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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-05-14 Euless Articles H-E-B plans announced for two more North Texas locations Author: Ryan Osborne Published: 9:31 AM CDT April 22, 2024 Updated: 12:02 PM CDT April 22, 2024 MURPHY, Texas — Two more H-E-B grocery stores are being planned in North Texas cities. Officials in the Collin County city of Murphy and the Tarrant County city of Euless on Monday announced plans for stores there. The Euless store will be on a development site shared with the city of Bedford, officials said. Murphy officials said construction will begin within the next year on their store, with an opening date set for 2026. The H-E-B Murphy location will be on the southwest corner of Farm Road 544 and McCreary Road, south of the CVS Pharmacy in that area, according to a city press release. Murphy is located just east of Plano. "Having an H-E-B in our city is not only exciting from a sales tax revenue point of view, but as an asset to our community as whole," Mayor Scott Bradley said in the press release. "They are well known for their dedication to their customers and participation in the communities they serve. I look forward to growing this partnership." Euless officials said the H-E-B there will be located at the northwest corner of Cheek-Sparger Road and Rio Grande Boulevard in the Glade Parks South area, which sits in both Euless and Bedford. The projected opening date is for late 2026. H-E-B already has a strong presence in North Texas, with store locations in Plano, Allen, Frisco, McKinney, according to its website. The grocer is also bringing stores to the Fort Worth Alliance area, Forney and Mansfield. H-E-B last month also broke ground on its second Dallas Joe V’s Smart Shop at the corner of Buckner Boulevard and Samuell Boulevard. Joe V’s Smart Shop has 10 locations in the Houston area, where it launched in 2010. H-E-B, which operates Joe V’s Smart Shop, began construction last year on a Joe V’s location at the corner of Wheatland Road and Highway 67 in Dallas, which is expected to become the brand’s first store to open outside the Houston area. That store’s expected to open this summer. H-E-B Plans More North Texas Stores By Marlenys Guzmán Castaños H-E-B, the Texas grocery giant, has set its sights on expanding its presence in North Texas, announcing plans for two new stores in Murphy and B edford/Euless. The stores will include a True Texas BBQ restaurant, curbside pickup area, fuel station and car wash, among other amenities. In Murphy, the store, spanning approximately 136,000 square feet, will be located at the southwest corner of FM 544 and McCreary Road, adjacent to the current CVS Pharmacy. The new location is slated to commence construction within the next year, eyeing an opening in 2026. “Having an H-E-B in our city is not only exciting from a sales tax revenue point of view, but as an asset to our community as a whole,” said Mayor Scott Bradley in an official statement. “They are well known for their dedication to their customers and participation in the communities they serve. I look forward to growing this partnership.” Meanwhile, in Bedford/Euless, anticipation is also running high as H-E-B prepares to establish its presence at the northwest corner of Cheek-Sparger Road and Rio Grande Boulevard. Slated for completion in the latter half of 2026, the new store promises to deliver the same quality and service that has endeared H-E-B to customers across Texas. In anticipation of the H-E-B property acquisition in 2015, the municipalities of Bedford and Euless diligently prepared by formalizing an agreement. This agreement splits property and sales tax between them, as the property spans both cities. It also outlines each city's duties, including zoning, permits and public safety. The expansion of H-E-B's presence in North Texas extends beyond Murphy and the Bedford/Euless vicinity. As previously reported by Local Profile, with the recent acquisition of 21 acres of land in Celina, Texas, at the northeast corner of Dallas North Tollway and Fred Smith Parkway, the grocery giant is strategically positioning itself to cater to the burgeoning demands of the region. H-E-B announces location coming to Bedford By Cody Thorn Published 7:48 PM Apr 23, 2024 CDT Updated 7:48 PM Apr 23, 2024 CDT The city of Bedford announced on April 22 that H-E-B will be bringing a grocery store to town. The store will be in the Glade Parks shopping development and will face SH 121, according to a news release. The land is in both Euless and Bedford and a short drive from the convergence of the Grapevine, Colleyville and Euless borders at SH 121 and Glade Road. Details about the store are: • 119,000-square-foot building • Plans for a future H-E-B fuel station and car wash • True Texas BBQ within the store with a dedicated drive -thru • Pharmacy with a drive-thru • Grocery pickup area The news release states H-E-B bought the land in 2015, and the cities of Euless and Bedford finalized an agreement allowing property tax and sales tax generated to be split as the land is in both cities. H-E-B opened its first Tarrant County location in the Alliance area of Fort Worth on April 10. • Expected opening late 2026 • Northwest corner of Cheek-Sparger Road and Rio Grande Boulevard • www.heb.com They live 6,300 miles from their island