The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2017-05-23 Euless ArticlesLuxury Cinepolis movie theater in Euless eyes summer opening By Steve Kaskovich skaskovich@star-telegram.com A Cinepolis movie theater featuring recliners and a dine-in menu is going up at Glade Parks in Euless near the Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar. Steve Kaskovich Star-Telegram EULESS The signs are up and hiring has started at the new Cinepolis movie theater at Glade Parks in Euless, which is aiming for a mid-July opening. Work is progressing quickly on Tarrant County’s latest dine-in movie theater, going up behind the popular Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar in the fast-growing Glades Park development. Cinepolis USA, based in Addison, has said the Euless theater will have 12 screens and feature amenities such as plush automated recliners, expanded concessions and a bar serving beer, wine and alcoholic drinks. It will be its first theater in Texas; another is planned for the Victory Park development in downtown Dallas. The Cinepolis movie theater being built in Euless will have expanded concessions and a bar serving beer and wine, similar to this location in Polk County, Florida. Cinepolis According to its website, Cinepolis cinemas offer a broad food menu with starters such as gourmet truffle skinny fries and chicken pot stickers to salads, pizza, burgers, paninis and desserts including a chocolate lava cake and a gourmet sweet crepe. Unlike some luxury Cinepolis theaters on the west coast that offer a full menu of food, the Euless location will not have in-theater waiter service, a spokesperson said. Instead, the Euless theater will offers food and drinks at the concession counter and bar that can be taken to the theater seats. The company is the U.S. arm of the Mexican company that says it’s the world’s fourth-largest movie theater chain. It currently operates theaters in California, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey and New York Steve Kaskovich: 817-390-7773, @stevekasko LPD officer participates in memorial bike rides Heather M. Goodwin, hgoodwin@starlocalmedia.com For more than 200 miles it’s not about them. It’s about another police officer and their family. It’s about someone else’s sacrifice that must never be forgotten. From May 10-12, hundreds of police officers traveled 238 miles – from Chesapeake, Va. to Washington D.C. – for the Road to Hope bike ride. For the third year, Lewisville police Capt. Jesse Hunter was one of those riding for a fallen officer. Hunter rode for slain Euless police officer David Hofer. “This is my way to bring awareness and honor the fallen,” Hunter said. “It also helps provide monetary support to the survivors.” Hofer was shot and killed March 1, 2016. He and his partner were called to a park about a suspicious person. Upon arrival they encountered Jorge Gonzalez, who authorities believe could have possibly been high on meth at the time. Gonzalez opened fire on the officers, striking Hofer. His partner returned fire, killing Gonzalez. Hofer was taken to Baylor Scott and White Medical Center where he died during surgery. He became the first police officer in Texas to die in the line of duty in 2016. According to reports, he is only the second Euless police officer to be killed in the line of duty – the first Michael Ray Williamson was killed in 1982 by a drunk driver. Hofer had served with the Euless Police Department for two years and previously served with the New York City Police Department for five years. One of Hunter’s fellow Lewisville officers, Danny Ranspot, was friends with Hofer and attended the police academy with him. In addition, a former Army friend of Hunters works for the Euless Police Department. “Out of respect for them I wanted to ride for Hofer,” Hunter said. “I think Danny is proud that I’m riding for his friend.” The ride was held during National Police Week. The event raised $400,000 for the Concerns of Police Survivors, $100,000 for the Officer Down Memorial Page, and $50,000 to the Spirit of Blue Foundation. Hunter also took part in the third annual Texas Peace Officers Memorial Ride in support of all Texas C.O.P.S. Chapters April 29. Capt. Mike Lane rode in his first Texas memorial ride. The event honors all fallen Texas peace officers and their families. The ride was 145 miles from Fort Worth to Dallas for a memorial ceremony. Participants then rode to Waxahachie, took buses to Temple and then rode to Austin. The ride concluded with the Texas Peace Officers candle light vigil ceremony. Hunter rode as part of Team Texas, made up of officers from Lewisville, The Colony, Flower Mound, Carrollton, Irving, Melissa, Cedar Hill and Coppell police departments. For the