotels are very strong when it
comes to corporate business thanks
to the quality of our properties and
our location, location, location.
“When we lose out on business,
we are beaten by cities that have
great destination districts. Places
where visitors can easily be turned
loose for an evening to explore lots
of different options. So we’re particularly excited to see the Irving Music Factory finally coming out of the
ground,” he said.
The Chairman of the Board of the
Irving Convention & Visitors Bureau
and co-owner of i Fratelli, David
Cole, spoke about the local restaurant industry.
“Visitors matter a lot to Irving
residents. In 2013, Irving visitors
spent $406 million here in our
restaurants,” Cole said. “Because
the Irving area is so dependent on
the state of corporate America, our
successes rise and fall directly with
the state of the economy. 2014 saw
continued increase in employment
leading to an increase in consumer
confidence which led to continued
spending in our restaurants. After
all, people who are at work are not at
home to cook their own meals.”
Former Ohio Lt. Governor and
CEOs for Cities President and CEO,
Lee Fisher served as the event’s keynote speaker. He encouraged those
who wish to change the world to
do so from the bottom up and local
EMPLOYMENT
Freelances Needed
Rambler Newspapers is currently seeking inquisitive individuals with experience
in:
Editing - Writing - Photography
To apply send resume, clips and image samples to:
[email protected]
For more information call 972-870-1992
Part-time Graphic Designer Wanted
Rambler Newspapers is currently seeking creative individuals with
experience in newspaper design and layout.
Requirements:
Proficiency in Adobe Suite 6; Excel; Word
Familiarty with PCs and Windows 8
Preferred Skills Include:
Ability to work well in a team-oriented environment.
Organizational skills.
To apply send resume to [email protected]
For more information call 972-870-1992
Recognizing excellence in the community, Mayor Van Duyne helps the ICVB present the
Carpenter Award to the Fluor Corporation. / Photo by John Starkey
leaders to have a clear vision of the
future of their city.
“I travel to a different city almost
every week, and if I’ve learned one
thing, it is that every city has a soul.
It has a spirit. If this city of Irving
lives up to the spirit of Jackie Mae
Townsell and Willie Martin, and
you live this credo of living a life by
design and not by default, you will
even be a greater city,” Fisher said.
“If I were smart, I would sit down,
but that is actually the first line not
the last.
“I was moderating a panel one day
at the Clinton Global Initiative, and
I was sitting next to the president of
Iceland. He said, ‘The problem with
you Americans is you spend too
much time waiting for Washington.’
You don’t have to be a Republican or
a Democrat or a liberal or a moderate or a conservative to agree with
that point. Our federal government
in Washington has never been more
dysfunctional. So if you truly want
to change the world, start with your
city not Washington.
“In many ways, cities are changing the world faster, mayors and city
managers are changing the world
faster than governors and senators.
We Americans like to have changed
from the bottom up. 243 million
Americans live on only 3 percent of
our land. We like to cuddle. No matter how much technology we have,
we always want to be together face
to face, and we find that we do that
in cities.
“I’ve come to believe over the
years that the greatest gift you can
give a human being, child, city or
state or even a country is the ability to see its own future. That’s how
every great city begins. If you don’t
know where you’re going, as they
said in Alice in Wonderland, any
road will get you there,” Fisher said.
During the meeting, the ICVB
presented the Carpenter Award to
the Fluor Corporation.
The first Spirit of Irving Award,
named the Nelson Award in honor
of golfing great Byron Nelson, whose
namesake PGA golf tournament has
been played for more than 30 years
at Irving’s TPC Four Seasons Las
Colinas, was presented to Conference USA. The award recognizes an
Irving-based company, organization
or individual that has put the city in
a positive spotlight through public
relations, marketing or advertising.
Imogene Rogers and Helen Mosely, helped present the second Spirit
of Irving Award, which is named the
Townsell Award, after their sister,
former Irving City Councilwoman
Jackie Mae Townsell. The University of Dallas received the award.
In a special tribute to Willie Martin, an individual who personified
the spirit of hospitality, the ICVB
created the Willie Martin Spirit of
Hospitality Award. Willie’s mother,
Evelyn, and sister, Barbara, helped
present the inaugural award to Gary
Beacher from Cool River Café and
Rebecca Lewis from Champps.
Additionally, Robert Martinez,
Chris Arrington and Roland Medina
were honored for their service to the
ICVB Board of Directors.
