The PROSPER TIMES | 9.29.17

PROSPERTIMES Friday September 29, 2017 | Prosper, Texas

VOL. 1 | NO. 22

Prosper Profiles

Prosper picks Frisco Fire officer as Assistant Fire Chief After an extensive search process that attracted interest from some 60 candidates representing departments throughout Texas, the Prosper Fire Department has named Shaw Eft as Assistant Fire Chief, the department’s second in command. Chief Eft begins his assignment in Prosper on Monday, October 2.

Chief Eft is the current Deputy Chief of Operations for the Frisco Fire Department, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the department.

In his role, he oversees almost 200 personnel, most of whom are involved in some aspect of delivering direct services in firefighting and medical emergency response.

“Chief Eft comes to us with a wide breadth of experience,” says Fire Chief Stuart Blasingame. “His 20-year career has been marked by steady progress, which demonstrates a commitment to the advancement of the fire service.

We’re very pleased and fortunate to have Chief Eft on board.”

The Assistant Fire Chief position became vacant with the promotion of Blasingame to the position of Fire Chief upon the retirement of long-time Fire Chief Ronnie Tucker.

Eft began his career with the Frisco Fire Department as a volunteer in 1996. A year later, he was hired by the department full-time. After two years, he was promoted to Lieutenant, remaining in that position for five years.

He was then promoted to Captain. After two years in that position, he was named Battalion Chief Shift Commander. This was followed by a promotion to Battalion Chief of Training/EMS/Special Operations, and in 2015, he was named Deputy Chief of Operations.

Eft has been recognized as Frisco Officer of the Year twice, in 2006 and 2012. His experience as a reservist with the US Marine Corps motivated him to serve as department manager for the Frisco Color and Honor Guard.

His experience includes radio communications, budgeting, developing task books for each of the firefighter/paramedic ranks and has assisted in the development of departmental policies and procedures.

He completed a number of certification programs in the fire service through the appropriate state and local colleges and agencies, including Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic, Fire Instructor, Hazardous Materials Technician, Driver/Operator Pump, Advanced Firefighter, several levels of Fire Officer and Pro Board Fire Officer. He also completed the Fire Service Chief Executive Officer course at the Texas A&M Mays School of Business.

Eft is married and the father of two teenage daughters.

Meet Lucy Towle Joyce Godwin Joyce@CedarbrookMedia.com She’s been a great help on the Prosper Community Library Board for the past 5 years. So much so that the Town Council announced at its last meeting that Lucy will be on the board for another term.

“As a Prosper Community Library Board member, Lucy has offered unwavering and consistent support to the library,” says Leslie Scott, director for the Prosper Community Library. “Her insight of the library field is a huge asset to the board and her passion for Prosper is obvious.

Lucy has been an advocate for a new library facility for years and I'm incredibly pleased she will soon see her long-term dedication rewarded.”

She is lead librarian for Prestonwood Christian Academy, overseeing both the Prosper campus and the Plano campus, while also working as the Upper School Librarian.

The Towle family came to Prosper 11 years ago. She said a fellow teacher talked to her about the youth ministry in Prosper and the relationships and accountability the youth have with one another “and that spoke to my heart. I knew I wanted to raise my kids where that exists and that’s what we got.”

She said she worked for the Prosper school district for five years. “We brought the kids here because we wanted them to be wholey involved in the town,” she said.

Now her children are in high school. Philip is in the 11th grade and Kirstin is a freshman.

Also in the family is a 13-yearold Maltese named Lady and a cat named Peaches. They also foster a Lionhead female bunny named Olaf and an aquarium with fish that came from Cockrell Elementary. “If it was up to my daughter, we would have a lot more pets,” she said.

Lucy doesn’t have a lot of extra time to put into hobbies. Any time she does get goes toward ministry work at her church.

She said it’s been important to her since her college days at the University of Texas in San Antonio where she obtained her Interdisciplinary Studies degree. She later attended The University of North Texas and gained a masters degree in library sciences.

“Now that I have teens, I give my time serving in the student ministry. I’ve tried to be involved in each level as my children have grown up.”

The Towles have lived all over, as Lucy describes it, because of her husband Jim’s job. She said even when they lived in Germany, they did Sunday School. “It’s just been part of who I am,” she said.

Lucy is also a writer and has been published in a local publication or two. She like to volunteer and serve in different areas. Philip is in the Young Men’s Service League which is in its second year or formation.

“I work on the website,” she said and explained it’s a service where its members do volunteer hours.

WeAreProsper.com | $1.00

Town of Prosper Recognizes National Night Out on Oct. 3rd

Celso Martinez/TOWN OF PROSPER

The Prosper Town Council presented a proclamation to Prosper Police Chief Doug Kowalski and Fire Chief Stuart Blasingame in Tuesday town council meeting declaring October 3 as National Night Out.

Prosper Police Department Keeping Up with Area’s Growth Joyce Godwin Joyce@CedarbrookMedia.com There is more to a police department than just patrolling either on foot or in vehicles and the Prosper Police Department is no exception. Complicated by the incredible growth experienced in Prosper, it’s no easy task to keep the department where it needs to be to serve its residents well. Assistant Police Chief Gary McHone and Chief Doug Kowalski both agree the Town of Prosper is taking care of the department’s needs even though it’s not easy.

McHone says his department has needs just like the other departments in the town. “But the town is going through the steps to get us everything,” he said. “It’s not an overnight process. Once the new town hall is occupied we

See Lucy Towle, page 3

will do some minor remodeling to the existing town hall and put the police department under one roof.”

That will allow the department to give up the leased space at 110 West Broadway. McHone said it’s been leased for several years. But space is not the only consideration when police officers are employed.

There is a lot of equipment furnished to officers from uniforms to AR15 rifles.

Entry-level officers are paid slightly more than $60,000 and that’s competitive with the area.

McHone says there are currently 26 authorized full-time positions and they are in the process of hiring two more. Thinking optimistically, he says there may be a couple more positions available in the upcoming fiscal year. But, if you’re not competitive with the area, you just serve as a training ground for the agencies surrounding us, he added.

“We want a high-level service,” he said. “With around 22,000 people, we want to attract and retain the best quality people we can get.”

See Prosper Police, page 4

Bethlehem Place Golf Tourney Just Around the Corner Joyce Godwin Joyce@CedarbrookMedia.com There is still time for sponsors to get involved in the 2017 Bethle-hem Place Charity Golf Tournament featuring NFL Hall of Fame Legend Randy White. Deadline for sponsors to be able to get their logos on tournament materials was Sunday, September 4. But do-nations are still being accepted toward the golf tournament.

Betsy Winters, executive director of Bethlehem Place, says there is also still room for golfers to join the fun either one at time or in a foursome.

She said if single golfers enter, they will be matched with a group for the noon shotgun start. “We still need golfers and golfers are welcome to sign up online or at the tournament,” Win-ters said. “We'd prefer to have golfers sign up online so we know how many lunches to order and how many will be at the reception.

This will be the third annual Bethlehem Place Charity Golf Tour-nament at Gentle Creek Golf Club. All proceeds will benefit the non-profit charity, Bethlehem Place, Prosper's only food pantry.

With the added stress placed on charities from victims of Hurri-cane Harvey, Bethlehem Place is not getting as much food from the North Texas Food Bank to furnish for Prosper neighbors in need.

Tournament registration is available online. To register now, com-plete the online registration and payment process found on the Bethlehem Place website.

For more information, contact Bethlehem Place through the web-site at www.bethlehemplace.org or email Winters at betsy.bethlehemplace@gmail. com.

Check us out online at www.WeAreProsper.com for up to date news in and around Prosper!