Texas ride, Hunter rode for Senior Police Officer Amir Abdul-Khaliq, who died from injuries sustained in a police motorcycle crash. He was providing an escort for a funeral and was attempting to reach the next intersection when a car attempted to turn left through the procession. The car pulled directly into his path, causing him to strike it. Abdul-Khaliq was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Austin Police Department for 17 years. He is survived by his five children. He died Sept. 4, 2016. The Lewisville Police Department Honor Guard attended the bike ride and posted the colors at the beginning of the event. They were also at the finish line. Honor the sacrifice: Euless, Dallas and Little Elm officers honored at annual memorial service Kelsey Samuels, ksamuels@starlocalmedia.com May 18, 2017 Plano Police Officer Jun Wei Sun places a yellow rose on a wreath Thursday morning at the Peace Officer Memorial Service. Rows of residents and officers stood in solemn silence at the Peace Officer Memorial Service Thursday morning. Plano Assistant Chief Brad Fortune read the names: Corrections Officer IV Mari Anne Johnson, Marco Antonio Zarate, Patrolman David Ortiz; 19 Texas peace officers who died in the line of duty in 2016. And as Fortune read their names, officers from Plano PD, Little Elm PD and an officer from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit placed yellow roses in a Texas-shaped wreath, saluting each man and women. May 18th is Peace Officer Memorial Day in Plano, a day were the community remembers peace officers and police officers who’ve died in the line of duty. Plano Assistant Chief Brad Fortune (left) and Assistant Chief Dan Curtis (right) stand at attention Thursday morning at the Peace Officer Memorial Service. Officers from Plano PD, Allen PD, Rowlett PD, Little Elm PD, Euless PD, Dallas PD, Fort Worth PD, Richardson PD and Collin County Sheriff’s Department wore black bands over their badges, in solidarity of the officers they’ve lost. Mayor Harry LaRosiliere presented a proclamation to Plano Police Chief Greg Rushin in recognition of the day, but before the proclamation, he thanked the officers who’ve died on duty, and recognized the officers still serving today. “Though we’re here to honor those who passed away, I’ll ask that we also honor those that are still here. We often give them glory and talk about their goodness once they’re gone, but let’s take the moment to acknowledge them while they’re here,” LaRosiliere said. He encouraged all residents to stop a peace officer today and say ‘thank you.’ “You’ll be amazed at how you’ll make his or her day,” he said. Member of the Plano Police, Fort orth Police and Plano Firefighters Pipe and Drum Bands perform "The Bells of Dunblane" at the Peace Officer Memorial Service Thursday. During Chief Rushin’s remarks, he noted 145 peace officers died on duty in 2016. And of that number, 53 officers died in vehicle accidents, 64 officers were killed by gunfire, and 21 of which were ambushed while on duty. Most officers died by assault rifles, he said. “This represents the highest number of ambushed deaths in 20 years. It’s a disturbing trend occurring not just around the country, but also in our own Dallas area,” he said. The North Texas area experienced several deaths in 2016, specifically Euless Officer David Hofer killed on March 1, Dallas PD officers - Senior Corporal Lorne Bradley Ahrens, Officer Michael Leslie Krol, Sergeant Michael Joseph Smith, Officer Patricio Enrique Zamarripa - and DART officer Brent Thompson killed July 7 and Jerry Walker of Little Elm Police Department killed January 17, 2017. Member of the Plano Police, Fort Worth Police and Plano Firefighters Pipe and Drum Bands perform "The Bells of Dunblane" at the Peace Officer Memorial Service Thursday. Rushin also recognized two of Plano PD’s own fallen officers – Green Rye and Wes Hardy - who are remembered at every memorial service. Hardy’s family sat in the second row Thursday morning during the service as a reminder that every officer lost is more than a statistic, he said. “We must never forget that every single number and each name on the Law Enforcement Memorial wall represents an individual officer who saw the courage to sacrifice their life for service, leaving behind the families… and stories and all of us that are here today,” he said. “Today, as we pause to remember those who have given their lives in the most difficult and dangerous job,” he said, “a job that is often taken for granted, I would ask everyone here today to recommit yourselves, so that these officers deaths are not in vain and that you’ll live for what they stood for.” Hanging out at 12 new patios in and around Fort Worth BY ROBERT PHILPOT