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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-02-10 Euless ArticlesDISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE_L_OF c1 MAYOR McDONALD HARWELL CITYCNCL COLLINS BARKER CITYATTNY W. RHODES SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN CRANOR ANIMAL CNTR GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED &/I D /1 5" DATE OF ARTICLE d I 0( I I s- 1 NEWSPAPER. __ ...:F....:.;W.""""'S=T Weekly paper starts Wednesday in Hurst-Euless-Bedford Beginning Wednesday, the Star-Telegram will introduce a new weekly newspaper -H- E-B News -to be delivered to single-family homes in Hurst-Euless-Bedford. The free publication will offer news and advertising content featuring residents, businesses, community stories, school news, entertainment events, business happenings, school athletics and reader opinions. H-E-B News will join the family of eight weekly newspapers that the Star- Telegram delivers across Tarrant County. Community newspapers satisfy the demand for hyperlocal news and advertising, and H-E-B News aims to play an important role in keeping residents informed , educated and entertained each week. For Star-Telegram subscribers, the paper will be inserted each Wednesday inside their Star-Telegram. For nonsubscribers, the paper will be delivered in yards of single- family homes. The weekly advertising packets that residents formerly received by mail will now be in H-E-B News. For everyone who loves getting the weekly advertising offers and coupons, the weekly community newspaper will be an added value . I will be writing a social news column -"Eyes on H-E-B" -that will focus on nonprofit, educational, civic, social and charitable organizations and their events. "Eyes on H-E-B" will be packed with highlights about events and people -what's coming up, who is hosting it and whom it benefits; what happened; who was honored and why; and who was in charge. It will feature news about your neighbors, tell you what's going on in schools and entertainment venues, share the buzz of the business community and provide information about the small occasions that make up the cultural fabric of any community. DISTRIBUTED TO: MAYOR McDONALD HARWELL CITYCNCL COLLINS BARKER CITYATTNY W. RHODES PAGE_i!_OF ;;:{ SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN CRANOR ANIMAL CNTR LIBRARY REF HARTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED ~/to/fS DATE OF ARTICLE_;; __ /_c:< __ /_l_s_--_ NEWSPAPER_---'F::.....;W...;....;:'S==-T Content is 100 percent dependent on community input. Submit your event news with a press release or by sharing the invitation or flier about the event, or by sending me an informal email with the pertinent facts about the occasion. I also have an event information form that I can send on request to help you in submitting news to me. Email is the preferred way to contact me at freeder@star-telegram .com . I can also be reached at 817-996-5868 . BY FAYE REEDER SPECIAL TO THE STAR-TELEGRAM DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE_l_oF--2_ MAYOR CITYCNCL CITYATTNY SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN CRANOR ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL HARWELL BARKER DATE DISTRIBUTED ;r 1 1 o I 1 .!::>-DATE OF ARTICLE oz I Lf Ir s-NEWSPAPER. __ .....;;;F-"W.'-"'S=-T New mental health coordinator to assist police in H-E-B area BY DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR.RAMIREZ@STAR-TELEGRAM .COM 02/04/2015 11 00 AM I Updated :02/04/2015 11 :00 AM HURST-Ken Bennett is no stranger to the neighborhoods in the Hurst, Euless and Bedford area. For the last eight years , he was the program manager for the MHMR Law Liaison program that helped area police departments with mentally ill residents. Now , Bennett , 44 , is the new mental health coordinator for the three Northeast Tarrant County suburban police departments . "He was our main contact at MHMR Law Liaison ," said Hurst Police Chief Steve Moore . "He applied for our position and was able to hit the ground running. He also has all the Tarrant County contacts that have helped to make our program successful." DISTRIBUTED TO: PA GE ;{ OF 3 ---- MAYOR CITY CN CL CITY A TTN Y S UTTER MCKAMIE BROWN CRANOR A N IMAL CN TR McDONALD COLLIN S W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY A DMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL HARWELL BARKER DA TE DISTRIBUTED :? I Io/! s---DATE OF A RTICLE ;;;__ I~ [;s N EWSPAPER __ F_W._'S_T The three police departments created the new position after they were awarded a state grant. The coordinator will work with patrol officers , jailers , families , hospital staffs , advocacy groups and court staffs . The $80,000 grant coupled with $20 ,000 from the cities will