The Lewisville Texan Journal - 12/20/17

Fr ee

The

Lewisville Texan Journal

Vol. 3, No. 50

L ife and L iber ty in the L one Star State

L ewisvilleTexan.com

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

This edition of The Lewisville Texan Journal is a printed recap of our online stories from the past week. For timely updates on Lewisville happenings, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/LewisvilleTexanJournal or Twitter at twitter.com/LewisvilleTexan.

K L B holiday yar d winner s, P6

Council re-establishes contr actor regulations, r aises waste fees and Valley Ridge speed limit Dec. 19, 2017

By L EOPOL D K NOPP Knopp@LewisvilleTexan.com In a brief, 30- minute regular meeting, Lewisville City Council re- established regulations requiring contractors to register with the city, raised the price of solid waste and recycling services to stay in line with costs and raised the speed limit on Valley Ridge Boulevard to 40 mph.

Building contractors will now be required to register with the city. This allows the city to require contractors to be insured and comply with city ordinances or no longer be allowed to work in Lewisville. Registering as a contractor with the city costs $80, except for plumbing and electrical contractors who the state does not allow to be charged by localities, inspections services director Wayne Snell said. The new ordinance would establish a fine of up to $500 per violation, which becomes a fine of up to $2,000 per violation if it relates to fire safety, zoning or public health and sanitation.

Snell said the requirement on contractors is in line with what most cities do across the country to insure against shoddy work in the

city. ?We have contractors doing work without permits, contractors doing work and not fulfilling the permit, doing work and not finishing it all the way through, whatever the case may be,? he said. ?I went back and we start going through the ordinances and discover that we didn?t have any recourse for contractors.

We didn?t have any ability to pull their registration or prevent them from pulling permits moving forward.?

Snell and development services assistant city manager Claire Swann said contractors were previously required to file with the city, but those regulations were taken off the books sometime in 2007 in an attempt to streamline the permitting process, but a lack of legal recourse against contractors who don?t play by the rules has lead to other problems, including one instance where the city had to pay out- ofpocket to repair city property that was damaged by a contractor who was doing a private job. ?I?ve gotten several emails this past year of residents complaining about various projects that were incomplete, not done or plain, Continued on P4

Star War s: The L ast Jedi review, P2

Cour tesy Walt Disney Studios M otion Pictures

Nathan Alan Terrell - left, Elizabeth Ann Cominos - center, and Tyler Paul Rogers were all arrested Saturday night, Dec 16 in Lewisville in a drug bust that netted 418 pounds of marijuana. (Suspect photos by Denton County Sheriff's Office and Lewisville Police Department. Marijuana stock photo by DepositPhotos / jeremyn)

L ewisville police net 418 pounds of mar ij uana in Satur day bust, Dec. 17, 2017

By STEVE SOUTHWEL L Editor@LewisvilleTexan.com Less than six hours after receiving an anonymous tip, the work of eight Lewisville police officers and a Little Elm police canine unit paid off, yielding a huge drug bust that took nearly a million dollars worth of marijuana off the streets Saturday night, Dec. 16.

According to Lewisville Police Captain Kendall Lynn, investigators received and acted upon a tip Saturday afternoon that a couple was traveling from Califor-

nia to one of two locations in Lewisville with marijuana.

The information was good enough that police took it seriously, and officers who were not even scheduled to work Saturday night came in to help with the investigation.

With information about the probable time of arrival, officers in unmarked cars were able to sit and watch for the vehicles. Marked units were also nearby.

A vehicle driven by 28year- old Elizabeth Ann Cominos of Anderson, California was spotted pulling a U- Haul trailer. That vehicle

was followed by a Chevy Tahoe with Nathan Alan Terrell, 27, of Redding, California and Tyler Paul Rogers, 18.

Lynn said police observed the vehicles enter and leave apartment complex in the 800 block of Union Station Parkway.

Officers followed both vehicles and made two separate traffic stops in different locations after observing traffic violations by the drivers. At least one of the stops was just inside Carrollton city limits.

Continued on P3

Candidates locked in for M arch pr imar ies Dec. 20, 2017

By L EOPOL D K NOPP

The candidates to represent Lewisville Texans in the federal, state and county level governments after the 2018 mid- terms were finalized during last week?s

deadline to file for primary races.

A historically red county with all Republican incumbents, the local Democratic party says they have more candidates than they?ve had in years, with all positions

Ways to help this holiday season, P4

@DepositPhotos.com

but the county treasurer and some judge positions having a Democratic challenger.

County party chair Phyllis Wolper said they had candidates from every corner of the county. ?It?s an enormous measure of progress,? she said. ?A candidate really has to have the sense that the party is viable enough to put them in these places, and we have, much like a car, gone zero to 60 really quickly.?