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PROSPERTIMES

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Water, wastewater related rates to increase October 1 Increases to appear in November utility bills TOWN OF PROSPER Because of the rising cost of water purchased from the supplier, coupled with the increased costs associated with storing and distributing water to residences and businesses, the rates for these services will be readjusted over the next three years.

Increased costs for managing storm water collection will affect those monthly rates as well.

Water purchased by the Town from the North Texas Municipal Water District is increasing in cost annually, and those increases are necessarily passed along to consumers. This is the case because the Utility Fund, a separate mechanism for financing water, wastewater and solid waste, is selfsustaining. The Utility Fund is kept solvent by ensuring that charges related to utility service for all customers is equal to the cost of those services. As those costs rise, so must the charges.

While the Council and staff have been diligent in attempting to keep those costs as low as possible, the cost of purchasing water and the costs associated with distributing that water to homes and businesses continue to rise. As a result of a comprehensive study on water and wastewater rates, the Town Council has approved a rate adjustment, the first since 2012.

For customers with a one-inch meter, which is the majority of customers, the minimum monthly service charge rises from the 2016 rate of $18.54 to $19.85 starting on October 1; $21.25 starting on October 1, 2018; and $23.20 starting on October 1, 2019. Customers with larger-sized meters will experience similar increases.

As for water utilization charges, called volumetric charges, those rates will also rise. As an average, the rate for utilization of 0-10,000 gallons rises from the 2016 level of $3.74 to $4 starting October 1; $4.28 starting on October 1, 2018; and $4.67 starting on October 1, 2019. Using the same starting dates, the rates for 10,001 to 40,000 gallons go from the 2016 cost of $5.60 to $5.99, $6.41; and $6.99. Higher volumetric rates show similar increases.

Monthly service charges for wastewater will also increase over the next three years. These rates will rise from the 2016 rate of $22.63 to $25.35 starting on October 1; $28.40 starting on October 1, 2018; and $31.85 starting on October 1, 2019. The cost per 1,000 gallons of wastewater increases from the 2016 rate of $3.52 to $4.15; $4.90; and $5.78 over the next three years.

Rates for commercial customers are also seeing an increase over the next three years. The new rates will be reflected in utility bills arriving in homes and businesses on or around November 20.

Similarly, maintenance and repair of the Town’s storm water and rain runoff facilities, mandated by state and federal law and funded by the Drainage System Utility Fee, will also reflect an increase.

For single family residential properties of up to 10,000 square feet, the monthly fee will increase from $1.85 to $3. SFR properties over 10,000 square feet will see rates rise from $4 to $5.15. Commercial rates will rise from $0.057 per 100 square feet of impervious area to $0.10 per 100 square feet of impervious area.

Eligible seniors may receive a credit of the Drainage System Utility Fee by applying for the Senior Affordability Discount at the Utility Billing Office, 121 West Broadway. Applications are also available on the Utility Billing page at www.prospertx.gov.

Periodic rate adjustments are unavoidable, as the Utility Fund must operate “in the black,” that is, without carrying debt or deferring debt to later years.

This is the case with all self-sustaining funds, of which virtually every Utility Fund-type mechanism is based.

Water conservation and prudent use of water resources have proven to save both water and money. Water conservation advice is available at www. prospertx.gov/government/departments/water-conservation/.

To review the new rates, please visit www.prospertx.gov/government/ departments/utility-billing/.

Prosper Organizations Honored at Collin College

Courtesy photo

From left are Stephanie Funk representing the Prosper Ladies Association, Jennifer Sanchez of the Prosper Education Foundation and Greg Dyer of the Prosper Rotary Club attending a Collin College reception so the three groups could be recognized by the college as Legacy Patrons and members of the President’s Circle of Giving. The reception and dinner were held last week at the Plano Event Center.

Joyce Godwin Joyce@CedarbrookMedia.com Representatives from the Prosper Education Foundation, Prosper Ladies Association and the Prosper Rotary Club attended a special dinner last week at the Plano Event Center hosted by The Collin College Scholarship Foundation.

The three groups were being honored by the college because of scholarship fundraising over the past several years. At the reception, the groups were recognized and welcomed into the President’s Circle of Giving and elevated to the status of Legacy Patron.

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins…” Ephesians 2:11 I don’t think there’s ever been a time in history when people have been as fearful, anxious, and uncertain about the state of the world as they are today. We are not the first generation to face difficulty.

These feelings may be due to the fact that technology allows us to see so much more of it. Problems with the economy, with unstable foreign powers, with racism — none of these are new. And what’s more disconcerting from a purely human standpoint, is that legislation can solve none of these issues. People cannot solve these problems, mainly because our twisted nature is the problem.

The letter to the Ephesians from

Paul the apostle stands in stark contrast to our present situation of grace. The second chapter begins by delving into the dark, scary regions of the heart, and it’s quite a negative assessment. But Paul quickly moves to the positive message of a sovereign, loving God who has intervened in our hopelessness and transformed us from the inside out.

Paul paints a picture in black and white of what mankind is by nature and what we can become by God’s grace.

In an earlier time when prison guards would lead a condemned prisoner down the hallway to his execution, they would call out, “Dead man walking!” The reason why is debated. Some say it was a warning to others that this prisoner was desperate and therefore unpredictable, so watch out. Others say they were letting everybody

Greg Dyer represented the Prosper Rotary Club, Jennifer Sanchez represented the Prosper Education Foundation and Stephanie Funk represented the Prosper Ladies Association.

The Community Scholarship was started a few years ago when Prosper residents were inspired to provide graduating seniors from Prosper High School with a scholarship to attend Collin College.

Joey Womble of the Prosper Rotary Club led the charge and other organizations quickly joined in the efforts to make sure every graduate who wants to, can to go to college.

Check us out online

at www.WeAreProsper.com

PT IN HIS PRESENCE Dead Man Walking

Friday September 29, 2017

know a severe case of bad luck was coming down the hallway that they didn’t want to touch. In any case, the symbolism was clear; the condemned man, in the eyes of the law, was already dead. It was no doubt a somber, sobering announcement. In the same way, any person without the grace of God, without the certainty of salvation, stands condemned and dead, even though he or she is breathing air.

Without the new life only God can give us, we’re all dead men walking.

We don’t like to think of ourselves as being in this condition, or having ever been in this condition. We’d prefer to think of ourselves as only needing a tweak here and there. I’m a pretty good guy, if I could only get rid of this one bad habit.

It stings less to say, “I have a few issues”, rather than, “I have a sinful heart.”

“I have a negative personality trait” sounds a little better than saying, “My soul is cold and dead before God.” The human heart without God’s influence is a very dark place.

Thank God for the word “were.”

It makes the sentence quoted above past tense. The surrounding verses make it clear that this is an implication of the work of Jesus and attribute the change to his gospel.

Jesus came and lived the only perfect life, but then He died the death I was condemned to die. In my place, he absorbed my sin and condemnation.

Because he was an innocent man who died a cursed death, we are released from our curse. Because he shared in our death we can share in his resurrection.

Because he died for us we can live with him.

Theology often seems cold and dusty and heady, until you realize how thoroughly God’s salvation is bathed

where I worked at the time and I was the first to check it out and read it Leslie Scott over one weekend’s time. This Prosper Times contributor week I’m not reading nearly as fast and I’m struggling to keep the places and situations straight. Then mid-week it hit me, what would help me with all the travel of the characters and geographic references in the book was a map.