help expand the law liaison project , which the cities have been involved with since 2008 . "Jail may not be the answer for someone with mental health issues ," Bennett said. "So we will try to get to these residents before they may need to be arrested . It's more a preventive approach." Statistics in Hurst , Euless and Bedford show the number of crisis calls has increased since 2011 in all three cities. Crisis calls are those that ended with residents being sent to mental health services , with or without their consent , or taken to jail. "The police department spends an ever-increasing amount of its time and resources dealing with the segment of our population who suffers from mental health issues" said Euless Police Chief Mike Brown . "We continue to see a rise in the number of our residents who are in need of some type of mental health intervention ." Six years ago , mental health professionals at MHMR of Tarrant County responded to 60 calls per month from police departments. These days , the agency gets about 800 per month. MHMR officials said the increase came about because the agency has reached out to police . It has long had a working relationship with the Hurst Police Department. Bennett said one of the goals of the new program will be to continue wellness checks on residents with mental health issues . "Officers will get to know these people and their issues ," Bennett said. "Officers will stop by their homes and check to see if they have made their doctor appointments or if they are taking their medications." Three years ago , Bedford police created a repeat victimization unit , a group of officers accompanied by mental health professionals that visits residents to make sure they are current with medications and therapy . The new hire goes a step further by placing a mental health professional in a new police storefront on Pipeline Road in Hurst , in a bui lding shared with Bedford police . DISTRIBUTED TO: MAYOR McDON ALD HA RWELL CITYCN CL COLLIN S BARKER CITY A TTN Y W. RHODES PA GE~OF_i_ SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN CRA N OR ANIMAL CNTR GETCHELL LIBRARY A DMIN LIBRARY REF HA RTSELL DA TE DISTRIBUTED c!{ I I 0 / Is: DA TE OF A RTICLE c2I11-/; s~ NEwsPA PER. _ __:F:....:.w.""""'S=T Bennett will be responsible for follow-ups on cases as well as training for patrol officers , detectives , dispatchers , jailers and police civilians . The normal mental health training for Texas police officers is three days of basic training on crisis intervention . Some departments require 40 hours of additional training . In many cases , Bennett will work as a hostage negotiator with suburban police department SWAT teams , police said . This report contains information from Star-Telegram archives. Domingo Ramirez Jr ., 817-390-7763 Twitter: @m in qoram irez jr (https:l/twitter. comlminqoramirez jrl CRISIS CALLS Statistics in Hurst , Euless and Bedford show the number of crisis calls has increased since 2011: • Euless reported 154 in 2011 and 225 in 2013 . • Bedford responded to 311 in 2011 and 356 in 2013. • Hurst officers responded to 352 in 2011 and 448 in 2013 . DISTRIBUTED TO: MAYOR McDONALD HARWELL CITYCNCL COLLINS BARKER CITYATTNY W. RHODES SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN PAGE_j__OF S CRANOR ANIMAL CNTR LIBRARY REF HA RTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED ~ I I D I J ;;-DATE OF A RTICLE ;{I+ (! s NEWSPAPER~~~F~W._S_T McKamie retires after giving his 'life to Euless' BY ELIZABETH CAMPBELLLIZ@STAR-TELEGRAM .COM 02 /04/2015 11 :02 AM I Updated :02/04/2015 11 :02 AM EULESS -Gary McKamie started his career in Euless as a police dispatcher 42 years ago, long before Dallas/Fort Worth Airport opened and Northeast Tarrant County experienced any serious growing pains. McKamie worked his way up the ranks to police chief and deputy city manager before taking becoming city manager in 2007 , a job he stepped down from last week. His said he is retiring to spend more time with his family , including six grandchildren . He last day was Friday and the city closed its offices to celebrate his contributions to Euless. "This is a great community," McKamie said . "I always thought that Euless was a special place. I've had opportunities to go elsewhere , but I thought I belonged in Euless .... I thoroughly enjoyed the work, and I will miss the personal relationships. It's not just a job when you get to know the employees." DISTRIBUTED TO: PA GE ;{ OF 5" MAYOR CITY CN CL CITY ATTNY S UTTER MCKAMIE BROWN CRANOR A N IMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY A DMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL HARWELL BA RKER DA TE DISTRIBUTED d /I 0 I I ;;; DATE OF ARTICLE :2 I 41 Is NEWSPAPER FWST ---- For those who worked closely with McKamie , his departure will leave a void that will be hard to fill. Mayor Linda Martin, who was first elected to the City Council in 2004 , said she is a "better person " because of McKamie . "This is a big transition ; Gary has given his whole life to Euless ," Martin said. But , she said , "it's time for him to enjoy his family. He 's earned his retirement." And during its Jan . 