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There's no place like home
Last Friday I was driving to work and saw a white motorcycle about to pull out into a collision with a car at Webb Chapel and Rawhide. The first thing that came to mind is that I should prepare to administer CPR as had been taught to me by the Farmers Branch Fire Department. Then, the biker laid his motorcycle down in the curb, narrowly avoiding a terrible accident.
 I pulled off on Rawhide to see if he needed help and to my surprise, he was not physically hurt, but only needed help getting his bike back up. He was a little emotionally shook up, so, as I helped him lift his motorcycle back up I talked to him to assure he was alright and ready to get back in the saddle. The bike was pretty heavy, but we got it back up in no time. As I steadied the bike for him, I turned around and to my great surprise, there were 5 people who had stopped or ran from their house to help.
To me this was a great epiphany. It reminded me of what it means to live in Farmers Branch. In a world that sometimes feels lonely and cold, it was reassuring to me that I live in place where community members will stop and help in the time of need. The people there at Webb Chapel and Rawhide that morning were there because they cared about their neighbor and wanted to do whatever they could to help. It was almost automatic on their part and their unselfish actions were inspiring.
Furthermore, as I looked at their compassionate faces I looked up the hill and was reminded that the City just recently constructed a new Fire Station 2 blocks away. Had there been an accident that needed emergency care, the biker would have a paramedic at the scene in 1 or 2 minutes. It reminded me that the construction of the fire station was strongly supported by the City Council and paid for due to the people of Farmers Branch passing a bond issue because they wanted better protection for all citizens.
So why is it so moving to me?
Because every once in a while we need to be reminded how important the people around us are and how much we are connected. It is easy in the big city to disconnect from neighbors and not get too involved. There are examples of this throughout the metroplex. In Farmers Branch it seems that personal connections are very strong and people still care about their neighbors. This is a community trait that can't be bought and is the envy of most cities. We are truly blessed to live in Farmers Branch.
That's what I learned on the way to work last Friday.
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Philip Marlowe &
Sam Spade live again
Literary lecture to focus on mid-century mystery writers
MANSKE LIBRARY ~ Raymond Chandler's literary protagonist, Philip Marlow, along with Dashiell Hammet's Sam Spade, will be among the tough guys discussed as the next meeting of the North Texas Dieselpunks will focus on the popular "Hardboiled" literary genre of the 1930s to 1950s, on Saturday, July 13 at 2 p.m. at the Farmers Branch Manske Library.
Lecturer Jack Wilgus will give a presentation that he calls "Hardboiled Collecting" that will include a discussion of mystery writers Chandler and Hammett along with Frank Gruber, Paul Cain and others, many of whom wrote for the magazine 'Black Mask' and whose stories were the focus of classic film noir movies. Mr. Wilgus will also bring authentic examples of the magazine for the audience to see.
  
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Community Visioning Survey extended online thru July 19
VIDEO  EXTRA
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Community Visioning Since 2010
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FARMERS BRANCH ~ In order to afford citizens every opportunity to participate, the 2013 Town Hall Meeting Community Visioning Survey has been extended online until July 19.
At the Town Hall Meeting, held June 13 a the Manske Library, Farmers Branch Planning Director Andy Gillies recapped the feedback received during the visioning meeting held in 2010 and reviewed progress in the three years since then. Following that, Senior Planner Alexis Jackson conducted a spot survey with the audience on community visioning for the near future.
Those survey questions are available online for anyone's participation by clicking on "Community Visioning Survey" on the City's homepage at www.farmersbranchtx.gov.
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Family Star Party planned Friday to feature sunsets & stars
FARMERS BRANCH ~ A mid-summer Star Party will offer participants a chance for solar observation while enjoying a picnic dinner, along with sunset viewing and summertime constellations after dark, on Friday, July 12, 7 until 11 p.m. at the Farmers Branch Historical Park.
 The event is free and open to the public (participants should bring their own picnic). Members of the Texas Astronomical Society will be on hand to answer questions and assist with viewing through high-powered telescopes in the meadow.
For more information, call 972.406.0184 or log on at www.texasastro.org.
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Citizens discovering City's new web presence
FARMERS BRANCH ~ The Farmers Branch website just got an extreme makeover.
 The online presence for the City organization has a new look, a new feel and a new address, at www.farmersbranchtx.gov. Launched earlier this week, the new site is organized by function with "mega menus" offering a capsulized site map under each major heading on top of the home page, "Departments," "Government," "Community," "Business" and "Visitors."
Directly below that, six graphic buttons offer users the opportunity to report a concern, make an online payment of a utility bill or court citation, check out the latest City news, browse a gallery of City photos or send feedback to City Hall.
City-related news stories will always occupy a spot on the home page, as will links to specific functions on the left side of the page. Find out more at www.farmersbranchtx.gov.
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Hazard mitigation plan survey closes in one week
FARMERS BRANCH ~ The City of Farmers Branch, in partnership with the Dallas County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, is requesting public input on the 2013 Dallas County/Farmers Branch Hazard Mitigation Action Plan, according to Farmers Branch Fire Chief Steve Parker.
An online survey is available for residents to provide input on how to reduce future impacts of hazards affecting our community.
Mitigation plans are required to be updated every five years to help reduce the vulnerability of people and property in our city. The City's current plan was adopted in 2008.
For more information on the update, visit the Dallas County Homeland Security & Emergency Management Hazard Mitigation Action Plan website or call the Farmers Branch Fire Department at 972.919.2640.
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Free Fallin'
This youngster was among many having fun on a warm July afternoon at the annual Farmers Branch Independence Day celebration, held July 3 at the Farmers Branch Historical Park.