Maps are truly an interesting and For many years I judged and made an helpful addition to a novel. Currently we assumption. I admit it, I did it. When I see maps in children’s and teen books open a book and there’s a detailed map more than adult books, but the opposite either in the inside cover or the center I was true until the late 19th century. close that book right back and move on. Treasure Island, Hundred Acre Woods, I assume that the book is going to be so The Hobbit, Harry Potter, The Wizard complicated that I will need a map to of Oz, Narnia, and Game of Thrones all keep track of the story. I know my own have maps of some sort in the front, back, personal reading struggles and limitation or inside of the book. Many espionage, and I just don’t want my pleasure reading war, and foreign affairs novels provide to be that complicated. Well, I am sorry maps as a way to show places of action or now and I need a map. educate the reader on the importance of I began to re-read a novel last week a place’s location. Maps also are created that I read and loved from 2005. I to help the reader visualize make-believe remember when it arrived to be added places where a world has been created to the collection at the university library and the story takes place in that world.

PT I n O th e r W o rds

Map Included

in the truest of all love. John Piper has said, “Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good, He came to make dead people alive.” In trusting Him, we move from dead men walking to live men walking in new life.

Pastor Kenny Thacker is lead pastor at Lighthouse Christian Fellowship.

Those are maps where we are not left to our own imaginations.

The map not only helps as a visual to the story, but it may tell its own story as well. And the art of some can be incredibly detailed and ornate or very sparse with only minimal information.

Many readers will study a map before beginning a story, while others will begin the story and then reference back to it when needed. Or there’s those readers, like me, that avoided the map (and even the book) altogether.

The book I’m re-reading, “The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova, has so many European points of reference that I’ve had to seek out alternative map help. Yes, I did it, I saved a map on my iPad and reference it often. Maybe I’m slowing down as a reader, perhaps I want more from the story than just a quick reread, and more than any guess as to why I’ve changed my mind about maps, I gladly admit was just wrong about them.

Leslie Scott is the Director for the Prosper Community Library.

To Advertise in the PROSPER TIMES and reach every mailbox in the 75078 zipcode, please contact Cedarbrook Media at 972.347.6231 or email Heather@CedarbrookMedia.com

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Friday September 29, 2017

Lucy Towle From page one She also provides photography services for the different events her children are in. My son is in band so I take those pictures and my daughter is in Cross Country to I take pictures there for all the kids. She also serves on the band’s scholarship committee for the Prosper Band Boosters Club.

About the head band director John Alstrin, Lucy said “I was so excited to meet him. “He told me how the band learned the “train” and how he brought that to the band, and I just thought that was awesome. Everybody loves it when the band starts on the “train.”

Lucy says her favorite quote is one from the Bible find at Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

She said she had some miscarriages before their son was born. “I just claimed it [the Bible verse] that no matter what happens, God’s got this.” she said. “He knows what we are going through and He’s got this. Whatever it is, He’s got this.

The Prosper Times is featuring Prosper residents each week in “Prosper Profiles.” We want to bring to the forefront individuals who quietly go about their business with little to no fanfare. If you know of someone who qualifies for this spot, please send an email to me to let us know.

Renowned Children’s Author, Illustrator Visits Prosper Library

PT F i re D e pa rt m e nt i n c i d e nt re p o rts September 19: EMS Call, excluding vehicle accident with injury in the 400 Block of Stephanie Lane; EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury in the 1100 block of Escalante Trail; Gas leak (natural gas or LPG) in the 400 block of Brook View Court; EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury in the 900 block of Butchart Drive; Public service in the 1100 block of Cedar Springs Drive; Alarm system activation, no fire - unintentional in the 2400 block of Fountain Lake, Little Elm.

September 20:

Alarm system activation, no fire - unintentional in the 700 block of Richland Boulevard; Alarm system activation, no fire - unintentional in the 4700 block of Desert Willow Drive; Dispatched and cancelled en route to the 900 block of Speargrass Lane; Power line down in the 200 block of West Broadway Street.

September 21: Dispatched and cancelled en route to the area of East University Drive and Navo, Little Elm; Motor vehicle accident with no injuries in the area of North Preston Road and East Prosper Trail; Motor vehicle accident with no injuries in the 100 block of North Preston Road; Motor vehicle accident with injuries in the area of East University Drive and South Coit Road; Lock-Out in the 300 block of Eagle Drive; No incident found on arrival at dispatch address in the area of 26700 East University Drive, Little Elm; EMS Call, Excluding vehicle accident with injury in the 26600 block of East University Drive, Little Elm; Smoke detector activation due to malfunction in the 1100 block of Cedar Springs Drive; EMS Call, excluding vehicle accident with injury in the 200 block of East Fifth Street; Dispatched and cancelled en route to the area of 26900 East University Drive, Little Elm.

September 22: Leslie Scott, Director for the Prosper Community Library

Toni Yuly, acclaimed children’s author and illustrator, reads from her book at the Prosper Community Library during Yuly’s recent visit.

Joyce Godwin Joyce@CedarbrookMedia.com

Toni Yuly, acclaimed children’s author and illustrator, visited Prosper to learn about the community in preparation for the mural she will create on walls in the new library once the multi-purpose building opens that will house the new library and the Prosper Town Hall.

Yuly has recently been working in creating art with torn tissue paper and held a workshop showing how she does it while at the Prosper Library. She also read her latest book to Prosper children, released just two weeks ago, “Thank You Bees.”

“The children had a great time and Toni loved everything about her visit,” said Leslie Scott, Director for the Prosper Community Library.

PHS Included in 2017 Broadcast Pacemaker Finalists Joyce Godwin Joyce@CedarbrookMedia.com Prosper High School’s Eagle Nation News is among the 15 finalists for the prestigious Pacemaker Award for scholastic broadcasting from the National Scholastic Press Association. Five of the 15 are in Texas and four of those are close to Prosper. Lovejoy, Liberty and Coppell are finalists as well. Of the 15 finalists, only four produce live broadcasts and that group includes Prosper.

“We are really excited about the status this year,” the PHS broadcast teacher Brian Kennedy said. “It’s something that’s been a goal for us since we started the program. We have worked to be entertaining and still cover stories that hold students’ interests.”

Kennedy talked about the differences between a live broadcast program and one that’s recorded. “It’s a challenge, because when you are going live every day, it’s tough to let your stories develop. And the schools that aren’t going live are able to take as long as two weeks or more to develop their stories so they can be more in depth when they first come out.”

Kennedy, Eagle Nation News Advisor, was himself honored in April with a national recognition by the Journalism Education Association as the National Distinguished Broadcast Adviser for 2016-2017.

He said the teams made some changes and adjustments because they wanted to tell better stories. “We think our changes and adjustments are resulting in this award,” Kennedy said. “We are really thrilled. There are some really solid programs in the list of 15.”

The other three live broadcast programs are in other parts of the country and Kennedy says they are strong programs in the country, “so we are excited to be named with those. I don’t think many in Texas are live. We kind of think we are in a class of our own as far as what we are doing here.”

“The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award and is often called the Pulitzer Prize of scholastic journalism,” said Laura Widmer, executive director. “NSPA is honored to recognize the best of the best.”

The NSPA Pacemaker award has a rich tradition and started just a few years after the organization was founded in 1921. The Pacemaker was added for broadcasting in 1996 to reflect its growing importance at the high school level.

Each school entered three programs from the 2016-2017 school year. A team of three judges from College Broadcasters, Inc. viewed each entry discussing its strengths and weaknesses.

The judging team praised the overall quality of the entries: “The Pacemakerwinning entries stood out for their quality, not only in the production, but in the stories being told, the writing, editing and hosting, and the willingness to tackle controversial topics. These were exceptional newscasts start to finish.”

