Latest News
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...
Murphy staff, residents remember 9-11 attacks during a 25th Anniversary ceremony at City Hall. Bob Wieland/Murphy Monitor Courage, service and unity were the themes of Murphy’s solemn memorial commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks....
Murphy customers of Atmos Energy Corp. Mid-Tex Division would be paying more for natural gas under a rate settlement negotiated between Atmos and a committee of cities it serves. The agreement, on the Murphy City Council’s consent agenda for the Sept. 15...
Pictured: North Texas Wildlife Center in Plano. File Art Donors can search for participating nonprofits and make donations at NorthTexasGivingDay.org through Sept. 17. Murphy-area nonprofits are preparing for one of their biggest fundraising days of the year as North...
The Murphy City Council has voted 5-2 to adopt a Fiscal Year 2027 property tax rate of $0.361832 per $100 of taxable appraised value. Mayor pro tem Scott Smith first moved to adopt a no-new-revenue tax rate, but his motion was defeated.The votes followed public...
Sports
Plano East’s Brooke Tierney finished in 31st at the McKinney Boyd Bronco Stampede on Saturday morning. Photo by David Wolman / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] (Click on the link to view the photo gallery from the McKinney Boyd Bronco...
George Dousharm is presented with a plaque from Roy Woods for being inducted into the Plano East Hall of Honor on Sept. 4. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] A close friendship between George Dousharm and Jody Morse started...
Plano East's volleyball team improved to 2-1 in District 7-6A following a 3-0 win over Richardson on Tuesday. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media By Devin Hasson [email protected] RICHARDSON -- The Plano East volleyball team has been a perennial playoff...
Plano East sophomore Anna Lukas, pictured in previous action, finished with 19 assists in the Lady Panthers' 3-0 sweep of JJ Pearce on Sept. 8. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] Plano East (19-8) is 1-1 to commence District...
Plano East junior Kaden Fulcher (99) closes in on South Grand Prairie senior quarterback Ryan Goss during a non-district football game Friday in Grand Prairie. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] (View the photo gallery from...
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
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...
By Carrie Dunlea Retirement often brings more freedom, but it can also mean fewer daily opportunities to connect with others. Whether you're newly retired or simply looking to expand your circle, building new friendships can improve both physical and mental well-being...
Few things are as delicious and refreshing as watermelon on a warm day. Watermelon grows quite readily in summer and is often ready to pick after three months of growing time. Harvesters look for a pale buttery yellow spot on the bottom of watermelon (the ground...
Opinion
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...
By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com Moms used to be more versatile. If you were in the back seat of the Buick, they could discipline you from the driver's seat and never swerve or knock the ashes off their Marlboro Red. My mom never smoked, so it’s possible...
The first man cave columnist John Moore experienced was his grandfather's blacksmith shop. Today, John has his own man cave. Photo: John Moore By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com In the North, dads have basements. In the South, they have shops. Both...
Thanks to his grandmother, columnist John Moore knows the price of most items. Which will help if he's ever selected as a contestant on The Price Is Right. Photo John Moore By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com Long before anyone knew who Drew Carey was,...
