Granbury, Texas August 12, 2017

Damian Merrick’s schedule is now finalized. Jury selection will begin at 9 am on Monday, 8/14/17.  Opening Statements will begin at 8:30 am on Tuesday.   The DA’s office estimates that the trial could be wrapped up by Wednesday afternoon but definitely by Thursday.

The prosecution has numerous witnesses along with the victims that they intend to call to testify beginning on Tuesday.   It appears if the Jury deliberations vets a guilty verdict that the DA will be asking the Jury for a 20 year sentence at the punishment phase.

To get the back story on Merrick, go to the Search area top right of this web site and put in Damian Merrick in the on site Search Engine.

Keller, Texas  August 12, 2017

Arrest and booking photos are provided by law enforcement officials. Arrest does not imply guilt, and criminal charges are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty and convicted in a Court of Law.

STEVEN ANTHONY SHANKLES, Age: 38, POB: CA.  Listed Occupation as Handyman for Handy Randy’s and home 697 Dogwood Trial, Keller, TX.

Arrested on August 4, 2017 at 9:44 PM at the Keller PD 300 Rufe Snow Dr. and Charged with;

Assault on a Family/House member Impede Breath/Circulation, Bond set at $7,000.

 

THOMAS OTTO REIMAN, Age: 39, POB: Honduras.  Listed Occupation as Project Manager for Ratcliff Construction.

Arrested on July 29, 201 at 1:59 AM by Officer M. Moore at 8400 Denton Highway and Charged With;

1.) Driving While Intoxicated, Bond set at $1,000,
2.) Expired Motor Vehicle Insurance, Bond set at $448.50..Total Bond $1,448.50

 

MARIE HOPE SMITH, Age: 26, POB: Jacksonville, FL.  Listed herself as unemployed and Home 5001 Golden Triangle Blvd #2524.

Arrested  on August 1, 2017 at 4:42 PM by Officer J. Dickerson at 699 Keller Parkway and Charged with;

Possession of a Controlled Substance PG 1 less than 1 G, Bond set at $3,000.

 

DAKOTA LEE GOARCKE,  Age: 23, POB: IA, Listed Occupation as Stocker for Chekers Convenience and home 3001 Sappington PL #269, Ft. Worth, TX.

Arrested on August 3, 2017 at 6:16 PM by Officer T. Osborn at the Whataburger 1520 Keller Parkway and Charged With;

Theft of Property more than $100, less than $750, Bond set at $1,000.

RAJESH RAI, Age: 28, POB: Bhutan; No employer listed and home 8620 Park Lane #1305 Dallas, TX.

Arrested on July 31, 2017 at 12:59 AM by Westlake Officer R. Rodriquez at 3500 SH 170 West Bond and Charged with;

Driving while Intoxicated Bond set at $1,000.

More Information and Listing of recent Keller Police activity log:  08-10-2017 weekly incident report

 

 

“Arrest information is obtained from various Federal and State Freedom of Information Acts and the information herein is public information. LNO has been reporting on arrests in the area since 2000. If you have been proven innocent or the charges dismissed please contact LNO as soon as possible.

LNO Policy Note: Considering the long period taken to clear most cases through the court system, LNO does not have the ability to track the eventual outcome of every arrest.

LNO often is requested to remove data based on alleged clearance of charges at a later date. LNO therefore is expanding and restating our policy on removing information by request at a later date from the archives dating back to 2000. If you or someone you know has been reported arrested in this weekly column and subsequently been cleared of the charges; inform LNO with verifiable information.

CLEARED OF CHARGES MEANS THE CHARGES WERE DISMISSED OR YOU WERE FOUND NOT GUILTY..SEND A COPY OF THIS INFORMATION VIA EMAIL. LNO will provide equal coverage to same or removal of information at requester’s choice. Note: A downward plea, for example “obstruction of a roadway” in lieu of a DWI/DUI is not considered “cleared of charges. If on the other hand, a deferred adjudication is deferred with the charges dismissed upon successful completion (with a copy of the proper document). Based on these criteria; or if an expunge order is presented; LNO will remove the photo and text at no charge.

However, LNO will bring forward and update the information if requested by the convicted party. If interested party makes claims of dismissal but public records indicate no dismissal; LNO may update information and bring forward other public record information as well.”

Please note, letters that threaten LNO as a media source, will be forwarded to law enforcement.

Any other questions? Editor@LocalNewsOnly.com

Grapevine, Texas   August 12, 2017

Arrest and booking photos are provided by law enforcement officials. Arrest does not imply guilt, and criminal charges are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty and convicted in a Court of Law.

A list of daily Police Incident Reports in Grapevine in PDF;

08-06-2017

08-07-2017

08-09-2017

08-10-2017 Daily

August 12, 2017 Featured Article

To many of us, pets are family — only furrier, slimier and sometimes cuddlier than our human relatives. Naturally the nearly 85 million pet parents in the U.S. today seek out the places where their beloved companions can enjoy the highest standard of living — hopefully at the most reasonable cost.

Years ago, pet owners had access to only a handful of businesses offering animal services and supplies. Petco and PetSmart were among the biggest names. But new pet businesses are cropping up every day to fill the demand of this growing breed of consumers. Today, we spoil our pets with all kinds of luxuries, such as gourmet pet cuisine, upscale hotel accommodations and even pet “dating” services.

But adding an animal to the family roster can be hard on the wallet. A long list of expenses that include licenses, grooming and medical care can cost between $227 to more than $2,000 annually, depending on the type of animal. Health insurance alone can exceed $200 per year for a dog, and it may not even be worth it. And if you rent an apartment with an animal, you can expect to pay hundreds, if not thousands, more for a pet deposit, fee and rent.

With pet parents in mind, WalletHub’s number crunchers compared the creature-friendliness of the 100 largest U.S. cities across 21 key metrics. Our data set ranges from minimum pet-care provider rate per visit to pet businesses per capita to walkability. Scroll down for the winners, expert pet advice and a full description of our methodology.

Colleyville, TX   August 14, 2017–

Today, Sen. Konni Burton (R) issued the following statement on the proposal before the Fort Worth City Council to join the lawsuit against Senate Bill 4 (SB 4):

“As a coauthor of SB 4, I am proud of the recent work of the Texas Legislature to prohibit so-called local “sanctuary” policies, which undermine the enforcement of our federal immigration laws and unnecessarily risk the safety of our local communities. Protecting our national border and providing a sane, rational system of immigration is the responsibility of our federal government. Unfortunately, for decades the federal government has failed in this endeavor and one of the consequences of this failure is that millions of people who do not have legal status are residing in our nation and our state. In the past six years, individuals without legal status have been charged with more than 566,000 crimes in Texas alone, including some of the most serious offenses in state law. These are serious numbers, representing real victims, and the state government has a constitutional duty to promote public safety.