rphilpot@star-telegram.com Once, a patio was kind of a special feature at a restaurant, and in some places that set the standard — we’re looking at you, Joe T. Garcia’s — it still is. But now, it almost seems like a requirement that a restaurant have a patio, even if that restaurant is an inexpensive, fast-casual chain restaurant facing a freeway (actually, there’s a Chipotle in far north Fort Worth with a patio set just low enough that you can watch a sunset without looking at a traffic jam). And although there are some exceptions (Le Cep, one of Fort Worth’s best restaurants, has no patio), patios are becoming the rule. Enough of a rule that compiling a list of some good new ones is becoming an annual event. The ones below distinguish themselves by managing to separate from the outside madness, tucking you away from the parking lots and the car exhaust that might be mere feet away. All of these patios are at restaurants that have opened in the past 12 months in Fort Worth and a couple of nearby cities. America Gardens: Situated between Fred’s Texas Cafe and Rodeo Goat, both of which have nifty patios of their own, this recently opened bar-restaurant boasts that it has the biggest patio in the West 7th area, more than 10,000 square feet of dog-friendly, red-white-and-blue motif and rustic seating with an outdoor bar and several game areas. Games include fowling — a game that combines football and bowling — as well as table tennis, foosball, air hockey and more. Check out the painting by the fowling area of Uncle Sam, Ben Franklin, George Washington and Abe Lincoln hoisting beers. 2833 Morton St., Fort Worth, 817-439- 9660, www.americagardensusa.com Americado Mexi-Food Hall: Better-known as just Americado, this “dining hall”-inspired concept might have a confusing ordering system inside, but outside, its patio is pretty self- explanatory: Picnic tables shaded by umbrellas and by the restaurant itself, which has garage- style doors that open in nice weather. Wall plants and a green belt just east of the restaurant separate it from nearby railroad tracks and the busy Eighth Avenue-Berry Street intersection. 2000 W. Berry St., Fort Worth, 817-759-9107, www.americadofw.com Earl’s 377 Pizza: This Argyle joint, which opened almost a year ago, has a mostly covered patio with the kind of lawn furniture those of us who are old enough to remember the ’60s had in our back yards. There’s also an outdoor bar with saddle-style stools that fit in with the rquirky decor (you’ll have to go inside to see the “banjo-lier,” a chandelier made from banjos, though). It’s dog-friendly, and the staff seems to be composed entirely of dog-lovers. And the pizza is great. The restaurant comes from a Denton group that recently launched other spots close by: the outdoorsy Bumbershoot BBQ, and Kimzey’s Coffee, which has a striking roof that appears to be melting. There’s also a Fuzzy’s Taco Shop across a green from Earl’s — not related to the other restaurants; Fuzzy’s had a pretty cool patio of its own. 427 U.S. 377 N, Argyle, 940-464- 4444, http://earls377pizza.com HG Sply Co.: The original Dallas location of this (mostly) virtuous-food-minded restaurant is renowned for its rooftop and its Dallas skyline view, but Fort Worth’s may have outdone it with a long Trinity River-front patio with a bar area and a game area, all of it alongside the Trinity Trails where you can watch people jog, bike or walk by — or walk off that big HG cherry chocolate-chip cookie you had for dessert after opting for a quinoa-based dish for dinner. The patio was added after the restaurant (which has pretty good river views from inside as well) opened in August; this is a case of good things coming to those who wait. 1621 River Run, Suite 176, Fort Worth, 682-730-6070; hgsplyco.com Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar: When this chain was founded 13 years ago in California, the concept of a dog-friendly restaurant wasn’t common, and founder/CEO Chris Simms and his organization worked with California and Los Angeles officials to get dogs allowed on restaurant patios. Since then, dog-friendly patios have become more common — it’s always worth calling ahead to check, but many restaurants allow dogs on their patios. Lazy Dog has three DFW locations, with the first in Tarrant opened in January in Euless’ Glade Parks development. But you don’t need a dog to enjoy this patio, a rustic 1,300 square feet with a fire pit in its center, with a skylight over the pit. “Rustic” is becoming a restaurant cliché, but it fits Lazy Dog, whose decor was inspired by a Simms family mountain lodge in Wyoming. 