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Kick off the summer
One thing you can be sure of is our City Council and staff are always going to be looking for new and different ways to bring the community together in celebration.
 This year, our summer kickoff event evolves again as we were fortunate enough to snag the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for "Liberty Fest presents Stars & Strings." Yes, it's a bit different than the past several years' worth of Memorial Day weekends, but it harkens back to a time, not that long ago, when thousands upon thousands would stream into the Farmers Branch Historical Park to hear the magnificent Dallas Symphony Orchestra in a concert under the stars.
This year, we've married the two concepts in an event the entire family can enjoy. Even if you don't consider yourself a fan of symphonies as a going concern, you have to experience the epic power of these myriad instruments uniting in a common melody.
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The Dallas Symphony Orchestra on Saturday will be under the direction of Assistant Conductor Rei Hotoda.
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It really is something you have to be there for.
Additionally, there will be activities for kids with bounce houses, face-painting and the like.
Plus, you have some culinary decisions to make. You can pack a picnic and bring it with you. You can take advantage of the many food trucks that will be in attendance, along with their diversified offerings. Or, you can pre-order a picnic basket from Central Market. This is the one I think a lot of people will try out. The varied menu can be seen here, but bear in mind the orders have to be placed by Friday at 12 noon.
In addition, we're going to have something Farmers Branch has become famous for, a low-level, close-up fireworks finale to the night.
If you're close enough to walk to the Historical Park, please note that admission is free with no ticket required. Free parking will be available at the Metrosquare Business Park, two blocks south of the Historical Park on Ford Road with a free shuttle to the gate. Finally, for our friends visiting from outside Farmers Branch, a very efficient way to get there is by the DART Light Rail Green Line. Get off at the Farmers Branch station and take a five-minute walk to the Historical Park.
All in all, it should be quite a show!
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FARMERS BRANCH ~ Food trucks, homemade spreads, prepaid picnic baskets and more are among the outdoor dining options available for the Farmers Branch Memorial Day weekend kick off to summertime as 'Liberty Fest presents Stars & Strings, featuring the Dallas Symphony Orchestra' Saturday, May 24 at the Farmers Branch Historical Park.
Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and admission is free with no ticket required. The concert will begin at 8 p.m. with a fireworks spectacular planned for the finale.
 As the sounds of the Dallas Symphony waft through the park, so too will the aromas of the varied food offerings available for festival-goers.
There is a pre-ordered picnic basket available from Central Market with a wide variety of options on their menu. In addition, all Central Market pre-made picnic baskets come with a complimentary insulated Farmers Branch Special Events picnic tote. The deadline for Central Market Picnic Basket orders is 12 noon on Friday, May 23.
 As gourmet food trucks are more popular than ever, there will be a wide selection of mobile menus, including: - Cajun Tailgators - Gumbo, etoufee, red beans & rice and beignets
- Four Seasons - Black Angus specialty burgers and cheesesteaks
 Gypsy Scoops - Homemade ice cream & donut gypwich (ice cream between donut halves) - Mad Grill - Asian rice bowls and lettuce wraps
- Yummy Pizza - Gourmet pizza, gyros and wings
- Kettle Corn
Beer and wine selections will include 16-ounce domestic beers like Miller Lite, Bud Light, Budweiser and Michelob Ultra; 12-ounce import and specialty beers, including Saint Arnold Lawn Mower IPA, Founders IPA, Shiner, Shiner White Owl, Lienenkugel's Summer Shandy, and Dos XX.  House Wine will be Laterre Chardonnay, White Zinfandel, Cabernet and Merlot, while premium wine will include Cupcake Vineyards' Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Merlot; Decoy Cabernet; and Terrazas Malbec. Families are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs for meadow seating and to bring their own picnic basket, if desired. Kids activities will include bounce houses, face painting and balloon art, all open until 8 p.m. The Farmers Branch Historical Park is located at 2540 Farmers Branch Lane, between Denton Drive and Ford Road, and a five minute walk south from the Farmers Branch DART Green Line Station. For more information, call 972.919.1433. >> MORE ON "LIBERTY FEST PRESENTS STARS & STRINGS" >> MORE ON THE DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA >> CENTRAL MARKET PICNIC BASKET MENU Order deadline 12 noon Friday
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Wall of Honor
Special structure to honor all veterans
FARMERS BRANCH ~ In keeping with the Memorial Day weekend theme of honoring those who have served, 'Liberty Fest presents Stars & Strings' will feature not only a rousing concert by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and not only a spectacular fireworks show, but a poignant tribute to America's service members, both past and present.