Shows were divided into live and pre-recorded categories. The frequency of the broadcast was also considered with daily shows competing in a category, with weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or less-frequently in another.

The 15 Pacemaker finalists included 14 high schools and one middle school representing eight states. Four of the finalists produced live broadcasts and seven aired daily shows.

Of the 15 Pacemaker finalists, eight will be named Pacemaker winners. In all, there were 55 entries.

Insights and observations from the judges about the Pacemaker winning broadcasts will be posted when the Pacemaker winners are announced along with professional bios of the judges.

Broadcast Pacemaker finalists will be recognized and the Pacemaker winners will be announced at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention, November 16-19, 2017 in Dallas.

To view samples of the finalists’ entries, visit the website at http:// studentpress.org/nspa/awards/bcf17.

WeAreProsper.com | Page 3

Dispatched and cancelled en route to the area of Providence and University, Aubrey; Lock-Out in the area of 1100 Escalante Trail; Cultivated grain or crop fire in the area of FM 428 and 1385, Aubrey; EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury in the 900 block of Ridgecross Road; Person in distress, other in the 100 block of North Craig Road; EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury in the area of FM 2931 and

US 380, Aubrey; Dispatched and cancelled en route to the area of FM 720 and West University Drive, Little Elm.

September 23:

Smoke detector activation due to malfunction in the 200 block of Lake Trail Lane; EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury in the 1500 block of East First Street; Alarm system activation, no fire - unintentional in the 700 block of North Coleman Street; Dispatched and cancelled en route to the 1700 block of Brookside Drive; Brush or brush-and-grass mixture fire in the area of FM 428 and 1385, Aubrey; EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury in the 4300 block of Fisher Road; Extrication of victim or victims from vehicle in the area of Highway 377 and Spring Hill Road, Aubrey; Motor vehicle accident with no injuries in the area of East Prosper Trail and North Custer Road.

September 24: Building fire in the 2900 block of Cattle Baron Drive, Little Elm; EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury in the 800 block of Arrowhead Drive; Motor vehicle accident with no injuries in the area of North Dallas Parkway and West University Drive; Assist police or other governmental agency in the 900 block of Twin Buttes Drive; EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury in the 26500 block of East University Drive, Little Elm; Dispatched and cancelled en route to the 100 block of Rhea Mills Circle; EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury in the 4500 block of Bluestem Drive.

September 25: Smoke detector activation due to malfunction in the 700 block of Rockrose Drive; Assist police or other governmental agency in the 1500 block of East University Drive; Motor vehicle accident with injuries at the intersection of West University Drive and South Teel; EMS call, excluding vehicle accident with injury in the 1000 block of South Coit Road; Gas leak (natural gas or LPG) in the 800 block of Star Meadow Drive; Dispatched & cancelled en route to the 2700 block of Red Cedar, Little Elm. Editor’s Note: Information found on the Fire Department website at www.prospertx.gov/firedepartment.

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PT A B it of W is d o m …

Stand Up Joyce Godwin Joyce@CedarbrookMedia.com You can probably tell by the title where I’m going with this. It’s been difficult in this past couple of weeks to turn on any broadcast, whether TV or radio, and not hear something about the protest by NFL players against our flag, country and/or the National Anthem. It’s been so muddled by all the different reasons expressed that it’s hard to tell what the protest is all about.

One says it’s because people of color are mistreated by police. Another says it’s in solidarity for the right to protest, another says it’s because the team is going to support one another so they all do the same thing and yet another says they are protesting our president.

It started more than a year ago and I want to go on record to say I’m pretty tired of it. The NFL players, with many of the team owners’ blessings, have hijacked the game to make it into a political statement that has no place on the field of contest where millions of fans pay for the right to watch. Not only do we pay steep, steep prices for tickets, we also pay big to buy NFL merchandise so we can wear the numbers of our favorite players.

We come to the stadium as fans of the game or turn on the TV to watch football, not to see a protest; and especially not to see a bunch of millionaires disrespect Old Glory.

I believe these players who have a beef have the right to protest, but not on the dime of the fans. If their message is so important, they certainly have enough money to pool together to fund a campaign that will get their point across in a way we can understand. It would be more successful than what we see happening now.

For me, any point they are trying to make is lost because I can’t get past the disrespect shown toward our country and our flag.

I know some are mad about our president making remarks against the NFL demonstrators, and frankly, I wish the president would be more…….. presidential in the things he says. But that is not a good reason for the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens to go to London for a game and show disrespect to our National Anthem “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and then stand and respect Britain’s National Anthem “God Save the Queen.”

I think in doing this to the flag, the NFL players are taking on the very people who follow them and root for them and make them famous. And I think the players will lose. I know I’m not going to be spending any money on NFL tickets or merchandise until this stops. I know that my allegiance is to a few players who’ve distinguished themselves as the kind of men I want my grandchildren to know about. As far as I’m concerned, you can forget about the rest.

Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva, a former Army Ranger, was the only Steeler to break from the team's decision to remain in the locker room during the National Anthem.

I do see that Americans who are not white have had to struggle at the hands of oppressive bosses and sometimes an oppressive government. I’m not saying the situation is corrected because I still believe there is work to do in this area. But I don’t believe every cop in America gets up each morning and intends to go out and hunt people of color.

In my humble opinion, the problem that divides the country on race is not going to heal until we turn to God and let His Spirit rule. But that’s just me.

So, I’ve taken your time for my little rant here. I don’t protest because I don’t think a protest is productive. I’m a child of the 1960s and I didn’t participate in any of those protests either.

I hope the highly paid professional athletes will continue their journey to try to effect the changes they want and I hope this is not just a passing fancy (even though I suspect it is).

But it’s my wish that their complaints and protests will find another venue.

It’s disgusting to me to see the flag and our National Anthem disrespected.

Please take the politics out of the sporting events and let us go back to being fans of the game.

I can’t leave you without something from social media on this issue and, believe me, there is PLENTY out there. I’m just going to share the last paragraph of a lengthy message written by a combat veteran. He talked about the history of our country and the price men and women have paid to get us to the point where we can protest and speak out about disturbing matters such as racism and corruption. And he mentions that he feels betrayed after serving to have people publicly demonstrate against the flag.

“If you really feel the need to take a knee, come with me to church on Sunday and we'll both kneel before Almighty God. We'll thank Him for preserving this country for as long as He has. We'll beg forgiveness for our ingratitude for all He has provided us. We'll appeal to Him for understanding and wisdom. We'll pray for liberty and justice for all...because He is the one who provides those things. And there will be no protest. There will only be gratitude for His provision and a plea for His continued grace and mercy on the land of the free and the home of the brave. It goes like this...GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

PROSPERTIMES A Cedarbrook Media Publication Publishers Jason & Heather Reynolds Admin@CedarbrookMedia.com Managing Editor Joyce Godwin 903.815.0044 Joyce@CedarbrookMedia.com Sports Reporter Renee Marler 214.592.7512 Renee@CedarbrookMedia.com To Subscribe 972.347.6231 Subscriptions@Cedarbrookmedia.com Letters to the Editor & Editorial Submissions to Editor@CedarbrookMedia.com To Advertise 972.347.6231 or Advertising@CedarbrookMedia.com Prosper Times P.O. Box 405, Prosper, Texas 75078

972.347.6231

Prosper Police From Page one Officers must undergo a battery of tests for fitness, polygraph and other abilities and that comes with an expense. “We provide uniforms, cold-weather gear, wet-weather gear, hand gun, taser, hand-held radio (which by itself is about $4,000), body camera, vest under the uniform, hand cuffs, baton, holster and more.

Altogether, an officer’s equipment weighs in at 30-50 pounds.”

