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The Sage Hippie, which opened in late August at 105 S. Ballard Ave., Suite A, offers mindfully sourced crystals, herbs and other products for customers interested in everything from geology to spiritual practices.
But West is quick to point out that visitors don’t have to believe in the metaphysical properties of crystals to appreciate them.
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]]>Several area districts offer opportunities for seniors to attend school-sponsored events at a discount or for free. Wylie ISD and Garland ISD, specifically, issue cards to seniors ages 65 and older, active-duty military personnel and veterans that act as a general admission ticket to athletic and fine arts events.
Wylie ISD cards are accepted at Garland events and vice versa.
Plano ISD issues discount cards to residents 60 or older.
“Each district may have slightly different criteria or name for obtaining a card, but the goals are the same: to make sure our senior citizens stay connected to our schools and provide affordable entertainment options for this valuable community,” Ian Halperin, Wylie ISD executive director of community relations & marketing, said.
Wylie ISD has issued 200 Gold Cards this semester and more than 3,200 total since beginning over 40 years ago. Eligible residents can apply online at wylieisd.net/goldcard or by contacting Halperin at 972-429-3019. The application contains a few short questions, and the process is the same for seniors, active-duty military personnel and veterans.
The district also allows its retired teachers to apply for the Gold Card. Recipients can choose to have the card mailed to them or to pick it up at the Educational Service Center. Once issued, the card never expires.
In addition to high school events, the WISD card also covers junior high activities that have an admission fee. Halperin said there are some events where licensing requirements prevent the free admission benefit from being used.
Plano ISD has a Retired Seniors Valued in Plano (RSVP) program for residents aged 60 or older. The free membership card allows for free or discounted admission to most PISD sporting and fine arts events.
Members recently took a hosted by Superintendent Theresa Williams and Johnny Hill, deputy superintendent for business, employee services and technology.
Attendees visited Plano West Senior High School, Haggard Middle School, Plano Senior High School and the new Career and Technical Education Center.
“I found it absolutely fascinating to see how much construction is occurring in Plano, as well as the unique types of construction,” said RSVP member Mark Ball “You’ve got schools that are being rebuilt featuring brand new things that I didn’t think about when I was in school, or my wife Jane, who was a former principal in the district, even was aware of. It really is an opportunity for the students to have such wonderful campuses.”
PISD RSVP Membership Cards do not expire and membership does not have to be renewed annually. The program provides free admission to all home games for all sports for middle school and high schools, both junior varsity and varsity. It excludes away games, playoff games and non-school events held in school facilities.
Fine arts events hosted by the UIL are regular price with no discount or free admission, but campus performances of plays, variety shows, band, orchestra, choir and vocal music offer free admission on opening night. The RSVP offers discounted admissions only on opening night for musicals and the Drill Team Spring Show.
For more information, or to apply for a card, search RSVP on PISD.edu.
To receive a Garland ISD VIP pass, eligible residents can call 972-494-8580 to schedule an appointment during the window of Monday through Thursday from 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m. Applicants must bring a government-issued picture ID or document to prove military service. Garland’s VIP passes also never expire.
For more information, visit garlandisd.net/garland-isd-vip-pass.
Reporter Bob Wieland also contributed to this story.
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]]>A bright red cabinet filled with children’s books has become Murphy’s newest and only library — one that requires no library card, charges no fines and is open whenever a reader stops by.
Seven members of the Plano-based Mary Shirley McGuire Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution dedicated the Little Free Library on Oct. 17 outside the rear entrance of the Murphy Community Center, 205 N. Murphy Road.
About a dozen community members joined the chapter for the dedication on a sunny, cool morning, along with city representatives including Murphy Parks and Recreation Director Matt Foster.
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]]>Planning Manager Stephanie Scott-Sims said at the Oct. 6 City Council meeting that Murphy had previously considered rental registration.
In August 2014, city staff identified about 360 single-family rental properties, but council discussed the issue without pursuing a registration program, she said.
