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Home My WebLink About2015-04-14 Euless ArticlesTwo challengers hope to unseat Euless council incumbents BY ELIZABETH CAMPBELL LIZ@STAR-TELEGRAM.COM 03/31/2015 11:18 AM EULESS Two challengers seeking new blood for the City Council are trying to unseat two incumbents in the May election. In Place 5, incumbent Harry Zimmer is facing challenger George Moore, who is running for the council for a second time. In Place 6, incumbent Perry Bynum is facing challenger Tim St. Clair. Zimmer, 70, was elected in December to fill the unexpired term of Glenn Porterfield, who died last summer, and he is now running for a full three-year term. The retired engineer said he is “extremely happy” to see how well the council works together and collaborates on projects to improve Euless. Some of his top priorities are keeping spending within the city’s revenue programs for youth and the elderly, continued upkeep of parks, reducing taxes as the tax base grows and wise use of residential and commercial areas. Moore, 78, said he is running for office because he has concerns about how the city manages its money. The retired quality-control supervisor and senior reliability engineer at General Motors also ran for the council in 2007. “I am a student of city financial documents. I would like to see city government change,” he said. He also questioned how tax dollars are being spent in Euless and said the Texas Star Golf Course was “supposed to pay for itself.” When asked about his opponent, Moore said, “I don’t know Zimmer, but I have more experience with things going on with the city.” In the Place 6 race, Bynum, who is the emergency management coordinator for Haltom City, is seeking his fourth term. He said he wants to continue going forward with projects like Glade Parks and the River Walk developments. “I’m driven by those projects for citizens,” he said. Bynum, 53, who grew up in Euless, said he has a strong sense of history, remembering what it was like before Airport Freeway was built. Bynum has also served on the 6Stones board and volunteers with his church. St. Clair, who is self-employed, ran for mayor last year. He said that he is concerned about how decisions are being made and that the council “hand-picks” people such as the candidates in last year’s mayoral race. “The same people have been there forever. I think there should be term limits,” he said. St. Clair said he doesn’t want to rubber-stamp every decision and questioned the handling of projects including the installation of wheelchair ramps in areas where there was dirt and other obstacles. St. Clair said he wants to challenge the other candidates to three debates. Elizabeth Campbell, 817-390-7696 Twitter: @fwstliz How to contact the candidates ▪ Harry Zimmer, incumbent, harry@harry4euless.com,www.harry4euless.com ▪ Perry Bynum incumbent, perrybynum@yahoo.com ▪ Tim St. Clair, timstclair1@tx.rr.com ▪ George More, no information given Eyes on H-E-B: Walk -4-Paws on April 11 helps homeless pets BY FAYE REEDER The GAP Club from Euless Trinity High School after last year’s walk-a-thon. COURTESY PHOTO Bring your pooch or walk with a shelter dog at the walk-a-thon April 11 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Trinity High School track and help raise money for homeless pets at the Euless animal shelter. Presented annually by the Trinity GAP Club, this year’s event is themed “Never Walk Alone” and dubbed Walk-4-Paws. Event organizers are Karen Lee, Beth Pizzuto, Juanita Francisco, Michelle Smith, Gloria Walker, Shauntell Vela and Steffenie Vela. The GAP Club (Girls Awareness Program) is an all-girls club at Trinity High aimed at giving the students a positive outlet for their time and to show them positive alternatives for their lives. A signature service project is volunteering with the animal shelter and sponsoring as many animals as their funds allow to cover veterinary treatment for the pets. Last year the club assisted more than 380 dogs and cats in finding homes. Many of the pets require veterinary services to restore their health and make them more adoptable, and donations to GAP and the recycling of adoption fees back to GAP help fund these medical needs. “Our goal this year is $15,000 for medical care, spaying/neutering, vaccinations and other needs of shelter pets in Euless,” said Steffenie Vela, a GAP sponsor who spearheads the event. “This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and if we do not meet our goal, many homeless pets will not get the lifesaving medical care they need.” The club aims to sponsor every pet that comes through the Euless shelter. “We don’t pick and choose to save only the cute, furry, highly adoptable babies. We work hard to save them all,” said GAP sponsor and communications volunteer Karen Lee. Attendees will enjoy a festive morning featuring door prize drawings, raffles, a bake sale, refreshments, a T-shirt sale, $20 microchipping and an adoption event in addition to the walk. A contest for the best-dressed dog will no doubt produce a