27 meeting , the city council voted unanimously to promote deputy city manager Loretta Getchell to replace McKamie. Euless has a history of promoting from within , Martin said . 'We will see his footprint' Martin said she admired McKamie for coming up with solutions that others never thought of. For example , there was a proposal for a subdivision to build two-story homes behind single- story homes , which would have resulted in the people living in the two-story homes looking directly into their neighbors ' backyards. Martin said McKamie worked to resolve the problem by suggesting that some of the two-story homes could be one-story and that some of the other two -story homes could be relocated to other areas of the subdivision. Martin also praised McKamie for his work with the faith-based 6Stones nonprofit to start revitalization projects in older neighborhoods where residents were having trouble making home repairs . "So much of what has gone on is Gary 's vision. We will see his footprint years down the road ," Martin said . Deputy city manager Loretta Getchell said , "I can 't imagine coming to work at City Hall in February without him ." Getchell described how McKamie often went to someone 's home even on nights and weekends if there was a problem with a cracked sidewalk or another issue involving the city. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE_}_OF S' MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY A TTNY SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN CRANOR ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF H A RTSELL HARWELL BARKER J./16/!~ DATE DISTRIBUTED ________ DATE OF ARTICLE ;;) /cf/!~ N EWSPAPER __ """'F-'-'W.-='S..-.T "McKamie always returned phone calls , often the same day ," Getchell said . "He has been an incredible mentor to all of us ; we will miss him." Friendships are what matter McKamie is modest about his many accomplishments , saying that he would rather remember the long-standing friendships . "There is a Mayberry aspect to Euless ," he said. When he was police chief, McKamie initiated many projects such as the citizens police academy, town hall meetings and building a new police headquarters . As city manager, McKamie oversaw many commercial projects including the Glade Parks and River Walk developments . Glade Parks is a 93-acre residential and shopping development near the Colleyville border. Businesses that will locate in Glade Park should be announced soon , McKamie said. Euless has pumped more than $5 million into the infrastructure, only to see the original developer , Rubloff Development Group in Rockford , 111., file for bankruptcy. A real estate firm has since taken over the project. He also worked to start water reclamation , which brings recycled water for irrigation to apartment complexes in northeast Euless . DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE ~ OF s MAYOR CITY CN CL CITY ATTN Y SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN CRANOR A N IMAL CN TR McDONALD COLLINS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY A DMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL HARWELL BARKER DATE DISTRIBUTED ;( I I 0 I I s:-DATE OF ARTICLE ;:{_ I 1/f5 NEWSPAPER __ -=F-'-'W.-=:S..;..T Helping the Tongans Because the southern portion of DFW Airport , which includes the central car rental facility , is in the Euless city limits , city coffers have greatly benefited from tax revenue . More than $54 million in car rental taxes has been brought in since 2000 . But even more of an impact has been felt with the job opportunities at the airport , which resulted in Euless becoming home to one of the largest Tongan communities in the United States. McKamie said while cities may oppose diversity , it's "part of the fabric" of Euless . That can be seen around the city and at Trinity High School , where the Tongans have played a huge role in the success of the Trojans ' football team. McKamie was praised for working with the Tongan community and for helping to create the Euless Tongan Community Committee , which meets quarterly . Ofa Faiva-Siale , projects coordinator for the parks department and a liaison between the city and the Tongan community , said McKamie was instrumental in helping to create the committee. "Gary is very patient with the difference in cultures ," she said . Faiva-Siale said McKamie worked with the Tongan community when there were large funeral gatherings and other cultural events to make sure that they understood how to comply with the city 's ordinances. "Gary is gentle and kind when he needs to be and firm when he needs to be," Faiva-Siale said. Former Mayor Mary Lib Saleh , who retired last year after 21 years , said she admired McKamie for being able to laugh at himself and for his willingness to find compromises. He was also compassionate toward employees. When the economy hit bottom in 2008 , Euless had to curtail employee raises and make other painful cutbacks , she said. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE 5 OF S ---- MAYOR CITYCNCL CITYATTNY SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN CRANOR ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL HARWELL BARKER DATE DISTRIBUTED ~ I I 0 I Is-DATE OF ARTICLE ;;{ / lf // S NEWSPAPER_---=-F""'""'ws ___ T "Some employees took early retirement , and their positions weren 't filled . Gary took on the extra load; it made us all feel better," Saleh said . Elizabeth Campbell, 817-390-7696 Twitter: @fwstliz (https :lltwitter.comlfwstliz) THE CAREER OF GARY MCKAMIE 1973 -McKamie was hired as a Euless police dispatcher. 1974 -Hired as police officer. 1993 -Named police chief. 1999 -Named deputy city manager. 2007 -Named city manager. 2015 -Announced his retirement. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE_l_oF_l_ MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN CRANOR ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL HARWELL BARKER DATE DISTRIBUTED_d __;_/_1_0_/.____!_5 __ DATE OF ARTICLE d It../ I Is-NEWSPAPER __ --"-F=W.='S..:.T Filing begins for city, school board seats Staff reports Euless Place (> Filing for city council and Turm: three years. Henry Wilson (I) school board seats in Hurst, Place 5 Euless and Bedford began last Harry Zinuner week and several candidates Place 6 h~ve filed. The filing period Perry Bynum runs through Feb. 27. Election day is May 9. Bedford Turm: two years. Mayor Jim Gi:tffin (incumbent). Hurst Turm: two years. Place I David Booe (I) Placez Larry Kitchens (I) Hurst-Euless-Bedford school board Turm: four years. Place I Julie Cole Place 6 Andy Cargile (I) Place 7 Mark Cyrier (I) Fred Campos DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE_!_OF_J_ MAYOR McDONALD HARWELL CITYCNCL COLLINS BARKER CITYATTNY W. RHODES SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN CRANOR ANIMAL CNTR LIBRARY REF HARTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED ;? // 0 I/ 5 DATE OF ARTICLE NEWSPAPER~~----F~W.~~~T More than 300 people were on hand Jan. 23 at the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the courthouse. Handout/Tarrant County New Northeast courthouse holds grand opening Staff report HURST -The new Tarrant County Northeast Courthouse had a "soft" opening in De- cember, but officials wanted a month to celebrates its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony. More than 300 people at- tended the opening of the courthouse, located at 645 Grapevine Highway in Hurst. It was built in the same loca- tion as the previous court- house that had run out of room, both inside and in the parking lot. "We outgrew the old facil- ity years ago have operated in the cramped quarters that were inefficient:' Precinct 3 Commissioner Gary Fickes said in a news release. "By up- grading technology, expand- ing office sizes to meet present and future demand, and offer- ing more parking for our citi- zens, this new courthouse is more accessible and efficient!' The 43,000 square-foot, $12.8 million courthouse will house Fickes' office, as well as those of Precinct 3's consta- ble, county clerk and justice of the peace. The Tax Assessor-Collec- tor's Office is one of the busi- est spots and there is also a on -site office of the Tarrant County Credit Union. The courthouse is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Information: 817-581-3600 or tarrantcounty.com DISTRIB UTED TO: MAYOR Mc DONALD HAR WEL L CIT YCNCL COLLIN S BA RKER CITYATTNY W. RHODES S UTTER MCKAMIE BRO WN GETCHELL LIBRAR Y A DM I N PA GE_L_o F_L CRANOR ANI MA L CNTR LIBRARY REF HA RTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTE D ~//D //S DATE OFA RTICLE ~/Lf //5 COMMUNITY CALENDAR NEWSPA PER ___ F_W._'S_T Euless Thursday -Library Board meet- ing, 7 p.m., Euless Public Library, 201 N. Ector Dr. Contact 817-685- 1480. Monday -Historical Preserva- tion meeting, 10 a.m., Euless City Hall, 201 N. Ector Dr. Contact 817- 685-1400. Monday -Euless Development Corporation meeting, 5:30 p.m.1 Euless City Hall, 201 N. Ector Dr. Contact 817-685-1623. Tuesday -City Council meet- ing, 7 p.m., Euless City Hall, 201 N. Ector Dr. Contact 817-685-1400. Feb.13 -Daddy/Daughter Val- entine's Dance, 6:30 p.m., Euless Family