The main event in 2018 will be over the senate seat currently held by Republican Ted Cruz. Democratic challenger Beto O?Rourke?s campaign has already made national headlines. The incumbent and challenger will both face a crowded primary, with four Republicans runContinued on P4

Opinion

P2

The M om of No: Grownup Stuff Dec. 12, 2017

By JENNI FER L I NDE The Mom of No momofno@LewisvilleTexan.com

The Son of Never Stops Eating turned 15 last week.

To celebrate, we went to the all-you-can-eat place, aka the local Chinese buffet, and he got a Lego kit he'd been eyeballing at Target. He also got a meeting with his Mom, his teacher, and one of the school district's transition planners to talk about what he wanted to do after high school. The festivities and merriment never end at the Household of No. A surprise for Mom: The Son of Never Stops Eating was all about getting a driver's license. Not to worry, neighbors ? if that day comes, I have "Student Driver" magnets for our vehicles.

Much of the meeting centered around working-

what kind of work he would like and do well at, whether he would be working full time or part time, where he might want to work, how he was going to get there, and how he would manage his money. Eventually, the conversation came around to maintaining his eligibility for Medicaid through SSI. Here's the thing about special needs planning: it is extremely complicated. Half the time, I'm not even sure I'm getting it right. People, the Mom of No included, pay other people specifically for assistance in navigating through the maze of state and federal programs. You almost have to ? a single mistake could destroy even the most carefully calibrated plan.

Because I don't know if the Son of Never Stops Eating will be able to hold a job that pays well enough to include health insurance benefits, maintaining eligibility for Medicaid is the center of the web that we are carefully weaving, strand by strand, in the hopes that it will be

strong enough to support him for his entire life.

What struck me at this meeting, although I didn't really realize it until later, was that his future working life won't be based so much on his abilities or his desires to work ? he wants a job really badly, to pay for all those Legos his mean mother won't buy him ? or even on any opportunities that may present themselves. The decisions will be based on maintaining his eligibility for health insurance. That is, as the teenagers would say, messed up.

The assumption of competence is, in planning for a special needs child's adult life, an extremely risky proposition.

The second I begin assuming competence ? the ability to make life choices, to get married, to hold down a full time job, to navigate daily life as an adult without your mom nagging you to do boring stuff like brushing your teeth or doing your laundry, is the moment I as-

sume a risk that the already fragile safety net will tear into so many fragments. As a parent, I don't want to assume incompetence. I want my soon-to-be adult child to make as many choices as he can for himself, to find fulfilling work, to live independently, but planning for competence within the constraints of what the system allows is like walking on a tightrope over a pit full of very hungry piranha.

It doesn't help that the conversations that our society really needs to be having ? the ones that would make a huge difference, especially the one about the health care are just not possible at this time.

Conversations I've had with people about my son's future often go like this: oh, your son is great, kids with autism are precious, God is watching out for them, what a wonderful mother you are.

These days the contrasting unspoken message is getting louder and louder: wow, that sucks for you, but it's not re-

ally my problem. Let's not commit any actual resources or demand that our politicians change anything.

Good luck, you're mostly on your own.

I left the meeting feeling optimistic and frustrated all at the same time. Later, after he got home from school, the Son of Never Stops Eating was hanging out on the sofa, watching The Simpsons and working on his latest Lego project. When I walked into the living room, I asked him what he'd thought of the meeting.

Mom, he told me, being a grownup is going to be hard work. He didn't sound dismayed or nervous. He seemed more in awe of the entire proceeding.

Yes, kid, being a grownup is definitely going to be hard work. I'm not sure either of us really know what we're in for yet.

For more of The Mom of No's musings, please visit themomofno.blogspot.com.

Reel Entropy: ?The L ast Jedi?isn?t ver y good Dec. 15, 2017

By L EOPOL D K NOPP

4/10 ?Star Wars: The Last Jedi? is a colossal technical failure. It is a clear-cut case of ?good story poorly told,? and that?s very painful because there are far more good ideas here than bad ones. Poor editing, which arises from trying to fit in a ridiculous, go- nowhere B plot, completely ruins the movie.

After ?The Force Awakens,? Rey (Daisy Ridley) has sought out Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the last jedi, to train her in the ways of the Force. Skywalker balks at the notion, afraid after one of his previous students, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), turned

M er r y Chr istmas!

From STEVE SOUTHWEL L Publisher

This has been quite a tough year for my family, The Lewisville Texan Journal,

to the dark side and destroyed his new order. Ren is himself at odds with his new master, Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), after his failures in the last movie.