fun outcome. Organizers are suggesting that people form teams and get pledges to help reach the goal. Teams can choose fun names (Muttley Crew is already taken) and even have team shirts or costumes if they wish. Individual walkers are also welcome to participate — with or without their dog. Participants are asked to make a $5 minimum donation to enter the walk. The school is at 500 N. Industrial Blvd. Learn more atwww.TrinityGapRescue.org or inquire at trinitygapclub@gmail.com Bedford City Expo & Pet Fair is April 11 Have you ever wondered exactly what the various departments at the city do and how you can access them when needed? There are myriad issues that pop up for everyone from time to time, but frequently we don’t know where to go for help. There’s a fix for this problem at the upcoming Bedford City Expo on April 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Boys Ranch Activity Center, 2801 Forest Ridge Drive. Attendees will stroll among booths set up by each of the city departments where staff members will be on hand to answer questions and chat about how each department can serve residents’ needs. An event doubleheader, guests will meander outside the center to also enjoy a Pet Fair where animals available for adoption will be receiving visitors. The fair will have veterinarians to answer questions, and representatives from various pet rescue groups will be there to visit with guests. Kids will have a blast at the bounce house and will love creations from a balloon-animal artist. Some impressive service dog demonstrations will entertain the crowd, and food and beverages will be available. Look for the Carter BloodCare truck if you want to donate blood. “We are very excited about this upcoming event, and this is the first time we have combined the two events,” said Natalie Foster from the city marketing team. “This will enable residents and guests to get information on what each department in the city does — and on the way out, adopt a forever friend from the Bedford Animal Shelter.” Contact Foster at 817-952-2126 or visit www.bedfordtx.gov for other details. Bedford Twilight Thursday Taste & Tunes Kickoff Extravaganza Beautiful spring weather calls for enjoying outdoor activities, and none better than the free concerts and special cuisine featured on each Thursday in April on the lawn of the Old Bedford School, 2400 School Lane. On Thursday, the Taste & Tunes season opens with an Extravaganza featuring Dixieland band RazzMaJazz performing a mix of Roaring ’20s and 1930s, ’40s and ’50s jazz music and a healthy dose of comedy sure to get the audience involved. Food will be provided by VIPizza. “There will be art vendors, a bounce house, a kids art workshop and food with beer and wine for sale,” said spokeswoman Natalie Foster. These festivities are in conjunction with the centennial celebration for the Old Bedford School. Guests are asked to visit the Centennial booth and learn about opportunities for community service that all involve, not surprisingly, the number 100. On April 9, enjoy the big-band sounds of the Les Elgart orchestra and dine on selections from Mad Grill. Beatles tribute band Me & My Monkey will perform on April 16, and cuisine from Best Bayou Bites sounds tasty. April 23 features the Zack King band’s rock ’n’ roll with dinner provided by Sassy Dog, and the month wraps up on April 30 with music from the ’80s performed by Live 80 and food from Bite My Biscuit food truck. Tailgating and leashed pets are welcome. Bring blankets, lawn chairs, friends and family to enjoy this free family entertainment provided by the city and the Northeast Arts Council. Thursday’s Kick-off Extravaganza event with all the extra activities begins at 6 p.m. The remaining concerts in April start at 7 p.m. Check the entire month’s concert schedule at www.oldbedfordschool.com. Direct questions to Foster at 817-952-2290. Easter dance and potluck supper Monday Is this season of Dancing With the Stars making you yearn to put on your dancing shoes? If so, the Easter dance at the Bedford Senior Center on Monday from 7 to 9:30 p.m. will satisfy the yen. Couples and singles ages 50 and up are invited to enjoy the Pete & Patti band as it plays big-band and country-style music. And bring your favorite dish for a potluck dinner. “My wife and I have been to several of the Monday night dances and we have really enjoyed ourselves. The music, atmosphere and people are great and the special Easter dance on April 6 is shaping up to be quite the event,” writes Mayor Jim Griffin. Admission is $6 per person, attire is casual, and no reservations are required. The senior center is at 2817 R.D. Hurt Parkway. Questions? Call817-952-2126. Local links: Alliance Cup set for April 28 in Euless By BILL NICHOLS brnichols@dallasnews.com Staff Writer Published: 01 April 2015 05:45 PM Updated: 01 April 2015 05:45 PM The eighth Alliance Cup is set for April 28 at Texas Star Golf Club in Euless. The annual fundraiser for the Alliance Campaign features four-person teams of men and women, scoring their two best