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Memo from the MANAGER |
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Seasoned and shiny
This is going to be a hard habit to break.
The intersection of Josey and Valley View presents us with four corners. Along with that, calling that retail area the "Four Corners" has only made sense for a lot of years.
However, the times, they are a changin' and I know that I've got to change my habits along with them - specifically, when it comes to adopting the new name, "The Shops at Branch Crossing."
 The City Council adopted that new name a few months ago to reflect the new vitality that is infusing the retail area with excitement and optimism. "The Shops at Branch Crossing." It does have a ring to it. But, breaking my "Four Corners" habit will take some work. What will make it easier is thinking of the area in terms of the diversity of tenure of businesses in the "Shops." And that is what will make this retail district even more special as the next few years roll on. Consider this. All over the Metroplex, there are retail areas that have sprung up in the past 10 years. Some are malls. Some are outdoor, pedestrian friendly spaces. Nearly all are 100 percent new construction. In the "Shops at Branch Crossing," we do have exciting new developments like Walmart and the new Chase building, the upcoming Panda Express and the major renovations at McDonald's. But, we also have well-established businesses that have been there for decades that will anchor the area, giving it history and character in the midst of rebirth and redevelopment. On the southwest corner alone, the established establishments include Turner Hardware, that has been there for 50 years, offering everything from dominoes to letter-number-fractional-metric drill bits and so much in-between. Marshall's Barbeque has been serving up sauce with all kinds of stuff under it since 1965. And, years of personal searching have led to some of the best salsa on the planet at Nuevo Leon. These and other venerable staples of the Farmers Branch business community strike a respectful contrast with the 21st century edifices springing up nearby. It is that blend of the shiny and the seasoned that will make "The Shops at Branch Crossing" an even more special place to visit. Even if it does have four corners.
  
Click Gary's picture for background and contact info |
Weekend LBJ work to snarl traffic
 FARMERS BRANCH ~ More weekend traffic woes are in the offing for Interstate 635-LBJ for February 17-19 as bridge work is scheduled for the Joe Ratcliff pedestrian bridge as well as the Rosser bridge in Farmers Branch.
Likewise, the same weekend, in work that could affect traffic to and from Farmers Branch, crews are set to work on the Monfort Bridge over LBJ, just east of the Dallas North Tollway.
All scheduled work is subject to change. Log on at www.lbjexpress.com for the latest information and updates.
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FARMERS BRANCH ~ Completing the first step of a process begun two years ago with the demolition of dangerous buildings on the site, Farmers Branch City officials say the opening of the new Walmart Market grocery store, on the southeast corner of Josey and Valley View, is imminent.
The opening date is believed to be in April with a specific announcement from Walmart expected soon. Redevelopment of the retail area at that intersection, formerly known as the Four Corners and now dubbed The Shops at Branch Crossing, has been a priority for the Farmers Branch City Council.
Purchase of most of the buildings on the southeast corner in 2010 was the first step in the process that was enhanced by the deal to bring the grocery store to the site. Farmers Branch Economic Development Director John Land said the Walmart project is acting as a catalyst for spurring other development in the area.
Since the grocery store was announced, Chase has demolished their decades-old bank building on the southwest corner and replaced it with a contemporary branch. Likewise, the long-standing McDonalds's restaurant on the northwest corner is in the midst of a major renovation. New restaurants, including Tuscany and Four Corners Cafe, have added to the eatery options in the area along with the announcement that Panda Express restaurant will soon be built on the southeast corner, near the Walmart Market.
"We believe this is just the tip of the iceberg," Mr. Land said. "The phone continues to ring with interested developers that will continue to grow The Shops at Branch Crossing into a premier retail destination for this region of the Metroplex."
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Great Backyard Bird Count comes to Farmers Branch
Avian arithmetic opportunity happens Feb. 18 & 20
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Designed to give a real-time snapshot of where birds are across the north American continent, the City of Farmers Branch is inviting the public to assist in the "Great Backyard Bird Count" at the Farmers Branch Bird Sanctuary and at the John F. Burke Nature Preserve, February 18-21.
Farmers Branch Parks and Recreation Landscape Manager Pam Smith said the "Bird Count" is fun and educational.
"It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event," she explained. "It's free, fun and easy and, it helps the birds."
Ms. Smith said anyone wishing to help with the Farmers Branch count should meet local master naturalists between 8 a.m. and 12 noon at the John F. Burke Nature Preserve on Saturday, February 18 and at the Bird Sanctuary behind City Hall on Monday, February 20. Binoculars are a help but not required.
Anyone counting at home will be asked to record their lists online at www.birdsource.org. More than 92,000 checklists were submitted in 2011.
Sponsored nationally by The Cornell Lab or Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, the project expects thousands of reports from across the continent to give a better picture of migratory habits, avian population centers and how bird diseases are affecting birds in different regions.