Texas restaurant
industry expected
to post growth in 2015
Austin, Texas - The restaurant industry in Texas is expected to post
4.8 percent sales growth in 2015 to
reach $44.5 billion according to the
National Restaurant Association’s
(NRA) 2015 Restaurant Industry
Forecast and trends report. Texas
restaurants will employ 1.2 million
individuals next year and create an
additional 260,700 jobs in the next
decade.
“Once again Texas is among the
nation’s leaders in restaurant sales
growth and first in the nation in
restaurant employment growth.
With $44 billion in sales, the Texas
restaurant industry continues to be
a cornerstone of the community and
the economy,” said Richie Jackson,
CEO, Texas Restaurant Association.
While the operating environment
for America’s one million restaurants remains challenging, 2015 will
mark the sixth consecutive year of
real sales growth for the industry.
Overall, industry sales are projected
to reach $709.2 billion in 2015, up
3.8 percent from 2014.
2015 also will mark the 16th consecutive year in which restaurant
industry employment will out-
pace overall employment growth.
Restaurants will employ 14 million
individuals this year as the nation’s
second-largest private sector employer, representing about 10 percent of the total U.S. workforce.
“Our nation’s restaurants continue to be an essential part of Americans’ daily lives and play a vital role
in every community across the country,” said Dawn Sweeney, President
and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “Although operators will continue to face a range
of complex challenges in 2015, the
restaurant and foodservice industry
remains a fundamental driver of the
nation’s economy, while providing
valuable careers and opportunities
to 14 million Americans.”
Operators will continue to face a
range of challenges, including rising
food costs, building sales volume,
the economy, healthcare, and recruiting and retaining employees.
For more information about the
NRA’s 2015 Restaurant Industry
Forecast, visit Restaurant.org/Forecast.
SOURCE Texas Restaurant Association
www.RamblerNewspapers.com
OPINIONS
January 31, 2015
(972) 870-1992
[email protected]
One life is enough
Have you ever lost a loved one?
We have.
It wasn’t cancer that took our
mother, it wasn’t a heart attack that
took our brother, and it wasn’t a
stroke that took our child.
Our loved ones were victims of
distracted driving.
Distracted driving selfishly took
them away in a tragic and preventable way. In an instant, it took away
the laughs, the hugs, and the moments forever.
Gone for what? For a cellphone.
For a text. For nothing.
Driving through Texas, it is infuriating to see other drivers still
picking up their phones on the highway full well knowing that they are
jeopardizing their life and the lives
around them.
We just want to scream and honk:
“Put down your phone and pay attention to the road!”
It makes us remember and relive
the tragedy. The memories haunt
us every day. They remind us to do
something meaningful and make
sense out of the loss of life.
We need to act and prevent the
loss of another life.
Advocates, agencies and companies across Texas have answered
our plea.
AT&T has their It Can Wait Program. The Texas Department of
Transportation has their Talk.Text.
Crash Campaign. Nissan has their
Red Thumb campaign. Emergency Room doctors and nurses have
their Just Drive! program. USAA
and State Farm support studies and
education campaigns in schools and
throughout the state. The awareness
message is being delivered.
However, awareness is only one
piece of the puzzle. Educationalone
will not get drivers to stop texting.
We need a law.
Cities around Texas have answered our plea. About 38 Texas cities have various ordinances in place
to ban texting while driving.
However, the ordinances are not
all the same which makes it confusing. Similarly, there are many more
roads and highways outside of those
38 cities where a ban is not in place.
The next step is for the Texas Legislature to answer our plea. They
must enact a statewide ban on texting while driving.
With a strong law, in addition to
effective awareness campaigns and
police enforcement, Texas will reduce texting while behind the wheel,
reduce crashes, and reduce the loss
of life.
During this 84th Legislative Session, Representative Tom Craddick
has filed House Bill 80 and Senator
Judith Zaffirini has filed Senate Bill
25 to enact a statewide ban.
It is important for the lives of
your loved ones that we get this bill
passed.
This is a life-threatening safety
issue that must be addressed. Lawmakers must give our Texas law
enforcement officers the tools they
need to keep our roads safe.
Texans are continuing to die in
car crashes that are completely preventable if drivers would just put
their phones down. This problem,
if it continues to be neglected, can
detrimentally impact the safety of
ourselves and our children.
Texting while driving is one behavior that is dangerous regardless
of the amount or type of driving
experience a driver has. There is no
safe way to simultaneously drive
and use a cell phone.
Similarly, the crash risk in distracted driving does not discriminate based on age, race, religion,
etc. Anyone is susceptible to a crash
caused by texting while driving.