Both estranged from their masters, he and Rey build a tentative relationship.

In an unrelated and completely unnecessary B plot, the last few ships of the rebel fleet are on the run from the First Order?s armada. They cannot escape by jumping to light speed, nor can they outrun the order using conventional engines, but they are fast enough to keep their pursuers at arm?s length while they slowly run out of fuel. Command passes to the hapless Vice Adm. Amilyn

Holdo (Laura Dern), who seemingly has no idea how to proceed. Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) hatch a plan to get out of the tight spot that is stupid and boring and takes up half the movie.

The main complaint people are sure to have about ?The Last Jedi? is its 152 minute runtime. Coming from the viewing public that paid to see two entire ?Lord of the Rings? trilogies, that?s not a real complaint. Time itself is never an issue in a movie ? it?s the way that time gets spent.

The pacing for ?The Last Jedi? is absolutely horrendous. Despite a historic tol-

erance of longer blockbusters, studios are scared to go too far over two hours, so this movie needs to get its overlong plot as close to 140 minutes as possible, so it cuts corners and creates problems for itself. Most scenes in the first two thirds of the movie have three or four key details missing from them ? establishing shots to appreciate the setting, moments for the audience to reset from the previous scene, little continuity shots to make it feel like a scene instead of a bunch of shots that have been edited together.

As a for instance, there?s a scene toward the end where a closeup of Ren holding his lightsaber behind him cuts

directly to a wide shot in which he?s holding it out in front of him, and there?s no transition.

Without giving the actors time to go through their emotions, some scenes, particularly between Rey and Skywalker, feel less like conversations and more like moderated political debates.

They belt out their lines, ostensibly to each other, without really seeming to interact...

and myself. As I sit to write this greeting, I don?t have a Christmas tree up at home yet, and have done basically no shopping. I don?t even have a clue what I?m going to do. I have family coming over on Sunday, and the only

thought I?ve given to what we?ll cook is ?oh crap, I have to go to the grocery store!?

Christmas spirit. I look forward to a little time off, and hopefully will catch some holiday cheer soon.

Nevertheless, we want to wish all of our readers a very merry Christmas. We hope you have the ability to spend quality time with family,

give someone what they desire, and find happiness in whatever way you can.

2017 is winding down, and we?re all pretty much over it. We have big hopes for 2018, and wish you a happy one too.

Publisher Steve Southwell steve@LewisvilleTexan.com Staff Writer Leopold Knopp knopp@LewisvilleTexan.com Business Manager Jennifer Southwell jen@LewisvilleTexan.com Send letters to the editor to editor@LewisvilleTexan.com Send local calendar events to calendar@LewisvilleTexan.com

It?s hard to catch a breath sometimes. This is one of those years where I just don?t have any

The L ewisville Texan Jour nal

SM

L ife and L iber ty in the L one Star State SM L ewisvilleTexan.com -- 469-322-4265 I SSN 2380-7253 (Pr int) ? I SSN 2380-7261 (Online)

Published

by SagePost, Inc 1720 S. Edmonds Ln. Ste 10 Lewisville, TX 75067 Copyright 2017, SagePost, Inc.

For the full review, find the Lewisville Texan Journal online or check out Knopp?s movie blog at reelentropy.com.

Subscribe The Lewisville Texan Journal is not yet taking subscriptions for this print edition, but will soon offer it. Stay tuned.

News

P3

M ar ij uana bust Continued fr om P1

Since both of Lewisville?s K?9 officers were out for training, Lewisville PD called in assistance from Little Elm Police Department, who were the closest available with a K-9.

Lynn said the dog alerted on the U- Haul trailer. In it, police found 418 pounds of marijuana packaged in multiple moving boxes, about 30 packages per box. Lynn said the drugs had a street value of $962,000.

That much marijuana, Lynn said, is destined to be divided up to more than one dealer. ?That?s a huge amount of marijuana,? Lynn said. ?Most arrests are for less than two ounces.?

The marijuana was wrapped in such a way that there was not much detectable odor outside of the trailer, Lynn said, crediting the K?9 officer?s sensitive nose for finding it.

Police found marijuana ?shake,? or bits and pieces, in the Tahoe, along with between 1 and 4 grams of THC oil. THC is the active compound in marijuana.

Terrell is held in Denton County Jail in lieu of a total bond amount of $110,000.

He is charged with possession of marijuana between 50 and 2,000 pounds, a 2nd degree felony for which he could be sentenced to between two and 20 years in prison. He is also charged with possession of between 1 and 4 grams of THC oil, which is a third degree felony.

Cominos is also charged with possession of marijuana between 50 and 2,000 pounds, a 2nd degree felony.

She was cited for running a red light. Cominos is held in Denton County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bond.