balls in gross and net competitions. Junior Golf initiatives for girls and Women’s Texas Golf Association scholarships are funded by the Alliance Campaign and Alliance Cup. The Alliance Campaign, founded in 2007, has raised more than $150,000. The WTGA staff visits six LPGA/U.S. Golf Association sites across Texas to encourage girls’ participation in golf through the Winner’s Program, which begins May 2 in Longview. The Alliance Campaign also honors the late Toni Wiesner through the Wiesner’s Winners program and Toni Weisner Cup. Donation and event information is available at txga.org. Historic homes tour in Fort Worth Genealogy April 6 - 12 April 5, 2015 7:50 PM MST Heritage Park in Euless offers tours the second Saturday of each month. City of Euless April 10: The National Archives of Fort Worth hosts its monthly “Friday Freebies” workshop. Archivist Ashley Mattingly via video conference discusses the Civilian Conservation Corps and the associated personnel records available at the National Archives at St. Louis. Workshop time is 12 noon-1 p.m. at the Montgomery Plaza location, 2600 W. 7th St., Suite 162, Fort Worth, 76107. Phone number is 817-831-5620. Space is limited, so contact ftworth.education@nara.gov to make arrangements to attend. Attendees are welcome to bring a sack lunch to enjoy while attending this free workshop. Call (817) 831-5620 with questions. April 11: 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" Faiva-Siale, eulessinfo@eulesstx.gov. April 12: TLC brings “Who Do You Think You Are?” for another season of celebrity ancestry stories. Episodes from previous seasons will air between new episodes. Remaining celebrities to be featured this season are America Ferrera, Bill Paxton, and Melissa Etheridge. The show will air at 9 central time in Dallas-Fort Worth. 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 prizes. The contest is open to both members and non-members of DGS 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 are housed. All year: The Euless Public Library has genealogy resources, including Fold3, formerly known as Footnote, which is an online military database, and Newsbank, which provides access to newspapers and other news sources. Hours are 10 a.m- 5p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1-5p.m. Sunday. Address is 201 N. Ector Drive, 817-685-1480. All year: The Fort Worth 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. All year: Mansfield Historical Museum and Heritage Center, open 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesdays- Saturdays. In addition to providing exhibits, museum staff and volunteers can help patrons with genealogy. Donations requested. Located at 102 North Main St., Mansfield, 76063, (817) 473- 4250 or mansfieldmuseum@sbcglobal.net Like them onFacebook. All year: Texas Civil War Museum is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday, 760 Jim Wright Freeway North, Fort Worth, 76108. Adult admission is $6, students ages 7-12 are $3 and children 6 and under are free with adult admission. This is the largest Civil War museum west of the Mississippi. Contact (817) 246-2323,questions@texascivilwarmuseum.com or join them on Facebook. All year: Arlington Family History Center, 3809 Curt Drive, Arlington, 76016, 817-446-7088. Volunteers provide free genealogy assistance. Hours of operation are Wednesday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Thursday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. To receive email alerts when a new article is posted, click on the “Subscribe” button next to my photo and bio, located at the bottom of this page or at the top of my main articles page. Follow me on Twitter: @ancestrysleuth to get other genealogy news. I am also the National Hobbies Examiner and write about people and their favorite hobbies. Follow me @funhobby for more hobby news. Other links of interest: County by County: Tarrant County briefs for April 7 Published: 07 April 2015 12:43 PM Updated: 07 April 2015 12:43 PM EULESS Police hosting self-defense classes for women The Euless Police Department is offering free self-defense classes for women called Rape Aggression Defense during April. Classes are from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays at the Euless Police Department, 1102 W. Euless Blvd. Call 817-685-1686 or email jgordon@eulesstx.gov for more information. Julissa Treviño Euless police turn over to DA the case of Grapevine officer shooting unarmed man BY MONICA S. NAGY MNAGY@STAR-TELEGRAM.COM 04/07/2015 7:47 PM EULESS In a one-sentence email, Euless police reported Tuesday that they have completed the criminal investigation into the shooting of an unarmed Mexican immigrant by a Grapevine police officer and have turned the case over to the Tarrant County district attorney’s office. Ruben García Villalpando, 31, of North Richland Hills was shot to death Feb. 20 by Grapevine police officer Robert Clark after a brief pursuit that ended on the shoulder of a Texas 121 service road in Euless. Grapevine police said Garcia got out of his vehicle