2521 Texas 121, Euless, 682-738-0861, https://www.lazydogrestaurants.com; locations also in Addison and Plano. Meso Maya: The first Fort Worth location of this Dallas-based, interior-Mexican-food restaurant, opened at the beginning of May in the Trinity Commons shopping center in southwest Fort Worth, features two patios. One is all-weather and more enclosed, and both are set far enough back to keep Hulen Street traffic and parking-lot bumper cars from interfering with the outdoor vibe. You might even forget that there’s a big grocery store in the background. 3050 S. Hulen Street, Suite A, Fort Worth, 682-316-8266, http://mesomaya.com On the Patio: Opened in the fall in Azle, this restaurant puts its patio right up there in its name, befitting a sports-bar-esque place that happens to have an 80-by-35-foot deck that’s large enough to accommodate a sizable oak sprouting up through its floor, as well as around 100 patrons who can drink, eat and be merry sports fans thanks to five big-screen televisions. You can get sports- bar staples such as nachos and a mouthful of a burger here, but the restaurant also aims past that with such items as mini-crabcakes and a sirloin stir-fry. 501 N. Stewart St., Azle, 817-406- 4570, http://www.onthepatioazle.com Piattello Italian Kitchen/Taco Diner Waterside: Both restaurants have nice patios, but the bigger attraction may be what they face: The Grove, a family-friendly hangout area in the Waterside development, where you’ll also find a semi-enclosed area with a large-screen TV and another patio at the nearby Whole Foods Market. The Grove recently introduced Sunset Sessions at the Grove, a Friday-afternoon/evening concert series featuring such local artists as Jacob Furr (May 19), Alexander Rhea (May 26) and more; for a full schedule, check out http://www.watersidefw.com/events/. Piattello: 5924 Convair Drive, No. 412, Fort Worth, 817-349-0484, piattelloitaliankitchen.com; Taco Diner: 5912 Convair Drive, No. 212, 817-763-8840, http://tacodinerrestaurants.com Press Cafe: This Trinity River-front restaurant in southwest Fort Worth has been open for more than a year, and had quite a ground-level patio scene from the beginning (and long waits at peak hours to go with it). The upstairs patio, however, didn’t open for several months, and it’s proved to be a hit, with its views overlooking the Clear Fork of the Trinity (as well as the downstairs patio area). Press Cafe was one of the first tenants in the growing Clearfork shopping-dining development, where there’s often a buzz. On a nice day, with a little ambition, you can walk the Trinity Trails from Clearfork to other riverfront restaurants, such as Woodshed Smokehouse and HG Sply Co., or if you’re more jockish, you can complete the loop faster by running or biking. 4801 Edwards Ranch Road, No. 105, Fort Worth, 817-570- 6002. https://www.presscafeftworth.com/ Tia’s on the Bluff: A few months ago, the Star-Telegram did a story on “hidden” restaurants, places that don’t have exterior signage, are tucked away on back streets, or both. This one wasn’t open yet, but it would’ve qualified: It’s a couple of blocks north of downtown, fairly accessible via Hampton Street — although if you turn north early to dodge downtown traffic, you’ll go through a maze of streets before you arrive at Tia’s. Once you’re there, you get a tree-lined, Christmas-lighted patio with downtown views and some classic Mexican food. 1301 E. Bluff St., Fort Worth, 817-349-0964, Facebook @moretias Tributary Cafe: This Cajun-Creole restaurant, opened in late 2016 in the River East district just northeast of downtown Fort Worth, is in a 1940s bungalow — and its patio feels like you’re eating in someone’s well-appointed back yard, especially when the sun shines through the pergola covering, casting a checkerboard shadow over the white tablecloth setting. Like some other spots on Race Street — the Gypsy Scoops ice-cream parlor quickly comes to mind — this place makes you feel like you’re part of the neighborhood. 2813 Race St., Fort Worth, 817- 744-8255, Facebook: @tributarycafe Wild Salsa: Sundance Square Plaza in downtown Fort Worth is bordered by restaurants with patio dining, and the plaza itself is big on al fresco hanging out. A few blocks to the west is the smaller Cityplace development, with a courtyard bordered by the Italian restaurant Avanti (which has a pretty nice patio itself), Wild Salsa’s corporate sibling Chop House Burger, and a controversial, not-yet -opened Hooters, as well as Wild Salsa itself. But Wild Salsa wins patio honors with its outdoor bar (including a couple of swing-style seats among the bar stools), its tables with views of downtown buildings and its game area. The restaurant has an extensive tequila menu, so don’t be surprised if patio patrons get a little noisy. 300 Throckmorton St., Fort Worth, 682-316-3230, http://wildsalsarestaurant.com