The DART Rail is coming! The groundbreaking ceremony was this morning, you should be able to catch some video of it on your favorite local news station, as most of them were there filming. The development around the DART Rail Station is an exciting piece of our overall redevelopment strategy, and one that should bring increased retail options to our city.
You can see a NBC KXAS Channel 5 report here:
http://video.nbc5i.com/player/?id=150564
You can find out more about the DART Rail Station, including maps and conceptual drawings here:
Everyone in Farmers Branch loves the fact that we are a "City in a Park." This council wants to make sure we take full advantage of this image, and do all we can to ensure that FB continues to have a different look and feel from the other cities in the Metroplex. In the new city budget - which will be officially voted on in September, and would go into effect October 1 - we have many new beautificiation projects identified and funded. The Dallas Morning News has a quick story about it here:
"The message is, 'If you're in this country, in this city illegally, don't get arrested, and don't be committing other crimes,' " Chief Sid Fuller
While the Federal Government drags his feet on implementing the 287(g) program, our FB Police Department is aggressively working with ICE to identify and process all Illegal Aliens who pass through the Criminal Justice Center.
Through the Immigration Alien Query, every person processed through the FB jail is asked if they are a U.S. Citizen. If they are not, their info is run through the National Crime Information Computer, and all wanted Illegal Aliens are turned over to ICE.
Since August of '05, the FB Police Department has turned over 247 individuals to ICE, and Chief Fuller thinks that as the force gets more accustomed to the procedures and systems, they will get more efficient.
This is good news. As a council we are commmitted to finding all available ways to enforce our laws and make our city safe for our residents.
I bet this sounds familiar to you: Last night my wife and I went to see a movie. The movie was rated PG-13 and started after 7:00pm; two weeks ago we went to see a movie at a different theater, it was also rated PG-13 and started around 8:00pm. Both times our experience was diminished by crying babies and loud toddlers. Both times multiple parents made the decision to bring their infants and three-year-olds to weekend theaters full of adults. The kids weren't there to see the movies, they were their for their parents convenience, and everyone else's distraction.
It seems to me that more and more, we as a society are losing our sense of "otherness." So many people seem to think that what they want is more important than the impact their actions have on the people around them. Little consideration is given to how our actions might impact others, the only thing that matters is that "I get what I want, when I want it, no matter the circumstances, no matter the effect on other people."
It's troubling.
I know plenty of parents of young kids who lament the fact that they haven't been to a movie since their kids were born. It's not that they don't want to go, it's that they don't want to negatively impact other people if their children act like most children act when they're bored and in the dark. But this type of commen courtesy seems to be slipping away from us.
What does this have to do with Farmers Branch?
We have a fabulous public library. Everyone I know loves it and uses it heavily, and its circulation has exploded over the past few years. Its a popular place, which is a great thing.
But its also a loud place.
The last few times I've been in the library, I've noticed that more and more people - kids and adults - seem unaware that other people are there as well. Loud talking, ringing cell phones, kids running through the aisles, kids playing in the lobby - behavior not usually associated with considerate library manners.
And I'm not the only person who's noticed this. I've heard this refrain repeatedly the last few months from citizens of all ages. People are confused and concerned by a lack of courtesy and lack of awareness of others in a public place.
We all need to be aware that our actions impact those around us. As parents, we need to instill in our children that they are not the center of universe, and need to be aware of their surroundings, and act in a manner that shows courtesy and respect.
And when you're ivisiting our great Manske Library, whisper.
His latest post is about several of the major development projects that are either ongoing or on the near horizon here in FB. Go read it, and I guarantee you'll get as excited about what's happening in Farmers Branch as I am!
Follow this link for an excellent summary of the unabashed judicial activism parading around as a sound legal decision by federal Judge James Munley in the Hazleton, Pennsylvania illegal immigration case.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=21821
Kris Kobach served as the U.S. Attorney General's chief adviser on immigration law from 2001 to 2003, and is currently a Professor of Law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
The biggest issue I hear from our citizens is code enforcement. Our citizens demand (and deserve) all property to be maintained at an acceptable level, and that violations such as too many vehicles at a residence or over-crowding at a residence be dealt with quickly and appropriately. This City Council has made it very clear to the City Manager and staff that we hear the voice of the people, and that Code Enforcement is a top priority.
Our code enforcement officers are busy. In July, 1,244 notices were issued, an increase of 38%. And through the use of the City's online Code Enforcement Complaint tool, any citizen can easily and comprehensively document potential code violations, giving the officers real-time data to follow up on.
There was some discussion in the comments section of one of my posts about the impact of the Federal Judge's decision in the Hazleton, PA case. Here's a great video from Lou Dobbs tonight that illustrates the problems with the Judge's activist ruling, and the shared resolve between Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta and the Farmers Branch City Council. We're in this for the rights of American citizens, and we're in this for the long haul.
Do you find yourself spending all your free time working in your yard? Are you proud of your Azaleas and Crepe Myrtles and Japanese Maples? Well, the City of Farmers Branch wants to reward you for your hard work and dedication to making your personal property contribute to our reputation as a "City in a park."
The City has rolled out a new "Yard of the Month" club, here's the information from the City's web site:
How is your yard looking?
The City of Farmers Branch seeks to improve the overall beauty of the City by encouraging neighborhood beautification. The Yard of the Month program will recognize homeowners who add beauty to their neighborhood with the landscaping and upkeep of their yard.
The City will award four nominees, in each quadrant of the City, as the Yard of the Month. Each award winner will be given a yard sign to display for one month and a $100 Turner Hardware gift certificate. Pictures of the award winners will be placed on the Farmers Branch web site and names will be listed in The Branch Review.
Nominee applications must be turned in one week prior to the last Friday of the month. Judges will travel to the nominated locations and choose a winner the same day. The winner will be notified immediately and the sign and gift certificate will be given to them that following Friday.
Residents’ yards may be nominated more than once per month and during the year. However, a residents’ yard may only be awarded Yard of the Month one time per year. The program year runs January through December.
You can access the application form for consideration as "Yard of the Month" here:
their yard.