with his hands up and continued to walk toward Clark even though he was “repeatedly told to stop.” Clark shot García in the chest twice. Euless investigators talked to at least 40 witnesses, Lt. Eric Starnes, a Euless police spokesman, has told the Star-Telegram. Ruben García Villalpando, 31, of North Richland Hills, was fatally shot by a Grapevine police officer on Feb. 20. |courtesy of Martha Angelica Rome Courtesy Garcia family Tuesday night, Starnes could not be reached to comment. Garcia’s brother-in-law, Fernando Romero, said a Euless police detective called him Tuesday afternoon. Romero’s sister, Martha Romero, is Garcia’s widow, and she and her four children moved in with him after the shooting. Romero said the detective told him that the case is no longer in their hands and that it’s the district attorney’s investigation now. “The detective said it’s going to take a few months for them to get anything,” Romero said. Dallas-based attorney Domingo Garcia said the family is “extremely disappointed” that Euless police did not arrest Clark after their investigation. “When you finish an investigation, if you believe someone committed a crime, there’s an arrest,” Garcia said. “A normal person, when the criminal investigation is finished, the police department arrests them, and there’s a ‘perp walk.’ It’s clear the officer is getting preferred treatment.” Garcia said Euless police did not make a formal recommendation to prosecutors about whether to charge the officer. Sam Jordan, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office, said she could not verify that Tuesday night, but in any case, the investigation will not be complete until the district attorney’s office does its own investigation. “We still have to do our side of the investigation, and once we complete that, we’ll put it before the grand jury,” Jordan said. She said they will not put a timetable on that. Grapevine police are conducting their own administrative investigation, which is ongoing, said Sgt. Robert Eberling, a police spokesman. “We are pleased that the investigation will soon be reviewed by the Tarrant County grand jury,” Eberling wrote in an email. Monica S. Nagy, 817-390-7792 Dave and Busters Euless location is hiring TODAY! Apr 7, 2015 Love working in a fast-paced, multi-faceted Restaurant/Entertainment scene. outgoing and personable with excellent verbal and written communication skills! Eager to learn and love developing new sales skills! Love hosting networking events! You haven\t met a goal you can\t beat! Everybody is Somebody! At D&B, we believe that each person and every position matters; everyone contributes to our success! APPLY TODAY! :DAVEANDBUSTERS.COM/CAREERS Holiday Inn Express - Hiring Site 309 West State Hwy: 114 (next to stacy furniture, same parking lot) Grapevine, Texas Call us direct: 817.786.1600 Police veteran prepares Euless for potential disasters BY DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR. RAMIREZ@STAR-TELEGRAM.COM EULESS Police Lt. Joe Kraft wouldn’t mind another quiet spring in North Texas. As an assistant coordinator — and now the coordinator — for the city’s office of emergency management, it’s been his job for the last 10 years to prepare the city of 54,000 for a disaster, whether natural or manmade. “The challenge has always been to develop programs to get the the attention of the public,” said Kraft, who has been with the Euless Police Department for 28 years. “A lot of people keep it in the back of their minds, until a tornado hits or there’s an airplane crash in their neighborhood.” Last spring was a quiet one for tornadoes in North Texas, with only two in the six-county Dallas-Fort Worth region and none in Tarrant County. The most recent deadly tornado in North Texas came on May 15, 2013, when an EF-4 tornado packing 180 mph winds struck the Rancho Brazos neighborhood just outside of Granbury. Six people were killed by the tornado, one of 19 that touched down that day in North Texas. Despite a quiet previous spring, Kraft said disaster planning still must go and focus on four areas: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. And Kraft’s years of work have had the city prepared, city officials said. “Joe is a tremendous asset to this community and the efforts of emergency management throughout the area,” said Euless Police Chief Mike Brown. “Thanks to Joe, this community has the programs, volunteers and training that will serve it well in the event of a natural or man-made disaster. In the past, Kraft said that severe storms were the primary concerns of disasters for cities, but emergency management officials now must prepare for other types of disasters. In Euless, there are three major highways that could carry trucks transporting hazardous materials and the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport remains a neighbor of the city. The emergency management office also turns to volunteer groups in the city for support and assistance, including the local amateur ham radio club that assists the community with storm spotting