The misinformation being spread about SB 4 by its opponents is extremely disheartening. For many Texas communities, including in Tarrant County, the statewide policies implemented by this bill are extremely similar or identical to longstanding local policies. At its simplest, SB 4 requires local entities, such as county jails, to comply with detainer requests, which are requests from the federal government to maintain temporary custody of an individual so federal immigration authorities can determine if further action is required. SB 4 does not grant police the ability to detain or arrest an individual based solely on the suspicion they are undocumented. SB 4 does not mandate police to inquire into the immigration status of any individual. And SB 4 certainly has nothing to do with deportation, as the state does not have the power to deport anyone. What SB 4 does do is prohibit racial profiling by police and prohibit police from inquiring into the immigration status of a victim of crime or a witness of crime in almost all circumstances–a first in Texas history.

SB 4 is a commonsense policy that better promotes public safety for all Texans. While I absolutely respect the Fort Worth City Council debating this proposal, I would encourage the members of the council who share my support of SB 4 to stand firm and know that as your State Senator representing much of Fort Worth, I am with you.”

Grapevine Opry, August 14, 2017
Guest Column by John Lee

Dear Mr. Thibodeaux,

I thoroughly enjoyed your story about the Grapevine Opry. I just happen to be in Grapevine this weekend for a family reunion as my daughter’s Grammy award winning band has been recording their next album nearby. I thought you might be interested in my story.

Back in 1977, I heard that the Grapevine Opry was holding auditions for local talent on Saturday mornings. My young wife and I had only been married a few months and we lived in Dallas. She was 21 and I was 22. With her encouragement I called the Opry, got the details and showed up on a Saturday morning. Johnnie High was there to run the audition and so was Chisai Childs along with other people who wanted to audition.

The audition consisted of walking up on the stage and doing your act. If you were a singer, you sang one song. I didn’t play Country music, so I sang, “Heart Of Gold” by Neil Young and accompanied myself on guitar and harmonica. I had been playing in a few Dallas restaurants for about a year, so I had the song down pretty well.

After everyone auditioned Johnny High came over and started talking to me and he said that he really liked me, “…but that song just wasn’t going to work at the Opry.” He asked me if I would be willing to sing and old Leroy Van Dyke tune on the show and I said, “Yes sir.” “Alright,” he said. “You’re going to be the featured local talent on next Saturday’s show.”

I wanted to be confident and sure of myself because I thought if I appeared timid or unwilling, I wasn’t going to be on the show. I acted like I knew who Leroy Van Dyke was and that I was somewhat familiar with the song, “Walk On By.” I assured Johnnie High that it would be no trouble for me to have it ready for next Saturday.

In 1977, we didn’t have computers otherwise I would have watched and listened to Leroy sing the thing on YouTube, searched for the chords and lyrics on Google and I would have had the tune learned and memorized in a day or two. The truth was, I had never heard of Leroy Van Dyke or his little ditty, but I didn’t panic. I had been in garage bands since age eight so I knew how to learn a song. The first order of business was to get to a record store.

I discovered that  “Walk On By” was a huge hit in the early sixties! In fact, it is still one of the biggest Country songs of all time. Who knew? I bought the Leroy Van Dyke cassette and headed home to learn it. Johnnie High was charismatic and he had a knack for the entertainment business. He was certainly right about “Walk On By.” When I first listened to it I knew It was a great fit for my voice and I really liked singing it.

I practiced all week and my wife found a matching vest and pants outfit with a nice country shirt for me to wear with boots. I had a brand new, cherry red Guild acoustic guitar, so I felt like my “look” would be flashy enough on stage to get by. Some of the entertainers and Opry orchestra members wore amazing custom-made stage clothes covered in lots of sparkly rhinestones! We were poor newlyweds and couldn’t afford any of that

On the night of the performance my wife was by herself in the audience and we didn’t know a soul there. The place was packed! I had no idea The Grapevine Opry was so popular in this little town which in 1977 was still quite rural. There was plenty of bustling back stage, too with lots of performers and orchestra members talking and tuning up or singing to get warmed up. It was exciting for me and I was nervous.

Despite all the talking, laughing and tuning up back stage, I couldn’t help but notice an old man laying on his side on a couch against the back wall asleep and seemingly oblivious to any of us. He had a scruffy beard and had a hat over his eyes and looked exactly how I imagined a hobo in the song, “King Of The Road” or “Big Rock Candy Mountain.” We didn’t know anything about political correctness so the typical name would be, bum or hobo.I wasn’t sure who he was and I even thought that maybe he was the resident homeless guy and the Opry was just being kind and let him crash there as long as he didn’t bother anyone. It was a little peculiar.

When the show began it was fantastic. Johnny High and Chisai Childs were excellent hosts and both were fine talents. It seemed to me that Johnny ran the show and Chisai was the head of PR and goodwill. You couldn’t help but like Chisai because she was very talented, lovely and  personable. The Grapevine Opry was so professional and it was run like a big-time production.

When they introduced me I walked out to the front of the stage with my guitar strapped on and the orchestra behind me complete with pedal steel guitar and lots of fine country players. As I began to sing, my voice was shaky and I was strumming the strings on my guitar rather vigorously because the orchestra was right behind me and there was no microphone on my guitar. My shaky voice turned into a nice vibrato and as I got past the first verse I settled in and relaxed and started to enjoy the moment.

All of a sudden one of the strings broke but because the orchestra was backing me I knew it didn’t matter so I gently pulled it away and it dangled off of the end of the guitar sparkling in the stage lights. The crowd apparently thought that was cool and they applauded and then applauded again later in the song. My wife told me after the show that she started crying when that happened because I handled it like a pro. She was very proud. It was a wonderful feeling and I knew I had done well. Now I could just relax and enjoy the rest of the show.

When they introduced the featured performer named, Box Car Willie, I had never heard of him. I was very surprised when that backstage hobo climbed off the couch, grabbed a guitar and headed out on stage. The hobo was Box Car Willie! There were several of us backstage who were watching from the wings with our mouths open. He was a fabulous entertainer who sang hobo songs about life on trains and could even mimic a train whistle that was very entertaining. What a night!

Note: Box Car Willie was the last performer to entertain on the former operations known solely as the Grapevine Opry Stage in 1985.  This is a photo from 1984.

Afterwards, the entertainers mingled with each other along with Johnnie and Chisai and some fans who stuck around. My wife was so happy and people were congratulating me and saying kind things to both of us. I felt like a star. It was such a tremendous experience and it really boosted my confidence. My father was the Chief Circuit Court Judge in Miami, Florida and my parents didn’t approve of me trying to pursue a career in entertainment so this helped validate my efforts.

A well dressed, swarthy looking man approached us after the show and began telling us about his venue in a place called, Branson, Missouri. Branson, Missouri? We had never heard of the place and I suspect that in 1977, not many people had.  To us it sounded like it might has well have been called, Nowhere, Alaska. It was totally foreign to us. The gentleman had flown down to Dallas in his private plane and was looking for young entertainers. When he found out that I was also a drummer he was very interested in me being a part of his show and wanted to fly Sara and I to Branson.

