Latest News
Boo on Ballard will return to Wylie Oct. 29. File Art Cooler weather — or at least the promise of it — is bringing a full slate of festivals, Halloween celebrations and family activities to Wylie, Sachse and surrounding communities throughout October. From costume...
Collin County elected officials began receiving higher salaries Oct. 1 as part of the county’s 2026-27 fiscal year budget. The Commissioners Court approved the compensation schedule last month, with County Judge Chris Hill casting the lone vote against it. The 4-1...
Rodeo Drive Water Tower. File Art Three public works projects worth nearly $2 million were on the consent agenda for the Oct. 6 meeting of the Murphy City Council. Engineering services for a redesign for the FM 544 pedestrian bridge over Maxwell Creek had a...
Two houses on North Murphy Road are proposed to house The Center of Islamic Knowledge. Bob Wieland/Murphy Monitor The Murphy Planning and Zoning Commission is again being asked to approve a site plan for The Center of Islamic Knowledge on 2.64 acres at 1030 and 1026...
The Murphy City Council has decided there are too many uncertainties about Flock Safety automated license plate readers (ALPRs) to continue using them.Following a presentation by Police Chief Jeff Gibson at council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6, members opted...
Sports
Plano East's cross country team will return to Myers Park in McKinney on Monday morning for the District 7-6A meet. Photo by David Wolman / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] Last year, Plano East’s girls team was in a unique situation. Plano East...
Plano East senior Meena Milford, pictured in previous action, captured 19th place in the large-school girls 5K race at the Cowboy Jamboree in Oklahoma on Saturday. Photo by David Wolman / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] Plano East traveled to...
Plano East senior Javon Rogers tackles Plano West senior quarterback Blake Tevis as senior James LaFleur (23) backs up the play during a 24-6 win for the Panthers at Clark Stadium on Friday, Sept. 25. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media By David Wolman...
Jeff Savage, Class of 1990 Plano East graduate, has been inducted into the Plano East Hall of Honor. Photo courtesy Roy Woods By David Wolman [email protected] Jeff Savage was always destined to be a Plano East Panther. He grew up down the street from the...
Plano East senior Leyna Anderson (15) attempts to hit the ball around the block of Plano senior Bailey Ramirez (3) on Tuesday. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] (Click on the link for a photo gallery from the match:...
Education
Former WCC members Andrew Jolay, Hannah Tang, and Zach Hewitt sing at the Wylie ISD convocation prior to the start of the 2026-27 school year. Courtesy photo The Wylie Children’s Chorus is making history as the first elementary ensemble in the district invited to...
Plano ISD Trustees have confirmed the Fiscal Year 2026-27 property tax rate will decrease less than one cent, or $0.0068, per $100 of appraised valuation. Meeting Tuesday, Sept. 8, the school board formally adopted the voter-approved rate of $1.03275 per $100...
Marvin Fuller, center, is joined by family following the announcement that Wylie ISD’s new Career & Technical Education Center will bear his name in recognition of his decades of service. From left, wife Melisa Fuller, son Dailey Fuller, grandson Diesel Adams,...
Workers continue construction on Building D adjacent to Rusty Franklin Field at Plano East Senior High School. Photo Bob Wieland/Murphy Monitor Renovation work at Plano East Senior High School begun in February of 2025 is scheduled for completion in the first half of...
Plano Independent School District earned a grade of B, 85 out of 100 points, in the latest 2025-2026 school accountability rankings released by the Texas Education Agency. The district’s overall ranking improved 3 points from last year. “This measures how much...
Life & Style
Fall is the perfect season to celebrate trees as they transform the world into vibrant shades of red, orange, green and gold. You can do more than just admire existing trees – because in many areas, fall is also an ideal time to plant new ones. While spring is...
Designing a new home, remodeling your own or simply rethinking aesthetics and decor all require a little imagination and a lot of inspiration. A quick online search brings up hundreds if not thousands of thoughtful ways to make your kitchen or bathroom match your...
Photo courtesy of Unsplash It’s a tale as old as treadmills: You buy a new exercise machine with the best of intentions, only for it to become an expensive laundry rack that makes you feel guilty every time you glance over at it. When it comes to making lifestyle...
Cool coastal escapes for one final getaway By Carrie Dunlea By August, many Texans have had enough. Triple-digit temperatures, baked sidewalks and endless afternoons indoors have us dreaming of somewhere cooler. Fortunately, late summer can be one of the best times to...
The countdown to a new school year has begun, and for many families, the final days of summer are filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension. While children may be eager to reunite with friends, join a sports team or move up to a new grade, they also may feel...
Opinion
Columnist John Moore prefers the cars of yesteryear over the cars of today. Pictured is his high school car, a 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com It was the 1970s, and my uncle was behind the wheel. His 1969 Cadillac...
Columnist John Moore was raised on fried baloney sandwiches. By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com The phrase, “We were poor, but didn’t know it,” likely was based on the delicious and inexpensive food most Southerners ate growing up. My father told me we only ate the...
Columnist John Moore (top left) poses with his band Freedom in 1976. The posters on his bedroom wall at the time were of his musical inspirations. By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com My dad hated holes in the walls. So, when mom wanted something hung up, he...
Columnist John Moore's mom always made the same dessert in the same bowl. The proof was in the pudding. Photo Mary Moore By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com Early in life, I learned that adults had their own language. They spoke English, but it was interspersed with...
Columnist John Moore still has a couple of things from his days in the Cub Scouts. A Scouting knife and many memories. Photo John Moore By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com Scouting was once as common for kids as Cap’n Crunch and Post Toasties. Learning how to tie...