McHone says officers are responsible for upkeep and inspections are conducted regularly to be sure everything is in working order.

The biggest expense is by far the patrol car which, after outfitting, rings in at a price tag of about $60,000.

The department has 12 right now. “Like any other resource, you want to protect those vehicles,” McHone said. Currently, there is no covered space under which to park these vehicles, so when a hail storm rolls in, things get challenging to find a place that offers protection until the storm passes. McHone says it’s on their list to eventually get a public safety facility.

“We’ve looked at all kinds of options, including underground parking or some type of covered parking comparable to what a lot of our neighboring cities do for their fleets,” he said. “When we have the temporary remodeling, we will look at options for where we can put our patrol cars to have a better way to protect them.

I don’t know what the answer is going to be.”

The Town of Prosper covers an area three miles by nine miles so it doesn’t take long to get from the northern border with Celina and the southern border with Frisco. But moving from the eastern border with McKinney to the western border in Denton County takes a larger investment of time.

Being sensitive to this issue the Prosper Fire Department added an area that police can use in the new Fire Station No. 2 on Teel Parkway, almost to Windsong Ranch. It gives officers a chance to stop and do paper work, use the computer, or any number of tasks without having to return all the way to Broadway Street. “It’s not a stand-alone space out there; it’s not a space to go and find police,” McHone said. “But it’s there for an operational and internal stand point.”

There is also expected to be a store-front space for the police department among the new retail stores just beginning to open in the Gates of Prosper. “When officers are on patrol in that sector of town they will come there for writing reports and may even interview people there as well as having a space to get a break,” McHone said. “The biggest benefit is we will have a

Friday September 29, 2017

police presence there. It will be a win for all of us. A side of the environment that lets people know we are there; it’s a place to shop that’s well-lit and safe.”

The basic snapshot of what McHone is describing is a footprint on the west side of town as well as the east side. “Do what remodeling we can on the existing town hall and then focus a lot on the resources and conversation for a public safety center.”

Protecting and serving the community of Prosper is not something the Prosper Police Department takes lightly. They are handling the excessive growth along with everyone else. But the standards by which the PPD makes its decisions on needs and wants is how best will it serve and protect the people of Prosper.

PT C o m m u n ity C a l e n da r Friday, September 29th

Lady Eagles Volleyball: Lady Eagles Volleyball: 9B vs Little Elm at PHS Arena 5:30 p.m.

Lady Eagles Volleyball: Varsity vs Little Elm at PHS Arena – 5:30 p.m.

Lady Eagles Volleyball: 9A vs Little Elm at PHS Auxillary Gym #1 – 6:30 p.m.

Lady Eagles Volleyball: JV vs Little Elm at PHS Arena – 6:30 p.m.

Eagles Football: Varsity vs Little Elm at Prosper Eagle Stadium – 7:00 p.m.

Eagle Hype Tailgate Party: Come out to Reynolds Middle School at 5:30 p.m. for FREE HOT DOGS & COLD DRINKS before the football game!! Sponsored

by Bodine Orthodontics, Wayne Bartley, REALTOR® RE/MAX Performance Group & the Prosper Times, there will be plenty of fun, music, player interviews and food. Get your WE ARE PROSPER shirts at the tailgate as well, all proceeds will be donated to the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.

Saturday, September 30th

Free Festival! Brunch Fest at Tucker Hill Saturday, September 30th, 10 a.m. -1 p.m. (2100 State Blvd, McKinney, TX 75071) This is an event you don’t want to miss! Brunch Fest will feature delicious cuisine from a variety of local restaurants, craft cocktails from RYE, live music by the Nawlins Gumbo Kings, family friendly activities, lawn games, free valet, a photo-booth, and a culinary experience tent featuring local mixologists, chefs and culinary experts! Let’s do brunch!

Lady Eagles Volleyball: JV at Allen High School Cross Country Meet: Cross Country Meet at Old Settlers Park, 3300 E Palm Valley Blvd, Round Rock, TX 78665 – 7:00 a.m.

Cross Country Meet: Cross Country Meet at Trinity Springs Middle School, 3550 Keller Hicks Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76244 – 7:00 a.m.

Monday, October 2nd

2017 Bethlehem Place Charity Golf Tournament: Join is for the third annual Bethlehem Place Charity Golf Tournament at Gentle Creek Golf Club Featuring NFL Hall of Fame Legend, Randy White. All proceeds to benefit the non-profit charity, Bethlehem Place, Prosper's only food pantry – 9:30 a.m.

Prosper Ladies Tennis Club: Plays Monday nights for all 2.5 and higher players. Contact Michele Williams for more information at m19williams@gmail.com or 469-583-1051.

Residential Bulk Trash Pick-Up: From FM 1385 to Teel Pkwy, call 469-452-8000 or email Prosper@ WasteConnections.com by 4:00 p.m. Friday, September 29th to be placed on the schedule.

Prosper Chamber of Commerce: October Board of Directors Meeting – 12:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 3rd

Eagles Tennis: Varsity at Creekview High School – 4:00 p.m.

Lady Eagles Volleyball: 9A at The Colony High School – 5:30 p.m.

Lady Eagles Volleyball: JV at The Colony High School – 5:30 p.m.

Lady Eagles Volleyball: 9B at The Colony High School – 6:30 p.m.

Lady Eagles Volleyball: Varsity at The Colony High School – 6:30 p.m.

Prosper Planning and Zoning: Committee meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month in the Municipal Chambers, 108 West Broadway at 6:00 p.m.

Prosper 5-0 Club: Games and dominoes every Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church 300 S. Coleman.

Wednesday, October 4th

National Night Out: National Night Out, cosponsored by the Prosper PD and the National Association of Town Watch, is an annual event giving neighbors the opportunity to meet each other, exchange

Please email calendar submissions to Admin@Cedarbrookmedia.com

contact information, enjoy each other’s company, commit to looking out for one another and welcome public safety personnel to their vicinity. Police and Fire personnel will set aside the hours from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to make their visits and will attend as many neighborhood block parties as they can.

To add a block party to the list that public safety personnel will visit, organizers can call (972) 347-9002 or send an e-mail to Officer Hubbard at erin_hubbard@ prospertx.gov. Also, registration can be completed online at http://www.prospertx.gov/residents/police/ national-night-block-party-registration/.

Thursday, October 5th

Eagles Tennis: JV at Creekview – 4:00 p.m.

Eagles Swim & Dive: Varsity Tri- Meet at McKinney North – 6:00 p.m.

Eagles Football: 9th Green at Carrolton Newman Smith – 5:30 p.m.

Eagles Football: JV Green vs Carrolton Newman Smith at PHS Artificial Turf Field – 5:30 p.m.

Eagles Football: JV White vs Plano Williams at PHS Artificial Turf Field – 7:00 p.m.

Prosper Library Story Time: Fire Station #2 for Fire Safety month, 1140 South Teel Parkway – 11:00 a.m.

Prosper Chamber: September 2017 Lunch N Learn at Rhea's Mill Baptist Church – 5733 N. Custer Rd, McKinney, 75071 – 11:30 a.m.

Prosper Chamber Annual Chili Supper: Sponsored

by Market Street. Make plans to join in for the Annual Chili Supper at The Body Shop Collision Repair, 430 Business Park Drive Prosper, TX 75078. Spouses are cordially invited to attend. So, please mark your calendar and come enjoy some food and fellowship with your Chamber friends. In order to prepare enough chili, it is important that you RSVP by Friday, Sept 29 for this event. This event is one you do not want to miss – 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Prosper Rotary Club: The Prosper Rotary Club is a local community service organization, which focuses on fellowship, fun, and improving the lives of Prosper residents. The Club meets Thursday afternoons from 12:00 - 1:00 PM at the Prosper Independent School District Administration Building (605 E. Seventh St., Prosper, TX 75078). All who are interested in getting involved and supporting our community are warmly welcomed to attend. Please RSVP by emailing Melody Lehmann at melsmailbox73@gmail.com if you plan on attending.