Driving itself requires visual,
manual and cognitive attention.
Studies have shown that the human brain cannot multitask while
driving. Sadly, it is the driving task
rather than the text message we are
reading or sending that suffers.
Driving is a privilege. It must be
taken seriously, otherwise the consequence may literally be deadly. If
you are texting while driving, you
are jeopardizing not only your life,
but the other lives around you.
Our Texas roadways are a shared
place for us all. It is expected that
we not only drive to the best of our
ability to keep ourselves safe, but to
preserve the safety of others on the
road as well.
Implementing House Bill 80 or
Senate Bill 25 would benefit us all
and would help save many lives,
like one of the 507 Texans that were
killed last year alone.
If this law saves one life, it will be
worth it.
Annette Vogel, Becky Woodson,
Austin Ragsdale, Jennifer Zamora-Jamison, Jovie Masters, Jennifer Smith, Kathy Bond, Krista
Tankersley, Misty Woodson, Michael and Tracy Meyers, Nancy
Jacobs, Michelle Craig, Shelli Ralls
Brinkley, Trevor Dahlen, George
Murphy, Patricia Small, and Cody
Ragsdale are victims or family
members of victims from distracted
driving crashes who are in support
of House Bill 80 and Senate Bill 25.
Page 5
Texas Veterans Land Board
expands veteran benefits
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas veterans are now eligible for low-interest land loans up to $125,000
— the maximum allowed by law.
Texas Land Commissioner George
P. Bush increased the land loan limit in his first act as chairman of the
Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB).
The previous land loan limit was
$100,000.
“Texas veterans have more than
earned this benefit,” said Bill McLemore, executive director of the
VLB. “This will make it easier than
ever for veterans to achieve the
American Dream they fought and
sacrificed so much for through their
service.”
Texas veteran benefits are already
the best in the nation. To qualify for
VLB benefits, veterans must be hon-
orably discharged, have served at
least 90 days on active duty and live
in Texas.
Texas has always taken care of her
veterans. In 1836, the Texas General Land Office was formed, in part,
to make sure veterans of the Texas
Revolution were given land rights
they were promised in exchange
for their role in liberating Texas.
In 1946, the Texas Veterans Land
Board was created to do the same
for Texas veterans who helped to
liberate the world. Today, the Texas
Veterans Land Board serves more
than 1.7 million Texas veterans of all
ages.
The cornerstone of Texas veteran
benefits is the VLB’s ability to offer
below-market interest rate loans for
land and home purchases, as well as
for home improvements. The VLB
operates eight Texas State Veterans Homes that serve more than a
thousand veterans and their families needing long-term, high-quality care. The VLB also provides free
burial of veterans with full military honors at Texas State Veterans Cemeteries in Abilene, Corpus
Christi, Killeen and Mission.
“No other state can match what
the VLB offers: low-cost home,
land and home improvement loans;
skilled nursing long-term care facilities and cemeteries — all exclusively
for Texas veterans or their spouses,”
McLemore said. “Additionally all
of our programs are self-funding,
which is good news for Texas taxpayers.”
SOURCE Texas Veterans Land Board
Man arrested in Subway robberies
By Nick Kammerer
A man was arrested on Friday,
Jan. 23, in connection with two
robberies of separate Subway’s in
Irving that occurred within minutes
of each other. The suspect, identified as 46-year-old Robert Lee McDaniel, is in the Irving City Jail on
two charges of Robbery.
On Thursday, Jan. 22 at 8:55
p.m., Police responded to the Subway restaurant located at 2301 N.
O’Conner Road in reference to a
robbery. According to police officials, McDaniel allegedly entered
the store and acted as though he
had a weapon in his jacket pocket. Following his demand for cash
from the register, McDaniel fled the
scene when the clerk yelled for another employee. Approximately 30
minutes later, a similar robbery occurred at the Subway located at 821
N. Beltline Road.
After the incidents, surveillance
footage and pictures thought to be
McDaniel saturated news broadcasts and social media outlets. Subsequently, Irving Police received tips
as to the suspect’s identity, which
led to the arrest of McDaniel.
Robert Lee McDaniel / Courtesy photo
OBITUARIES
CAROLYN HUDSON
Carolyn Hudson, 78, a resident of
Irving since 1956, died Wednesday, January 28, 2015, at her home.