Rogers was arrested for the THC oil and held on a $5,000 bond.

Lynn said police were still investigating the suspects and their associations.

UPDATE ? Dec. 18, 2017

By STEVE SOUTHWEL L

The two people who were charged Saturday with

possession of 418 pounds of marijuana in a U-Haul trailer bonded out of jail Sunday ? just a day after being arrested.

They brought their two young daughters with them when they transported the drugs from California to Texas, according to the probable cause affidavit police filed.

Criminal records obtained by The Lewisville Texan Journal show that for two of the suspects, it?s not their first run-in with the law.

Probable affidavit

cause

Nathan Alan Terrell and Elizabeth Ann Cominos, who are married, left California on Friday, Dec. 15 with their 4- year- old and 9- month- old daughters in the vehicle with Cominos, according to her statement to police. Cominos was the driver of a silver Dodge Ram pickup that police said was towing the trailer full of marijuana.

Terrell followed her in his black Chevy Tahoe with Tyler Paul Rogers, who described himself as a family friend.

Police had received an anonymous tip that the pair were headed to Lewisville, either to Cominos? father?s apartment, or Terrell?s father?s house. They arrived Saturday night, Dec. 16. A Lewisville detective waited in an unmarked car near Cominos? father?s apartment in the 800 block of Hebron Station Parkway.

It was there that the detective observed the two vehicles stop briefly. Cominos would later tell officers that she was dropping off her daughters with her father so they could continue on and deliver the marijuana to a different location, according to the affidavit. The affidavit notes that Lewisville police contacted Child Protective Services.

The detective followed the vehicles as they left the complex and turned right on Lakeside Circle. From there, they traveled to Hebron Parkway and turned east.

The detective noted that both of them failed to signal at least 100 feet from the intersection, and that Cominos

failed to come to a full stop at the red light.

At this point, the affidavit says, the detective radioed another officer in a marked patrol car who was able to pull over Cominos in her truck pulling the U-Haul.

While she was being pulled over, the detective said he saw Terrell, who had been following her in his Tahoe, change lanes without signaling. A second patrol car was called to stop him.

Cominos was arrested for running the red light, and placed in the patrol car while a K-9 officer from Little Elm conducted a free air sniff of the truck and trailer. According to the affidavit, the K- 9 alerted on the driver?s side door of the truck and on the rear door of the U- Haul trailer.

The detective opened the trailer door and noticed that it was loaded with taped boxes and children?s toys and clothing. Upon opening a box toward the back of the trailer, the detective noted that it was full of vacuumsealed bags of marijuana.

Police had the truck and trailer towed to the police department for a search, where they discovered that there were 15 boxes containing a total of 372 packages of marijuana, each about 18 ounces.

When detectives interviewed Cominos, she allegedly told them that Terrell had loaded the marijuana in the trailer in California, and that they were just delivering it so she could get $10,000 to pay off a debt. The affidavit says she told the detectives that this was their third time to transport marijuana from California to Texas, and that they were supposed to get paid $100 per package.

Cominos allegedly told police that she had driven the truck because Terrell had previously been pulled over with ?stuff? in the car. The affidavit notes that Cominos appeared shocked that there was over 400 pounds of marijuana in the trailer.

Rogers allegedly told police that he had been ?hotboxing? ? smoking marijuana in the vehicle with the windows up. The affidavit said that when police had

pulled him out of the vehicle, he had marijuana crumbs on his shirt and in the seat he had been sitting in.

The affidavit says that when Terrell was interviewed, he denied knowing anything and said he didn?t have anything to do with anything.

Cr iminal Recor ds According to a criminal history report from Texas Department of Public Safety, Terrell has several convictions, the most recent of which was in September of this year for possession of marijuana between five and 50 pounds.

That marijuana conviction in Wilbarger County was a third degree felony for which he was already on probation.

Terrell?s first arrest was in Lewisville in 2007, when he was brought in for failure to stop and render aid with injury or death involved. The Lewisville Texan Journal has requested records in that case. According to DPS, he pleaded guilty and received five years probation with deferred adjudication.

Later that year, while still on probation, he was arrested again in Lewisville and charged with manufacturing/delivering and possession of a controlled substance from penalty group 1, with an amount between four and 200 grams ? a first degree felony. He was also charged with a class B misdemeanor for having less than two ounces of marijuana. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in prison, according to DPS records.

DPS custody records show he was incarcerated by the Department of Criminal Justice Huntsville from May 2008 to March 2011.

In late 2012, Terrell was arrested again by Lewisville police and charged with assault causing bodily injury to a family member, a class A misdemeanor. In early 2013, Terrell had a second arrest for assault causing bodily injury to a family member.