Prosper Lions Club: Meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursday each month at 1:15 p.m. at The Gin (next to the Cotton Gin).

Community Info, Outreach, and Prayer Groups Cornerstone Assistance Network of North Central Texas is a faith based non-profit that unites with others the demonstrate Christ’s compassion by serving our neighbors in need. With the help of volunteers, they conduct intakes twice a month where they meet with new and current neighbors to hear their stories, help where they can, and give guidance where they cannot.

If you need help, call 972-689-9115 and leave a message. Intakes are done on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information about Cornerstone, visit cornerstonenct.org.

Bethlehem Place is Prosper’s only Food Pantry located on the parking lot of Prosper United Methodist Church at Third and Church streets. The food pantry is open for food distribution every Tuesday evening from 6-7 p.m. Bethlehem place greatly appreciates any food or monetary donations to support this organization. Please visit www.bethlehemplace.org for more information Prosper Mom’s in Prayer is open to women who have a heart to pray for their school age children. For more information on Mom’s in Prayer, visit www. momsinprayer.org. For local meeting information for your child’s school, contact either Christy Rubin at 469995-6061 or Karina Anderson at 214-566-7762. Karina is able to answer questions in Spanish as well as English.

PROSPERTIMES

Friday September 29, 2017

WeAreProsper.com | Page 5

I n G o o d Ta ste PT

W

FAMILY FEATURES

hen your taste buds can’t settle on just one flavor, a fusion dish may be just the answer. Fusion dishes combine some of the best ethnic culinary traditions from around the world, and Asian influences are among the most popular building blocks for fusion cuisine.

One secret to achieving great fusion dishes is the use of cooking wines. For many chefs and home cooks alike, cooking wine is a go-to cooking essential because it can be used in everyday meals. With its versatile array of uses, an option like Holland House®, a line of flavor-enhancing, premium cooking wines, can boost any dish with one of five flavors including Marsala, Sherry, White, Red and White with Lemon.

In addition to these featured dishes, you can find more quick tips for boosting the flavor of your everyday meals on the label of each bottle and explore more recipes at HollandHouseFlavors.com.

Sizzling Asian Vegetable Fried Rice with Savory White Wine Glaze

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 8 minutes Servings: 4-6, about 1 cup per portion 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic 1/2 cup fresh chopped yellow onions 1 cup fresh small white mushrooms, quartered 1/2 cup chopped fresh carrots 1/2 cup chopped fresh zucchini 1/2 cup chopped fresh red bell peppers 1/2 cup chopped fresh yellow bell peppers 3 cups cold, cooked, long-grain white rice 1/2 cup Holland House White Cooking Wine 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 1/2 cup fresh green onions, sliced 1/4-inch thick 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper Heat heavy-bottomed, nonstick skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil, garlic and onions. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, red bell peppers and yellow bell peppers; stir-fry 3 minutes. Add rice; stir-fry 3 minutes.

Add cooking wine; stir-fry 2 minutes, or until dry. Add oyster sauce; stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in green onions, sesame oil and black pepper. Transfer to dish or bowl and serve.

Tip: To turn into a main course, add cooked beef, chicken or pork and serve topped with a fried egg.

Sweet and Spicy Korean-Chinese Fusion Cauliflower Bites

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Servings: 4, about 1 1/2 cups per portion 6 cups fresh cauliflower florets 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 cup Holland House Sherry Cooking Wine 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon white vinegar 2 teaspoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 small fresh yellow onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic 1 tablespoon Korean-style chili flakes 1/4 cup chopped fresh green onions 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds Heat oven to 400 F.

In large bowl, toss cauliflower, sesame oil and salt until well coated. Arrange on nonstick baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown and tender.

In small bowl, whisk cooking wine, honey, soy sauce, vinegar and cornstarch until well blended; set aside.

In large, nonstick skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add yellow onions and garlic; cook 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat. Stir in chili flakes and wine mixture.

Return pan to stove and adjust to medium heat. Bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring 1-2 minutes, or until thickened. Add cooked cauliflower; stir gently to coat.

Transfer cauliflower to serving dish. Top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Tips: The sauce mixture can also be used on chicken wings or grilled pork chops. In place of Korean-style chili flakes, use 1 teaspoon regular crushed red pepper flakes or 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper.

Lettuce-Wrapped Korean Short Ribs

Prep time: 10 minutes, plus marinating Cook time: 4 minutes Servings: 4, about 6 ounces (pre-cooked) per portion 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar, divided 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced, boneless beef short ribs 1 cup Holland House Marsala Cooking Wine 6 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 1/4 cup roasted garlic paste 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1/2 cup chopped green onions, divided 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 head fresh romaine lettuce, separated into large leaves 1/2 cup sliced fresh red radishes 1/2 cup shredded fresh carrots dipping sauce In small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons brown sugar, salt, black pepper and

PT K i ds S a y …

Ella

She brought a book that her neighbor gave her to our interview to show me, her favorite color is coral even though she doesn’t think she has any clothes with that color, she plays soccer and takes dance, she’s in 4th grade, and has the most contagious smile and presence.

How old are you?

9 years old, about to be 10 on December 28th.

Who is the funniest person in your family?

My dad. When he dances, and

he’s probably going to think why is she talking about this, but when I’ll be dancing and he dances with me, he sticks his tongue out and it’s so funny!

What’s your favorite thing about your sister?

She’s always going on adventures and she does stuff she’s never done before. She’s brave.

What do you like about your brother?

Well, he can be very funny sometimes. Funny like my dad.

What do you appreciate about your mom?

My mom is a leader. She’s passionate and she always takes chances.

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

Los Angeles.

What would you do there?

Go to Dancing with the Stars!

So you like that show?

Yes, it’s the biggest best thing!

Who is your favorite pro dancer?

Sharna.

Favorite musician?

Hailee Steinfeld. And I like the song “Chillin like a villain” from the Descendants.

So what is the Descendants?

I think it was first a movie, then books, then a tv show, and then another movie. They are like fairy tale people.

Do you have a favorite Book?

It was a Junie B. Jones book from when I was younger.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to be a counselor at an

red pepper flakes. Sprinkle evenly over short rib slices, gently rubbing into both sides. Place in re-sealable plastic bag.

In bowl, whisk cooking wine, sesame oil, garlic paste, soy sauce and remaining brown sugar. Pour half of mixture into bag with meat and add 1/4 cup green onions. To marinate, refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to 12 hours.

In small saucepan, whisk remaining wine mixture and cornstarch until smooth. Bring to simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly.

Cook 1 minute, or until thickened, stirring constantly. Set aside until cool.

Stir in 2 tablespoons green onions.

Heat grill to medium-high.

Remove ribs from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Discard marinade. Grill 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Cut ribs into 1-inch pieces.

Serve with remaining green onions, lettuce, radishes, carrots and warm dipping sauce.

Tips: For fusion tacos, substitute corn or flour tortillas for lettuce leaves.

In place of garlic paste, 2 tablespoons minced garlic can be substituted.

elementary school. Not in a high school, I can’t deal with that.

What was your favorite thing you did over the summer?

Going to Chicago. We went to the John Hancock Tower. I wanted to do the tilt and then when I saw it I said, no I’m not doing the tilt.