Born July 8, 1936 in Dallas, she
was the daughter of Walter C. and
Millie May Oliver Hilton. She was
a retired child care provider and
was Catholic. Survivors include
sons, Reggie Hudson of Arlington,
Brian Hudson of Irving and Leslie
Hudson and wife Lori of Oregon;
daughters, Bridget Hill and husband Steve Castillo, Brenda Sattar
and husband Abdus all of Irving
and Rose Hudson and husband
Matthew Honeycutt of Arlington;
8 grandchildren; and 6 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death
by a daughter, Millie Carolyn Spillman. Visitation 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Monday, February 2, 2015 at Donnelly’s Colonial Funeral Home.
Funeral 11:00 a.m. Tuesday in the
funeral home chapel with burial
to follow at Oak Grove Memorial
Gardens.
Patricia Ann
McCaslin Lord
Patricia Ann McCaslin Lord passed
away on January 21, 2015, joining
her father John Ryan, mother Ada
Ryan Sandberg, stepfather Joseph
Sandberg, sister Elaine Alexie, and
her first husband Robert McCaslin in
God’s loving arms. She died at home
in Irving, Texas, surrounded by
loved ones – her husband, children,
and grandchildren. Patricia was born
June 5, 1933, in Atchison, Kansas.
She was a devout Christian and a
charter member of the Woodhaven
Presbyterian Church. Patricia devoted her life to her family, friends,
and church. She raised her daughters
in Irving, Texas. She reunited with
her high school sweetheart, Walter
Lord, in 1977 and they married that
year. Their life together and love for
each other has lasted 38 years. She
is survived by her husband Walter
Lord, her children – daughters Pam
Scruggs & Gordon of Grapevine,
Texas, Sheri Seago & Jim, Teri
Hurst & Earl, Lori Jungman &
David, and Kelli Wilson & Kevin
all of Irving, Texas, Cindy Lord of
Tumwater, Washington, and sons
Steven & Danielle Lord of Auburn,
Washington, Mike & Debbie Lord
of Tacoma, Washington, John &
Tonya Lord of Holly Spring, North
Carolina, and Paul & Linda Lord of
Olympia, Washington, as well as 37
much-loved grandchildren, 36 great
grandchildren, 4 nephews, and 1
niece. Memorial Service will be held
at Woodhaven Presbyterian Church
on February 6, 2015 at 3:00 pm.
Memorials may be sent to Woodhaven Presbyterian Church 3650 N.
O’Connor in Irving, Texas 75062 or
Presbyterian Children’s Home and
Services (PCHAS) at www.pchas.
org. Arrangements made especially
for the Lord Family by Brown’s
Memorial Funeral Home.
Arrangements by
Brown’s Memorial Funeral
Home, 972-254-4242
Mariah “Tootsie” Douglas
Mar. 12, 1999 ~ Jan. 23, 2015
Arrangements by
Chism-Smith Funeral
Home, 972-259-7644
Pedro Tarango Martinez
Dec. 10, 1947 – Jan. 26, 2015
Carey Don Keller
Sept. 8, 1963 – Jan. 26, 2015
Beverly Eileen Buchmann
Aug. 5, 1918 – Jan. 20, 2015
Patricia Anne King
Apr. 27, 1934 – Jan. 24, 2015
Robert Charles Gieseke
Oct. 20, 1932 – Jan. 18, 2015
Lynn Brooks Savage
Jan. 25, 1950 – Jan. 16, 2015
Arrangements by
Donnelly’s Colonial Funeral
Home, 972-579-1313
April Dawn Trotter
July 10, 1965 – Jan. 21, 2015
Sylvester Elmore
Jan. 22, 1941 – Jan. 28, 2015
Phyllis Adair Parks
July 15, 1924 – Jan. 22, 2015
Velora L. Womack
Nov. 30, 1929 – Jan. 28, 2015
Page 6
January 31, 2015
www.RamblerNewspapers.com
FUN & GAMES
competitors volleyed for two hours and 12 minutes on the opening serve alone.
It was German author and statesman
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who made
the following sage observation: “When
ideas fail, words come in very handy.”
Unless you’re a local, you’ve probably
never heard of the town of Rugby, North
Dakota, but if you ever set out to find the
geographical center of the continent of
North America, that’s where you’ll end up.
Those who study such things say that if
you spend an hour listening to the radio,
you’ll hear approximately 11,000 words.
In 1936, in the final match of the men’s
table tennis world championship, the two
Before modern English there was Middle English, used during
a time when men of the church were supposed to remain humble. This is why these men were called “ministers” -- it means “lowly person” in Middle English.
