SFOT RH 2026

Latest News

Collin WSM Summer/Fall 2026 Registration #2
Recalling the tragedy and sacrifices of 9/11

Recalling the tragedy and sacrifices of 9/11

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....

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Settlement increases Atmos natural gas rates

Settlement increases Atmos natural gas rates

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...

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Local nonprofits rally for Giving Day

Local nonprofits rally for Giving Day

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...

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Voter approval tax rate adopted

Voter approval tax rate adopted

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...

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Sports

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Lady Panthers sweep Richardson

Lady Panthers sweep Richardson

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...

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SFOT RH 2026

Education

Plano ISD lowers tax rate

Plano ISD lowers tax rate

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...

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Collin WSM Summer/Fall 2026 Registration #2
A fair time to go back to school

A fair time to go back to school

With two weeks before the start of classes, the Plano ISD held a crowded back-to-school fair in the Plano Center on Wednesday, July 29. Bob Wieland/Murphy Monitor Thousands of Plano ISD students and their families swarmed the Plano Center for the district’s annual...

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Life & Style

Last call for summer

Last call for summer

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...

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Hidden in Plain Sight

Hidden in Plain Sight

The rusted water tower is one of the last visible reminders of the Princeton POW Camp, which briefly housed German prisoners of war during World War II. The Stories Collin County Forgot to Notice Every time I drive through Princeton, I pass the same brown sign. You...

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The war on sunscreen

The war on sunscreen

How misinformation may be undermining cancer prevention Photo courtesy of Shutterstock Despite its wide recognition as an effective tool for skin cancer prevention, many Americans still say they aren’t sure how sunscreen works. In fact, confusion about its use and...

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Magical mountain retreats

Magical mountain retreats

By Carrie Dunlea Surrounded by mountain landscapes and natural beauty, mountain retreats in the United States offer an idyllic escape for those who seek solitude and a peaceful getaway. From the rolling hills of the Appalachians to the majestic Rockies, these...

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SFOT RH 2026

Opinion

The turn of a phrase

The turn of a phrase

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...

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Collin WSM Summer/Fall 2026 Registration #2
The price was right

The price was right

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,...

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Get your kicks

Get your kicks

Columnist John Moore (right) and his sister, Renee', are pictured on a 1966 trip to Carlsbad Caverns. Photo: Mary Moore By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com Leaving Ashdown, Arkansas, was an event unto itself. When your family has one car, going anywhere was a treat....

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Milestones

Milestones

Columnist John Moore (bottom left) is pictured with his father, mother, and sister in 1965. Photo: Moore Family Photos By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com In 2014, I was contacted by a newspaper in Tyler, Texas. Unbeknownst to me, the publisher of said...

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Out to eat

Out to eat

Columnist John Moore rarely went out to eat when he was young. But when he did, he had a pretty good idea where his family was going to dine. Photo: Moore Family Photos By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com “Are we going out to eat?” was not a phrase my...

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