Everyone else was saying they didn’t want to do it and I said come on you’re just going to lean forward. But then when I saw it I said nope, not gonna do it. Not going to do it!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Prosper Community Library Director Leslie Scott has a unique opportunity for candid discussions with youngster of all ages. She is sharing these experiences through the Prosper Times.

Page 6 | WeAreProsper.com

PROSPERTIMES

Friday September 29, 2017

Eagle HYPE

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Dedicated to Prosper Sports

Te s t e d B y F i r e

L o c a l A t h l e t e ’s F a m i l y F i n d s S t re n g t h i n T h e A s h e s Renee Marler Renee@Cedarbrookmedia.com Wednesday, August 16 was like any morning as Steve and Angie Harrington readied their three children, Blake, a senior, Hayley, an eighth grader, and Keely a fourth grader, out the door for the third day of school. Little did they know that in just twelve short hours, their lives would be changed forever.

That evening, Steve was attending a meeting at the school and Angie had just gotten home from work to their three children. At approximately 6:30 p.m. she noticed a burning smell in the vicinity of her master closet.

Within seconds, Blake was on the phone with Prosper 911 reporting a fire in the home.

“It was unreal. It happened so fast,” said Angie describing how the fire escalated and overtook their home in Twelve Oaks.

“We literally left with no shoes on or anything.”

Blake, who plays varsity football for the Courtesy Photo Prosper Eagles, didn't The living area in the Harrington home hesitate to make sure the morning after the fire. his mother and sisters were out of the home safely.

When Steve arrived at the home, fazed, he found himself face to face with the Prosper Fire Department as he attempted to enter the property.

Prosper football coaches Brandon Schmidt, Tony Cooper and Ricky Lopez were among friends and community who

gathered at the home to support the Harrington’s.

Schmidt pulled Steve aside and said Blake should take the next morning off of practice, but Blake wouldn’t have it.

“He was there that next morning leading this team like he always does,” said Schmidt. “He didn't miss a beat, it was incredible,” Courtesy Photo Little did Blake Harrington is all smiles after a win at the Schmidt know Ford Center on September 15. that before Blake made it to that 5:30 a.m. practice, he and Angie were rummaging through the ashes trying to find his contacts so he could be one-hundred percent. After some searching, they found them and he made it to practice. On time, even.

“Blake handled it better than any of us, honestly,” said Angie. “But I could tell the gravity of the situation was starting to sink in with him after a couple days.”

Blake had decided to take advanced placement classes so he could possibly get accepted into Stanford University. The courses require students to submit assignments online and with no computer or internet access, he was considering dropping and just taking standard classes. On Friday, Angie got a call in the middle of the day from Blake.

“My heart sank and I thought 'Oh no, what now?’”, she said.

But at the other end of the line she noticed a more positive voice. Blake was calling to tell her he had just been offered a preferred walk-on at Stanford University.

“God's timing is perfect. I never heard another word about dropping the classes,” said Angie.

Playing college football has been a dream of mine since I can remember, so this was an absolutely amazing feeling,” said Blake.

As for the Harrington’s, the reality is setting in. They were able to salvage some items such as baby books, some old photographs and even a first home-run ball, but the home was considered a total loss.

Angie continued, “The fire has been a life lesson for all of us.

We might miss the material things, but we do not need them.”

The Harrington’s say the outpouring from the community was more than they could ever imagine. Within hours, people had come together with boxes and bags from Dick's Sporting Goods and other places with clothing and shoes for the entire family. They were able to stay at Buddy Wilson's barn until they found a rental home. “ O n c e again, we were blessed with an opportunity when we found this home,” said Angie.

“We knew we were going to be out of our home about a year so it was important for us to have something we could call home until Courtesy Photo The Harrington Family at the beach this summer. that time.”

Seasoned Coach Hired for Prosper Lacrosse

Renee Marler Renee@CedarbrookMedia.com

Prosper Lacrosse announced the hiring of John Marano as the new head coach. Marano, who comes to Prosper from his most recent assignment at Greenhill High School, brings more than 20 years of high school coaching experience to the team. In addition to Greenhill, he has coached a number of prestigious high school lacrosse programs throughout the Metroplex such as Coppell High School, Hebron High School, Plano West High School, Castle Hills and St. Mark's.

“We are excited to see what he can do with this team,” Prosper Lacrosse Board of Directors President Dan Schmitt says. “We went 28-2 last year and we want to finish what we started.”

According to Schmitt, Marano covers the three factors they were looking for in the coaching search; wins, taking kids to the next level and character development.

Marano is also the founder of Coast-2-Coast Lacrosse, a select lacrosse program with more than 600 athletes from Dallas, Austin, Atlanta and Richmond. He has helped in the NCAA recruitment of more than 150 lacrosse players.

Marano played high school lacrosse at East Meadow High School in New York. He has continued to play for Courtesy Photo Newly hired Prosper Lacrosse the last 20 plus years with the Austin Lacrosse Club, Dallas Coach John Marano Lacrosse Club, Team Texas and C2C Magic Wants. He received MVP honors twice in the Asheville tournament and received All-Vail honors twice for face-off play.

ial!! c e p S l o o h c S Back to ions for $79 3 sess

“I am incredibly excited about the foundation we have for Prosper Lacrosse,” said Marano.

That foundation is a team led by juniors and seniors who have been playing together, and winning, since they were in grades 5 and 6.

“We will focus on skill development in the beginning. We lost an all-state goalie who graduated last year, so that will be a key part of our development as a team,” Marano said. “Then we can start focusing on game planning and game situations.”

Even with all the unknowns surrounding the team, Marano said he feels Prosper is a favorite in the Division II-North.

“I saw Prosper play last year against Courtesy Photo Greenhill and they were a terrific competitor, I would place them in the top, that's for sure,” Prosper Lacrosse player faces off against an opponent during the 2016b season. he said.

Registration will begin for Prosper Lacrosse in the next few days. Information will be posted at www.prosper-lacrosse.com. Practices are set to begin next week with the actual season starting in mid to late January 2018. The team is planning on attending a tournament in January at Jesuit and if possible, travel to the east coast to play.

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Courtesy Photo

Prosper’s Rucker Elementary School fourth grade teacher, Sharla Davenport threw out the first pitch at the Texas Rangers game on Monday night at the Ballpark in Arlington thanks to Texas Lottery’s support of Texas Teachers!

Don’t Miss The Action! www.CedarbrookMedia.smugmug.com/EagleHype

PROSPERTIMES

Friday September 29, 2017

Castillo, Rizzo Lead Prosper XC at Lucas LoveJoy Invitational Renee Marler Renee@CedarbrookMedia.com This past Saturday, the Prosper Cross Country Team competed in the Lucas LoveJoy Invitational.

Both boys and girls Varsity teams competed in the Elite Division against the best 6A and 5A schools in the area.

The Lady Eagles placed eighth out of 19 teams. Forging the way for the Lady Eagles was Tatum Castillo finishing in sixth place out of 174 runners with a time of 18 minutes and 30 seconds. Castillo is the eighth ranked sophomore in the State of Texas. Also in the lead for the Lady Eagles was Emily Patterson who finished 10th in her 5k with a time of 18 minutes and 40 seconds.

The boys team finished 20th out of 32 teams. Sam Rizzo led the Eagles by finishing in the top one-quarter of the race with a time of 16 minutes and 35 seconds.

Varsity will compete in Round Rock next Saturday at the McNeil Invitational.

WeAreProsper.com | Page 7

Senior Jevin Jackson Spotlight Class of 2018

Sport: Football, Basketball, Track & Field Parents: DeWayne and Kathy Jackson Nickname: Jev When did you start playing football? I started playing football when I was 6 years old.

