The Collin County Soil & Water Conservation District is currently taking orders for conservation tree and shrub seedlings. The purpose of this program is to assist farmers, ranchers & landowners with conservation practices such as windbreaks, noise and site barriers, erosion control and water conservation.  Several varieties of evergreen and hardwood trees are being offered this year. 

The plastic tube container species available include Afghanistan Pine, Italian Stone Pine, Catalpa, Oriental Arborvitae, Mexican Buckeye, Osage Orange, Western Soapberry and thornless Honeylocust.  Containerized species are sold in bundles of 25 for $85, plus sales tax.

Bareroot species available include Black Cherry, Bur Oak, Chinkapin Oak, Lacebark Elm, Pecan, and Shumard Oak. These hardwood seedling species are also sold in bundles of 25 and are available for $70, plus sales tax.

All species being offered are tolerable to USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8, which includes North Texas and all of Collin County, and are provided by the Texas A&M Forest Service.

Conservation tree order forms are available at the SWCD office, 1404 N. McDonald Street, Suite 100, McKinney, TX, or you can request a form via email at Jilane.Carper@tx.nacdnet.net  Tree orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis in case of depletion of inventory.  Supplies of some species are limited, so order early for a better opportunity of having your order filled.  All orders must be received by Wednesday, February 19, 2025.  The District promotes the tree seedling sale program solely to encourage conservation.  Tree seedlings purchased from the District are NOT for resale.  Orders will be ready for pick up on or around the week of February 24, 2025.  A reminder email will be sent with pick-up day and time information once it has been confirmed.  If you have any questions or would like more information about the program, please call 972-542-0081 ext. 3.  All proceeds from these sales help fund the SWCD’s conservation and education programs throughout Collin County. 

I Know She Was There

by

Jennifer Sadera

Exhilaratingly mind-blowing.

I Know She Was There by Jennifer Sadera is a mesmerizing tale of mystery, murder, and mental illness. Every evening, a young mother walks the upscale Deer Crossing neighborhood pushing her daughter's baby carriage, but what started as post-partum exercise has morphed into an addiction to watching the lives of the residents unfold, baring their secrets and sins to her observant eyes. 

Wow! What seems to start out as a tragic domestic drama soon became an exciting thriller where nothing is what it initially appears. The storytelling is clever and cunning, drawing me in from the start, and the pages almost turned themselves; I was so engrossed in following the twists and turns. 

The story unfolds via the troubled narrative of Caroline Case, the estranged wife of Tim and mother to Emmy. I immediately began to wonder what was really going on with this woman, as supposedly normal people clearly voiced their doubts about what she was reporting. Even the character herself starts to think maybe she is seeing things that aren't there. Twists and turns in the plot made me doubt every first impression for a good reason. It's one of the best books I've read this year. 

I recommend I KNOW SHE WAS THERE to readers of thrillers, mysteries, and psychological suspense. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

The Dallas Academy community came together in vibrant style on Saturday, November 9th, for the annual DAwg Run, which featured a burst of color as participants in the one-mile race were showered with bright, colorful powder. Josh Maki claimed the top spot as the overall winner, with Adrian Gongora and Baylen Gongora following in second and third place. Every runner left with medals, t-shirts, and big smiles—and even our furry friends got in on the action, with one lucky dog winning prizes in the pet costume contest.

"The DAwg Run continues to be one of my favorite events of the year, and this year was extra special with our biggest turnout yet!" said Jodie Green, 6th grade parent who helped to organize the DAwg Run this year.  We're so proud to see so many people show up to build community and support our school."  

The day was filled with family-friendly activities, including a Chili Cook-Off featuring 14 teams. The RedZone Heat, hosted by the Strickler family, earned the "Best Theme" award; Chili Dawgs, hosted by the Lipper family, won the "People's Choice" award; and Netflix and Chili, hosted by the Linz-Thorn family, took home the "Best Tasting" prize.

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and participants, the event raised over $23,000, all of which will benefit Dallas Academy students through tuition assistance and academic improvements.  Guests also enjoyed a cake walk, face painting, slime-making, and a petting zoo, made possible by the support of local businesses.  

A special thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, CW Custom Flooring, as well as all our sponsors and volunteers, whose contributions helped make this year’s DAwg Run a tremendous success. We are grateful for the continued support of our community!