Life Center, 300 Midway Dr.Tickets -$10 per couple (each additional sibling is $5) available at the Euless Family Life Center be- ginning January 15. Contact 817- 685-1666. Feb. 14 -Mother/Son Valen- tine's Brunch, 10:30 a.m., Euless Family Life Center, 300 Midway Dr. Tickets -$10 per couple (each additional sibling is $5) available at the Euless Family Life Center be- ginning Januaryl5. Contact 817- 685-1666. ongoing -Free tours of histor- ic Heritage Park are offered on the second Saturday of every month between 1 - 5 p.m. Visit the all- new Euless Heritage Museum at the Ruth Millican Center, as well as the Himes Log House, the Fuller House and the McCormick Barn. Contact Mary at ofaiva-siale@eu- lesstx.gov or 817-685-1649. Group tours are available on different days depending on staff availabil - ity. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE_j_OF_ij_ MAYOR CITYCNCL CITYATTNY SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN CRANOR ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL HARWELL BARKER DATE DISTRIBUTED ~ I J 0 /I .s: DATE OF ARTICLE d I 8 I I ..s-NEWSPAPER __ _...F ....... W._...'S~T Newspaper debuts in H-E-B 02/08/2015 8:44 AM One fast drive down the North Tarrant Express provides a glimpse of what Hurst, Euless and Bedford have to offer. Tons of shopping. Great schools . Restaurants galore . Auto dealerships from one end of the H-E-B corridor to the other. But while the newly finished highway -we really can't call it a freewayanymore with those toll lanes -certainly plays a huge role in defining the area, there's so much more here than meets the eye. That's where we come in. The H-E-B News is a new midweek publication of the Star-Telegram that will provide local news, features and sports coverage specific to Hurst, Euless and Bedford and the school district that bears their names . H-E-B News will also be available at star- telegram.com. These three cities may have started as suburbs, but they are now firmly entrenched as the H-E-B corridor and the centerpiece of Northeast Tarrant County. Think about it: With a combined population of 140,000, the H-E-B area is the third-largest region of Tarrant County, behind only Fort Worth and Arlington. The H-E-B school district has grown into one of the best in Tarrant County-and has the test scores to prove it. Besides being a growing destination for retail and restaurants, H-E-B is unique in that its central location makes Fort Worth and Dallas easily accessible, whether by car or the Trinity Railway Express. While joined by name, the cities have plenty to offer individually. DISTRIBUTED TO: MA YOR CITY CN CL CITY A TTNY S U TTER MCKA M IE BRO WN CRANOR ANIMAL CN TR M cDONALD COLLIN S W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY ADM I N LIBRARY RE F H A RTSELL HARWELL BA RKER DA TE DISTRIBUTED d I ID I Is DA TE OF A RTICLE ;{ I 2 I Is N EWSPAPER __ _;F;...;..W.'"""'S=T Since opening in 2010 , the Hurst Conference Center has established itself as a great place to gather, whether for business meetings or celebrations. The recently renovated Texas Star Golf Course in Euless remains one of the best courses -private or public -in North Texas. Need a place to go for a walk? Check out the Bedford Boys Ranch , which is also getting a makeover. We know there are lots of untold stories in the H-E-B corridor -about locally owned businesses , colorful people and unique events . And we 'd like your help in finding some of those jewels , so please email or call us with your ideas. Veteran reporter Liz Campbell is your go-to person for news , and she can be reached at liz@star-telegram.com or 817-390-7696. Or you can contact me at leewilliams@star-telegram.com or 817-390-7840. Welcome to the H-E-B News. We look forward to hearing from you . -Lee Williams Managing Editor/News, Star-Telegram DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE 'I OF :J.. DATE DISTRIBUTED ;i/10 /1~ SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN CRANOR ANIMAL CNTR GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL &~s DATEOFART/CLE c;(, I g /; s-NEwsPAPER&.a ~r;:;;:&~ MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY McDONALD COLLINS W. RHODES HARWELL BARKER Feb. 9 : The Euless Historical Preservation Committee meets the second Monday of every month at 10 a.m . in the City Hall Pre-Council Chamber, 201 N. Ector Drive, Euless. Feb. 9: The Grand Prairie Memorial Library, Main Branch 900 Conover Dr., Grand Prairie, 75051 has volunteer genealogy members who introduce patrons to the genealogy room in the library on the second Monday 1-3 p.m. Feb. 10: "Genealogy Roadshow" airs on KERA in Dallas-Fort Worth, Tuesdays at 7 p.m., through Feb. 24 . This episode takes place in St. Louis, where sisters believe they may have a connection to a survivor of the famous Donner party. Feb . 