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Encounters from the Past | Saturday, 7-9 pm | Keenan Cemetery
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Bats in my Belfry
A few City Council meetings back, John Wells , who is a regular visitor to meetings, came up during Citizen Comments and recommended that we research the possibility of building bat houses to help keep down the mosquito population. The next day, I asked Shawna Eikenberry, Management Analyst, to look into bats and their propensity to remove mosquitos. Shawna is a great asset to our office and is particularly good at researching issues quickly. As always, Shawna came back with a huge amount of information for me to read. It seems that while reading the materials I have become enamored with bats.
In fact, did you know:
- Bats are recognized as the only flying mammal?
- In 1995 the Mexican free-tailed bat was designated the official flying mammal of Texas?
- There are 1300 species of bats, with Texas serving as home to 32 species?
- Bats fly can over 100 miles in a single night hunting for food and can fly over 60 miles per hour?
- Mexican free-tail bats can eat 2/3 their body weight in moths, beetles, worms and insects?
I can go on forever with bat trivia, but really what I am saying is bats are fascinating animals. The problem is bats have been long maligned in the movies, books, and on television. After reading all I can about the little critters I have a new respect for them. This bat research process has reminded me that it is important to keep an open mind and not always follow conventional wisdom in order to continue to evolve as a person. It is amazing how looking at something a little differently, or studying something a little more in depth can help expand your understanding.
Thank you Mr. Wells for challenging me to think differently.
To contact Gary, click on his picture
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Demo/Rebuild program gets facelift to attract more homebuyers
FARMERS BRANCH ~ New "Demo/Rebuild" rules give homebuyers even more incentive to replace older homes with newer ones. 
The availability of quality housing stock in the City of Farmers Branch encourages the retention of businesses, attracts new businesses, and promotes expansion of existing businesses to and within the City. In turn, quality housing stock will stimulate growth, create jobs, and increase property and sales tax revenues.
In an effort to accomplish this, the City Council enacted a Residential Demolition/Rebuild Program pursuant to Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code to encourage the redevelopment of existing single-family detached residential properties with the construction of new, higher value, single-family detached residential structures.
The Council recently enhanced this program by establishing two incentive options: One, to provide up to $5,000 for the cost of demolition and a seven (7) years municipal tax rebate, and two, to provide a municipal tax rebate up to 10 years with the option of advancing 50% of the estimated municipal tax increase upon receipt of permanent financing.
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 KEENAN CEMETERY ~ Journey into local history as costumed re-enactors help recreate personalities and stories from the past during interactive tours of historic Keenan Cemetery in Farmers Branch on Saturday, September 20.
Guided tours of the oldest cemetery in Dallas County, limited to 20 in each group, begin at 7 p.m. and continue every 15 minutes until 9. Admission is $5 (ages 6 and under get in free).
Students from the R.L. Turner High School Drama Department will be helping to recreate historical personalities drawn directly from Farmers Branch past.
Keenan Cemetery is located at 2570 Valley View Lane, between Farmers Branch City Hall and Gussie Field Watterworth Park.
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Library closes out Manske movie series with 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2'
MANSKE LIBRARY ~ Drawing on stories of "other worlds" for the theme of the Farmers Branch Community Reads program this fall, the Manske Library will further illustrate the theme with three movies on consecutive Saturdays, concluding this week with "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" in the Library's amphitheater.
 Built into a hillside on the banks of Rawhide Creek in Farmers Branch, the Manske Library's amphitheater features wide, tiered levels with natural grass surface. Patrons are invited to bring blankets and lawn chairs for comfortable seating. The series finishes on Saturday, September 20 with a very contemporary re-telling of a comic book classic, the 2014 release of "The Amazing Spider-Man 2." The series began on September 6 with "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial." It was followed by a cool evening for "National Treasure" on September 13.
Admission is free with concessions available for purchase. For more information, call the Library at 972.247.2511.
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National Night Out parties encouraged to call
JUSTICE CENTER ~ Farmers Branch Police Chief Sid Fuller said he expects record response to the 2014 edition of National Night Out, set for Tuesday, October 7 in Farmers Branch.  Chief Fuller explained that more than 30 neighborhood parties registered with the Police Department last year and said interest in Farmers Branch Community Watch could push that number even higher.
The first Tuesday in October of every year is the Texas edition of National Night Out, dubbed America's night out against crime by the National Association of Town Watch. The event is designed to get neighbors outside, meeting, greeting and getting to know each other and, in doing so, present a united front against crime in residential areas.
