Latest News
With several returning players on the Plano East defensive line, the coaching staff views it as one of the strengths of the defensive unit. Returning three starters, Plano East head coach Tony Benedetto is excited for the prospects this upcoming season. The group will...
What began as an ice cream social hosted by downtown merchants 34 years ago, has turned into one of Wylie’s biggest events. Now known as Bluegrass on Ballard, the free all-day affair not only includes bluegrass bands, but arts and crafts, chili cook-off, food trucks...
Vickie Adams said she has always wanted to write a novel. And in the past, the Murphy resident started to write a couple of different novels, but said she didn’t take time to fully “flesh out the ideas” so she never finished them. Writing a book is not an easy feat...
Local aviation and remote control enthusiasts alike fly their aircraft in the skies over a park in Princeton. The Richardson Radio Control Club (RRCC) flies its planes out of Bratonia Park, located at 6540 FM 546 in Princeton. On a sunny day with fair winds, the...
Hot cars are no place for kids, let alone dogs in this Texas heat. Our furry friends such as dogs and cats can’t regulate their internal temperature as easily as humans can. With fewer mechanisms to cool off, pets, especially dogs, have an increased risk of heatstroke...
Sports
With several returning players on the Plano East defensive line, the coaching staff views it as one of the strengths of the defensive unit. Returning three starters, Plano East head coach Tony Benedetto is excited for the prospects this upcoming season. The group will...
Plano East may be undersized on the offensive line, but it isn’t stopping them from being aggressive on offense in 2022. The Panthers return two starters and have several depth options for the upcoming season. The two returning starters, Gavin Speight and Ralee...
Competing in one of the toughest districts in the state, Plano East saw improvement and two players with all-district nods. While still finishing eighth in District 6-6A, the Lady Panthers (3-11, 8-16) improved by three wins in the district. That led to two players...
The Plano East Panthers may have missed out on a postseason berth, but are still earned a few nods to the all-district team. Leading the way for Plano East (3-11, 7-18-2) this season was Caleb Bergman. The senior Baylor baseball signee ended his final season on a...
Wrapping up a five-week spring football season, the Plano East Panthers are working to establish a new identity. Under head coach Tony Benedetto, the team held its annual spring game last Friday, May 19, and was working toward a solid, disciplined team. It’s something...
Education
Dozens of students were recognizing students for their accomplishments, which took up a majority of the Monday, April 24 meeting. The Skills USA team at Wylie East High School, Wylie High School and McMillian Junior High were singled out for hard work at the meeting....
The top ranked graduates at Wylie High School said hard work and a little bit of luck helped them earn the number one and two spots.Wylie High School rankings place Alina Nguyen as valedictorian and Reiki Hingorani as salutatorian of the class of 2022. Alina posted a...
The first federal trial related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot returned a monumental verdict in the federal government’s prosecution of those involved. After a weeklong trial with four days of testimony, Guy Reffitt, 49, a Wylie resident and oil field worker, was...
Wylie High and Wylie East theater students continue to work on their first productions of the year, with East getting a head start as they are producing “Anastasia: The Musical.” Rehearsals began in July on the production. WHS students are performing “Epic...
Wylie ISD parents wishing to have their children receive instruction online may apply for a spot in the district’s newly formed Virtual Learning Academy. The Wylie ISD board approved a temporary virtual learning option Aug. 31 during a special meeting. VLA is...
Life & Style
If you’re the parents/guardians of elementary school-age children, the Monitor is collecting Letters to Santa again this year. The letters will be printed in the December 23 edition of The Murphy Monitor. Please print out the attached document, have your child write...
Walking into Kaiser Center for the Performing Arts for the first time, patrons might find it hard to believe it was once the site of the former home décor store, Tuesday Morning. Aisles of kitchen gadgets, shower curtains and pet beds have now been replaced with a...
Home gardener Catherine “Cathi” Banks has learned by trial and error how to get the most from the raised bed gardens that have lined her backyard in Murphy for the last six years. In fact, Banks’ has not only had good luck with her gardening adventure, she...
After a few years of growing the typical Texas flowers; pansies in the winter, impatiens in the summer in the normal front flowerbeds, homeowner Kori Hendrix realized she wanted more variety and more gardens at her Wylie home. There was ample opportunity to make...
Students and families faced many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The shift to remote learning and shortened school days, forced students to adapt to virtual school on the fly as parents adjusted to working from home full-time and managing their children’s...
Opinion
By John Moore I used to pay little attention to the world’s little idiosyncrasies, but now they seem ever present. And it’s more than slightly annoying. I can’t be the only one. When I was getting change back from the fast-food drive-thru recently, it all became...
By Jeff Denton Cancer. Not what I was expecting to hear from the doctor. But surprisingly comforting at some level. It sure explained the extreme sickness I was experiencing. It explained twenty pounds of weight loss in three weeks. It explained months of pain that...
By Rick Wood There’s so much going on in our world today…just turn on the news and you can hear of the tragedies that are taking place throughout our nation. Here in Texas, the town of Uvalde is mourning the deaths of nineteen elementary students and two teachers less...
By John Moore We had a clothesline, but no washer or dryer. So the Laundromat was a weekly destination. Today, most folks would find the absence of a laundry room in the home as foreign as no air conditioning or Wi-Fi. Fifty years ago, most...
By Jon Smiley With Texas voters heading to the polls again this month for primary runoff elections, transparency and open accountability should be top of mind for voters and a top priority for our elected officials. That’s especially true in the election of the...