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Police Alert Network keeps neighbors in the know
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Drawing on 21st century information technology to keep citizens informed about what's going on in their neighborhoods, Farmers Branch Police Chief Sid Fuller has unveiled the Police Alert Network. >>> More
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Certified Tourism Ambassador class set for March 8
FARMERS BRANCH ~ There is still an opportunity to get in on a class that will enable local residents to act as Certified Tourism Ambassadors for the City of Farmers Branch.
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Name: Angie Kelly
Position: City Secretary
Background: I started working part time in the Farmers Branch Parks Department while attending college back in 1987. After a while, I moved into a full time position and that was my home away from home for the next 11 years. I spent some time out of the work force raising my kids, but when my youngest was ready for kindergarten, I decided I could return to the workforce. I had liked working for Farmers Branch so much I wound up working for two more cities before finding my way back here. While I was gone from Farmers Branch, I managed to switch career paths in that I focused on getting my Texas Municipal Clerks Association certification. This put me in the perfect place to apply for the City Secretary job created by the retirement of friend and coworker, Cindee Peters.
What Do You Like Most About Working for the City of Farmers Branch? I seem to have come full circle. I truly enjoyed working for Farmers Branch and I am so excited to be back in a City that has such exciting new projects on the horizon. I feel like I grew up here and it's nice to be back home!
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March 3
Grand Opening @
Fire Station No. 1
March 20
Star Party @
Historical Park
March 23-24 & 30-31
Encounters from the Past @
Keenan Cemetery
March 24-25
Camping Under the Stars @
Historical Park
April 1
Easter Eggstravaganza @
Historical Park
April 6
Good Friday Holiday
Most City offices closed
April 14
CityWide CleanUp Day @
Barney Wood Athletic Complex
972.247.3131 |
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Fire Department moves in to new Station No. 1
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Completing the move than began a year ago with a warm February afternoon groundbreaking, the Farmers Branch Fire Department has moved into newly constructed Fire Station No. 1 on Webb Chapel, just south of the Manske Library.
As a celebration of the latest advancement in community public safety, the Farmers Branch Fire Department has scheduled grand opening ceremonies for new Fire Station No. 1 for Saturday, March 3 from 10 a.m. until 12 noon.
The new station is strategically located in the heart of the Farmers Branch residential community at 13601 Webb Chapel, near the Manske Library and just south of the intersection of Golfing Green and Webb Chapel. For more information, call 972.919.2650.
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Rose landscaping class series winds down February 28
FARMERS BRANCH ~ The  winter 2012 edition of the "Landscaping with Roses" class series concludes on Tuesday, February 28 at 6:30 p.m. with a session on "Roses Bred for Toughness."
Mark Chamblee, owner of Chamblee's Roses in Tyler, will present the session at the Farmers Branch Community Recreation Center.The City of Farmers Branch, along with the Dallas Area Historical Rose Society and the Dallas Rose Society, has co-sponsoring the class series.
Attendance is free but registration is requested at 972.247.4607. Additionally, rose plants will be available for $10 each. For more information, call 972.919.2625.
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Snowy weather
The onset of Sunday's nights teaser snow flurries prompted BRANCH BULLETIN staff to search the archives for a snow photo for this week's banner. These three were found trudging through the snow on the banks of Rawhide Creek during the single day 12-inch snowfall of February 2010.
Staff Photo by Amanda Johnson |
VIDEO  LIBRARY
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Strategic Success 12:01
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Turning Tables 4:57
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Love The Branch: The Drive - :46
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CITY
EDUCATION
COMMUNITY
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LBJ Express is the name given to the five-year project that will renovate and expand capacity for Interstate 635, the LBJ freeway, from Central Expressway to Stemmons Freeway through parts of Dallas and Farmers Branch. Begun in 2011, the project team updates its status, and lane closure information weekly, including weekend bridge construction that could have serious traffic impacts.
For More, Click Here
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www.lbjexpress.com
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Branch Bulletin is the 
recipient of the 2011
TAMI Award
for Best
E-Newsletter in Texas, bestowed by the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers
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About the City of Farmers Branch
Located on the northwest border of the City of Dallas, Farmers Branch is a vibrant and vital community with a residential population of 28,800 but a daytime population of 66,000. The City's 28 parks and lush greenbelts feature nationally-acclaimed, award-winning soccer fields, football facilities as well as baseball and softball complexes. The Farmers Branch Historical Park allows residents to step back in time and the John F. Burke Nature Preserve offers the opportunity to experience a real, 104-acre wilderness in the middle of one of the busiest metro areas of the world. The City's location in the geographical center of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, only 15 minutes away from both DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field, make Farmers Branch an ideal location for residents and for business. For more information about Farmers Branch, visit www.farmersbranch.info or call 972.919.2515.
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