home. This week, a bit of home came to them in DFW BY KAMAL MORGAN | APRIL 24, 2024 12:28 PM Football players from Euless Trinity High School performed a war dance Monday evening in front of Texas Star Golf Course in Euless. In unison, they stomped their feet, flexed their muscles, and pounded their hands together and to the pavement, as they chanted in Tongan. The war dance is called Sipi Tau and is performed for Tongan ceremonies. This was a celebration for the arrival of Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, the prime minister of Tonga, who was making his first visit to Texas. After the Sipi Tau, everyone entered a conference room, where over 150 Tongans gathered for Prime Minister Sovaleni’s visit, which was coordinated by the city of Euless and the Euless Tongan Community Committee. Food, drinks, performances, and speeches were prepared for the night. Euless Mayor Linda Martin welcomed the prime minister. Men and boys wore tupenus, which are made of skirt like material that is wrapped around the waist. Many women and girls wore long dresses, similar to the tupenus. Sovaleni, along with his wife and ambassador Viliami Va’inga Tone, were in Texas for the EarthX 2024 Congress of Conferences in Dallas. Sovaleni said he could not miss the opportunity to meet with the Tonga community in Euless, and his welcoming made him feel like he was at home. “Reconnecting, strengthening our ties back from the diaspora, back to Tonga, seeing the cultural items is great,” Sovaleni told the Star-Telegram. “Because for me it’s not just items, but our culture and our tradition, actually keep you grounded as Tongans.” TONGANS IN EULESS Euless is on the east side of Tarrant County between Bedford and south entrance of DFW International Airport. It has a population of about 60,000 people, according to the census, with a thriving Tongan community of about 3,000 people. Tonga, officially known as the Kingdom of Tonga, is an island country in Polynesia in the South Pacific Ocean, about 6,300 miles from Euless. The first Tongans arrived in Euless in the 1970s, working at American Airlines. Eventually, more Tongans moved to the area looking for jobs at the airport or elsewhere. The increase of Tongans brought diversity to the growing city and led to 10 Tongan Christian churches being built in Euless. It also brought size and strength, which Tongans are known for, to the Euless Trinity High School football team. In the last two decades, the city has come together to provide support to the growing Tongan community, specifically the children. The Tongan Youth Association of Texas was established about 15 years ago to help children and families who were experiencing cultural and language barriers at local schools. The association then helped begin the Euless Tongan Community Committee, which focuses on culture, health, and education. It holds several events each year, such as the Tongan Community Diabetes Awareness Fun Walk, physical activities to promote health, and a celebration for Tonga National Day. The city of Euless, the police and fire departments, and even the local hospital have worked over the years to help the committee with local events. Mele Rivera is the co-chair of the Euless Tongan Community Committee who says she and the committee were honored to have a representative of their island visit Texas. Rivera says the older generation made sacrifices so the younger generation could further their education, yet not lose their Tongan traditions and faith. The prime minister’s visit was a time for children, parents, and grandparents to see the origins of their culture and history. “Just because we’re here from another country doesn’t mean that we want to forget where we came from,” Rivera said. Longtime HEB ISD math teacher, assistant principal Becky Ewart appointed to school board By Matthew Sgroi | May 2, 2024 6:21 pm When Becky Ewart retired from her more than 40-year career as a teacher and assistant principal for Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD, she initially thought her work in the district had come to an end. But then the HEB Retired School Employees Association, of which she’s now president, came calling, followed by Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, where she serves as an administrative substitute. Now, she’s tasked with another volunteer position that should keep her even busier, on top of being a very active grandmother. During its April 22 board meeting, HEB ISD trustees approved the appointment of Ewart to fill the vacancy created by the death of Rochelle Ross. Ewart will begin her duties immediately. “That’s how life goes,” Ewart, 67, said. “There’s never a dull moment.” Ewart has long been involved in HEB ISD, offering her experience wherever needed, but it is calmer now that she’s officially retired, she said. She gets to choose what she wants to be involved in. “And, it always seems to bring me back to education. That’s where my passion has always been,” Ewart said. In the late 1970s, Ewart began her career as a teacher in Des Moines, Iowa. Just a few years later, she and her husband moved to Texas. By 1980, Ewart had set her roots in the district. “Our Realtor was like, this is the area you want to live in … it’s got the best schools,” Ewart said. “I was a teacher at the time, I was looking for a job, this was the school district I wanted to work