Read the full story in the October 22nd edition. Stay informed — subscribe to Murphy Monitor.
]]>By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com
Red Skelton. Ed Sullivan. Dean Martin. Rowan & Marrtin. The Smothers Brothers. Carol Burnett. Flip Wilson. Make the connection yet?
Variety shows. American variety shows.
From the 1940s to the 1980s, Americans were entertained by a cross-section of talent, all compacted into one hour or more of television. And every week, our RCA console TV in the house on Beech Street in Ashdown, Arkansas, was tuned in to most of the variety shows. Especially Red Skelton. My sister and I loved Red.
Red Skelton was an American comedian who made his way in entertainment through just about every medium. Radio, motion pictures, and television were all conquered by Red, and some amazing talent made it to the big time thanks to being featured on his variety show.
Many who were on Red’s program didn’t need the publicity, but that’s what made a variety show a variety show. The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, The Supremes, Mickey Rooney, Vincent Price, and Carol Channing, were just a few of the entertainers who appeared on The Red Skelton Show.
But the weekly favorites were characters that Red came up with and performed himself. Freddie the Freeloader was a silent, yet lovable clown. Clem Kadiddlehopper, a happy, but dimwitted bumpkin. Junior, the Mean Widdle Kid, and Sheriff Deadeye, an incompetent Wild West lawman, were always a treat to watch. Regardless of what my sister and I were doing, we stopped and plopped down in front of the television to watch Red.
The Ed Sullivan Show was also a favorite. Best known for the American debut of The Beatles, Ed’s program was one of the longest-running variety shows, and included the TV debut of many other acts, such as Elvis Presley, The Jackson Five, The Doors, and Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin.
Later, Dean Martin would host his own variety show where he famously refused to rehearse. That lack of rehearsal gave his appearance in a tuxedo, with a ubiquitous drink and cigarette, seem more like a playboy who’d walked into another part of his day rather than a weekly television program.
Dean’s skits and singing, with beautiful women at the ready, were a must-watch in 1960s America.
Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In took the variety format to a whole new level. In addition to guest stars who appeared (including presidential candidate Richard Nixon), terms such as, “You bet your sweet bippy,” “Sock it to me,” “Here come da judge,” “One ringy-dingy, two ringy-dingies,” “Look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls,” and “Goodnight, Dick,” all became part of the lexicon.
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was very popular, and highly controversial. Tom and Dick Smothers played instruments and told jokes, and had great writers, including a very young Steve Martin. But poking fun at the U.S. Government and the Vietnam War didn’t fly well, and they were canceled.
One variety show that stood out was The Carol Burnett Show. With her regular cast members of Lyle Waggoner, Harvey Korman and Vicki Lawrence. Carol often welcomed Dick Van Dyke and Tim Conway as guests. Conway became a regular cast member much later in the show’s run, but his skit with the dentist who stabs himself with the numbing agent, and his ad libbing during the Mama’s Family skits are now legendary.
The Flip Wilson Show was one of the biggest surprises of the early 1970s. It’s unlikely that anyone thought a man dressing up as a woman named Geraldine, who threatened to sick her boyfriend Killer on those who disagreed with her, would have become a hit show. But it did. My mother never understood why I liked it so much.
Flip was on Thursday night and was the top show, until a new program about poor people struggling during The Depression knocked it off its perch. The Walton’s was also an unlikely hit, but it came around about the time that variety shows were running their course.
As is the case with cop shows, westerns, medical dramas, and other genres of television programs, things come to an end, and then sometimes come back around. So was the case with variety shows.
When The Carol Burnett Show ended its run in 1978, it was the last of the true variety programs. Carol and others, including Dolly Parton, The Mandrell Sisters, and The Smothers Brothers tried to revive the format later, but all attempts fell flat.
But just as cop shows were big in the 70s and fell out of favor, they now have made a big return with CSI, NCIS, and others. Maybe there’s still hope for the variety show.
A cross-section of talent, without the politics, would be most welcome.