Online court records listings do not show who the victim was, but they show that Cominos was subpoenaed in

the case.

He was convicted of both assaults and sentenced to 300 days in jail and 16 months of probation on each charge. Judge Jim Crouch originally suspended the 300 day sentence, but records show that probation was later revoked and he was sentenced to 200 days in jail.

In January 2014, Terrell was arrested for evading arrest or detention, and sentenced to 200 days in county jail.

In June 2016, Terrell was arrested for another assault on a family member with bodily injury. He was convicted on those charges and sentenced to 215 days in jail.

The records are not clear why Terrell was free in September of 2016 when he was busted in Wilbarger County for the marijuana as well as a charge of felony money laundering.

Terrell pleaded guilty on the money laundering and drug charges from that case.

He was sentenced in September of this year to serve two years confinement, two years probation on the money laundering and eight years confinement, eight years probation for the marijuana.

Cominos also had a criminal record for drug dealing, and was on 7 years probation after her late 2016 conviction for manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance, penalty group 1, between 1 and 4 grams.

According to Denton County Sheriff ?s jail records, Terrell posted $110,000 bond and was released from jail on the most recent charges Sunday. Cominos and Rogers were also released Sunday on smaller bond amounts.

On Dec 19, Child Protective Services filed a petition with the 367th District Court for protection of a child, for conservatorship, and termination in suit affecting the parent-child relationship. That move was for the younger of their two daughters.

Their older daughter was part of another CPS case that had begun in 2013. A similar motion was filed in that case on Dec. 4, which is prior to the latest arrests.

"I hear d sir ens!"

"What 's going on?"

Con t act you r elect ed r epr esen t at ives.

For all t h e in f or m at ion , visit

List en on lin e: lt jn e.w s/ scan n er

lt jn e.w s/ m ygov

Wednesday, December 20, 2017 ?

469-322-4265 ? LewisvilleTexan.com

News

P4

Ways to help this holiday season Dec. 14, 2017

By CHRI STI NA UL SH ulsh@LewisvilleTexan.com

With the whirlwind of end?of?the?year festivities developing, it?s possible to have missed the deadline to adopt an angel or donate to the toy drive. But there are still ways to lend a hand in a meaningful way and spread goodwill this season.

There are various good deeds Lewisville Texans can partake in ? whether it?s supporting a family in need, providing for homeless animals or contributing to environmentconscious endeavors.

Here are a handful of ways to assist around the city:

Helping families Nonprofit Lovepacs is seeking donations and volunteers to help keep Lewisville ISD students from going hungry while away from school meals during winter break. The group is seeking volunteers to pick up an order from Aldi on Sunday at noon as well as some extra hands to pack the rest of the remaining meal boxes in the afternoon.

If not available Dec. 17, Lovepacs also requests volunteers the following Monday morning to aid in delivering to schools in LISD. Volunteers can sign up here.

Lovepacs anticipates feeding more than 1,000 children this holiday break.

Lewisville Texans may also donate snacks, canned goods or handmade cards to Lovepacs to be distributed

with the food boxes.

Refer to the Christmas wish list for acceptable donations and visit www.lovepacs.org/lewisville to see drop-off locations.

Lewisville-based Christian Community Action will also be accepting donations to give families through its Giving Tree program. From now until Dec. 23, CCA is collecting gift cards and age appropriate gifts for children up to 18 years old.

The Giving Tree at Music City Mall Lewisville is located in the food court and has tags with information regarding the children who will be receiving the gifts attached to it. Shoppers may take a tag and use the information to determine what unwrapped gift to bring back to the tree.

Another Giving Tree is also available at Stonebriar Centre in Frisco. CCA serves 42 communities throughout Texas. Presents may be left at the Giving Trees from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Monetary donations can be made to the Salvation Army, which will provide holiday assistance and food to struggling families. To donate to a family in need with Salvation Army, go to give.salvationarmyusa.org.

By purchasing tickets to see the Damien Hill Holiday Experience, Lewisville Texans can assist others as well as enjoy a little festive entertainment. Tickets are $25 and part of the proceeds helps Love Thy Neighbor purchase shoes for school children.

The production will be at 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22 at the Greater Lewisville Community Theater. Tickets can be purchased online or by phone at 972-221-7469.

Helping animals Antique Gallery of Lewisville is collecting donations for Lewisville Animal Services from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily until Dec. 23.

The shelter is seeking items such as paper towels, bleach, sturdy leashes, hard rubber toys for cats and dogs, soft treats, Walmart- brand kitty litter, canned pet food and dishwashing brushes.

Antique Gallery is in suite 128 at 1165 S. Stem-

mons Freeway.