I think he could tell that we were nonchalant about the idea, but he asked if he could visit us in the morning at our Little apartment off of Lover’s Lane in Dallas. He arrived at the designated time and he was dressed sharp and well spoken. He was authentic. He made me an offer to come work in Branson, but the $800. dollars a month was exactly what I was making as a disc Jockey at KXVI-AM in McKinney. It seemed like a sideways move and we ultimately thought that I needed to head towards Los Angeles or New York and certainly not into the Ozark mountains, so we declined. He was such a nice man.

About a year later, we picked up and headed 1500 miles west to southern California to try to make it in the entertainment business. I drove a U-Haul truck with our belongings and Sara followed behind in our little Volkswagen. We didn’t have a job waiting for us and we had no idea where we would live, but we had two thousand dollars in our pocket and a big dream. We ended up finding an affordable apartment in Riverside and I landed a disc jockey job within a week and Sara found a job at a bank.

I started auditioning everywhere I could and began landing jobs in restaurants and lounges in southern California. We didn’t have TV shows like American Idol or The Voice in 1977 where the winner gets a million dollars and a recording contract and it was before the show, Star Search hosted by Ed McMahon. The only talent show on TV was a goofy show called, The Gong Show hosted by a wacky little guy named, Chuck Barris. If you were the winner, you received a trophy and a check for $716.32. But I thought that maybe I could get discovered on NBC playing before a national audience.

During the closing credits of the weekly show the announcer would say, “If you would like to be a contestant on the Gong Show, call this number.” So I did. My first audition was in a dank little portion of a large sound stage in Hollywood which, by the way, is not as glamorous as one would think. There were some cameras and lights set up and one at a time various acts went in and played for about five people. After I finished they coldly said, “Very good. We’ll be in contact with you.”

After about six months, I finally gave up hope that The Gong Show would be calling me back. I was playing at a club in Palm Springs a few nights a week and we were barely able to pay our rent and utilities. Then I received a letter from The Gong Show asking me to come to Los Angeles to audition for the producers. I had to re-learn the song, “Desperado” and they were adamant that I edit the song to exactly one and one half minutes and not a second longer.

I arrived at a tall office building and rode the elevator to the top. When I was called into the room there were about four executive-types sitting behind a long table. I recognized Milt Delugg because he was the band leader and musical director and I had seen him many times on the the show. He was also a long time NBC music staple who had worked with the game show, What’s My Line and even did a brief stint as the band leader on The Tonight Show. I stood in front of them as they asked me a few questions and then they asked me to perform. Everything seemed to go fine and they said, “Very good. We’ll be in touch.” Here we go again, I thought.

After several months I figured I just wasn’t good enough to make it on the stupid Gong Show and never told my parents for fear that that would bolster their case against me trying to be an entertainer. I put The Gong Show idea behind me and continued to sing in restaurants and lounges all over southern California in hopes that I would somehow be “discovered.” I kept plugging away.

One morning I walked to the mailbox and in it was a letter from NBC. It said, “We are taping your show this Saturday.” I was shocked! I didn’t even perform that song anymore because I was sick of it. The letter gave instructions on what time to show up at the old, run-down sound stage in a seedy part of Hollywood on Cahuenga Boulevard and what to prepare for. Immediately I started re-learning the tune and either my voice had gotten lower or the song was higher because it was a bit of a strain to hit the high notes. I was a little worried about that.

My wife had bought me some tight jeans with stitching down the side and a fashionable country style shirt. I had my Ricky Nelson hair styled perfectly along with an Errol Flynn moustache and a puka shell necklace. Looking back, we joke that I looked like a seventies porn star.

Backstage all of the talents mingled and NBC provided water, snacks and several long submarine sandwiches to nibble on. We were all starving musicians so everything was consumed with gusto. I couldn’t eat a thing. My stomach was in knots and I was so nervous I had to visit the bathroom at least eight times along with my personal chaperone. Each of us had a personal chaperone to make sure we were where we were suppose to be at the right time and to make sure we didn’t bribe the judges.

Throughout the day each of us were brought out to the studio for an individual rehearsal with the orchestra and Chuck Barris, the host and creator. It lasted all of about three minutes for me. After my audition there was a great deal of commotion as one of the contestants-a very large woman who was doing some goofy dance as an overweight cheerleader-had choked while eating part of the submarine sandwich. The paramedics were in there working on her so I was prevented from returning to the talent waiting area backstage.

My chaperone was instructed to take me to the Green Room where the judges hung out and it was quite plush. It was much nicer than where the performers were hanging out. I was hoping to see Jamie Farr, Pat McCormick or Jay P. Morgan because I watched the show religiously.  Maybe I would see Gene Gene The Dancing Machine or The Unknown comic. They never appeared. When things calmed down my chaperone took me back to the talent area and the mood was somber. The woman had died.

We all waited our turn on the show and it was rather quiet back there. I was in the third show being taped that day, so I had one of the longest waits. When my time came my chaperone pushed me out to my spot and Chuck Barris introduced me by saying, “This goes out to all of my Desperado friends… John Lee” I started out by myself on the guitar with my leg shaking and my voice had that slightly nervous vibrato, again. I was just hoping my pants weren’t waving like a flag in the breeze. It sure felt like it. In a few bars the orchestra kicked in and I started to settle down. My only worry was the one high note still in front of me.

The song went well and I hit all the notes. It was exciting and scary and I was greatly relieved when it was over. I received the highest score of ten points from each of the judges for the highest total possible-thirty points. One of the people I competed against was Pee Wee Herman who was part of a four-piece group that sang a novelty tune and danced. They received 28 points. At the end of the show the confetti came down and the balloons fell and I had won! It was incredible and one of the judges, Fred Travolina, came up to me and shook my hand and said, “You are going to be a star.”

I walked out of the gates of the sound stage and there were people there who were excited and wanted my autograph. I had never done that, but was glad to do it. I was being admired by audience members who were mostly girls and I really felt like something big was about to happen. For one thing, I could at least tell my parents that I won a talent competition on national television and maybe they would change their feelings about what Sara and I were doing.

That Gong Show was recorded in 1979, but wasn’t scheduled to air on NBC until sometime in 1980. I was hoping we could hold out financially until then. I was also worried that The Gong Show might be nearing it’s end and my show might never air. Finally, NBC sent me a note with a date when my episode would air.

We didn’t have much money but I thought we should spend every penny we had trying to get someone in the entertainment industry to watch the show. We placed inexpensive advertisements in local musician’s magazines in the Los Angeles area encouraging people to watch a new talent on this Friday’s Gong Show on NBC. The ad was like a “teaser” and was very specific about when to watch.

The night of my show’s airing all of my relatives were watching in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, California and Ohio. The club in Palm Springs where I had been performing brought in a giant screen TV for a “Watch” party. Everyone was excited and I couldn’t wait for 7 o’clock to roll around. Finally, “It’s the Gong Show,” the announcer boomed and Milt Delugg and the orchestra fired up the theme song and I was overwhelmed with anticipation. I wasn’t nervous because I knew the outcome.