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Highland Park Literary Festival (HP LitFest) recently announced that Mark Sullivan, New York Times bestselling author of Beneath a Scarlet Sky and a former investigative reporter, will be the featured speaker of this year’s community keynote event on February 20, 2025, in the Highland Park High School Auditorium. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the program will begin at 7 p.m. Admission is free.The HP LitFest Committee would like to thank La Fiesta de la Seis Banderas for generously supporting its mission for the past 24 years, enabling the organization to achieve prominence as a community literary festival.  

HP LitFest was founded in 1995 by parents and Highland Park High School (HPHS) faculty members who mutually desired to create a program to provide literary enrichment and spark the interest and imagination of high school students.  HP LitFest has since grown into a highly anticipated series of events for students and community members, culminating in a two-day festival.  HP LitFest remains committed to its mission of inspiring and encouraging students, the local community, and the greater Dallas area to celebrate language in all its written and spoken forms.  In the past several years, HP LitFest has proudly expanded its programming from the high school into every HPISD school.  

“Each year, HP LitFest serves thousands in and around our community, in every age group.  We are proud to serve more than 6,500 people from children to adults,” said HP LitFest Co-chair Ashley Blanchette. “Thanks to the leadership that came before us, HP LitFest is widely recognized for the caliber of keynote and featured speakers and workshop presenters we secure for our students and community. As we mark this significant milestone in our event’s history, we are thrilled to welcome author Mark Sullivan.”  

Mark is the acclaimed author of over 18 novels, including the #1 New York Times bestselling “Private” series, which he writes with James Patterson. His beloved book, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, based on the epic tale of forgotten war hero Pino Lella, has resonated deeply with audiences everywhere.  

Before becoming a celebrated novelist, Mark was a correspondent at Reuters and a reporter at States News Service, where he served as a backup reporter to the D.C. bureaus of the New York Times, Newsday and the New York Daily News. He later became an award-winning investigative reporter at the San Diego Tribune, where his unique journalistic style focused on the cultures of the things he was investigating. His first novel, The Fall Line, was named a New York Times Notable Book of the year, a rare honor for a debut author.  Later, his breakout novel, The Purification Ceremony, made bestseller’s lists all over the world. 

“We believe that literary writing offers unique insight into the human experience and has its value not only in the story that it tells, but also in how the story is told,” said HP LitFest Co-Chair Julie Melihercik. “Consequently, HP LitFest showcases and provides access to professional writers who offer substantive artistic content through either fiction or nonfiction, and who can offer guidance or inspiration with respect to the craft and the appreciation of literary writing.”

Not only will approximately 2,100 HPHS students attend an assembly-style presentation with our featured author; they will also participate in at least one workshop during their high school’s regularly scheduled English class on February 21, 2025.  These workshops are put on by 25 accomplished novelists, journalists, poets, songwriters, and playwrights from all over the country.

HP LitFest’s programming includes a poetry competition in the elementary schools, judged by LitFest Student Committee Members, with winning poetry, illustrated by middle school art students, displayed at the Highland Park and University Park Public Libraries; an open Mic Night, providing a safe platform for high school students to showcase literary expertise among their peers; a student writing contest and awards breakfast; two scholarships awarded to HPHS students who have demonstrated a passion for writing; parent and student book clubs; and a LitFest Student Committee for HPHS students wishing to further explore various forms of literature.

In addition, Flick Fest for LitFest, the primary fundraising event for HP LitFest, will feature acclaimed screenwriter and two-time Academy Award nominee, David Magee. It will be held Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 7 p.m. at the Angelica Theater in Mockingbird Station. Flick Fest will offer a showing and discussion of movie clips of which David has written the screenplays. Donations of $35 or more include the movie screening, discussion, a beverage and popcorn. Visit https://hplitfest.com/flick-fest/ for reservations and additional detail.

HP LitFest is made possible by the generous donations from La Fiesta de las Seis Banderas, HP Arts and HPHS PTA along with families of the school district and beyond.

HPLitFest is free and open to the public.  For more information or to support HP LitFest, visit https://hplitfest.com/.   

Visit Galaxy Theatres Grandscape to cheer on the Longhorns and Aggies as they play in the comeback of the historic Lone Star Showdown® match-up!  

Experience the perfect game-day atmosphere in our uniquely split movie theater; one side in vibrant burnt orange, the other in deep maroon. Savor freshly popped popcorn, local craft beers on tap, handcrafted cocktails, and a full menu of delicious snacks to share. All while cheering on your college team as they take the big screen!

Friendly service and luxurious reclining seats make Galaxy Theatres Grandscape the perfect spot to watch the home team win it all. Come one, come all! This watch party is free and open to the public. With the purchases of any concession items or drinks you will be entered in a raffle!