Another ? and free ? way to help animals this season can be done by casting a vote. Animal welfare organization SPCA of Texas is competing for $2,500, the cash prize Guaranty Bank and Trust is giving away to the winning local charity of Guaranty Gives Back.

The SPCA of Texas has adopted out more than 5,500 animals, aided in more than 2,500 animal cruelty investigations and provided nearly 15,000 spays and neuters in 2016. Votes for the SPCA, or the charity of your choice, can be cast here.

the holiday spirit is to turn your live Christmas tree into mulch once you?re done with it through Lewisville?s free tree recycling program. Doing so will reduce waste, extend the life of landfills and ultimately aid in beautifying the city?s yards and gardens.

Deposit tinsel- free trees at Lake Park near the soccer fields before or on Jan. 15.

Don?t forget to bring your shovels and buckets to haul away mulch, available Dec. 26 to Jan. 30.

Generosity comes in more forms than one. How will you help those in need this winter?

Helping the environment One small way to spread

Candidates set for pr imar ies Continued fr om P1

ning against Cruz and O?Rourke sharing the primary with two Democrats.

Texas District 26 U.S. Representative Michael Burgess will run against Frisco businesswoman Veronica Birkenstock in the primary. On the Democratic side, a once-crowded field of candidates has narrowed to just Linsey Fagan and Will Fisher. Fisher was endorsed by former Democratic state

senator and gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis in November. ?Wendy?s a political hero of mine,? Fisher said. ?She?s somebody who is willing to put her values out in the forefront and not hide behind what she thinks might be more politically viable. I love that. To me that?s the sign of a true leader, and that?s why I look up to her.?

Governor Greg Abbott is also up for re- election with one of the largest campaign

funds in the country. He will face Barbara Krueger and Larry ?SECEDE? Kilgore in the Republican primary. Ten Democrats, including former Dallas County sheriff Lupe Valdez and Dallas residents Adrian Ocegueda and Jeffrey Payne, are running to oppose him.

For the Texas House of Representatives District 65, Democrat Michelle Beckley is running unopposed in the primary. Incumbent Ron Simmons of Carrollton,

however, will need to earn his party?s nomination over Kevin Simmons.

In District 63, incumbent Tan Parker runs unopposed for the Republican nomination while Laura Haines and Richard Wolf will vie for the Democratic one.

At the county level, Andy Eads is unopposed for the Republican nomination for county judge while Diana Leggett and Willie Hudspeth will compete for the Democratic nomination. Mary Horn,

who has served since 2002, will not seek re-election.

The full list of candidates across Denton county can be found online. The Lewisville Texan Journal will continue profiling candidates for the major positions representing Lewisville.

Primary elections will be held March 6, with early voting running Feb. 20 through March 2.

ley Ridge Boulevard between Mill Street and State Highway 121 Business to 40 mph. The city had conducted a speed study and found that most drivers average just under 45 mph down the curved stretch of roadway.

Council meetings, which are held on the first and third Mondays of every month except when they fall on a holiday, are recorded and posted on the city YouTube channel youtube.com/user/cityof lewisville.

City council meeting update Continued fr om P1

flat not allowed within the city limits, and I know this puts staff in a bad position and it puts homeowners in a bad position,? council member TJ Gilmore said.

The council raised the cost of trash and recycling collection by 3.2 percent to pay for a 3.2 percent increase in fees from city contracted disposal company Waste Management, which was itself responding to a 3.2 per-

The Lewisville Texan Journal

cent increase in the DFW Consumer Price Index.

Gilmore, who is the public sector manager for Waste Management, recused himself from the vote.

The council also voted to raise the speed limit on Val-

Please share, reuse or recycle after reading

Community

P5

Br iefs Compiled from submitted repor ts

L ewisville pet registr ation change The City of Lewisville is now using PetData.com to register all pets. Per City ordinance, all dogs, cats and ferrets more than four months old are required to be registered.

Registration will now cost $7 per year for each sterilized animal and $30 for each unsterilized animal.

Owners have the option to pay $21 or $90, respectively, for a three- year license.

There is a $2 convenience fee added to all transactions.

Pet owners who register through PetData.com will be required to scan, email or fax their latest rabies vaccination and proof of sterilization.

Pet owners without internet access can still register their pet in person at the Gene Carey Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, 995 E. Valley Ridge Road.

Registrations help the city reunite lost pets with owners, and offset a little bit of the cost of running animal services and the animal shelter. In the current fiscal year, the city expects it will bring in about $95,000 in licenses and fees from pet owners.

That's a fraction of the $743,283 it costs to run animal services or the $469,143 it will cost to run the animal shelter.