Dr. L. Forbes Winslow, perhaps best known for his relentless
(and fruitless) attempts to identify the person behind London’s
Jack the Ripper murders, also was a well-known psychiatrist.
Among his many notes on his practice was the report of a heartbroken man who requested that, after his death, his body should
be boiled down to extract the fat. That fat would be used to make
a candle which, along with a letter from the deceased, would be
delivered to the woman who jilted him. He even specified that
the items should be delivered at night, so the woman would read
the letter by the light of the “corpse candle.”
If you were living in the newly christened United States in 1776
and earned $4,000 per year, you would be considered wealthy.
(c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.
the largest library in the world?
10. LANGUAGE: What is an onomatopoeia?
1. GEOGRAPHY: What is the largest bay in the world?
2. RELIGION: Who is the patron saint for mountain climbers?
3. MOVIES: In which Harry Potter movie was the Whomping Willow introduced?
4. TOYS: What was the name of the British version of America’s
“G.I. Joe”?
5. LITERATURE: When was the novel “Gone With the Wind” published?
6. MYTHOLOGY: In Greek mythology, who slew the Minotaur?
7. MUSIC: “The Last Waltz” was a documentary of the final concert of which rock group?
8. TELEVISION: What was Chandler’s last name on the sitcom
“Friends”?
9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What institution declares itself to be
Answers
1. Bay of Bengal
2. St. Bernard
3. “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”
4. Action Man
5. 1936
6. Theseus
7. The Band
8. Bing
9. The Library of Congress
10. The imitation of natural sounds
through words like “arf.”
(c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.
CLUBS
American Legion Post #218
Heritage Park Building
215 Main St. Downtown Irving
3rd Thursday of each month.
Recruiting/Questions
call 469-621-7878
Buttons & Bows Square
& Round Dance Club
1st & 3rd Saturdays at 8:00 pm
Senter Park East
228 Chamberlain
Circle I - Square
& Round Dance Club
2nd & 4th Fridays at 8pm
Senter Park East
228 Chamberlain
Evening Lions Club
1st & 3rd Tuesdays at 7:00pm
Community Bible Church
2301 Texas Drive
Greater Irving Republicans
Meets the first Tues. each month
@ Spring Creek BBQ at 7 p.m.
Irving Amateur Radio Club
Fourth Thursday of the month
7:30 to 9 PM
Senter Park East
228 Chamberlain
www.irvingarc.org
Irving AMBUCS
Thursdays @ 11:30 a.m.
at Spring Creek BBQ
Irving Garden & Arts
2nd Thursday, 10am
Irving Garden & Arts Building
906 S. Senter 214.435.9876
Irving Noonday Lions
PH 972-409-9940
Every Wed. @ Los Lupes
In the Irving Mall Irving Republican
Women’s Club
Meets the second Monday of each month
at 7pm at IHOP Restaurant
Hwy 635 @ MacArthur
Irving Retired School
Personnel Association
First Christain Church
104 W. Grauwyler Rd.
Second Thursday every month
Irving Rotary Club
Thursdays at 12 pm
Las Colinas Country Club
[email protected]
Irving Sunrise Rotary
Thursday at 7 am
Las Colinas Country Club
4400 N. O”Connor Rd
Irving Texas Democratic
Women
Meet the first Tues. each month
7 p.m. To 8:30 p.m.
East Buffet Rest.
Irving Women’s Network
Las Colinas Country Club
Fourth Tuesday of every month
11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m.
Metroplex Glass Club
Every 2nd Tuesday
At Oak Haven UMC
1600 N. Irving Heights
Saturday Singles
Lunch Bunch
1st & 3rd Saturdays
972-254-3525
Single Moms Care & Support
of Irving
2nd and 4th Fridays of each month
6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at the Irving YMCA
(corner of Irving Blvd. and Story Road)
Free meal! Encouraging meeting!
Kids welcome!
TOPS TX #58, Irving
Thursday at 9:30 a.m.
Berean Memorial Church
1000 E. 6th Street
VFW Post 2494 IRVING
Post Meeting – 1st Thursday at 7pm
Ladies’ Auxiliary -1st & 3rd
Wed at 7pm
Men’s Auxiliary – 4th Wed at 7pm
Junior Girls – 2nd Sun at 12:30pm
3375 Belt Line Rd
Widowed Persons Service
Every Saturday @ 8:30 a.m.
at Wonderful World of Cooking
Karen – 972-986-4056
Organizations are required to re-submit their information on a
monthly basis to insure that the Irving Rambler will have accurate
information. Listings are limited to the Organization’s name,
meeting location and time. If an organization wishes to have more
information than the free listing offers, we will continue to offer
other advertising opportunities.
www.RamblerNewspapers.com
January 31, 2015
Page 7
Coppell High School hosts all-region band concert
By Susan Edgley
Coppell, TX - Joyous music filled
the Coppell High School auditorium
on Friday evening, Jan. 23, when
students who placed at the Region
20 North Zone High School All-Region Band performed several selections during two back-to-back concerts. A total of 540 students from
23 high schools in the Region 20
North Zone competed for 150 spots
in the All-Region Band, which was
split into the Symphonic and Honor
Bands.