Photo by Derrick Birdsall
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Volume 3 | Edition 28 | Number 124 
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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New City Council meeting time begins next week
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Regular meetings of the Farmers Branch City Council will begin at 6:30 p.m. on scheduled dates, starting with the
meeting of Tuesday, July 16.
That is the only regular meeting scheduled for July. The traditional first and third Tuesday schedule returns in August.
Regular meetings of the Farmers Branch City Council are held at Farmers Branch City Hall, 13000 William Dodson Parkway. Live coverage on meeting nights begins at 6:30 p.m. on FBTV, with replays of the most recent meeting at 7 p.m., seven days a week. FBTV can be found on cable channel 16 in Farmers Branch (15.1 digital), on AT&T Uverse channel 99 throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and online at www.farmersbranchtx.gov with video on demand available.
For more information, call 972.247.3131.
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Digital photography workshop ties in to gallery exhibit
MANSKE LIBRARY ~ Everyone with budding interest in digital photography is invited to a presentation by photographer Ed Auger at the Farmers Branch Manske Library on Saturday, July 20 at 2 p.m.
Mr. Auger has been involved in photography since his early teen years and specializes in landscapes, floral and seascape themes. Additionally, he uses his expertise in computer editing software to create various art media as well as pure photographic images.
Examples of Mr. Auger's work as well as that of Ray Marabito, Sarah Scott and Carol Stum are on display in the Manske Library Gallery in the show, "Photo Escapes: On the Road Again" through August 2. The artists will be on hand for a reception on July 13 from 1 until 3 p.m.
The digital photography workshop is free and open to the public. For more information call the Library at 972.247.2511.
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Firehouse Theatre presents 'Fiddler'
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Based on traditional tales, the musical theater classic "Fiddler on the Roof" will be presented by the Farmers Branch Firehouse Theatre, at the Plaza Arts Center in downtown Carrollton July 11-13 and 18-20 at 7:30 p.m., with matinees at 2 p.m. on July 14 & 21.
Broadway veteran and Firehouse Theatre Creative Director John Wilkerson heads the cast that recounts the story of Tevye and his family in a small community in Czarist Russia.
For ticket prices and more information, call 972.620.3747 or visit www.thefirehousetheatre.com.
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Pigeon drop scams focus on large sums
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Although there has not been a substantial increase in reported scams, Farmers Branch Police want to be sure citizens are educated on the work done by con artists, in hopes of avoiding victimization.
Farmers Branch Police Lieutenant Jay Siegel said scams come in a variety of guises but usually have some common patterns. Every week, in this space, a different type of scam will be profiled in hopes of raising awareness.
PIGEON DROP SCAMS
The scammer approaches you about a large amount of money that he has in his possession. He tells you that he needs money from you to secure the cash and promises that you will receive a large sum for your help. A third person is often inserted into the scam, pretending not to know the scammer. That third person may even show you a large amount of money to convince you to invest.
Notify the Farmers Branch Police Department at 972.484.3620 if you or someone you know is being scammed. If you are called by someone who you suspect is a telemarketing scammer, hang up. If they continue to call you in a harassing manner, call the police.
Please visit the resources listed below for more information on scams and what you can do to defend yourself against these practices:
<< More Info on Scams >>
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With the Stars & Stripes gleaming in the late afternoon sun, Groove Knight entertained the crowd at the annual Independence Day celebration, before the traditional fireworks show closed out the night.
Photo by Derrick Birdsall
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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, July 10, 2013.
Valley View (at IH35E): The IH35E northbound frontage road left lane will remain closed at Valley View through July. In addition, there will be various lane closures along Valley View between the IH35E frontage roads for several weeks to facilitate construction of a new IH35E northbound entrance ramp over Valley View.
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LBJ Express Finished Project Animation
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IH 635/IH35E Interchange: The ramp connecting northbound IH35E to westbound LBJ will be closed tonight, July 10. Southbound IH35E will be closed on the nights of July 11 and 12. Westbound LBJ, Southbound IH35E, and various ramps at the LBJ/IH35E interchange will be closed on the nights of July 13-15.
Denton Drive: Denton will be closed for bridge work from July 12 at 8 pm through July 15 at 6 am. The westbound frontage road from Josey to Denton will be closed on the nights of July 10-12.
Josey Lane: Construction of the sidewalk and median on Josey will require various lanes closed through mid-July. The eastbound frontage road will be closed between Josey and Bankway from June 19 until mid-September. Frontage road traffic will be detoured via Forest Lane to Webb Chapel. Josey will be closed at LBJ on the night of July 11.
Webb Chapel: Webb Chapel is scheduled to be closed for bridge work on the night of July 16.
Marsh Lane: Traffic Signal work will require various lanes closed on Marsh through the next week. All through lanes on Marsh are now open during peak periods. The Marsh entrance ramp is scheduled to be closed from July 16-August 19.
Valley View at LBJ: Valley View will be closed on the nights of July 12 and 15.
Midway Road: The southbound left turn lane on Midway Road at LBJ and both U-turn lanes are closed indefinitely. Expect various additional lanes to be closed on Midway at LBJ during off-peak hours. The eastbound Midway exit is scheduled to be closed on the night of July 16. Midway will be closed for bridge construction on the night of July 18. The westbound Midway entrance will be closed on the night of July 19. The eastbound frontage road east of Midway will be closed during off-peak hours daily through July.
Welch Road: Welch is narrowed to one lane in each direction south of LBJ through July for drainage work.
Other Locations: 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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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 farmersbranchtx.gov, visitfarmersbranch.com, lovethebranch.com or call 972.247.3131.
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