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Council meeting moves for NNO
FARMERS BRANCH ~ With the Texas version of National Night Out again set for the first Tuesday in October, Mayor Bob Phelps and the members of the Farmers Branch City Council will hold their first meeting of the month 24 hours earlier on Monday, October 6.
The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Farmers Branch City Hall. Study Session will precede the Council Meeting at 5 p.m. in the second floor conference room at City Hall. Call 972.247.3131.
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Registered neighborhood parties may receive visits from the Farmers Branch Police and Fire Department as well as the Mayor, some members of the City Council and other City officials.
For more information or to register a neighborhood party, call the Farmers Branch Police Department at 972.919.9304.
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Star Party to search for globular star clusters
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Double stars, open star clusters, globular star clusters and more will be the focus of a Star Party set Tuesday night, September 23 from dusk until about 9 p.m. at the Farmers Branch Historical Park. Volunteers from the Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas will be on hand to answer questions and assist with viewing through high-powered telescopes on scene. The event is free and open to the public. In the event of inclement weather or cloud cover, the Star Party will move to Thursday, September 25. Call 972.406.0184 or visit www.texasastro.org.
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Residents can 'Tell it to the Mayor' next week
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Farmers Branch Mayor Bob Phelps will hold open office hours from 3 until 6 p.m. on Wednesday, September 24 as part of his 'Tell it to the Mayor' campaign. Anyone can visit with the Mayor for any reason, without an appointment, at City Hall on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month. For more information, call 972.919.2515.
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Firehouse Theater to visit 'Ivy Gap'
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Following generations of churchgoers from 1945 to 1970, the Firehouse Theater will present their production of "First Baptist of Ivy Gap" at the Farmers Branch Manske Library Theater on select dates between September 19 and October 5.
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Trend continues with no WNV positives
FARMERS BRANCH ~ Officials continue to urge prevention measures against breeding mosquitoes while Dallas County Health and Human Services reports no mosquito traps in Farmers Branch were found to contain West Nile Virus for the second consecutive week. Farmers Branch Environmental Health Director Stacy Wright cautioned that there is still several weeks to go before the serious West Nile exposure subsides. "The extremely wet summer, combined with hot temperatures lately, have provided an explosive breeding environment for mosquitoes, including those that can carry West Nile Virus," Mr. Wright explained. "We should not let our guard down as this is an ever-evolving situation." For more information on West Nile Virus prevention or to sign up for text messages when spraying is occurring in neighborhoods, visit www.farmersbranchtx.gov/wnv.
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35Express sets business owners meeting
LEWISVILLE ~ The 35Express team has announced a series of business owner information meetings highlighting the progress of the 35Express project as the first anniversary of construction nears.
Each meeting will highlight a different segment of the 30-mile corridor and will focus on upcoming construction and the steps being taken to mitigate the effects on local traffic.
Businesses in the South Segment (Farmers Branch and Carrollton) are invited to a meeting on Thursday, October 2 at 8:30 a.m. at C2 Café, 1101 South Broadway in Carrollton. For more information about the 35Express Project, visit www.35Express.org or call 214.483.7777.
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Last Week's Results
Results are not scientific and are intended only to present a "snapshot" of popular responses.
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 Honoring the 485thFarmers Branch Mayor Bob Phelps presents a proclamation to the men of the 485th Bomb Group at Tuesday's City Council meeting. The World War II organization is holding their 50th, and final, reunion this week in Farmers Branch. In slightly less than one year of operations, between 1944 and 1945, the 485th conducted 187 missions over Yugoslavia, Romania, Austria and Germany.
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Volume 4 | Edition 37| Number 186 
is published weekly by the Communications Office
of the City of Farmers Branch, TX.
Three-time Award Winner for
Excellence in E-Newsletters in Texas
Awarded by the
Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers
www.texastamio.org
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In the Banner
Joel McClendon, a young doughboy from Farmers Branch, is portrayed by this young actor during a previous performance of the 'Encounters from the Past' interactive, historical tours of Farmers Branch Keenan Cemetery. Mr. McClendon was shot down over France during World War I. The 'Encounters' event returns this weekend for one night only, Saturday, September 20 from 7 to 9 p.m.
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Top name talent coming to 'Bluegrass'
HISTORICAL PARK ~ Grammy and IBMA-winners are slated to appear at the Fifth Annual Bloomin' Bluegrass free music festival and Chili Cookoff, set October 17 & 18 at the Farmers Branch Historical Park.