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra will be featured in concert Saturday, May 24 at the Farmers Branch Historical Park as the n
 ext generation of the Farmers Branch summer kickoff event.
May is National Military Appreciation month and the spirit of this event is to recognize and honor those who have served. The event will feature a 'Wall of Honor' where guests can pay tribute to a military service member past or present. Submissions for the Wall will also be taken via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and email. Online submissions can be taken through May 22. In addition, Congressman Kenny Marchant will be on hand to make a special presentation of medals to 93-year-old, World War II Navy Nurse Geneva Holland. >> MORE ON "LIBERTY FEST PRESENTS STARS & STRINGS" >> MORE ON THE DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
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Sponsors
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Sponsors for 'Liberty Fest presents Stars & Strings, Featuring the Dallas Symphony Orchestra" include:
- Young Ideas, Satellite and HDTVs
- Mustang Station
- Nichols, Jackson, Dillard, Hager & Smith, LLP
- Silverleaf Resorts, Inc.
- Tahiti Village
- Dole and Almond Breeze
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Parking
FARMERS BRANCH ~ As with all special events at the Farmers Branch Historical Park, free parking will be available at the MetroSquare Business Park, two blocks south of the Historical Park on Ford Road with a free shuttle to the gate.
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Certain Items Prohibited
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Certain items and activities are not allowed to be brought into the Farmers Branch Historical Park during special events. They include: Concealed handguns, alcohol or illegal drugs, smoking, hazardous materials, laser pointers and pets (except service dogs). FULL LIST OF PROHIBITED ITEMS
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Public hearings planned on beer & wine sales overlay districts
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Following the outcome of the May 10 local  option election, where voters strongly favored sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption, the City of Farmers Branch is beginning the process to amend the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance to reflect this change, beginning with a public hearing at a special Planning & Zoning Commission meeting on Thursday, May 29.
Set for 7 p.m. at City Hall, the City's Planning Department will outline a proposal to create 11 Beer and Wine Sales Overlay Districts, adopting regulations regarding uses permitted to sell beer and wine and prohibiting the sale of beer and wine in drive-through alcoholic beverage sale facilities.
There will be a second public hearing at the regularly scheduled City Council meeting of Tuesday, June 17, at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.
The public is invited to attend both meetings.
   
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Early voting begins June 9 for City Council runoff elections
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Early voting for the June 21 runoff elections will be held according to the following schedule:
- Monday, June 9 thru Saturday, June 14, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday, June 15, from 1 until 6 p.m.
- Monday and Tuesday, June 16 & 17, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
In the runoff election for Mayor, the candidates, in ballot order, are Bob Phelps and David Koch. Running for District 2 City Council are, in ballot order, Luther Bernstein and Harold Froehlich.
Runoff Election Day is Saturday, June 21 with the polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
> ELECTIONS INFO WEB PAGE
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BREAKING GROUND
Farmers Branch Mayor Bill Glancy addresses the assembled crowd on the west side of the City Friday as members of the City Council joined officials from Monitronics, the Billingsley Company, and the Valwood Improvement District, to break ground on the new Monitronics corporate campus in Farmers Branch. A worldwide leader in security monitoring systems, Monitronics will be moving from their existing Farmers Branch location to the new 165,000 square-foot corporate headquarters upon its completion.
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Volume 4 | Edition 20 | Number 169 
is published weekly by the Communications Office
of the City of Farmers Branch, TX.
Two-time TAMI Award Winner for Best eNewsletter in Texas and 2014 TAMI Finalist
Given by the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers
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City offices to close for Memorial Day
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Most City of Farmers Branch offices and facilities will be closed Monday, May 26 in observance of Memorial Day.
Exceptions will be the Farmers Branch Historical Park and Community Recreation Center, both open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
There will be no garbage collection on Memorial Day.
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City Council announces summer meeting schedule
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Rather than the traditional first and third Tuesdays of the month, the Farmers Branch City Council will meet in regular session only one time per month in June and July.