DCTA honor s state senator Texas State District 12

senator Jane Nelson (RFlower Mound), who represents a large portion of Lewisville, was honored last week by the Denton County Transportation Authority for her efforts to improve public transportation in Denton County. ?As our community grows, it is essential that our transportation system expands with it. Having sponsored the original legislation creating DCTA, it is rewarding to see it grow and help address the mobility needs of our Metroplex,? Senator Nelson said.

Senator Nelson sponsored legislation in 2001 that created the legal framework to create the DCTA. During each legislative session since then, she has introduced bills to ensure it has the tools needed to develop transportation options in Denton County. Last session, she authored SB 1179, allowing DCTA to partner with its member cities to build transportation infrastructure like new rail stations to improve mobility in the county. The agency recognized her efforts by presenting her with a model A- Train as a commemorative gift. ?Senator Jane Nelson has always been an advocate for DCTA and the A- train in particular. Her unwavering support throughout the years has been vital to our agency,?

DCTA Board Chairman Charles Emery said. ?We sincerely thank her for enabling us to fulfill our mission of providing safe, inno-

vative and efficient mobility solutions for the many communities we serve.?

Trout stocking dates for Elm For k announced The City of Lewisville, Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area and Texas Parks & Wildlife will stock the Elm Fork of the Trinity River with close to 4,000 rainbow trout this winter as part of an ongoing program to boost the fish population and encourage recreational use of the river.

The City of Lewisville and LLELA will release about 334 pounds of catchable rainbow trout Dec. 21 below the Lewisville Dam spillway into the river. The state will release 3,000 young trout over two days, Jan. 10 and 31.

Actual stocking dates are dependent on weather, so anglers should call the hatchery at 903-676-2277 to verify.

Trout anglers will need the $5 Freshwater Fishing Stamp, which is included in all freshwater license packages. Anglers under 17 years of age are not required to have a license or stamp.

Texas fishing regulations apply.

The Texas Smooth Groove Holiday Concer t on Dec. 22 The Texas Smooth Groove Holiday Concert featuring Tom Braxton, Mark Harper, Fingerprints, and Toni Redd will be held 7 p.m. Dec. 22 at Medical City Lewisville Grand Theater,

100 N. Charles St. The event will include smooth jazz and holiday favorites featuring some of the hottest musicians in the Lone Star state. Make it a special holiday night and join the musicians afterward at the VIP After Party with DJ Kevin Flanagan.

The show starts at 7 p.m. and the VIP after party will start at 9:30 p.m. Event is for ages 21 and up. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Tickets for the performance are $30 in advance or $40 at the door, and VIP passes are $30. For both a performance ticket and an After- Party ticket, prices are $55 in advance or $60 at the door.

To purchase tickets, visit delamarmarketing.com New ticket pr icing plan announced for Texas Tunes concer t ser ies The seventh season of the Texas Tunes concert series will feature a deeply talented, diverse line- up, as well as a new ticket pricing plan. The 2018 Texas Tunes concert series begins Jan. 13, and will feature musicians based in Texas, originally from Texas or performing music about Texas.

All concerts start at 8 p.m. in the Performance Hall of Medical City Lewisville Grand Theater, 100 N. Charles Street.

Attendees will be able to select their seat when purchasing tickets through our new reserved seating ticket-

ing system. Seats range from $20 to $30. Tickets for the first show will be available for purchase online at MCLGrand.tix.com starting Dec. 21 or in person at MCL Grand during regular business hours. Discounted $15 tickets are available at the box office for Lewisville residents with a current driver?s license or utility bill.

The father/son combination of Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Colin Gilmore will kick the series off Jan. 13. The second concert of the season will take place Feb. 10, and will feature 2015 Austin Musician of the Year, Gina Chavez. The remainder of the 2018 Texas Tunes line-up will be announced soon, highlighted by Grammy Award winning songwriter Jimmy Webb on April 21.

2018 L L EL A season passes go on sale Dec. 26 2018 Season Passes to Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area (LLELA) will be available for purchase starting Dec. 26 at the LLELA Gatehouse, 201 E. Jones Street.

Passes are $60 (cash or check), and are issued in the form of a sticker that must be affixed to your vehicle at the time of purchase. These passes allow a vehicle to enter LLELA through Dec. 31, 2018. Regular gate admission is $5 per vehicle for each visit. Season passes also allow entry to Lake Park and the Tower Bay boat ramp.

Event calendar Thur sday, Dec. 21 Schools close for Winter Break Lewisville ISD schools release early for the holidays today. Schools will remain closed until Jan. 8.

Fr iday, Dec. 22 Holiday M ovie Break: The Polar Express 2 to 4 p.m. at the Lewisville Public Library, 1197 W. Main St. in Lewisville.

