Damaso Martinez was named the head varsity football coach at South Garland High School. The announcement was made at the Wednesday, Jan. 23 Garland ISD board meeting.
He will also serve as the boys athletic campus coordinator.
For the full story see the Jan. 31 issue of the Murphy Monitor.
]]>The Lady Panthers ended up 2-2 in the 68th annual Sandra Meadows Classic at Duncanville. They beat Saginaw 68-49 and Frisco Liberty 38-48. Losses came to Conway, Ark. 67-55 and eventual fifth place finisher Duncanville 65-47.
Cedar Hill beat Conway 65-47 for the championship and Ridge Point brought home the consolation title in a 54-45 win over Colleyville.
The Panthers went 2-2 in the In-N-Out Burger Allen Holiday Invitational. They beat Naaman Forest 59-50 and Highland Park 61-58, both in the RBFCU Class 5A-6A Consolation bracket. Losses came to Fort Ben Travis 76-70 and Bryan Rudder 60-48 in the bracket opener.
Allen won the championship bracket and Prestonwood defeated Summit 50-44 in the consolation finale under former Plano East head coach Jeff Clarkson.
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David Jenkins
Sports Editor
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Not much changed for Plano East Senior High athletics following the Thursday, Feb. 1 realignment.
Football, basketball and volleyball will be members of 9-6A Region II.
That alignment will be used during the 2018-’19 and 2019-’20 school years.
Returning from the old 6-6A are football state champions Allen, McKinney, McKinney Boyd, Plano and Plano West.
Dallas Jesuit, boys’ sports only, and 5A move up Prosper are new additions.
“The biggest shocker for me was Jesuit. Prosper had some success in (Class) 5A. The thing we’re most excited about is moving from Region I to Region II,” Plano East head football coach Joe McCullough said.
Wylie was bumped over to 10-6A with Sachse, Garland, Naaman Forest, Rowlett, North Garland and South Garland.
Guyer was switched to 5-6A Region I with Keller, Keller Central, Keller Fossil Ridge, Keller Timber Creek, Northwest Eaton, Northwest Nelson and Southlake Carroll.
McCullough said they lost two tough district teams in Wylie and Guyer.
“Those guys are very physical and are always tough to play,” the head coach said.
If Plano East makes the playoffs in volleyball, football or basketball, they’ll face a top four finisher from 10-6A.
In the non-district portion of the 2018 football schedule Plano East faces LD Bell (week one), Lake Highlands (week two as part of the Cotton Bowl Classic) and Sachse.
“You always want to play top level competition. I think our predistrict schedule gives us a chance to do just that,” McCullough said.
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]]>Officers responded to a welfare check to a home in the 600 block of Taylor Trail in the Windy Hill Farms subdivision shortly before 3 p.m. A caller expressed concern over a missed lunch with her mother, a resident of the Taylor Trail home. The reporting individual was unsuccessful in attempting to contact her mother by phone, and traveled to the address to check on the mother’s condition.
Unable to obtain a response, and without a key to enter, the caller alerted the Murphy Police Department asking for assistance.
Officers were able to enter the home and made the discovery of two deceased individuals, both 72 years of age, and both victims of gunshots. Because of the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the locked condition of the home, investigators believe it was a murder/suicide.
The investigation into the circumstances is continuing. Identities of the victims have not been released.
Follow the Murphy Monitor for continuing coverage.
]]>Plano Independent School District welcomes families relocating as a result of Hurricane Harvey last week in the Houston area.
In preparation for evacuees, the district has provided information to campus principals and departments. Counselors are ready to serve families in managing the transition to new schools.
Additionally, the district has reached out to local agencies and congregations, so that they are all best-prepared.
More information contact Student Services at 469-752-8106 or visit www.pisd.edu/domain/460.
]]>Donations will be accepted 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 and Friday, Sept. 1. Items can be dropped off at the gym doors nearest the community center entrance. For more information call 972-468-4444.
The following new items are being accepted: underwear, socks, non-perishable food, toiletries, feminine hygiene products, baby diapers, wipes and formula. Please don’t leave items overnight.
All donations will be given to charity Trusted World.