There will be no City Council meeting on the first Tuesday of each month but the Mayor and Council will meet on the third Tuesday, that is June 17 and July 15.
All regular meetings are at 6:30 p.m. at Farmers Branch City Hall. All Study Sessions now begin at 5 p.m. For more information, call 972.919.2515.
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Coming Soon
All events subject to change
MAY 24
LIBERTY FEST presents STARS & STRINGS
Featuring the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in Concert
@ Historical Park
972.919.2620
Most City offices closed
NO GARBAGE COLLECTION
Historical Park open 8-5
Rec Center open 8-5
JUN 9-14 (Mon-Sat)
EARLY VOTING
For Runoff Election
8 am to 5 pm @ Dallas County Early Voting Locations
For Runoff Election
1 to 6 pm @ Dallas County Early Voting Locations
JUN 16-17 (Mon-Tue)
EARLY VOTING
For Runoff Election
7 am to 7pm @ Dallas County Early Voting Locations
JUN 17 (Tue)
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
6:30 pm @ City Hall
Broadcast LIVE on FBTV
972.919.2515
JUN 21 (Sat) ELECTION DAY For Runoff Election
JUL 3
INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION
@ FB Historical Park
Gates open at 6:30 pm
Concert by Groove Knight
Fireworks finale
JUL 15 (Tue)
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
6:30 pm @ City Hall
Broadcast LIVE on FBTV
972.919.2515
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Local
NEWS 
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Farmers Branch residents have summer swimming options available
FARMERS BRANCH ~ While the new Aquatics Center is being built this summer on the site of the old Don Showman Pool, Farmers Branch residents will be able to take advantage of Carrollton's Rosemeade Rainforest facility at a special discounted rate.
Video  Extra
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The Farmers Branch City Council approved the plan earlier this year. Farmers Branch residents can go to the Farmers Branch Community Recreation Center to fill out appropriate paperwork, show proof of residency and pay a fee equivalent to the 2013 fees at the Don Showman Pool. That is $18 for residents and $55 for families.
Residents will then take their paperwork to the Rosemeade Recreation Center, 1330 Rosemeade Parkway, Carrollton 75007, to have IDs made. The Farmers Branch Parks and Recreation Department will work with Carrollton to make up the difference in fees.
Construction on the new Farmers Branch Aquatics Center is now underway with a year-round indoor facility and seasonal outdoor section to feature slides, a lazy river, kids play area and more. For more information, call 972.247.4607.
  
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Expert to speak on disease-resistant roses in the south
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Drawing on his own research in the field, David Zlesak, Ph.D. will speak on "Disease-Resistant Roses: Hybridized in the North, Growing in the South" on Tuesday, May 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Farmers Branch Community Recreation Center.
Dr. Zlesak doesn't just hybridize roses, he studies their genes, looking for disease resistance in the roses he crosses. In addition, he also researches rose viruses.
The program is free and open to the public. Call 972.919.2625 for more information.
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Family Advisory Board sets 'Ambassador' program
FARMERS BRANCH ~ With the goal of engaging and informing residents, the Farmers Branch Family Advisory Board is sponsoring a "Farmers Branch Ambassador" program information event on Thursday, May 22 at 7 p.m. at the Community Recreation Center.
In prepared material, the Family Advisory Board says the goal of the Farmers Branch Ambassador program is to "provide Farmers Branch residents with a wide variety of information about the community so that every encounter they have with a visitor is a positive one that may lead to further interest in living here, working here or playing here."
Further, the group hopes to engage residents and provide them with information on volunteer opportunities.
The program for the May 22 event includes updates and information on development and neighborhood revitalization, local amenities, recreation and aquatics, special events, school district updates and more.
For more information, call 972.247.3131 or visit them on Facebook @branchambassadors.
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Fireworks will fill the skies above the Farmers Branch Historical Park on Saturday as Liberty Fest presents Stars & Strings, featuring the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Ron Waters via SmugMug |
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Check the latest weekly report on the five-year reconstruction of Interstate 635 that includes:
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Check the latest information on the 28-mile, $1.4 billion reconstruction of Interstate 35E from LBJ, through Farmers Branch, to U.S. Highway 380 in Denton County.
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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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