and recovery in the event of a catastrophic weather event. “Here in the Metroplex, we have a difficult time trying to convince people to be prepared because everything is conveniently located,” Kraft said. “But we try to emphasize to people that in case of disasters, try to have food and other items to self-sustain for 72 hours. That’s because it could take first responders some time before they can reach you.” Domingo Ramirez Jr., 817-390-7763 Abused dog will be special guest at Euless benefit Saturday BY ELIZABETH CAMPBELL LIZ@STAR-TELEGRAM.COM 04/09/2015 10:13 AM Riley and his owner, Keli Brace, share a moment last week. Riley is a German shepherd mix who was badly scalded a year ago. His new owner, Brace, has helped him heal. Both will participate in a walk-a-thon to raise funds for the Euless Animal Shelter, where Riley was first treated. JUAN GUAJARDO STAR-TELEGRAM A little over a year ago, Riley, a German shepherd mix puppy, was struggling to recover from burns he suffered when he was scalded during a domestic disturbance in Euless. At the time, employees at the Animal Hospital and Clinic of Arlington, where he was treated, weren’t sure if he could be adopted because of his emotional and medical issues. But thanks to clinic manager Keli Brace, who gave him a new home, Riley is bouncing back. “You just wouldn’t wish this on any pet. They are just so innocent, so forgiving, so giving. You just think, how could somebody do this?” Brace said. Saturday is a special day for Riley and those who rescued him: They will participate in the Trinity High GAP Club’s annual walk-a-thon. Riley’s physical injuries have healed, but he will never regain all his fur, his owner, Keli Brace, says. | Juan Guajardo Star-Telegram The Girls Awareness Program raises money to benefit the Euless Animal Shelter, and this year the funds will help pay for medical care such as heartworm treatments that the shelter couldn’t afford otherwise. Club sponsor Steffenie Vela, said Riley is a symbol of how important it is to raise funds to support the shelter. “When we have dogs that come to the shelters, there isn’t money for the medical expenses,” she said. Because of that, she said, a dog with serious injuries like Riley’s would often be euthanized. Road to recovery Riley’s journey began when Euless police officers rescued him during a domestic disturbance call at an apartment complex in March 2014. Terrell Hill of Euless is accused of animal cruelty/torture and was scheduled to go on trial this week. That has now been postponed. Hill’s attorney, John Johnson, declined to comment on the case. Euless Detective Robert Powell said he couldn’t comment on the case because of the upcoming trial, but he said he was glad to see how much Riley has improved since he was rescued. Powell put a donation box at the Police Department to benefit the animal shelter, and he will participate in Saturday’s walk “Everyone kept saying that I should have adopted Riley, but I just couldn’t because of my involvement in the case,” he said. When police rescued Riley, they called animal control officers. Knowing that there wasn’t money to treat Riley, Trinity GAP Club stepped in and contacted the Arlington clinic. When Riley first arrived, he was malnourished, and there were raw patches of skin where he was burned, Brace said. The puppy went through numerous hydrotherapy treatments where he was given special baths to wash off the scabs so that the burned areas could heal. Most of Riley’s hair grew back, but there are some patches along his sides where the skin turned black. Brace said she applies sunblock, lotion and ointments to the bald places to keep Riley from getting sunburned and to keep the skin from getting dry. Riley — whom Brace named for the veterinarian who treated him, Doug Riley — also suffers from disc compression that was likely caused by his injuries. Although Riley’s medical condition is improving, Brace said her dog’s emotional issues are “coming to the surface.” “Riley is very anxiety-ridden, and you never know what is going to trigger it: a plastic bag rattling, a loud voice or a truck going by,” she said. Brace said the Trinity GAP Club has volunteers willing to foster dogs, but Riley’s complex medical and emotional wounds made him a special case. When she first brought Riley home, he was afraid to go through doors, and he flinched when she moved her hand toward him, Brace recalled. She used a calm, quiet approach with treats to gain Riley’s trust. He accompanies her to work, and when Riley is home, he has five dogs to play with. The pack helps him feel secure, Brace said. She has no regrets about adopting Riley. ”It is so worth it, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I wanted him to get the chance he didn’t have the first time.” Elizabeth Campbell, 817-390-7696 Twitter: @fwstliz If you go The Trinity GAP Club walk-a-thon benefiting the Euless Animal Shelter is from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Trinity High School, 500 N. Industrial Blvd. in Euless. Information: trinitygaprescue.org