Tryouts were held at Coppell High
School Dec. 12–13. Coppell High
School dominated the All-Region
competition, earning a total of 90
chairs. Of the 90 Coppell students
who placed at All-Region, 38 qualified for the Pre-Area tryouts, and 19
of those students later placed in the
2015 All-State Band.
Students who earned a chair in
either the All-Region Symphonic or
All-Region Honor Band practiced
for the first time together at Coppell
High School on Thursday, Jan. 22.
By Friday night, less than 24 hours
later, the students had mastered
several difficult pieces and were
ready to play on stage, an indication
of the talent and commitment these
young musicians possess.
“These students have displayed
outstanding musical achievement,”
said Scott Mason, Director of Instrumental Music for Coppell ISD,
who emceed the All-Region concert.
“They have worked very hard and it
has been a great privilege to watch
them prepare over the past two
days.” Coppell ISD’s Associate Band
Director Doug Grice, Assistant Band
Director Brandon Slovak and Head
Percussion Director Zach Scheer
also assisted during the All-Region
rehearsals.
The Symphonic Band, conducted
by Rob Myers, Coordinator of Fine
Arts for the Arlington Independent
School District, performed four selections. The Honor Band, directed
by Dr. Timothy Rhea, Director of
Bands and Performing Ensembles
at Texas A&M University, then took
stage and performed five selections.
A highlight of the evening was the
recognition of the All-State band
students. A total of 21 students from
the Region, including Coppell’s 19,
each received a round of applause
as their names were called.All-State
is the highest honor a Texas music
student can receive.
Texas State-Fish Art
Contest seeks entries
Dr. Timothy Rhea conducts some of the area’s most talented young musicians as they perform with the All-Region Honor Band at
Coppell High School. / Courtesy photo
ZESTFEST
Continued from Page 1
Sarah Penrod and Grady Spears
do a cowboy versus cowgirl throw
down on the Celebrity Chef Stage,”
said ZestFest Producer, Greg Bagarozy. “It’s an amazing event, and
they’re going to have a shootout on
the stage. Today they’re cooking
chicken fried steak.
“ZestFest is coming back to Irving, and I think the people of Irving
should know that this is their show.
We’re making [this event] a tradition in the building, and this is one
the [community] should own and
support,” he said.
Daring guests participated in
the Wingstop Atomic Wing Eating
Challenge and the Pucker Butt Jalapeno Eating Contest on Saturday
and Sunday.
A few of the ZestFest vendors this
year showcased exotic, non-spicy
foods including Divine Icy Wine,
a drink mix that turns your favorite wine into a frozen slush; Ozark
Mountain Dessert Coffee, which
ATHENS–The Texas State-Fish
Art Contest, headquartered at the
Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center
(TFFC), reminds Texas teachers
and students that the deadline for
entries in the 2015 State-Fish Art
Contest is March 31.
The contest is open to any student
in public, private or home schools in
grades K-12. Students must draw or
paint any recognized state fish and
write an essay about it. Complete
contest details can be found at www.
tpwd.texas.gov/fishart.
The Toyota Texas Bass Classic
(TTBC) provides funds for prizes
for first-, second- and third-place
Texas winners in each of the four
grade-level divisions. First place in
grades 10–12 wins $1,000; second
place $750; third place $500. Prizes
in the K–3, 4–6 and 7–9 grade levels are $100 for first; $75 for second;
$50 for third. Art from the Texas
contest is featured on TTBC tickets.
The contest is part of Wildlife
Forever’s State-Fish Art Contest.
The TTBC also provides a travel
allowance for Texas first-place winners to attend the national awards
ceremony, which will be held Aug.
21-22 in Hot Springs, Ark.
Wildlife Forever chooses one outstanding piece of artwork each year
for the Art of Conservation Award,
and a commemorative stamp featuring the artwork is produced for
sale. Proceeds from sales of the
stamp are used to fund conservation
projects.
