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A little bit country
We've been a little bit rock n' roll for the first three years of our signature event.
But, this year, Liberty Fest goes more than a little bit country. Yep, this year's event will feature a day-long country music festival, starting at 12 noon and lasting well into the night. Local bands will be featured on stage throughout the day, leading up to our featured performers that evening, including the recently announced country music superstars Jack Ingram and Randy Houser. We hope to add to that lineup soon.
As is our tradition, Liberty Fest will be celebrated over Memorial Day Weekend on Saturday, May 25. In a bit of a departure from previous years, all activity will take place in the Farmers Branch Historical Park. It will take a ticket to get in, but tickets are free and will be available, starting April 1 at City facilities, participating sponsor locations and online.
By the way, parking will also be free.
Liberty Fest is, at its heart, a community celebration. But, it is also a chance to remember and honor those who have served our country. As such, it will be our honor to have back for the fourth consecutive year, the American Fallen Soldiers Project with a portrait presentation to the family of a U.S. military service member who gave what Lincoln described as the "last full measure of devotion."
But, it will also be a chance to gather with neighbors, enjoy some good music and celebrate community and country.
There will be so much more going on but I want to give you reason to stay in touch with us online at www.fblibertyfest.com, on Twitter @fblibertyfest or on Facebook /fblibertyfest.
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Library program waives fines for food thru March 24
MANSKE LIBRARY ~ Patrons can bring canned food items to the Manske Library, along with overdue Library items to have Library fines waived March 11-24.
Charges associated with previous fines, lost, billed, damaged or otherwise missing items cannot be waived and fines paid in the past are not subject to refund. Call 972.247.2511 for more info.
Library Director Belinda Jacks said a similar program last year was very successful in compiling school supplies. Canned food donations for this program will be sent to Metrocrest Social Services to benefit Farmers Branch families in need.
  
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Water main work expected to wrap up on Josey next week
FARMERS BRANCH ~ By early next week, traffic on Josey at Valwood is expected to return to normal as crews are on schedule to complete a large water main repair near that intersection. 
During the project, two southbound lanes on Josey have been shut down, between Heritage and Valwood, leaving one through lane open on the southbound side, in addition to the left turn lane onto eastbound Valwood. Farmers Branch Public Works officials said motorists seem to have heeded the call for alternate routes as no major traffic incidents have been reported during the construction project.
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Senior Center program draws national attention
WASHINGTON, D.C. ~ In recognition of its innovative program I Teach You; You Teach Me, the Farmers Branch Senior Center has received the 2012 Educational Award from the National Council on Aging.
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Seniors and teens working together to teach each other the skills of their generation is the theme of
I Teach You; You Teach Me
at the Farmers Branch Senior Center.
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Bringing teens together with seniors, the program offers each the chance to share skills with the other. The teens taught seniors one-on-one how to unlock the mysteries of digital devices such as personal computers, cell phones and digital cameras. The seniors, in turn, were very willing to share with the teens their experiences and skills in cooking, sewing, line dancing, yoga and dominoes.
"Being recognized by your peers is a great accomplishment," said Farmers Branch Senior Center Supervisor Ed Toliver. "We are all very proud of our staff for their efforts in making this program happen."
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Software solution aims to eliminate distractions for police officers behind the wheel
JUSTICE CENTER ~ Designed to enhance traffic safety, the Farmers Branch Police Department will become the first agency in Texas to employ new technology that prohibits typing on in-car computers when the patrol vehicle is traveling faster than 15 mph.
 Farmers Branch Police Chief Sid Fuller said the project is not in response to a serious problem, but a proactive move to eliminate the prospect for distractions, thereby improving safety for officers and the motoring public. The Archangel II system will cost about $4,000 to install in all 20 Farmers Branch patrol vehicles. The simple system locks the onboard keyboard when the vehicle exceeds 15 mph. "That's a small price to pay for safety," Chief Fuller said. "Distracted driving is a nationwide problem and the job of a police officer is dangerous enough. Anything we can do to reduce the hazards is money well spent."
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City elections coming in May
FARMERS BRANCH ~ The Farmers Branch City Council has called the annual City election for Saturday, May 11 to elect City Council members. As the result of a lawsuit, the federal district court has ordered that City Council members must now be elected from five geographically drawn single member districts, replacing the at-large system of elections used in prior years.