In addition to the dozens of impromptu jam sessions that will crop up around the park, the main stage will see performers like Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, Seldom Scene, Gibson Brothers and Joe Mullins & Radio Ramblers.
Also featured will be the Kenny & Amanda Smith Band, Rambling Rooks, Balsam Range and Flatt Lonesome.
Beyond the music, this year's event will feature the return of the Chili Cookoff where judges and tasters are needed. There will be a KidZone, the Arts & Crafts Marketplace and more.
Parking and admission are both free.
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Dig into the world of exotic tropicals
MANSKE LIBRARY ~ Gardeners of all experience levels are invited to a lecture and live-plant demonstration by Gina Woods, a Dallas County Master Gardener, at the Farmers Branch Manske Library on Saturday, September 20 at 3 p.m.
Ms. Woods' experience with gardening spans over two decades, after moving to rural Mexico in the late 1980s. The topics in Ms. Woods' lecture "Wonderful World of Exotic Plants" will include orchids, bromeliads and tillandsias.
This program is free and open to the public. For more information call the Library at 972.247.2511.
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Award-winning poet to speak at Library
MANSKE LIBRARY ~ Award-winning poet R. Flowers Rivera will be reading excerpts from her recent publication, "Troubling Accents" at the Farmers Branch Manske Library on Tuesday, September 23 at 7 p.m.
Currently a resident of McKinney, Rivera completed a Ph.D. in English at Binghamton University. Her work has been anthologized in Mischief, Caprice & Other Poetic Strategies and published in several journals. Rivera was awarded the 2009 Leo Love Merit Scholarship in Poetry in association with the Taos Summer Writers Conference.
This reading is free and open to the public. For more information call the Library at 972.247.2511.
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SAT, SEP 20
OUTDOOR MOVIE SERIES 
"The Amazing Spider-Man 2"
@ Manske Library Amphitheatre @ Dusk
972.247.2511
ENCOUNTERS FROM
THE PAST
@ Keenan Cemetery
7 - 9 pm
972.406.0184
TUE, SEP 23
STAR PARTY
@ FB Historical Park
Dusk - 9 pm
972.406.0184
TELL IT TO THE MAYOR
Open Office Hours with Mayor Bob Phelps @ City Hall
3 - 6 pm
972.919.2515
All events & meetings are subject to change. Call listed numbers or 972.247.3131 for verification or more information.
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SAT, SEP 27
MOVIE IN THE PARK 
Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins"
@ Barney Wood Athletic Cplx
972.247.4607
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OCT 6
CITY COUNCIL MEETING -
Special Date
@ City Hall
Study Session @ 5 pm
Regular Meeting @ 6:30 pm
972.247.3131
Watch LIVE
* All meeting dates & times subject to change. Call for verification.
OCT 7
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
Schedule Neighborhood Parties by calling FBPD @
972.919.9304
OCT 8
TELL IT TO THE MAYOR
Open Office Hours with Mayor Bob Phelps @ City Hall
3 - 6 pm
972.919.2515
OCT 17-18
BLOOMIN' BLUEGRASS
FREE MUSIC FESTIVAL &
CHILI COOK-OFF
@ FB Historical Park
972.919.1433
OCT 18
CELEBRATION OF ROSES
@ Rose Gardens of Farmers Branch
972.919.2550
HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR
@ Senior Center
9 am to 4 pm
972.241.8636
OCT 21
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
@ City Hall
Study Session @ 5 pm
Regular Meeting @ 6:30 pm
972.247.3131
* All meeting dates & times subject to change. Call for verification.
OCT 22
TELL IT TO THE MAYOR
Open Office Hours with Mayor Bob Phelps @ City Hall
3 - 6 pm
972.919.2515
OCT 25 
HALLOWEEN IN THE PARK
@ FB Historical Park
972.919.1433
NOV 11
VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION
@ Senior Center
10:30 am
972.919.2620
DEC 6
CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING
@ FB Historical Park
972.919.1433
NOV 28 thru DEC 30
CHRISTMAS TOUR OF LIGHTS
972.919.1433
All events & meetings are subject to change. Call listed numbers or 972.247.3131 for verification or more information.
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 | | Teen Camp Video Blog |
 | | "Above & Beyond" |
 | | "John F. Burke Nature Preserve: An Overview" |
 | | "Farmers Branch Connections" |
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Updated Wednesday, September 17, 2014
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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
lovethebranch.com or call 972.247.3131.
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