About a minute into the show I realized it was not my episode. The judges were different. Someone had made a mistake and another episode was aired. I was devastated. I wanted to cry but couldn’t because there were people there who had come to celebrate with me. It was a very low moment for a 23 year old.

Sara and I had spent all of our money promoting this performance at this exact time. We couldn’t pay all of our bills so in short order the phone got disconnected. I had no idea when or if my show would ever air and never heard a word from NBC. A few weeks later, the show popped up without warning and some of our friends saw it and so did my aunt in Ohio who told my folks about it. It couldn’t have been worse. The only good thing to come out of it was that NBC finally sent me my trophy and my check which they do only after the show has aired.

I continued to plug away performing as a single in restaurants and lounges and eventually all of my relatives got to see a recording of the show that I sent. NBC finally contacted me and said that some TV producers had been trying to call me. They gave me the name of a producer in New York who wanted to invite me to perform on the pilot of a new TV show called, Star Search. He explained that if I could get to New York for the taping, they would love to have me. But they weren’t footing the bill for any of it and I would have to come up with the expense money myself. Of course, we could hardly afford to make it to the grocery store, much less New York. I was going nowhere and getting nowhere.

I eventually put together a three-piece band, a four-piece band and finally a five-piece band with a sound engineer. We played the resorts like Palm Springs and Big Bear Lake and all over southern California down to San Diego. It was fun, but while singing cover tunes in clubs pays money, the record companies were looking for self-contained groups with original material.

We wrote a few mediocre originals and had a meeting in Westwood with a music producer. I also did some recordings solo for writer/producer, Bob Stone who wrote a big hit for Cher called, “Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves.” But none of it panned out and we were really just another southern California bar band. Sara and I had our first daughter, Amy, in 1981 and I was smitten. I knew I had to get away from the band and the bars and make a better life for my family a different way.

We moved back to my home state of Florida with my parent’s help and they were elated that I had given up this whimsical idea of making money with something as trivial as music. I got back into radio as a disc jockey which I had started doing in college to make extra money. My career in radio lasted for 34 years and I also became proficient as a voice-over artist and TV spokesperson.

I retired from radio in 2009 but continue to record voice-overs and TV commercials that run all over the world. Sara and I had five children and we have been married forty years. I have been successful at my craft.

Our daughter, Amy, expressed an interest in music at an early age and since I play banjo, guitar, dobro, mandolin, harmonica, ukulele, drums, etc. and Sara plays piano, there has always been lots of singing and instruments around our home. All of our children are musically inclined and we have not forced it on them. If they gravitated towards an instrument, we would help them and support them.

Our youngest daughter, Lori teaches music in Houston and our middle daughter, Carrie, was the leader of a very fun acapella group at Rhodes College in Memphis. She is now a high school English teacher. Most of our kids have played music for money at one time or another.

I continued to perform in public for a long time as a single, a duo and even in a Bluegrass group for various civic groups, charity events, churches and senior centers just to make people happy and to give back to the community. I’m not as active anymore, but still play around the house every day.

Our daughter, Amy, who was born in California in 1981, has become an internationally known Rock star. She is an amazing singer, piano player and prolific songwriter with her band, Evanescence. She would rarely sing anything that wasn’t original. I have learned a lot from her and I wish I would have pursued things with more originality, but I was having to keep food on the table and had no support from parents. We supported Amy one hundred percent and subsidized her from time to time until she made it.

In 2003, Amy’s band, Evanescence, was awarded the GRAMMY for Best New Artist Of 2003. They also received a GRAMMY for Best Rock Song Of 2003 for their mega hit, “Bring Me To Life” that was featured in the movie, Daredevil. Amy and her group have gone on to sell over 25 million albums and have toured the globe consistently for 14 years. They have been on Letterman and Leno many times. In 2011 she was invited to perform in Oslo, Norway for the Nobel Peace Prize awards honoring three women. She has done quite well and we are very proud.

After witnessing my daughter’s rise to fame and the financial success she has attained, my father finally apologized to me one night when I was 52 years old. He said he didn’t realize that music could be so profitable and was sorry for not supporting me more. I said, “Thanks for saying that dad. But really, I’m fine with it. I have learned that it is much better to be the father of a big star than to actually be a big star.” It is a very demanding job!

I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease a few years back and my kids panicked a little because they all Googled “Parkinson’s” and read various symptoms related to it. One of them was that with Parkinson’s a patient’s voice tends to diminish and get softer. So for my Christmas present two years ago they arranged a recording session for me to record some children songs that I used to sing for them when they were little for posterity.

We recorded at the amazing Spaceway Studios in downtown Fort Worth and we invited my older brother who taught me how to play guitar. We felt like Rock stars! We did a couple of cover tunes and Amy wrote a beautiful song and I contributed some of the lyrics. Amy’s manager had a meeting with the head of digital music at Amazon and he said he would like to hear some of it as Amazon was interested in children’s albums performed by established artists.

When we finished three or four songs they were sent to Amazon. They loved it. They offered us an exclusive contract and we had a record deal! We invited all of the children to perform on the album and even my grandson and son-in-law contributed.  I got to sing, play guitar, dobro, ukulele and percussion and loved every minute of it! It was the most wonderful experience and I was an extremely proud dad.

The album is titled, “Dream Too Much” and was one of the top selling children’s albums on Amazon for several weeks. It even earned a Family Circle award. It may have taken a few years, but I finally got my record contract at the age of 60. I am not going to tour and I haven’t signed any autographs, but I feel highly satisfied. I will try to remain humble.

It was surreal when I drove through the beautifully renovated town of Grapevine Thursday for the first time in forty years and was transported back to that special moment in time here. I was frustrated that I didn’t recognize the old light gray facade of the Grapevine Opry and finally realized that the old facade had been torn off to reveal the even more historical Palace theater. What they have done to Grapevine is beautiful and charming.

As you can see from my story, The Grapevine Opry was a big influence on my life and subsequently my family’s life. It gave me the confidence to take a chance and pursue my dreams. It was life-changing for me and my wife Sara. I may have never made it to the big time as a singer, but I feel like my wife’s and my efforts became a stepping stone for a GRAMMY award winning musician who’s music and lyrics have been a very positive influence on young people around the world.

I was so glad to find your story about the Grapevine Opry and I’m so glad that folks like you make sure that it is remembered. It was a very special place.

Sincerely,

John Lee

Southlake, Texas  August 14, 2017

Arrest and booking photos are provided by law enforcement officials. Arrest does not imply guilt, and criminal charges are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty and convicted in a Court of Law.

 

SHERIF S. ISMAIL , Age: 46, POB: Egypt, Listed Occupation as Physician for Indian Health Hospital and Home 503 San Juan Dr., Southlake, TX.

Arrested  on August 9, 2017 at 4:51 PM by Officer C. Damico at his home in Southlake and charged with;

Driving While Intoxicated 2nd!, Bond set at $2,500.