In 2013, Districts 1 and 4 are up for election. Candidates filing for the District 1 seat are William Capener and Ana Reyes. In District 4, Kirk Connally will face incumbent David Koch. The implementation of the single member district system will be staggered during the next three years to coincide with the current staggered terms of office.
Next year, District 2 plus the Mayor's seat will be chosen. Then, in 2015, representatives from Districts 3 and 5 will be elected. Current Council members will retain their positions until the end of their respective terms, at which time they have the option to run for re-election according to the district of their residence, if that district is up for election in that year. The Mayor will continue to be elected at-large and all members of the Council will serve three-year terms.
District 1 generally covers the northwest end of the City while District 4 encompasses most of the southeast section of Farmers Branch. District 3 extends from the center of the City to the southwestern edge while Districts 2 and 5 are located in the northern central area of town. Detailed maps are available for inspection at any City facility or online at www.farmersbranch.info.
For more information, call 972.919.2503.
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Click Map to Expand
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Free Liberty Fest tix available April 1
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Country music superstars Jack Ingram and Randy Houser will be among the featured performers as Liberty Fest goes country for the 2013 edition.
Set for Saturday, May 25 at the Farmers Branch Historical Park, the event will start at 12 noon and feature country music all day in addition to other activities.
Free tickets will be required for admission and will be available beginning April 1 at City facilities, sponsor locations and online.
2004 film version of "The Alamo" set Sunday
MANSKE LIBRARY ~ The celebration of Texas Independence is going on all month long at the Farmers Branch Manske Library. 
On the heels of Sunday's screening of the John Wayne 1964 classic, "The Alamo," the 2004 film version of the historic battle will be shown Sunday, March 17, at 2 p.m. The screening will take place in the Library's meeting room and offered free of charge.
Later in the month, on Wednesday, March 27 at 7 p.m., the James Butler Bonham Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas will hold a presentation on the 32 historic flags that have flown over Texas.
For more information, call the Library at 972.247.2511.
Military couples can win a Wedding in the Branch
FARMERS BRANCH ~ One deserving military couple will receive a dream Wedding in the Branch at the renovated Farmers Branch Rose Gardens, provided by the City of Farmers Branch with the help of local sponsors and partners.
Military couples may apply for a chance to win the wedding, between March 30 and May 1. The wedding will accommodate up to 100 family and friends for the ceremony to be held in 2014. Details are at www.weddinginthebranch.com. Encounter Keenan Cemetery with annual tours KEENAN CEMETERY ~ With an affectionate nod to Farmers Branch forefathers (and mothers), the Farmers Branch Historical Park presents "Encounters from the Past," on Fridays and Saturdays, April 5-6 & 12-13, beginning at 6:30 p.m. each evening.
The unique, guided walks through Farmers Branch Keenan Cemetery will explore the lives and contributions of many of the community's early citizens, with the help of local, costumed actors. Tickets are on sale now. Call 972.406.0184.
CityWide CleanUp Day moves to Oran Good, April 13
FARMERS BRANCH ~ In order to better facilitate traffic flow through the area, City officials have announced that CityWide CleanUp Day 2013 will be held at Oran Good Park, corner of Valley View Lane and Tom Field Road, on Saturday, April 13, from 9 a.m. until 12 noon.
Again, the event will feature opportunities for electronics recycling and document shredding, along with regular refuse disposal and recycling drop off.
Representatives of the Farmers Branch Manske Library will be on hand to accept any old books, DVDs or other media that residents would like to donate to future used book sales.
Additionally, there will be public safety equipment on display, information on Liberty Fest, Community Watch, animals available for adoption and more.
Oran Good Park is located at 13401 Tom Field Road, near the corner of Tom Field and Valley View Lane. Call 972.919.2510 for more information.
Date Night planned for grown-ups
HISTORICAL PARK ~ Grown-ups should plan on spending an evening on Saturday night, April 20 as the City of Farmers Branch presents "Date Night" at the Historical Park, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Entertainment will include the Dallas band, "The O's," along with some of DFW's best gourmet food trucks and an outdoor movie, "Trouble with the Curve." Child care is available at the Farmers Branch Community Recreation Center, but must be pre-registered by calling 972.247.4607.
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Tax Help Tuesdays continue through filing deadline
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Free tax preparation assistance from AARP volunteers is now available on Tuesdays at the Farmers Branch Senior Center and at the Manske Library.
