Honoring those who have served

   One of the most poignant features of last year's Liberty Fest celebration was the placement of the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall in Liberty Plaza for the duration of the Memorial Day weekend. This year, we again have the opportunity to honor not only the fallen, but all those who have worn the uniform in time past and those who are defending our freedom today.

   The Field of Flags will be a striking scene with each flag symbolizing the service of a loved one in the American armed forces. World War II veterans will be honored alongside those deployed this very day in Afghanistan, striking the very true chord that Farmers Branch is proud of all who seek to protect us.

   I encourage you to read more below on how you can sponsor a flag for a loved one, a friend or simply someone you know. The number of available flags is limited, so please get in touch with the good folks a the Community Recreation Center, who are coordinating this special effort, as soon as you can. This is another example of what makes Farmers Branch special - a true community celebration of our country and our troops.

   Thank you for being a part of it.

FARMERS BRANCH ~ Each honoring a past or present member of the U.S. armed forces, more than 1,700 American flags will grace the lawn at Liberty Plaza as the "Field of Flags," a patriotic centerpiece to the 2011 Liberty Fest celebration, coming May 27-28. 

Sponsorships of flags, for veterans or active duty military service members, are available through May 21, for $5 each, at the Farmers Branch Community Recreation Center on a first-come, first-served basis. Forms are available online at www.fblibertyfest.com.

Proceeds from the Field of Flags will benefit the American Fallen Soldiers Project, who will be presenting a portrait of the late U.S. Army Sgt. James P. Muldoon to his family in ceremonies at Liberty Plaza on Saturday, May 28, at 11 a.m., during Liberty Fest. Any remaining flag sponsorships will be made available after that ceremony, from 12 noon until 5 p.m. The Field of Flags will remain on display at Liberty Plaza through Memorial Day, Monday, May 30.

More Liberty Fest information is available online at www.fblibertyfest.com, on Twitter @fblibertyfest and on Facebook at facebook.com/fblibertyfest. Updates are also available on Farmers Branch E-News publication, BRANCH BULLETIN, published every Wednesday afternoon. Subscribe at www.farmersbranch.info. 

MORE INFO on Liberty Fest concerts, featuring 38 Special & Rick Springfield 

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FARMERS BRANCH ~ Portions of the HOV lanes of Interstate 635, LBJ,  between Stemmons Freeway and Central Expressway will close in May as one of the first steps in the complete reconstruction of the corridor, according to officials with the LBJ Express Project.

Phase 1 of the HOV closure will include the eastbound HOV lane beginning east of Luna Road in Farmers Branch and extending to a point west of Midway Road. On the westbound side, the HOV lane will be closed beginning west of Midway and extending to a point just west of the Joe Ratcliff Pedestrian Walkway. Phase 2, in early summer, will extend those closures, on both sides, east to Hillcrest Road in Dallas.

For more information or to sign up for LBJ Express traffic and project updates by e-mail, go to www.lbjexpress.com.

CityWide CleanUp Day yields record totals for electronics, shredding

FARMERS BRANCH ~ The 2011 edition of CityWide CleanUp Day yielded dramatic results with increased totals for both paper shredding and electronics recycling.

A constant stream of citizens during the three hour collection period offered 9,798 pounds of TVs, computer monitors, towers and peripherals, compared to 6,885 pounds in 2010 - an increase of 30 percent. The biggest increase was in document shredding with 5,376 gallons of paper shredded, compared to 1,425 last year.