Get in the holiday spirit with a free family film. Today we will be showing ?The Polar Express.? Free tickets will be distributed on a firstcome-first-served basis at the Youth Services Desk 30 minutes prior to show time.

Acoustic Jam Session Fridays at 7 p.m. in the

MCL Grand, 100 N. Charles St. in Lewisville.

Weekly open jam and song circle. All acoustic instruments and levels of proficiency are welcome. All music genres are welcome.

Acoustic Fridays are sponsored by the Visual Art League of Lewisville.

Texas Smooth Groove Holiday Concer t 7 p.m. at the MCL Grant, 100 N. Charles St. in Lewisville.

The Texas Smooth Groove Holiday Concert featuring Tom Braxton, Mark Harper, Fingerprints, and Toni Redd.

The event will include smooth jazz and holiday favorites featuring some of the hottest musicians in the Lone Star state. Make it a special holiday night and join the musicians afterwards at the VIP After Party with DJ

Kevin Flanagan.

The show starts at 7 p.m. and the VIP after party will start at 9:30 p.m. Event is for 21 and up. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Tickets for the performance are $30 in advance/$40 at the door; VIP / After Party tickets are $30.

For both a performance ticket and an After Party ticket prices are $55 in advance/ $60 at the door. To purchase tickets, visit delamarmarketing.com.

M onday, Dec. 24 Holiday Closures The library, city offices, senior center and MCL Grand will be closed until Dec. 27 and recreation centers and DCTA services will be closed until Dec. 26 in observance of the Christmas holiday.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017 ?

Wednesday, Dec. 27 Senior Book Club 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Lewisville Estates Senior Living, 800 College Parkway in Lewisville.

For readers of fiction, biographies, and nonfiction.

Each month has a different theme and readers will be allowed to select a book that goes along with that theme.

Librarians will bring suggested titles to the meetings.

Join at any time. Open to adult readers. You do not have to be a resident of Lewisville Estates to attend.

Thur sday, Dec. 28 Crochet Cor ner 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Lewisville Public Library, 1197 W. Main St. in Lewisville.

Interested in crochet?

Join experienced crocheter

469-322-4265 ? LewisvilleTexan.com

Michele Harlass and learn how to make basic crochet stitches and apply those stitches to make different projects. Come together to share ideas, get inspiration, or even show off your work.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own yarn and needles. A limited amount of supplies will be provided. No registration required. Open only to adults 18 and older.

Sunday, Dec. 31 Holiday Closures Frederick P. Herring Recreation Center and Memorial Park Recreation Center will close at 5 p.m., an hour early, in observance of New Year?s Eve and remain closed New Year?s Day. DCTA transportation services will not run either day.

The library, city offices and the MCL Grand will all be closed New Year?s Day.

Photos 2017 winners: Best of Season: 1288 Winnipeg (top) Most Beautiful: 1334 Clear Creek Drive (left) Most Creative: 1848 Cindy Lane (top right) Most Whimsical: 2080 Stillwater Place Best Musical: 1428 Creekview Drive (front page) Nominees: 300 block of W Purnell Street 700 block of Mockingbird Drive 100 block of Santiago Bay 300 block of Carnation 2200 block of Peach Tree 1400 block of Stone Canyon Way 1400 block of Marblecrest Drive 1600 block of Clarendon Drive 1600 block of Crosshaven Drive 1600 block of Sparrow Court 800 block of Summit Peak 1500 block of Glenhill Lane 1500 block of Chisolm Trail 1400 block of Juniper Lane 1600 block of Alpine Pass 1500 block of Steamboat Trail 1300 block of Falcon Drive 1500 block of Snowbird Trail 1800 block of Trail Ridge 2100 block of Teal Court 1200 block of Sam Dennis Drive 600 block of Pine Street (bottom) 500 block of Richland street (lower right)

P6

K eep L ewisville Beautiful Holiday Yar d of the M onth

KLB's selection for best of season on the 1200 block of Winnipeg Street. Every light appears to be on an individual LED and can, as a group, be made to do just about anything. It's synchronized to a radio station that can be listened to from your car. Live video on the display can be found on the Lewisville Texan Journal Facebook page.

All images courtesy Keep Lewisville Beautiful.

Above: Cousin Eddie sucks up leaves from a runner-up yard on the 500 block of Richland Street.

Left: The most beautiful yard winner. Keep Lewisville Beautiful executive director Amy Wells said the holiday yard competition was more competitive than previous years, with very close scores for several houses.

Below: A runner-up on the 600 block of Pine Street.

The Lewisville Texan Journal

Please share, reuse or recycle after reading