SHEDARA GRIFFITH, Age: 26, POB: New Orleans, LA.

Listed Occupation as Cashier at Race Trac and Home 6127 Station Way Dr. #1114,

Arrested on August 7, 2017 at 11:50 PM by Officer M. Davis at 2400 E. Hwy 114 and Charged with;

1.) Possession of Marijuana less than 2 ounces, Bond set at $1,000,
2.) Possession of a controlled Substance PG 2 More than 1 Gram, less than $ Grams, Bond set at $4,000, Total Bond $5,000. 

MARTIN KEITH HARMON, Age: 54, POB: Longview, TX. Listed Occupation as Forklift for Lanter Logistics and Home 9901 Scyene Rd. #8101, Dallas, TX.,

Arrested on August 11, 2017 at 1:18 AM by Officer C. Melton at 2000 E Hwy 114 and Charged with;

Driving While Intoxicated 2nd!, Bond set at $2,500.

 

 

 

“Arrest information is obtained from various Federal and State Freedom of Information Acts and the information herein is public information. LNO has been reporting on arrests in the area since 2000. If you have been proven innocent or the charges dismissed please contact LNO as soon as possible.

LNO Policy Note: Considering the long period taken to clear most cases through the court system, LNO does not have the ability to track the eventual outcome of every arrest.

LNO often is requested to remove data based on alleged clearance of charges at a later date. LNO therefore is expanding and restating our policy on removing information by request at a later date from the archives dating back to 2000. If you or someone you know has been reported arrested in this weekly column and subsequently been cleared of the charges; inform LNO with verifiable information.

CLEARED OF CHARGES MEANS THE CHARGES WERE DISMISSED OR YOU WERE FOUND NOT GUILTY..SEND A COPY OF THIS INFORMATION VIA EMAIL. LNO will provide equal coverage to same or removal of information at requester’s choice. Note: A downward plea, for example “obstruction of a roadway” in lieu of a DWI/DUI is not considered “cleared of charges. If on the other hand, a deferred adjudication is deferred with the charges dismissed upon successful completion (with a copy of the proper document). Based on these criteria; or if an expunge order is presented; LNO will remove the photo and text at no charge.

However, LNO will bring forward and update the information if requested by the convicted party. If interested party makes claims of dismissal but public records indicate no dismissal; LNO may update information and bring forward other public record information as well.”

Please note, letters that threaten LNO as a media source, will be forwarded to law enforcement.

Any other questions? Editor@LocalNewsOnly.com

The Colleyville Heritage Panthers football teams first day of fall practice for the 2017 was held at CHHS on Monday, August 14. The Panthers will play their first non-district home game on Friday, September 8 at Mustang-Panther Stadium against Frisco Centennial.

Don’t forget to check out the Colleyville/Grapevine/LocalNewsOnly football photo website HERE.

LRW — 08-14-17

August 17, 2017;

CLICK HERE TO SEE REPORT IN PDF:08-17-2017_ 1

Haltom City Construction Updates

• Janada Street – road closed August 15th through October

Old Denton Road – road closed through August 22nd

Grapevine, Texas  August 21,2017

If you like local Journalism Please Support LNO

Arrest and booking photos are provided by law enforcement officials. Arrest does not imply guilt, and criminal charges are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty and convicted in a Court of Law.

CRYSTAL ELIZABETH VALADEZ, Age: 19, POB: CA., No Occupation Listed and Home 4608 Roxie St., Haltom City, TX.

Arrested on August 12, 2017 at 4:25 AM by Officer J. Bostick at 1650 W. College St. and Charged with;

1.)Assault on EMS Personnel Kaityln Steinke in her efforts to provide EMS Service, Bond set at $1,500,
2.) Assault on EMS Personnel Cassie Castleberry in her efforts to provide EMS Service, Bond set at $1,500, Total Bond $3,000.

The remainder of City Jail Book ins in PDF Here: Weekly_Book-ins

Additional daily incident reports from Grapevine Police:
08-14-2017

08-16-2017

08-17-2017

08-21-2017

 

 

 

“Arrest information is obtained from various Federal and State Freedom of Information Acts and the information herein is public information. LNO has been reporting on arrests in the area since 2000. If you have been proven innocent or the charges dismissed please contact LNO as soon as possible.

LNO Policy Note: Considering the long period taken to clear most cases through the court system, LNO does not have the ability to track the eventual outcome of every arrest.

LNO often is requested to remove data based on alleged clearance of charges at a later date. LNO therefore is expanding and restating our policy on removing information by request at a later date from the archives dating back to 2000. If you or someone you know has been reported arrested in this weekly column and subsequently been cleared of the charges; inform LNO with verifiable information.

CLEARED OF CHARGES MEANS THE CHARGES WERE DISMISSED OR YOU WERE FOUND NOT GUILTY..SEND A COPY OF THIS INFORMATION VIA EMAIL. LNO will provide equal coverage to same or removal of information at requester’s choice. Note: A downward plea, for example “obstruction of a roadway” in lieu of a DWI/DUI is not considered “cleared of charges. If on the other hand, a deferred adjudication is deferred with the charges dismissed upon successful completion (with a copy of the proper document). Based on these criteria; or if an expunge order is presented; LNO will remove the photo and text at no charge.

However, LNO will bring forward and update the information if requested by the convicted party. If interested party makes claims of dismissal but public records indicate no dismissal; LNO may update information and bring forward other public record information as well.”

Please note, letters that threaten LNO as a media source, will be forwarded to law enforcement.

Any other questions? Editor@LocalNewsOnly.com

 

Keller, Texas  August 21, 2017

Arrest and booking photos are provided by law enforcement officials. Arrest does not imply guilt, and criminal charges are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty and convicted in a Court of Law.

If you enjoy local journalism please consider supporting LNO.

CHASE TYLER HINZMAN, Age: 20, POB: Ft. Worth, TX. Listed Occupatoin as Manager at Spring Creek BBQ and Home at 704 Spring Forest Dr. , Bedford, TX.

Arrested on August 7, 2017 at 4:04 AM by Officer M. Wheeler at 660 S. Main St. and Charged with;

1.) Possession of a Controlled Substance PG3 less than 28 G., Bond set at $2,500,
2.) Possession of a Controlled Substance PG 2 less than 1 G, a State jail Felony, Bond set at $2,500, Total bond: $5,000.

 

MARIA DOLORES MACHADO, Age 43: POB: Waco, TX.  No Occupation Listed, and home; 12024 Gold Creek Drive, Ft. Worth, Texas.

Arrested on August 7, 2017 at 12:53 AM by Officer M. Moore at 300 N. Main St. and Charged with;

Driving while Intoxicated with a BAC exceeding 0.15, Bond set at $1,500.

 

FRANCISCO CARRERA, Age: 37, POB: El Paso, TX. Listed Occupation as a Rover for Edgemart and home 3608 Strayhorn Dr., Mesquite, TX.