© 2026 John Moore
John’s new book, Write of Passage: Volume 3, is available on Amazon. Write to John at TheCountryWriter.com.
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]]>By David Wolman
Plano East head cross country coach Robert Reed felt the Panthers were as prepared as any team heading into the District 7-6A meet.
While some teams competed on flatter courses, Plano East wasn’t focused on chasing faster times. Reed believes that approach can create a false sense of confidence. Instead, the Panthers competed at venues that better prepared them for the hills of Myers Park in McKinney.
In fact, the District 7-6A meet marked Plano East’s second appearance at Myers Park this season. The Panthers previously competed against a much larger field at the McKinney Boyd Bronco Stampede on Sept. 12.
Plano East also raced on similar courses at Hoblitzelle Park in Plano, Pecan Grove Park in Sherman and Oklahoma State University.
That preparation paid off in a big way last week.
Plano East returned to Myers Park and captured its second consecutive district title in the girls’ division while finishing second in the boys’ race. It marked the first time since 2017 that Plano East qualified both its boys’ and girls’ teams for regionals in the same season.
“We were really prepared,” Reed said. “When the day is hot and the footing is tough, it’s about who has a tougher mentality. We did a good job of that. We have run on four of the toughest courses, other than Lubbock. I was trying to get the kids to understand that you can run faster later in the season, but it was about getting ready for district.”
Having conquered the district meet, the Panthers hope their experience on hilly courses will help them tackle another challenging venue: Mae Simmons Park in Lubbock, site of next Monday morning’s Region I-6A meet.
If Plano East competed in a different region, the Panthers might have had a state qualifier last year. Despite finishing 21st at regionals with a time faster than those of several state qualifiers in other regions, alumnus Reagan Noel fell eight seconds short of earning a berth at the state meet.
Noel has since graduated, but other Panthers have the potential to contend for a state berth.
Senior Meena Mulford ran a personal-best 19:20 at last year’s regional meet and has improved on that mark this season. She clocked a personal-best 19:02 at the Coach Marcus T Invite on Sept. 5 before finishing second at the District 7-6A meet in 19:30.
The Lady Panthers also have depth behind Mulford. Junior Sophia Nguyen placed sixth at districts, while senior Brooke Tierney finished seventh. Juniors Louisa Christensen and Reagan Diggs placed 16th and 18th, respectively, while senior Kate Salyer finished 17th and freshman Taylor Chu placed 26th.
On the boys’ side, Reed has praised the consistency of senior Isaac Updike, who earned All-District 7-6A first-team recognition after placing seventh.
Sophomore Levi Rowe qualified for regionals for the second consecutive year. After a slow start to the season, Rowe made significant progress over the past month, capped by a 12th-place finish at districts.
Sophomore Alex Castillo is peaking at the right time, while junior Trinabh Madadi, senior Michael Sharp and sophomore Grant Updike played key roles in helping the Panthers finish second in the district.
Plano East was without its No. 2 runner, senior Deyan Bhakta, at districts because of a hip injury. Reed is hopeful Bhakta can return for regionals.
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By David Wolman
Steve Piskor’s 4-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Zane Burgess with 34 seconds remaining has long lingered in the minds of the 14,000 fans in attendance at John Clark Stadium — a play that shifted the series between the Plano East and Plano football teams.
Plano East had never defeated Plano in their first three meetings as crosstown rivals.
That finally changed in 1985, when the Panthers defeated the Wildcats 21-17 for their first-ever win over Plano in the four-year history of Plano East. Piskor’s touchdown reception proved to be the difference.
But Piskor remembers plenty of other plays made by his teammates — not just his own — that helped Plano East earn the victory.
The eight plays preceding his touchdown reception were part of the most glorious drive in Plano East’s four-year varsity program history. Facing fourth-and-10 at the Plano East 20-yard line with 1:20 remaining, Burgess escaped several would-be tacklers and heaved a 54-yard pass to Tom Cadematori along the sideline at the Plano 25.