10: Arlington Genealogical Society meeting will feature speakers who will discuss what the DAR is and what resources they make available for research. The Arlington Genealogical Society meets the second Tuesday of months September through June at 6:30 p.m. in the West Arlington Police Service Center Room, 2060 W. Green Oaks Blvd. Feb. 14 : Visit Heritage Park, 201 Cullum Drive in Euless. Free tours second Saturday of every month from 1-5 p.m. Group tours can be scheduled on a different day depending on staff availability. Tour the Fuller House, the first brick home in Euless which is now a museum; the Himes Log House, built in the 1850s ; and the McCormick Barn, built in 1919. For more information call 817-685-1649 or email Ofa "Mary" F ai va-S iale, cul essi n fo(cycul csstx. gov . Through Feb. 28: The second annual Juried Art Show & Exhibition presented by the Tarrant County Black Historical & Genealogical Society will be held Feb. 1-28 at the Lenora Rolla Heritage Center Museum in Fort Worth. Exhibited art work will range from framed and canvas pieces to acrylic, watercolor, mosaic, wire and textile (quilt) and there will also be student art on display. The winners of the juried art show will be announced at a corporate reception, 6-8 p.m., Feb . 12. Admission is free . The exhibit will be open from 10 a .m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and also on Saturday, February 21 and 28. Special tours can be arranged by contacting the museum at 817-332-6049 . Save the Date: The 2015 Arlington Texas Stake Family History Fair, Saturday, March 7, 2015. They will have a full roster of experienced presenters with information to help in the search for ancestors . Through April 30: The Dallas Genealogical Society is accepting entries for 2015 Writing Contest. This is the third year that the Society has sponsored this contest which comes with cash DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGl ~ OF~ MAYOR CITYCNCL CITY A TTNY SUTTER MCKAMIE BROWN CRANOR ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS W. RHODES GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL HARWELL BARKER &.~rs DATE OF ARTICLE d. I 5? /If; NEWSPAPE<41J.7:::;;;. ~ DATE DISTRIBUTED ;(_ I I 0 I I s prizes .The contest is open to both members and non-members ofDGS as well as amateurs and professionals . Only original material not previously published elsewhere in any format is eligible. Entries will be accepted January 1 through April 30, 2015. Winners will be announced in July, 2015 . Visit their website for information and guidelines. All year: "Preserve the Pensions," presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies , the National Archives , and the genealogical community, to digitize War of 1812 pension files through 2015. All year: The City of Arlington Central Library , serving patrons for the last 40 years , closed permanently December 23 , 2014. The closure is a key step in the transition to a new George W. Hawkes Central Library at a site across Center Street from its present location and scheduled to open in 2017. In the interim, Arlington library patrons will use a temporary downtown library service center named "Central Express" located at 200 N. Cooper Street. This downtown library offers computer access, Wi-Fi , new and high demand materials for adults and children and holds pickup . Hours of service at the Central Express Library will be 9 a.m.-7 p .m ., Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m.-5 p .m ., Friday and Saturday. The genealogy collections will be divided among various library locations. Read about where the various collections arc housed. All year: The Euless Public Library has genealogy resources , including Fold3 , formerly known as Footnote, which is an online military database, and Newsbanl<, which provides access to newspapers and other news sources . Hours are 10 a .m-5p.m. Friday and Saturday and l-5p.m. Sunday. Address is 201 N. Ector Dri v e , 817-685-1480 . All year: The Fort Wo11h Public Library houses an extensive genealogy collection and has software and reference material available for genealogists. Hours are 10 a.m. -6 p .m. Friday and Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Address is 500 W. Third St., 817-392-7701. All year: The Fort Worth Public Library publishes Genealogy Success Stories about local researchers and their genealogy discoveries. The most recent success story is about Gerry Gieger and the research he did on his wife's behalf before she passed away. All year: Civil War Veterans Memorial, on property owned by Bedford Church of Christ, 2401 Bedford Road, Bedford, Texas 76021 , next to historic Bedford Cemetery. Open from dawn to dusk , free admission. Park in west parking lot of church.