Arrested on August 8, 2017 at 12:28 AM by Westlake Officer M. Norris at 900 E. FM 1709 and Charged with;

1.) Possession of a Controlled Substance PG1, less than 1 G, a State Jail Felony, Bond set at $4,000,
2.) Possessoin of a Controlled Substance PG 1, less than 1 G, another State Jail Felony, Bond set at $4,000, Total Bond $8,000.

 

“Arrest information is obtained from various Federal and State Freedom of Information Acts and the information herein is public information. LNO has been reporting on arrests in the area since 2000. If you have been proven innocent or the charges dismissed please contact LNO as soon as possible.

LNO Policy Note: Considering the long period taken to clear most cases through the court system, LNO does not have the ability to track the eventual outcome of every arrest.

LNO often is requested to remove data based on alleged clearance of charges at a later date. LNO therefore is expanding and restating our policy on removing information by request at a later date from the archives dating back to 2000. If you or someone you know has been reported arrested in this weekly column and subsequently been cleared of the charges; inform LNO with verifiable information.

CLEARED OF CHARGES MEANS THE CHARGES WERE DISMISSED OR YOU WERE FOUND NOT GUILTY..SEND A COPY OF THIS INFORMATION VIA EMAIL. LNO will provide equal coverage to same or removal of information at requester’s choice. Note: A downward plea, for example “obstruction of a roadway” in lieu of a DWI/DUI is not considered “cleared of charges. If on the other hand, a deferred adjudication is deferred with the charges dismissed upon successful completion (with a copy of the proper document). Based on these criteria; or if an expunge order is presented; LNO will remove the photo and text at no charge.

However, LNO will bring forward and update the information if requested by the convicted party. If interested party makes claims of dismissal but public records indicate no dismissal; LNO may update information and bring forward other public record information as well.”

Please note, letters that threaten LNO as a media source, will be forwarded to law enforcement.

Any other questions? Editor@LocalNewsOnly.com

Tarrant County, Texas  August 21, 2017

Cost is often a major consideration when evaluating college prospects. And with tuition rates continuing to rise every year — not to mention all the other expenses related to attendance — many would-be students are easily priced out of a university education.

Community colleges offer a perfect solution — and a better alternative to forgoing higher education altogether. During the 2016 to 2017 academic year, tuition and fees for full-time, in-state enrollment at a public two-year college averaged $1,760 per semester versus $4,825 at a public four-year institution and $16,740 at a four-year private school. Based on those rates, students who earn their general-education credits at a community college before transferring to an in-state public four-year university would save $12,260 over two years on tuition and fees alone.

Besides their reputation as an affordable, and in some cases free, option for earning a degree or serving as a bridge to university, community colleges are known for a number of attractive qualities. They often provide more flexible schedules, smaller class sizes and comparatively rigorous coursework, including bachelor’s degree programs in nearly half of all U.S. states — again, at a fraction of the university price tag. Such advantages appeal to first-time college entrants but especially to nontraditional students who juggle their studies with other commitments, such as family and work. Many university students today are even transferring to community colleges for the same reasons, a growing trend that reverses the traditional path of “upgrading” from a two-year to a four-year institution.

Individual community colleges, however, vary in performance and affordability. To determine where students can receive the best education at the lowest price, WalletHub’s analysts compared more than 700 community colleges across 14 key indicators of cost and quality. Our data set ranges from the cost of in-state tuition and fees to student-faculty ratio to graduation rate. Read on for our findings, expert insight from a panel of researchers and a full description of our methodology. In addition to this ranking, we also conducted a state-level analysis of the Best & Worst Community College Systems.

Best & Worst Community Colleges

Southlake, Texas August 22, 2017

City Manager Presents Proposed FY 2018 Budget

 

City Manager Shana Yelverton has filed the proposed FY 2018 Budget for City Council consideration.

The proposed budget includes an already approved 20% homestead exemption for homeowners, a steady tax rate, significant investments into safety and security, improved roads and road capacity, and operating dollars for the new recreation center, The Marq Southlake, Champions Club.

Homeowner Tax Payer Relief and Reducing Debt

Seven homestead exemption initiatives have been approved by the City Council since 2009, including the 20% homestead exemption adopted for FY2018.

This 20% homestead exemption is an increase from the 16% exemption adopted in 2017 and marks the highest homestead exemption allowed by law.

“Tax relief for the homeowner has been a priority of the City Council since 2009,” said Chief Financial Officer Sharen Jackson. “The 20% homestead exemption will provide a reduction in value of $132,400 for an average-valued home in Southlake; this is equal to a 9.25 cent tax rate reduction and is part of the City’s commitment to targeted tax relief.”

The city of Southlake has also been able to manage debt so that 93% of the City’s current tax-supported debt will be retired in 10 years. Through the City’s use of cash and aggressive pay-back schedules when debt is issued, the City has reduced the property tax supported debt by 52% since 2010. The FY 2018 budget provides cads funding for General Fund capital projects.

Safety and Security

For FY 2018, numerous investments will be made into Safety and Security.

“Recruiting, and retaining our police officers and firefighters is the best investment that we can make into Southlake’s continued safety and security,” said City Manager Shana Yelverton. “We will also focus on equipment needs such as protective headgear and ballistic vests to better equip our public safety personnel with what they need to do their jobs.”

The proposed budget includes funding for police and fire cost of living and merit pay increases, as well as dollars to support the competitiveness of their pay plan in the City’s labor market.

Additionally, City Council will consider budgeting the resources necessary to adjust the pay plan for stronger entry pay during budget deliberations in September.

“The DFW labor market for police officers and firefighters is extremely competitive,” said Yelverton. “Should Council choose to take the extra steps of improving our public safety compensation framework, we believe we will be in a better position to recruit high quality personnel and keep them longer.”

Other safety investments will include improvements to school zones and the City’s cybersecurity as well as enhancing treatments for areas that have seen significant mosquito activity.

Better Mobility

This year’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) prioritizes better mobility around Southlake. Projects include the expansion of North White Chapel, from Emerald to State Highway 114, continued improvements to FM 1938/Randol Mill Road and improvements to State Highway 114. There are also planned improvements to Kirkwood Boulevard and the City’s continued commitment to maintaining the roadway improvements.

“These key cash-funded investments into our roads are important to help keeping everyone moving,” said Yelverton. “But we are also focusing funds on better signal timing on Southlake Boulevard and laying the ground work for intelligent transportation systems which, by using current and emerging technology, will help people get to where they need to go.”

The Marq Southlake

The Marq Southlake Champions Club will be a primary focus in FY 2018. The recreational facility will open the fall of 2018 with an aquatic center, fitness area, gymnasium, jog/walk track, indoor playground and an indoor and outdoor turf area. The proposed budget includes funding for necessary staff and operating needs to provide the services that will be offered.

“The Marq Southlake Champions Club will open in the fall of 2018 and it’s going to be an exciting time,” said Yelverton. “As the building is going up, staff will be getting the word out about memberships, hiring instructors and other important information so that we’re ready when the doors open.”