SOURCE Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center
WORSHIP
BIBLE CHURCH
Heritage Church-PCG
1501 S. Briery Rd.
Irving, TX 75060
Phone # 972-986-4200 or
www.heritagechurchpcg.com
CHURCH OF CHRIST
Some of ZestFest’s bravest patron’s sampled the Grinders Hot Sauce, many leaving the
vendor with tears pouring down their faces and searching for water. / Photo by Beatriz
Quiroz
featured a baking powder that when
mixed with a 12-ounce can of beer
and cooked creates a flavorful loaf
of beer bread; and gourmet pickles
from The Pickle Shack.
“Every year, there’s probably 2030 new vendors, new tastes and
the show is really expanding beyond just hot things, so there’s a lot
of savory things and a lot of sweet
things,” said Maura Gast, Executive
Director of the Irving Conventions
and Visitor’s Bureau.
Upon the Irving Convention Center’s opening in 2011, ZestFest was
the first event ever hosted at the facility.
“This is their 5th event with us
which is pretty cool. We had been
open all of two days when [ZestFest]
started and the show just keeps
growing. It’s a great event. All sorts
of people, all sorts of ages and all
walks of life come out for it, and it’s
a great thing to be a part of. We look
forward to having [ZestFest] back,”
Gast said.
A few brave guests, including this
reporter, sampled one of the hottest
sauces at ZestFest, made by Grinders Hot Sauce. After two hours and
almost three cartons of milk, this
reporter still regretted the painful
experience.
“The hottest thing I had here was
the Grinders hot sauce. It’s just ridiculous. I ran to get a beer and it
still didn’t help,” said loyal ZestFest
attendee, Tom Chrzanowski. “It’s
just a great event. I’ve been out here
for about three or four years, and I
love it.”
Belt Line Road
Church of Christ
1202 N. Belt Line Rd., Irving, TX 75061
1st Century Christianity in the 21st Century
Sunday Bible Classes 9 a.m.
Sunday Worship 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Wednesday Worship 7:30 p.m.
972.790.8606
www.BeltLineChurch.com
UNITED METHODIST
Oak Haven
United Methodist Church
1600 N. Irving Heights 75061
972.438.1431
www.oakhavenumc.org
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday Worship 10:45 a.m
Ministerio Hispano NISSI
Estudio Biblico 1:00 p.m.
Servicio Adoracion 2:00 p.m.
CATHOLIC
Holy Family of Nazareth
Catholic Church
One block north of Hwy 183
on Esters Rd.
Sat. 5:30pm, Sun. 8am,
10am, 12pm, 5:30pm
972-252-5521
www.HolyFamilyChurch.net
DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
First Christian Church
114 West Grauwyler Rd. 75061
972-579-0911
Sunday School for all ages-9:30 a.m.
Sunday Worship- 10:45 a.m.
LUTHERAN
Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church
2620 W. Grauwyler Rd 75061
972-790-2121
www.gslcirving.com
Sunday Worship at
9:00am
Adult Bible Study Sunday
10:30am
UNITY CHURCH
UNITED METHODIST
First United Methodist Church
211 W. Third, 75060
972-253-3531 www.fumcirving.org
Sunday School 9:00 a.m.
Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.
in the Sanctuary
6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall
Northgate
United Methodist Church
3700 West Northgate, 75062
972-252-8519 www.northgateumc.org
Worship Service 8:15 AM in the Dome
Sunday School 9:30 AM
Worship Service 10:45 AM in the WAC
at the rear of the complex
Sunday Morning Services:
9:30 AM Adult Class
11:00 AM Service
& Children’s Church
Reverend Frank Pounders
and Reverend Margaret Pounders
210 Virginia St., Irving, Texas 75061
972-253-5083
unitychurchofirving.com
Advertise your church
Rambler
in the
972-870-1992
Page 8
January 31, 2015
www.RamblerNewspapers.com
Odysseo provides awesome spectacle of acrobatics and
horsemanship
FRISCO, TX – Cavalia’s $30 million dollar extravaganza is an amazing display of gymnastics, acrobatics
and superior equestrian techniques. Billed as the world’s
largest touring production, Cavalia’s Odysseo marries
the equestrian arts, stage arts and high-tech theatrical effects. A veritable revolution in live performance,
Odysseo features 70 horses and 46 artists in a largerthan-life theatrical production. This breathtaking ode
to horse and man imagined by Normand Latourelle,
one of the co-founders of Cirque du Soleil, is a feast for
the eyes. Odysseo comprises a list of superlatives: the
world’s largest touring big top, the biggest stage, the
most beautiful visual effects, and the greatest number
of horses at liberty.