Biggest strength and weakness in football? My biggest strength is my game IQ. I am a smart player and make good decisions on the field.

Weakness, I don’t always do my job in bringing energy to practices.

What do you love about football? I love playing along side my brothers and being under the lights with the fans cheering loud with that hype feeling flowing through my body.

Sport you always wanted to try? I’ve always wanted to play tennis.

Most memorable moment in football? It would definitely be my sophomore year when we played Justin Northwest. That was one of the best games I ever played and we won at the last second by blocking the game winning field goal.

Favorite Athlete: Von Miller (that’s why I wear #58) Favorite Sports Team: Denver Broncos Three people you can have dinner with....dead or alive: Drake, Odell Beckham, Jr., Martin Luther King, Jr. Favorite quote: “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.”

Courtesy Photo

Sam Rizzo led the Eagles with a time of 16 minutes, 35 seconds at the Lucas Lovejoy Invitational ono September 23.

Action Photos From All Prosper Sports

Favorite subject in school: Math What’s on your playlist? Lil Uzi Vert, Migos, Famous Dex Plans after HS? I plan on attending Howard University just to be a student, but if the opportunity presents itself I would play football at the next level.

www.CedarbrookMedia.com/Prosper

P r o s p e r Te n n i s R o u t s Cougars in 12-7 win

P r o s p e r Vo l l e y b a l l 6 - 0 i n D i s t r i c t Renee Marler Renee@CedarbrookMedia.com The Prosper Lady Eagles (35-5, 6-0) continued its sweep-a-thon last week with 3-0 wins over Lake Dallas on Friday and McKinney North on Tuesday at home.

During Friday’s matchup, CiCi Hecht led Prosper with 22 kills and 12 digs. Hope Gramly followed with 12 kills and two blocks, Sami Jacobs and Kayla Martin had a combined eight kills and 14 digs and setter Madi Whitmire put up 41 assists and nine digs.

Tuesday night, Prosper hosted the McKinney North Bulldogs. Prosper pulled ahead quickly in the first set and finished 25-14. In the second set, Prosper fell behind 4-3, but that would be the only time McKinney North would see a lead. Prosper went on to win the next two sets 25-12 and 25-5. Hecht, once again, led with four aces, 14 kills and 12 digs. Senior Texas Tech commit Haley Killinger had 14 kills and 10 digs. Chloe Hancock used her reach for 4 blocks and Whitmire logged 42 assists, two aces and two blocks.

The Lady Eagles will take on Little Elm at home on at 5:30 p.m. Friday and The Colony Cougars on Tuesday in The Colony.

Renee Marler Renee@CedarbrookMedia.com The Prosper Eagles varsity tennis team played The Colony on Tuesday night and had a solid 12-7 win. Senior Brandon Bonaparte and freshman Josh Stephan won a close 3 setter match. Senior Erin Konvalin and sophomore Meagan Kaderka won both their singles and doubles matches in straight sets.

Prosper Tennis will match up against Creekview next Tuesday at Creekview High School.

They are now 4-1 in district and the varsity will take on Creekview on Tuesday, October 3rd.

Renee Marler | PROSPER TIMES

Senior Kayla Martin with a dig in the 3-0 sweep over McKinney North High School on September 26 at home.

Courtesy Photo

Prosper Tennis poses for a team photo after a match on September 5, 2017.

Eagle HYPE

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Dedicated to Prosper Sports

Athlete of the Week CiCi Hecht

Junior, PHS Volleyball Renee Marler | PROSPER TIMES

Senior Haley Killinger gets a kill in the sweep over McKinney North High School on September 26 at home.

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Hecht is a consistent leader on the PHS Volleyball team. Each week she piles on numbers to her already impressive stats. Last week, she had 4 aces, 36 kills and 24 digs in the sweeps against Lake Dallas and McKinney North.

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Page 8 | WeAreProsper.com

Prosper Golf In Full Swing

Friday September 29, 2017

P r o s p e r B a s e b a l l We l c o m e s Rucker Students

Renee Marler Renee@CedarbrookMedia.com Prosper Golf started the year on Friday with the varsity girls traveling to Harbor Lakes Golf Club in Granbury. The team is made up of returning players seniors Cassidy McAlpine, Caroline Weatherly, Carlee Tinsley, sophomore Emily Nystrom and freshman Haili Moore. The girls finished eighth in a tough field. Moore shot 73-73 to finish fourth.

Nystrom and McAlpine had high school personal bests on day two of the tournament.

“We shattered last year's team best by 20 strokes on day two. It was a good measure of our improvement and really helped us focus on staying in the moment,” said coach Elizabeth Hamilton.

Nystrom, who placed fifth in District last year as a freshman, looks to advance on that standing this year.

The varsity boys are split into two teams. The first varsity team attended the Bart Granger Memorial held in Fort Worth at the Pecan Valley Golf Course over the weekend. Varsity I includes seniors Josh Knight and Cole Lantz, juniors Marco Punzo and Jacob Strong and sophomore Connor Keene. Both Lantz and Punzo are four-year varsity golfers and both were named to the First Team All-District. Prosper shot a 308, 296, and 306 to place 18th out of 52 teams.

Varsity II, comprised of juniors Matthew King, Drew Thompson, and Cameron Merryman and sophomores Jackson Thies and Cooper Hicks, played Monday at Oakmont Country Club in the Denton Ryan Invitational. The Prosper Eagles shot 322 to finish in fifth place.

Merryman fired a 76 to place third overall.

The Prosper boys Varsity II and girls will play October 16 at Ridgeview Ranch, Varsity I will play on October 20 at the Golf Club at Champions Circle.

Courtesy Photo

Courtesy Photo

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Cole Lantz dials it in early on day Varsity girls pose with their scorecard after at two with a long putt at the Bart the Harbor Lakes Golf Club in Granbury.

Granger Memorial.

Courtesy Photos

PHS baseball pitcher Jake Cosner poses with a Rucker student

Braden Webb and Luke Johnson welcome Rucker Elementary students to school on September 25 for the team’s Grand Slam Acts of Kindness.

Renee Marler Renee@CedarbrookMedia.com

Enid attempted four onside kicks but failed to recover any of them, but they did force three Putnam City West fumbles and were able to convert all three.

With 1:51 left on the clock, the Enid Plainsmen had tied the score at 42.

The Patriots attempted a gamewinning field goal as time was expiring, but it was no good.

During the first overtime, both teams would attempt field goals, but neither would score. But during the second overtime, Enid was the first to score and would keep the Patriots from earning a single yard in double overtime.

Enid won the game 49-42 in double overtime.

Had the Plainsmen looked at that

If you’ve played any sport, it’s safe to assume you’ve suffered a loss or two. Some of those losses might have even been blowouts. It’s difficult not to give up and become defeated.

But one football team in Enid, Oklahoma proved just how far you can go if you rise up instead of give up.

With 10:20 left in the fourth quarter on Friday night, Enid trailed the Putnam City West Patriots 42-7.

Game over, right?

Hardly.

In the fourth quarter alone, Enid would snap the ball 31 times.

Thirty-one.

scoreboard and seen what most of us see, they would have thought the game was over. They would have thought; “There’s no way.”

“There’s only 10 minutes left in the game.”

“We are tired.”

“We lost.”

But they didn’t. They saw a challenge and literally tackled it.

When we are down, it’s so easy to allow those thoughts of defeat to creep into our minds. In this particular game, Enid was the victor. That’s not always going to be the case. Even after pouring everything into a game, the scoreboard might reflect a loss. But as Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

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