For a complete look at the proposed FY 2018 budget please visit CityofSouthlake.com/FY2018.

LOCALNEWSONLY.COM HISTORY 10 YEARS AGO IN COLLEYVILLE

August 05, 2007 Colleyville, Texas

Another confused patron is confounded about not being able to use her “pre-purchased” tickets at the darken theater.

Of course, since this unfortunate event, the theater has been purchased and re-purchased by a larger chain and is now a mainstay in Colleyville.

Las Colinas, Texas  August 21, 2017

World’s Greatest Cars in One Location September 9 at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas

While rare and unique cars are the central attraction at the Park Place Dealerships Luxury & Supercar Showcase on September 9th at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, guests will find plenty of entertainment for every member of the family.

“For the first time in our history, we’re bringing all of our brands together in one place to celebrate our 30th anniversary,” said Park Place Dealerships president Neil Grossman. “Knowing the passion our clients have for the finest automobiles, we also have invited them to display some of their cars in our Collectors Showcase. Guests will have the opportunity to see some of the world’s premier cars, talk to experts in the automotive field, as well as meet professional drivers like Patrick Lindsey from our Park Place Motorsports team.”

This one-day luxury lifestyle event will present the finest fashions from NorthPark Center, exquisite food and beverages, live music and even a Kids Concours presented by Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, featuring a special Hot Wheels interactive area, refreshing drinks from Pecos Pete’s All Natural Tea and Soda shop, freshly popped popcorn, and big yard games for kids of all ages.

What makes this event truly special is access to some of the world’s finest automobiles. It’s an opportunity to be among the first to see the new 2018 Rolls-Royce Phantom, arriving straight from Pebble Beach for its Texas debut. Or the extraordinary 1500-horsepower, $3 million Bugatti Chiron which is a rare sighting. Guests also will have the chance to see Bentley’s first luxury SUV – the Bentayga. Then there’s the McLaren 720S, Maserati Gran Turismo, Porsche 918 Spyder and 919 Hybrid, the new Lexus LC500, Jaguar F-Type SVR, a Mercedes-Benz-AMG GTC Roadster, Volvo XC90, Range Rover SVR and many more vehicles.

The Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase will be open to the public 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, September 9 with online tickets ranging from $25 – $50 for general admission and $100 for VIP All Access, including the VIP Lounge with complimentary food and drinks. Tickets are available online at www.LuxurySupercarShowcase.com <http://www.LuxurySupercarShowcase.com> Tickets will be available for purchase at the gate on September 9: VIP $125, General Admission (21+) $75, and General Admission (21 and under) $35.

In addition to the incredible lineup of exotic vehicles, guests purchasing VIP All Access passes can sample culinary specialties from the Four Seasons’ LAW and OUTLAW Taproom, Dallas Chop House Burger, Dallas Fish Market, and Cool River Café. Several food trucks will also be on-site.

The Luxury & Supercar Showcase will feature specialty boutiques with upscale offerings by Bachendorf’s, Niven Morgan, Sovaro, Mulberry, Montblanc, RIMOWA, Rebecca Taylor, and others.

Partners include Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Hill & Wilkinson, Celebrity Cruises, Irving CVB and Chamber, Absolut Elyx, Perrier Jouët, Peroni Italy, Brad Oldham Sculpture, Bachendorf’s, The Trade Group, Fernic Building Maintenance, Lisa R. Daniels, Digital 3 Printing, D Magazine, NBC 5, Celebrity Cruises, LAW, OUTLAW Taproom, Dallas Chop House Burger, Dallas Fish Market, Cool River Café, Marie Gabrielle, Frost 321, Perks & Provisions Company, Sugaire, and Lilium Florals.

Proceeds from the Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase will benefit the Momentous Institute. Owned and operated by Salesmanship Club of Dallas since 1920, the Momentous Institute has been committed to building and repairing social emotional health for all children so they can achieve their full potential. Each year, the organization directly serves more than 6,000 children and family members through its nationally acclaimed Momentous School and innovative Therapeutic Services. More info at http://momentousinstitute.org/

Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships 30 years ago with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place Dealerships employs more than 2,000 people and operates 16 full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Lotus, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Bugatti, McLaren, and Maserati. Park Place’s new Land Rover Jaguar dealership opened last month in Grapevine. A new Park Place Porsche dealership debuts in Grapevine next year. For more info, visit parkplace.com.

First published in LocalNewsOnly.com June 2013.

You know, when you’re the first at anything, there’s going to be problems.  And I guess it really doesn’t matter what it is that you’re first at.  Some people will hate you.  Others will love you.  And there will be that big bunch of folks who just kind of sit back and watch carefully to see what you are all about.

I guess that was probably true with Charles Lindbergh.  He was hailed as the first person the fly the Atlantic Ocean nonstop.  But news reports tell us that a bunch of people thought it was wrong to do it.  And another bunch just didn’t believe it at all.

That also happened when Neil Armstrong first stepped foot on the moon.  The day he took off, there were people at Cape Canaveral protesting the launch.  And still today, there are people who believe that the entire space program is a government plot, and we never have flown into space.

Columbus faced it when he found the new world.  People scoffed at Newton and laughed at Darwin.  It’s always a tough road to be first.   Like it was for the first player in the major leagues that was different.

You know, he wasn’t a white player.  No, he was black.   Things were a little different back then as I’m sure you know.   He couldn’t always stay in the same hotels or eat in the same restaurants with the other players on the team.  As a matter of fact he seldom could.  He often had to ride in a separate part of the train when they traveled.

And according to him, he actually ran into more of that kind of discrimination in the North, more than he did in the South.  He wasn’t sure why.  He thought that people in the North would be more understanding and liberal about those attitudes.  After all, that’s why they fought the Civil War.  The North won and freed the slaves.  Or so he thought.  But no.  According to Bud the discrimination was far worse in the North than when he played in the South.

Who’s Bud, you ask?  Oh, that would be Bud Fowler, the first black ball player to ever play in the major  leagues.  Confused?  I don’t blame you the way our news media writes history.  But, It’s a Little Known Fact that Bud Fowler was the first black player to ever play on an American League team out of Chicago, and he did that almost 40 years before Jackie Robinson first stepped foot on a ball diamond.  But, in order to do play, Bud had to pass himself off as an Indian.  It’s a shame we know better now, though, and he still doesn’t get the credit.

Editorial by Nelson Thibodeaux

After the recent story, below about East Central University, just up the road in Ada, Oklahoma, it now is official Americans have apparently joined the European world of politically correct lost sheep.  In Ada, an old Chapel on this University’s grounds,  was within days of having the Cross on the top of the Chapel removed, 60 years after it was built on the campus, along with a copy of the Bible.  It seems an atheist group,  “Americans United for the Separation of Church and State,” threaten to file a lawsuit against the college.

