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Texas boomtowns lead in population growth

Texas boomtowns lead in population growth

Texas is home to the Top 5 fastest-growing cities by percentage of population, the U.S. Census Bureau reports. Celina, which had been No. 1 in 2023, stole the spotlight from Princeton for the period July 2024 to July 2026.  The Census Bureau estimated Celina grew...

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Muslim residents respond to comments before council

Muslim residents respond to comments before council

The Monday, Feb. 3, Murphy City Council meeting lasted more than two hours, with staff setting out snacks and water bottles for the crowd. To accommodate residents who had signed up to speak, Mayor Scott Bradley moved public comments to the end of the meeting and...

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PIT count finds increase in homelessness

PIT count finds increase in homelessness

An outreach team gathers before heading out to conduct the annual Point-in-Time homeless count in Wylie. From left; Taylor Hutchinson, Jace Wiley, Bill Roberts and Jon Bailey.  Courtesy Jon Bailey An annual count aimed at measuring homelessness in Wylie and...

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Jeep club mobilizes during North Texas storm

Jeep club mobilizes during North Texas storm

Justin Wilson of Wylie responds to the scene of a hit-and-run crash along Highway 78 near Murphy Road involving a pregnant woman whose vehicle was disabled. Sachse police officers and Garland firefighters responded to the scene. The Jeep club responded to more than...

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CCSO breaks up fraud ring

CCSO breaks up fraud ring

Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner says deputies and officers from other agencies have been rounding up suspects in an organized effort to scam the elderly. The sheriff said more than $7 million in cash and gold had been stolen from the retirement savings of around 200...

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Education

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WISD 2024-2025 budget update presented

WISD 2024-2025 budget update presented

Each June Wylie ISD adopts its operating budget for the next school year, July 1 through June 30. Last week, as part of the planning process, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Scott Roderick gave an update on the 2024-2025 proposed budget. For more on...

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Fine arts, CTE directors update WISD trustees

Fine arts, CTE directors update WISD trustees

Executive Director of Fine Arts Glenn Lambert presented what he called a “State of the Arts” in Wylie ISD last week to the Wylie ISD board of trustees. Five years ago, an initiative to add extracurricular activities, evaluate instructors and programs, facilities and...

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Coach Howard honored with award at annual gala

Coach Howard honored with award at annual gala

The highlight of Saturday night’s 21st annual Boots ‘N Barbecue gala was the presentation of the 2024 Elisabeth W. Garrison Legacy Award to former Wylie High School football Coach Bill Howard. The lifetime achievement award is bestowed upon individuals who exemplify...

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Experts discuss fentanyl, vaping at WISD event

Experts discuss fentanyl, vaping at WISD event

Wylie ISD families and community members learned of the dangers of fentanyl, vaping and social media from a panel of experts last week at Burnett Junior High. The informative community event, “Fear, Dangers and Concerns: Fentanyl, Vaping and Social Media,” was hosted...

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Life & Style

Ideas for a fun, festive holiday fête

Ideas for a fun, festive holiday fête

The holiday season has arrived, and with it comes a flurry of invitations, gatherings and opportunities to reconnect. With so many events competing for attention, hosts may wonder how to make their party stand out in a season full of celebrations. The good news? A...

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Send a letter to Santa this Christmas

Send a letter to Santa this Christmas

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...

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Dance studio makes its debut

Dance studio makes its debut

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...

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Gardener shares bounty

Gardener shares bounty

 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...

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Homeowner goes on a kitchen garden adventure

Homeowner goes on a kitchen garden adventure

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...

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Bluegrass

Opinion

You can go home again

You can go home again

Columnist John Moore's cat, Sammy, has helped renew his faith in hope. Courtesy John Moore There’s an old English idiom that says, “To have no truck with.” It basically means that someone doesn’t go in for syrupy or emotional stuff. I’ve never been overly sentimental....

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Comic Relief

Comic Relief

People use different ways to learn to read. Some folks use the vowels and consonants method. Others memorize how the words look.  I used both, but I had a secret weapon many didn’t know about.  Comic books.  While most kids were having, “Fun with Dick...

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35 Texas counties eligible for individual disaster aid

35 Texas counties eligible for individual disaster aid

Residents in a total of 35 Texas counties now qualify for individual disaster assistance following a series of severe storms and flooding that began in late April, The Dallas Morning News reported. “I thank our federal partners and emergency response personnel across...

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Texas could face long-term water supply deficit

Texas could face long-term water supply deficit

Texas is facing a reckoning on water that we must address if the state wants to secure its future prosperity. The State Water Plan prepared by the Texas Water Development Board projects that Texas faces a long-term water supply deficit of 6.9 million acre-feet in 50...

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Hogging the channels

Hogging the channels

 I have a lot of my grandparents in me. I’m cheap. I also love the Arkansas Razorbacks. Nowhere is this truer than when it comes to radio, television, and an Arkansas game. I grew up listening to free radio and watching free television. So, the idea of paying...

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