“I look at it more as great win for the team,” he said. “That’s how I remember it. Everyone had to play really good for us to win that game. The coaches had a good game plan. We were all focused. We executed the game plan pretty much to a ‘T.’ Plano’s quarterback at the time was Tony Cook. He was a really good player. Good runner, good passer. We were able to keep them in check.
“I just remember the eruption from the crowd after the touchdown. It was so loud. After the game, if you go anywhere in Plano and you had a Plano East jacket, you were treated royally.”
Memories of that game — and that catch — were rekindled Friday night. Piskor, a two-sport standout in football and baseball who graduated with the Class of 1986, was inducted into the Plano East Hall of Honor at Tom Kimbrough Stadium between the first and second quarters.
“It’s something that’s special,” he said. “It’s gratifying, but I’m looking at it more at as a team award. We had a bunch of good guys there. It is a good reflection on the whole group of guys.”
Piskor was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, before moving with his family to Plano in seventh grade. He developed a passion for both baseball and football, playing both sports in middle school and high school, but football had a special way of energizing him.
“In Plano, football becomes part of your blood,” he said. “They’ve made movies about Friday Night Lights, but the movie is not far off what it’s like to play in Plano. I’ve lived in other places, but there is nothing like Texas high school football.”
Piskor also played cornerback, forming a standout defensive backfield duo with Roy Woods.
Highly recruited in both baseball and football, Piskor was selected by the New York Mets in the sixth round of the 1986 Major League Baseball Draft.
He chose to pursue professional baseball immediately after high school, spending four years in the Mets’ organization before returning to Texas to continue his education and football career at the University of North Texas, where he completed his degree.
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By Seth Dowdle
(Click on the link to view the photo gallery from the game: https://csmediatexas.dotphoto.com/CPViewAlbum.asp?AID=6888001)
Plano East erased an early 10-point deficit Friday night, pulling away in the second half for a 31-17 win over rival Plano.
The Panthers (5-2, 3-1 District 7-6A) were led by Treyce Seldon, who rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. Quarterback Josh Gordon completed 14 of 19 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown while also adding 37 rushing yards and another score.
Plano (2-5, 2-2) built a 10-0 lead in the first half before Plano East answered with 24 straight points. Gordon connected with Aidan Forthman for a 58-yard touchdown via a well-timed flea flicker to help give the Panthers momentum heading into halftime. Seldon later scored twice on the ground allowing Plano East to take control.
Plano East now turns its attention to Richardson Berkner next week on Friday, Oct. 23 in yet another crucial district matchup.
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Murphy’s annual family campout is returning to Central Park Pond next month, offering families a chance to spend a night under the stars without venturing far from home.
Now in its third year, the overnight event has become a popular fall activity. Last year’s campout offered space for 50 families and sold out quickly.
This year’s event is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 13, through Saturday, Nov. 14, with an evening of outdoor activities, food and entertainment planned for participants.
Campers can begin checking in at 3 p.m. Friday, with fishing and yard games available until dusk. The s’mores pit opens at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. An outdoor movie is scheduled for 8 p.m., although the film has not yet been announced.
Quiet hours begin at 10 p.m., giving campers a chance to settle in for the night.
The following morning, breakfast will be served at 7 a.m., with campers expected to pack up and clean their campsites by 9 a.m.
Registration costs $50 per campsite for up to five campers and includes a complimentary dinner and breakfast, along with a commemorative T-shirt. Vegetarian meal options are available upon request.
Participants should bring their own camping supplies, including a tent, sleeping bags or cots, flashlights, insect repellent, extra clothing, jackets and lawn chairs. Fishing gear, water bottles and any necessary medications are also recommended.
Parking will be available at the PSA North Lot, 330 N. Murphy Road, with overflow parking at the Murphy City Hall Complex, 206 N. Murphy Road.
Registration is open to Murphy residents and nonresidents, with a deadline of Thursday, Oct. 15. Campsites can be reserved through the city’s website at https://bit.ly/4hwVuFQ.
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