However, unlike the sheep running from the political correctness wolves, in matters of Confederate statues, the college grew a backbone and said, they had not “thoughtfully” considered the results of their action,”.

I know many of you feel as I do.  I do not bow down in homage to Confederate statues; they are simply a reflection of men who served honorably in a terrible war.  As a matter of fact, history will tell you that the great majority who fought on the side of the South, did not own slaves then, nor ever.  They fought for a cause they felt was right and just, that the Federal Government should not trump their own state’s rights. While many that fought on the side of the North were forced into serving in the war by their government, not by their conviction.

As noted, Washington and Jefferson were previous slave owners, yet their portraits hang in the White House and justly so!

Should we next burn books concerning the civil war?  Now Ft. Worth is taking a painstaking walk with the sheep by saying the Jefferson Davis Park will be renamed!

We can not, nor should we, erase American History to purge records of all the wrongs committed over 250 years. It is what it is; learn from it but don’t pretend it didn’t happen.

The most recent demagogue that rewrote history was a funny little monster known as Adolf Hitler!  He cleansed the History of Germany to fit his evil scheme of history; erasing the minds of  millions of Germans with his propaganda!   Yet today, Nazi remnants still stand, not to celebrate Hitler, but as a reminder of the country’s actual history.

What next, White Supremacists tearing down memorials to Martin Luther King?  I believe history tells us that while a great leader,orator and liberator, he also had his faults.

As long as the madness continues in an effort to eradicate what the extremist sees as offensive, the divide in America will continue to widen.

Pretending that taking down Confederate statues or Crosses from a Chapel is an answer, is just plain stupid.

Coming together to celebrate this great free democracy and protecting our way of life against those who would wipe the world clean of Americans; is the answer.

However, the more cities, churches, colleges or governments cave in to either extreme, we will all have a little less freedom everyday.  The Freedom to understand our history as a country and the determination to continue celebrating our differences, but remain United as Americans, should be everyone’s mutual goal that gives a damn about the United States of America.

[

Is this the slogan of our following generation?

Ada, Oklahoma, August 22, 2107

After an Oklahoma college first indicated it would remove crosses, Bibles and other religious icons from its campus chapel after a complaint letter from a separation of church and state group, the school reversed course Friday, saying it was “immediately withdrawing its efforts” to remove the items — including the cross atop the 60-year-old chapel.

“We moved too quickly,” Katricia Pierson, president of East Central University in Ada, said in a statement. “We regret not taking time to pause and thoughtfully consider the request and the results of our actions on all of the students, faculty and community members who we serve.”

University officials received a letter from Americans United for the Separation of Church and State on June 20, Ada News reported, which argued that the religious items violate federal law and demanded their removal.

“We have received a complaint that East Central University’s Kathryn P. Boswell Memorial Chapel has permanent religious iconography on display,” the letter states, according to Ada News. “These displays include Latin crosses on the top of and inside the building, Bibles, and a Christian altar. While it is legal for a public university to have a space that can be used by students for religious worship so long as that space is not dedicated solely to that purpose, it is a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to display religious iconography on government property. Please remove or cover the religious displays and items.”

Pierson said Friday that the school initially removed some items to show support for all cultures and religious beliefs, as the chapel is used for various religions, student clubs and events.

However, she added that “ECU will not take further action, either by putting back the removed items, or by removing further artifacts, including the cross on the steeple” until a diverse committee of students, faculty and community members have discussed the issue.

An attorney for Americans United for the Separation of Church and State told TheBlaze Friday it’s fine if ECU wants to take a “longer look” at the issue but the outfit’s stance is unchanged.

“Ultimately, we expect them to come to the same decision since the law is squarely on our side,” Ian Smith said in an interview.

Republican state Sen. Greg McCortney said in a statement, “I commend ECU for reviewing the policies, and taking the time to thoughtfully consider the impacts on everyone in the university and Ada community.”

When the initial news hit that crosses and Bibles — and perhaps even the cross on top of the steeple — were on their way out, there was plenty of concern.

Randall Christy, founder of the Gospel Station Network in Ada, told the Tulsa World on Thursday that “it’s time for Christian people to take a stand for our history and heritage.”

“The idea that the cross excludes people is not true — it’s the opposite,” Christy, also local church pastor, told the World. “The cross represents that all are welcome, that people of all walks of life are loved by God.”

He also told the World, “I encourage Christians to immediately make your voices heard on this matter. ECU administration is not the enemy here. It’s outside forces at work to force this action upon our local university.”

Christy told KXII-TV that it “just boggles my mind that people are able wield this kind of power into someone else’s local community.”

Ada resident Destin Wilkerson agreed. “Sent chills up my body,” he told the station. “Who in their right mind would wanna have a cross taken down that’s been there for you know 60 years?”

The Tulsa Word also reported that the atheist group, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, sent ECU a letter earlier this week requesting that it stop its sacred music program, as it’s religious rather than academic and violates the Constitution.

“ECU certainly cannot train Christian ministers to promote a sectarian religious message,” Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the FFRF, told the World. “Similarly, it cannot train choir leaders to promote the same message.”

The college’s music department says the sacred music program “includes an in-depth study of the history and philosophy of sacred music, hymnology and liturgy, guitar and contemporary worship, sacred music composition, sacred music practicum, and an internship.”

Gaylor told the World she was happy to hear about the initial decision to remove the crosses, Bibles and other religious items from the chapel: “More power to them. I’m really glad to hear about it.”

She told the World that the FFRF was “on a roll” after getting crosses removed in Pensacola, Florida, and Santa Clara, California.

Grapevine, Bedford, Texas – August 23, 2017 –

• The Vintage Freak– record shop that sells and repairs vintage audio equipment and mid-century modern furniture
• Vintage Tex– vintage clothing and accessories from the 1940s to 1970s
• Bombshell Nostalgia– strange, rare, and interesting oddities, militaria, taxidermy, and antiques
• Retro Madness– vintage toys, action figures, comics, collectibles, and retro gaming systems such as Atari and Nintendo
• Quarter Lounge– a retro arcade specializing in the best games from the 1980s and 1990s such as Ms. Pacman, Street Fighter, Super Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, and more
  

“I was so excited when Taylor Watts, the owner of The Vintage Freak, called and asked if we would be interested in taking over their clothing area,” says Cooper. Prior to opening the new mini boutique, Vintage Tex cleared out the formerly cluttered clothing room, painted the space their signature grey with a pop of coral, installed sophisticated black track lighting, and added a dressing room. Vintage Tex recently renovated their Grapevine flagship store with the same color scheme.

Vintage Tex is carrying a small selection of clothing and accessories made between the 1940s and the 1970s inside The Vintage Freak in Retro Plaza. The Vintage Freak is open from 12pm-6pm Monday-Friday & Sunday, and 12pm-9pm on Saturday. The same attention to quality will be met at the new boutique as in the original Vintage Tex store in Grapevine; all items are examined for flaws, repaired and cleaned when possible, and then sized to the modern size and steamed to make shopping easier.