Volunteers are on hand at the Senior Center on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and at the Manske Library from 1 until 7 p.m. through April 16. The tax filing deadline is Monday, April 15.
City offices list Good Friday schedules
CITY HALL ~ Most Farmers Branch City offices and facilities will be closed for the Good Friday holiday, Friday, March 29. There will be no garbage collection.
Facilities with limited hours that day include the Farmers Branch Community Recreation Center and Historical Park, each open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. The Library and Senior Center are both closed.
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Click on the video or print links to download different media for the Farmers Branch Office of Economic Development and Tourism Year End Report
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 The brilliant colors of a winter Texas sunset splash the sky over the western reaches of Farmers Branch. Photo by Derrick Birdsall
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LBJ Express Project Animation VIDEO
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FARMERS BRANCH ~ The weekly update on the Interstate 635 expansion project has been made available by LBJ Express, the construction team responsible for the five-year project that will completely renovate the freeway from the Dallas North Tollway to Interstate 35E. This update is for Wednesday, March 13, 2013.
Valley View (at IH35E): The IH35E northbound frontage road left lane is closed at Valley View through March 15.
IH 635/IH35E: The ramp connecting westbound LBJ to northbound IH35E will be closed on the nights of March 13-15, 19-20 and 29 for bridge work. Traffic will be detoured via Luna Road. The ramp connecting eastbound LBJ to southbound IH35E will be closed on the night of March 25. Eastbound LBJ will be closed at IH35E for bridge work on the weekend of April 5-7. Traffic will be detoured north on IH35E to the U-turn lane at Valwood Parkway
Denton Dr: The westbound LBJ frontage road between Ford and Denton will remain closed until mid-April. The westbound frontage road between Metro and Ford will be closed on the night of March 18.
Metro Blvd: Northbound Metro will be closed for bridge column construction March 11-16.
Josey Lane: Construction of the permanent paving and drainage on Josey will require various lanes closed through March. Josey Lane will be closed at LBJ on the night of March 16 for bridge beam installation.
Webb Chapel: Webb Chapel will be closed at IH635 on the nights of March 20 and April 9 for bridge work.
Marsh Ln: The pavement and bridge work on Marsh south of Ridgeoak will continue until late April when all lanes should be reopened. Various lanes may be closed during off-peak hours. The southbound side of the new Marsh Bridge is scheduled to be opened to traffic on March 19.
Rosser Rd: Rosser will be narrowed to one-lane with a flagger to control traffic March 18-23 to allow for installation of ornamental fencing.
Midway Rd: The southbound left turn lane on Midway Road between the LBJ frontage roads will remain closed indefinitely. Expect various lanes to be closed on Midway at LBJ during off-peak hours. The right southbound lane of Midway north of LBJ is closed for drainage installation through March 25. The right southbound lane of Midway south of LBJ is schedule to be closed from March 21-April 6 for drainage installation.
Dallas North Tollway: LBJ is narrowed to 3 main lanes in each direction at the DNT.
Other Locations: The new westbound frontage road from Valley View to Marsh and the new eastbound frontage road from Marsh to Midway are now expected to be opened in April.
Various main lanes of LBJ will be closed frequently during night-time hours. There will also be intermittent night-time closures of various LBJ entrance and exit ramps. All scheduled work is tentative as permitted by weather conditions and other factors.
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Volume 3 | Edition 11 | Number 107 
is published weekly by the Communications Office of the City of Farmers Branch, TX.
Two-time TAMI Award Winner for Best eNewsletter in Texas
Given by the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers
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About the City of Farmers Branch
 An historic community in the geographic center of the DFW Metroplex, Farmers Branch boasts a residential population of 28,800 and a daytime employment population of 66,000. Located on the northwest border of the City of Dallas, the City's 27 parks and lush greenbelts feature nationally-acclaimed, award-winning soccer fields, football facilities as well as baseball and softball complexes. The city's location in the center of the Metroplex and only 15 minutes away from both DFW Airport and Love Field, along with the 2,200 hotel rooms within the city, make Farmers Branch an ideal location for residents and for business. For more information on the City of Farmers Branch, visit farmersbranch.info, visitfarmersbranch.com, lovethebranch.com
or call 972.247.3131. |
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