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By David Jenkins
Staff Writer
The start of the 2017-’18 school year is two weeks away and for those who haven’t stocked up on back-to-school essentials, the Tax Free Holiday is scheduled for Aug. 11-13.
According to information from the Texas Comptrollers website, as in past years, the law exempts most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced under $100 for sales and use tax.
This discount could possibly save shoppers about $8 on every $100 spent.
This year, shoppers will save an estimated $92 million in state and local sales taxes during the sales tax holiday. The tax holiday weekend has been an annual event since 1999.
Below is a breakdown of the fine print for the three-day event:
Clothing and footwear
The exemption doesn’t extend to rental of clothing or footwear.
Nor does it apply to alteration (including embroidery) or cleaning services performed on clothes and shoes.
Additionally, tax is due on sales of accessories, including jewelry, handbags, purses, briefcases, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches and similar items.
Backpacks
Those items priced under $100 that are sold for use by elementary and secondary students are exempt during the sales tax holiday.
The exemption includes backpacks with wheels, provided they can also be worn on the back like a traditional backpack and messenger bags.
The exemption doesn’t include items that are reasonably defined as luggage, briefcases, athletic-duffle-gym bags, computer bags, purses or framed backpacks.
Ten or fewer backpacks can be purchased tax-free at one time without providing an exemption certificate to the seller.
School supplies
Texas families also get a sales tax break on most school supplies priced at less than $100 purchased for use by a student in an elementary or secondary school.
Layaways
A sale of a qualifying item under a layaway plan qualifies for exemption if the customer places the qualifying merchandise on layaway during the holiday or makes the final payment during the holiday.
Rainchecks
Eligible items that customers purchase during the holiday with use of a rain check qualify for the exemption regardless of when the rain check was issued.
However, issuance of a rain check by a seller during the holiday period will not qualify an eligible item for the exemption if the item is actually purchased after the holiday is over even if the rain check is presented at the time of purchase.
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Applications are being accepted for U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson’s (TX-03) 14th and final Congressional Youth Advisory Council for 2017-’18 school year.
High school students living in the Third Congressional District are invited to submit their applications by 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7.
“Because Collin County has many outstanding students and the application process for CYAC can be competitive, I am also happy to announce that my staff and I are giving students time over the summer months to thoughtfully prepare their applications,” Johnson said. “I encourage any student interested in learning about our government through first-hand civic participation to consider the opportunity, and I look forward to meeting the 2017-’18 CYAC class this fall. This will be the programs final year and we have some exciting things on the books.”
CYAC is open to high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors enrolled in public private or home schools. Each student is allowed to participate once in his or her high school career.
The Third Congressional District consists of Anna, Blue Ridge, Dallas (Collin County), Fairview, Frisco, Lavon, Lowry Crossing, Lucas, McKinney, Melissa, Murphy, New Hope, Parker, Plano, Princeton, Prosper, Richardson, St. Paul, Wylie and portions of unincorporated land in Collin County
Students selected for CYAC will meet with Congressman Johnson and other civic leaders at least four times during the school year to learn about the development of public policy while exploring the role of citizens, lawmakers, experts and those institutions that directly impact the world’s most successful democracy.
For more information and to apply, visit samjohnson.house.gov. Contact Meagan Talton at 469-304-0382 or [email protected].
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Murphy residents selected Chris George for Place 3 on city council in a run-off election.
George received 504 votes, or 50.15 percent, and Elizabeth Abraham received 501 votes, or 49.85 percent. A total of 1,005 people voted on Election Day, Saturday, June 10, and during early voting combined.
In early voting , George received 303 votes, or 54.40 percent, and Abraham received 254 votes, or 45.60 percent.
Final results are unofficial until canvassed by city council.
For the full story see the June 15 issue of the Murphy Monitor.
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When summer comes around, a common favorite tradition is jumping in the car and hitting the open road for a vacation, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a longer excursion. For pet parents, that exhilarating idea isn’t always so simple.
Instead of being forced to leave your furry friend behind, follow these tips and suggestions to bring your four-legged companion along for the ride.
For the full story see the May 18 issue and the e-Edition at https://www.etypeservices.com/Murphy%20MonitorID247/default.aspx
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