in … the rest is just history.” She started at Bedford Junior High School in 1980 before moving to Trinity High School in Euless five years later to become a math teacher. Fifteen years later, Ewart was promoted to assistant principal and spent the last 20 years of her career in that role before retiring in 2021. Throughout her 41 years working in HEB ISD, she learned a lot about the ins and outs and quirks and qualities of the district. “It’s the people, not the programs, that make a difference,” Ewart said. “And, I think HEB has always prided itself in being a district that puts kids first. They hire people that have that mentality.” The proof is in the number of HEB ISD students who come back after graduating to teach, she said. “When I finished teaching at Trinity, there must have been probably a dozen or more people on the staff who had been my students,” Ewart said. The Hurst-Euless-Bedford area is a small community, Ewart said, and she thinks of herself as fairly well-connected. Those relationships should serve to her advantage on the board, she said. When Ewart retired, Superintendent Joe Harrington served as the district’s assistant superintendent for secondary administration, so she already has a working relationship with him too, she said. After 17 applications were submitted, the board narrowed the interview list to five candidates. Each were interviewed by the board and asked the same questions. The board chose Ewart because of her responses to those questions, an HEB ISD spokesperson said. Her priorities on the board will range from fighting for public education and state funding to applying a critical eye in managing the district’s nearly $1 billion bond that was passed in 2023. Ewart also emphasized the importance of hiring and retaining qualified teachers. “That’s probably the main priority, though, getting the right people on the bus,” Ewart said. Her experience as a teacher will aid that, she said. She already has ideas on what the district can do better in terms of teacher recruitment, like housing support. The last time HEB ISD appointed a trustee was in 2012, when current trustee Dawn Jordan- Wells was named to the board, board president Matt Romero said. Ewart’s seat on Place 4 will come up for election in May 2025. Here are who voters elected in Colleyville, Euless, Grapevine, Haltom City, Haslet, Keller by David Moreno May 4, 2024 11:15 pm The final results will be posted on the Tarrant County elections website. Cities across Tarrant County elected new mayors and City Council representatives as voters headed to the polls May 4. Here are the unofficial voting results for Colleyville, Euless, Grapevine, Haltom City, Haslet and Keller. Only contested races are listed below. Colleyville City Council Place 6: Retired resident Tim Raine ended the night with 59% of the votes, while wealth manager Tim Waterworth had 41%. Incumbent Callie Rigney, who is seeking a seat on the Tarrant Appraisal District board of directors, did not run for reelection. Euless City Council Place 5: Annabel Jones Eads ended the night with 44% of the votes. Joseph A. Robinson had 34.3%, Uzoma J. Duru Jr. reported 12.7%, and Julius Handley IV had 9%. Because no candidate earned a majority of votes, Eads and Robinson will head to a runoff June 15. Incumbent Harry Zimmer, who was first elected in 2014, did not seek reelection. Grapevine City Council Place 2: Incumbent Sharron Rogers, who has served on the council since 1985, ended the night with 76.3% of the votes. Business development manager Jason Rash had 23.7%. Haltom City City Council Place 3: Retired accountant Ollie Anderson ended the night with 56.9% of the votes while retired resident Cindy Sturgeon had 43.1%. Incumbent Linda “Lin” Thompson, who is currently serving her third term, did not seek reelection. City Council Place 4: Retired resident Scott Lindgren, who previously worked at AT&T, ended the night with 74.2% of the votes. Internet sales manager Spencer Drabik had 25.8%. Incumbent Eric Morris, who is seeking a seat on the Tarrant Appraisal District board of directors, did not seek reelection. City Council Place 6: Customer support manager Dana Coffman ended the night with 75.5% of the votes. Willis Odell, general manager at Clown Burger, had 24.5%. Incumbent Kyle Smith ran unopposed for Place 1 on the council. Haslet City Council Place 1: Incumbent Doug Horak, who has served in the seat since 2022, ended the night with 62.2% of the votes. Lake Worth Fire Chief Ryan Arthur had 37.8%. Keller City Council Place 2: Disaster case manager Greg Will ended the night with 57.4% of the votes. Media producer Zane Kupper had 19.8%, real estate investor Robert Slattery had 12.9%, and commercial developer Frank Roszell had 9.9%. Incumbent Sean Hicks, who was elected in May 2021, did not seek reelection. AAPI Heritage: How a community of Tongans created a home away from home in North Texas By Alanna Quillen • Published May 13, 2024 • Updated on May 13, 2024 at 10:47 am May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. NBC 5 is highlighting North Texans who are proud of their culture and how it has shaped what it means to be part of the fastest-growing population in Texas. This week, we're highlighting a community in Euless that lives more than 6,000 miles from their island home in the South Pacific but has managed to bring a little bit of their