“Nine years after the tremendous success of Cavalia in Dallas,
we are thrilled to be returning this
January with our all-new production,” Latourelle said. “Texas
audiences have a deep appreciation of the artistic spirit and a
great connection with our unique
art form. Odysseo will amaze and
touch the hearts of many more
Texans by transporting the spectators across the world’s most
beautiful landscapes.”
Odysseo is being performed under the White Big Top at Dr Pepper
Ballpark in Frisco through Feb. 22.
Tickets are priced from $29.50 to
$149.50+. For more information,
visit www.cavalia.net .
SOURCE Cavalia
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Ralph, 817-781-1870
EBO
Auto Sales
Working together in perfect harmony, horse and rider charge across Odysseo’s stage making the dangerous
seem effortless. / Photo by John Starkey
Registration is open
for BuzzFree PROMises
dress, tux giveaway
DALLAS, Texas- Prom season is right around the corner. Registration has officially opened
for the 14th Annual BuzzFree PROMises Dress & Tux Giveaway to be held on Saturday, Feb. 28
at the Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy from 8AM to 2PM. Pre-registration for the free
event is required.
The 14th annual BuzzFree PROMises Dress & Tuxedo Giveaway provides dresses and tuxedos/
suits free of charge to high school students who pledge to stay drug and alcohol free on prom
night and beyond. The program reinforces healthy behavior while allowing the students the opportunity to have a memorable and safe prom experience that otherwise would not be possible.
On Feb. 28, registered studentswho have signed a pledge to be alcohol and other drug free on
prom night will attend workshops designed to promote healthy behavior, enjoy a fashion show
and will choose a free prom dress or tuxedo/suit for their special night.
For more information on this event, and how you can help, visit facebook.com/buzzfreeprom.
To register, visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/BFP2015.
The magic of the merry-go-round is
re-imagined as acrobats perform to live
music on a rotating platform. / Photo by
John Starkey
SOURCE BuzzFree PROMises
Phone spies track location, share information
You just had a flat tire along a dark
country road. Luckily, you downloaded a flashlight app into your
cellphone and now can put it to use.
But that flashlight, handy as it is,
may be just one of many doors you
unwittingly opened to let spies take
up residence inside your phone.
“Most free flashlight apps are
creepware,” said Gary S. Miliefsky,
CEO of SnoopWall, a company
that specializes in cybersecurity.
Creepware is malware that spies on
you and your online behavior, and
could pass along information to others.
For example, Goldenshores Technologies, the company behind the
popular “Brightest Flashlight Free”
app for Android phones, agreed in
2013 to settle the Federal Trade
Commission’s charges that the software secretly supplied cellphone locations to advertising networks and
other third parties.
Many seemingly innocuous apps
that people carry around with them
on their mobile devices have the
capability to eavesdrop on their activities.
“Consumers trust first and verify
never,” Miliefsky said. “As a result,
most of their smartphones are infected with malware that they trust
in the form of some kind of useful
app or game.”
• First, assume you’ve already been compromised. It’s
nice to think all is probably well,
but most likely it’s not. Somewhere
in the phone the spies are at work
and it’s time to take the privacy behaviors and privacy policies of these
apps more seriously.
• Verify the behavior and privacy risks for apps before installing them. Do some research
and ask the question: “Why does
this app need GPS, microphone,
webcam, contacts, etc.?” Most apps
don’t need these ports unless they
want to invade your privacy, Miliefsky says. Find an alternative before
installing risky apps.
• Do a smartphone version
of spring cleaning. Delete all the
apps you don’t use that often. Replace the apps that take advantage
of too many of your privacy settings,
such as GPS, phone and text-message logs, with similar apps that
don’t.
• Turn off WiFi, Bluetooth,
Near Field Communication and
GPS except when you need
them. That way, Miliefsky says,
if you are at a local coffee shop or
in a shopping mall, no one can spy
using nearby (proximity) hacking
attack. They also can’t track where
you were and where you are going
on GPS.
• Check to see if your email
has put a tracer on you and
your phone. “If you use a Google
email account and have an Android
phone, you’d be surprised that even
with your GPS off, it’s tracking your
every move,” Miliefsky said. “You
need to go into the phone’s settings
to turn off that tracking feature. In
your Android phone, go to “settings,”
then “location.” Select “Google location reporting” and set “location history” to off.”