The Wylie News (Wylie, Tex.), Vol. 51, No. 25, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 19, 1997 Page: 1 of 18
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Wylie-Sachse Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Smith Public Library.
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ATHLETES OF THE MONTH ANNOUNCED BY WISD
SIGN UP FOR DEC. 6 CHRISTMAS PARADE
ffl
THE WYLIE NEWS
Volume 51: Issue 25
Covering Wylie, Sachse, Murphy and the surrounding area
Wylie, Texas Wednesday, November 19,1997
50 Cents
Highlights
>/ Area briefs Page 2A
^ Wylie gets windfall from
audit Page 2A
>/ Hall honored by NARO
Page 2A
v' Good. News by the Wylie
Ministerial Alliance
Page 4A
^ New school/developmcnt
planned in Murphy
Luna students in art
Page 10A
Power Points Contest
Page 3B
v' Police blotters; Wylie
Sachse, Murphy Page 5B
' Honor Rolls Page 8B
*/ Public works Page 8B
Upcoming
Christian Care Kick-
off this Thursday
The Wylie Chamber of Com-
merce will sponsor the
Christian Care Kick-off lun-
cheon on Thursday, Nov. 20,
at noon, at St. Anthony Fel-
lowship Hall. Other dates to
remember are:
Nov. 21 - Commodity Col-
lection; All Schools
Nov. 21 & 22 - Wylie Super-
market & Brookshire's match
specific items most needed.
Nov. 23 - Annual Communi-
ty Thanksgiving Service at
First Baptist Church of
Wylie, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 24 - Day of Prayer
Nov. 25 - Care Concert, First
Baptist Church, 7 p.m.
Nov. 26 - Annual Thanksgiv-
ing Bake Sale, Provident and
American National banks
Nov. 27 - Thanksgiving Day,
Day of Prayer - Unified
Prayer in every home.
Notices
The Wylie News will
close Thanksgiving
The Wylie News will close its
offices at 110 N. Ballard on
Thursday, Nov. 27 in obser-
vance of Thanksgiving.
The newspaper will re-open
on Friday, Nov. 28, at 8:30
a.m. Deadlines will not be
affected because of the holi-
day.
I
Chamber elects 1998
slate of officers
The Wylie Chamber of Com-
merce elected officers for the
1998 calendar year last
Thursday. Toni Young, co-
owner of McDonald’s of
Wylie will serve as president
of the board of directors. See
related story on page 8A.
Sachse is the second
fastest growing city in
Dallas County from
1990-97 with an
increase of 1,804.
Rowlett is 1st, and
Cedar Hill is 3rd.
Source: NCTCOG
In This Issue
Railroad told vote will stand, KCS to review options
By Ann Boden
Wylie’s mayor, Jim Swartz,
received applause and even a
standing ovation for statements in
a ