NEW - TEXAS TORNADO HOCKEY'S MILITARY APPRECIATION NIGHT NEXT SATURDAY:  

The Texas Tornado will be holding Military Appreciation Night on Saturday, November 19th at their game against the Amarillo Bulls at Dr Pepper Arena.   All active, reserved, and retired military personnel will receive a free ticket to that game. There will special discounted rates for the family of military personnel, as well.  

In addition, the Tornado are offering businesses a chance to sponsor a military or public service family. For just $400, each ticket sponsor will have 50 tickets donated to families of military personnel in their name, 50 tickets for the company to use to any Tornado home game this season, and a thank you on both the video board and the Tornado website. Businesses interested in sponsoring a military family can do so by calling the Tornado office at 972-335-9800.

About The Texas Tornado 

The Texas Tornado, proud members of the 28-team North American Hockey League, play at the state-of-the-art Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco. The team will host the 2012 Robertson Cup National Championship Tournament, while flex-packs are still available for the remainder of the season. Since their inception in 1999, the Texas Tornado have set the standard for excellence for hockey for players ages 21 and under in the United States.  Besides their three straight National Championships from 2004-2006, the Tornado have won seven NAHL Regular Season Division titles and had seven straight 40+ win seasons from 1999-2007. Since 1999, the Tornado have developed and moved on over 120 players onto NHL, NCAA and professional teams.

UPDATED - PLANO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FALL CONCERT THIS SUNDAY: 

The Plano Symphony Orchestra is hosting a fall concert series for children ages 3-12 in the Black Box Theater at the Frisco Discovery Center. The first concert took place last weekend.

This Sunday, November 13's show emphasizes the Winds section of the orchestra.  

The event commences with pre-concert activities at 2:15 PM in the lobby. Concert begins at 3 PM. Purchase General Admission tickets for $7 at planosymphony.org.

The Frisco Discovery Center, located at 8004 N. Dallas Pkwy, Frisco, TX, is managed by Frisco Association for the Arts, a non-profit organization supporting and promoting the arts in Frisco. "Like Us" on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for details on upcoming events.

Contact (972)668-5180 or visit friscoarts.org for more information.  

Subject: AGENDA - GRINDING AMERICA DOWN - Special Showing

What:   AGENDA - Third in a series of special movie screenings sponsored by the Frisco Tea Party

When:  This Monday, November 14th  

6:00 PM - Mixer

7:00 PM - Dinner/Movie

Where: Studio Movie Grill

 4721 W Park, Plano (just East of the intersection of Park and Preston)

Donation: $10 (Cash or Check only, Please) to help offset the cost of the theatre rental

Dinner and refreshments are at SMG menu prices.

"AGENDA is the most powerful expose' of the communist, socialist, progressive attempt to take over America produced so far." --Ted Baehr, Movie Guide.  

AGENDA - GRINDING AMERICA DOWN traces communism's influence in America from its beginnings through today. Contrary to the idea that communism died with the crumbling of the Berlin Wall, AGENDA asserts that it is actually alive and well under various other names. Now you can see for yourself the documentary selected as the BEST OF FESITVAL and Jubilee Winner at the 2010 SAIC Film Festival.

Watch the trailer now. 

UPDATED - FRISCO WOMEN'S LEAGUE MERRY MARKETPLACE NEXT WEEKEND:

WILL YOU PLEASE BECOME ONE OF ADRIAN'S ANGELS?

Adrian Najera, Age 3 Aubrey, TX

Adrian Najera is three years-old. He lives in Aubrey, Texas with his parents and his 8 year-old sister Vanessa. At one week old, he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. Adrian has been approved for a life-saving kidney transplant, but we need your help.  

Adrian's Story

Adrian's Angels is a fundraising effort by his friends and family to help give Adrian a chance at life. Adrian was born on June 8, 2008. Everything checked out fine and by the 2nd day they were able to take him home. Over the next week they noticed that he didn't seem to have a big appetite and he was a little jaundice. On Monday morning, June 16 they took him to his Pediatrician and he said the jaundice will eventually go away and his appetite will increase.  

The Najeras felt that there was something else going on with their son and took him straight to the ER. It was at that time that they confirmed something was wrong with Adrian. The ER doctor came in with a very concerned look at told the parents that Adrian's labs were very abnormal. He told them that an ambulance from Children's Hospital was on its way to take Adrian because they did not have the proper equipment to treat him.  

When they arrived at Children's, several members of the medical team were waiting for him to perform several exams including a spinal tap. The next thing was to take a sonogram of his organs; it revealed that Adrian's kidneys were not fully developed. You can imagine the nightmare of such news. Only a week ago they were celebrating the birth of their 2nd child and now they stood in front of a Nephrologist explaining to them that Adrian was going to need dialysis before he left the hospital. After two weeks in ICU and with the Grace of GOD, Adrian was able to go home.

The Road Ahead

Fast forward to the present, although Adrian has defied all challenges and remains stable... the time is nearing where he will need to undergo a transplant. Adrian's mother Rosemary is a match and is currently going through the donor clearing process. Once she is cleared then it's just a waiting game. The power of prayer is real. "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer".

Can You Help?

The most important thing you can do is to support the efforts of Adrian's Angels fundraising by giving to the Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA) in honor of Adrian. COTA is a 501(c) 3 charitable organization, with all donations fully tax-deductible.

While his family has medical insurance, it doesn't cover the full cost of the transplant itself, transportation and lodging costs related to the transplant, follow-up care expenses, and lifelong anti-rejection medication.

These costs have been estimated to be at least $55,000. Please help raise this amount so that Adrian can continue to experience life.

How to Give

* Donate via secure credit card online 

* Mail checks or money orders to Children's Organ Transplant Association, 2501 COTA Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403. Be sure to write "in honor of Adrian N" on the memo line.

No Holiday Season would be complete without spending an unforgettable afternoon in "The Land of the Sweets!" 

Collin County Ballet Theatre invites you to join us in one of the area's most festive holiday traditions...

Sugar Plum Fairy Tea, Hosted by Collin County Ballet Theatre and The Westin Stonebriar Resort/Frisco 

Sunday, November 27, 2011 & Sunday, December 11, 2011 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased by phone at 214-563-3792 or by email.

NEW - GET IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT WITH THESE UPCOMING CITY EVENTS: 

 

 

11th Annual Gingerbread House Contest

Registration Fee: $12 per entry (residents); $15 per entry (non-residents)

Let visions of sugar plums dance in your head while the smell of gingerbread and lollipops float through the kitchen as you prepare to showcase your creative entry  into the annual Gingerbread House Contest.

Click here for full contest details and to download a registration form.  

_________________________________________________________________________

Breakfast with Santa and Friends 

Children under 2 are free but must have a ticket.

Enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet with Santa, Frosty and Rudolph along with holiday crafts and other activities. Don't forget your cameras for a picture with Santa. No strollers please.

Click here for event details and to purchase tickets online.  

__________________________________________________________________________ 

Simpson Plaza at City Hall

Merry Main Street has become the "place to be" to ring in the Christmas season. Parents and children can shop for Christmas gifts and great holiday decor, while enjoying an evening of musical entertainment and an array of food and warm drinks. Team 3:16 Realty will be onsite to offer free photos with Santa.

NEW THIS YEAR! - An amazing fireworks show sponsored by Liberty Mutual Insurance  will be featured at the tree lighting along with a choreographed light show.  Also, visit "Lights on Ice," Frisco's first ever outdoor ice skating rink, sponsored by Sooner Management.   

NEW - LANDSCAPE DESIGN/DETAIL (Early to Mid November):

             SUBMITTED BY: Glenn Everett Kopanski, United States Navy (Retired)

Glenn Kopanski

For an opener, I feel I need to continue to encourage our conservation of our Lakes and the need for them. This is a serious situation we are in and I am almost to a point where I need to kneel and pray for rainfall. It would take 30 and more feet of rain to get us out of this. I have three

options for all of us. Reason #1 is to Turn your Sprinkler Systems Off (Reason: In the Fall/Winter grasses go completely dormant and leaving your systems on off it will save unnecessary waste). Reason #2 -

Hand water your Trees/Bushes or use a soaker hose. Reason #3 - Check-Online for weekly watering advice based on calculations from Frisco's weather stations and sign up for details on the city of Frisco's website here. Lastly, we are on Stage III,  watering only once on your Trash Day for every two weeks. If caught any of us could get water disconnected and fines up to $2,000. It is easier than anyone might think and that is to turn off your systems all together to avoid that fine.

Water every 2 weeks on Trash Day and be in compliance with City Laws and we might get ourselves out of this situation ondce our rains return and they will but it takes us ALL to make that happen and who has $2,000 per offense?  

There are some good ideas for the Holiday season coming soon when it comes to Tree removal etc, log on to the city's website and you can be part of the big picture when it comes to recycling. Allow the kids to get into this and learn how important it is to do their part. I encourage all to Recycle, almost 80% of all my Trash goes into the Recycle bin every week with only half a bag into my Trash Bin, so we can all play a huge part is saving the Planet.

Okay, now for my topic of the week:

PRUNING SHRUBS

I have four basic needs when it comes to pruning Shrubs and now is the time to do this before all

go dormant. First Pinching Evergreens- Taking off the tips to needled evergreens actually encourages

new growth next Spring. Do not be shy about pruning any Evergreen as you cannot hurt them, only

make them better. Grasp the tip of any new growth you see from this Summer and snip it off. You

will see a few more pine cones next year if you have the cones snip them off per the season. Next

is what I call "Thinning". You want to do this every year, cutting back branches from inside the Plant

will give it more Air/Sunlight and that can strengthen the Shrub over time. Shape it the way you

would like it.  If at all possible snip off any branches that Criss/Cross each other, you want to have

a healthy Shrub and doing this will encourage a much sturdier plant as it ages. Now if you have a

very Tall Shrub that can cause problems, for that I encourage you to contact someone who can

reach high, there are extension Pruners you can buy at any Home Depot or Lowe's, or call on a

friend to get to those. If nothing can be done I recommend you have the Shrub what I call "Topped".

By this I mean to bring down that Shrub so you can reach those branches you need out every year.

Doing this can only make the Shrub stronger and inhibits any possible up-rooting. Some Shrubs

get so tall they become Top Heavy allowing them to come down in higher wind storms, so topping

anything really can only ensure you have a Shrub in control of itself. Third is Rejuvenating that

Shrub, meaning to Prune the Shrub in question closer to the ground and allowing a completely

new Shrub next Spring/Summer. I encourage you to consider this when we are talking about

older plants because that Shrub could be in it's last years of life and pruning them back

aggresively can only save it not kill it because it encourages new growth, sort of like a haircut

we all need if cut often the hair grows back faster and heathier looking. Allowing our hair to grow

without cutting it we'll it grows thinly, cutting it back some like a High & Tight it tends to fill in

better. Fourth and Final is to pound in fertilizer spikes at this time will make the Shrub that much

more healthy for nest year's onslaught of our crazy Texas weather. That completes this lesson on

Shrub Care.     

For this week's two Landscape words and descriptions:

Term: SUCCULENT GROWTH

Desc:  The sometimes undesirable production of fleshy tender leaves or stems that results from

             Over-Fertilization.

Term: VARIEGATED

Desc: Having various colors or colar patterns. The term usually refers to plant foliage that is

           streaked, edged, blotched or mottled with a contrasting color, often green to yellow,

           cream or white.

 This week's Tree, Shrub, Flower, Ornamental Grasses of the week:

Tree of the Week: Mesquite

   This is a large spreading Tree with Picturesque branch canopies that cast light, airy shade. Most

   are Multi-Trunked and are responsive to Heat/Drought conditions as well as poor soil areas. I

   have loved this Tree for a long time but be aware most of these Trees have very large thorns,

   so Kid's and Dogs might not like this pick. Hgt: 30ft Spread to: 40ft.

Shrub of the Week: Sky-Rocket Juniper

   For the Juniper family this is likely the tallest and narrow columnar Shrubs there is in this

   Family, but in my opinion the most beautiful Juniper there is. Hgt: 20-30ft Spread: 3ft.

Flower of the Week: Purple-Loosestrife (Perrenial)

   Upright floral spikes that come in Purple, Pink, Rose and Orchid colors shows it's self off in the

   Summer months and can add in a little attitude to any Garden. After blooming pruning and/or

   Deheading encourages even more blooms during the wamer months.. Great Pick here!!

That is my report for the week. If you need anymore information please feel free to call me

and get any advice you need at my home email address. I will (as the month

progresses) give out a lot of advice to prepare us for Winter. Conserve water please. We just

cannot keep watering the way we have been. A reminder fresh water has now become a real

issue. The worlds population has boomed to 7 Billion and the problem exists we have only

enought fresh water for 4 Billion. Current Droughts and escessive Heating has resulted to this,

so as a Community we need to change with the times too before we too end up with no water.

Keeping our City free of trash is appreciated, it keeps our Home's value up and makes our City

something for all to remember. Nothing wrong with rounding Citizens up to pick up trash along

our roads, it can be a Fun event and can pull us together as a Community. I walk around picking

trash up all the time on my property, road or in a neighbor's yard if there is any there. Take

care and will be back next week. Keep remembering those Troops, let's bring them home safely

and hopefully we will not have to return in that arena/theatre.

My Best Regards to You All,  

Glenn 

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