home to North Texas. There is a thriving community of Tongans in DFW, numbering a whopping 6,000 to 7,000. Many of these families are centered in the Euless area, as told through an insightful history lesson by community leader, Ofa Faiva-Siale. “That’s the big thing about Euless, and why the migration I believe settled here – is the proximity to the airport,” she said. “We can trace back the first Tongan couple that moved here in 1971 – it had to do with American Airlines coming to the area and the new airport was being built here.” She said that the family noticed the cost of living at the time was very inexpensive, so they brought more of their family from Tonga. From there, more relatives brought friends and family – and then the rest is history. Euless’ proximity to the airport not only provided jobs but also made it easy for families to hop on a flight to Tonga, New Zealand and other areas where family lived. Faiva-Siale herself was born in Tonga and migrated with her family to the U.S. in the 1970s, first arriving in California. She moved to Euless in 1984 as a teen. At that point, Tongans had been living in the city for ten years but the community was still establishing its roots. "I was fortunate enough to be one of the teenagers that first moved here, and a lot of the older folks moved and settled. We congregated around the first Tongan church, which is typical for Tongans -- to find churches and live near them,” she said. “All of the different religions went to church together there, so we were able to hear the gospel and hear the word of God in Tongan and sing in Tongan together." From one church to now many in different denominations, there are now a total of 10 churches connected to the Tongan culture across Euless. Faiva-Siale was also one of two Tongan students in her graduating class back then but now, it has grown to 50 to 60 students of Tongan descent that graduate per year, she says. "The families, they love Texas and they love the surrounding area. The existing communities here have been accepting, allowing us to adapt and adjust, knowing the difference in culture and the way we do things," said Faiva -Siale. One of the biggest cultural differences she recalls seeing families adjust to over the years is how Tongans celebrate the life of a loved one who has passed away. "When we have funerals, you know, it's a five to ten event. Hundreds of people come and go and people are sitting on neighbor's grass and yards. And, we're roasting pigs, having grills over here, and we're mass feeding the community," said Faiva -Siale, slightly chuckling. "We have to learn to also adapt and adjust -- there are city ordinances and there are things that we could do in Tonga where your space is shared, even property…We have to learn, that's not how it is here." But Tongans have adapted, she said. Funerals are now just a two-day event. However large cultural celebrations are still part of the fabric of the Tongan community here in North Texas. Over the decades, groups have formed to help support families arriving from Tonga or working to stay connected to their culture, including the Euless Tongan Community Committee and the Tongan Youth Association of Texas. Through these groups, community leaders have helped families experiencing cultural and language barriers, provided scholarships for youth, and hosted cultural and educational events to help children understand the origins of their history. "I know that those who came before – who paid the sacrifice to leave home and leave everything that's familiar to find a better life for their descendants – I think they have done well and have helped those of us that are here today,” said Faiva -Siale. One of their proudest moments actually happened a couple of weeks ago when the prime minister of the Kingdom of Tonga himself, Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, visited Euless. His delegation was in town for a large EarthX environmental conference in Dalla s. Faiva-Siale said he specifically requested to meet with the group because he was proud that such a huge community of Tongans had created a home so far from home. Faiva-Siale said the city of Euless, the school district and so many from her community group helped spring into action to help plan a welcome celebration for the Prime Minister. "One of the comments from the prime minister and the ambassador was how happy they were to come all the way into deep America and to see that the youth are still dressed in the traditional costumes," she said. “The prime minister's wife cried and she wept almost the whole time to see it. That was a great indication, it was a good program for them.” Football players from Euless’ Trinity High School, made up of many Tongan students, performed the Sipi Tau war dance which is typical for Tongan ceremonies. Woman and youth also dressed in traditional woven dresses and skirts to perform dances, alongside a dinner full of traditional food. “Luckily for us, the city of Euless has been 10,000 percent supportive. They've always been supportive to help us keep our culture and to help us maintain as much of it as we can,” said Faiva-Siale, who herself works for the city alongside many officers and other Tongans who hold leadership roles in the community. The community group hosts cultural events every year and accepts support from North Texans on various projects.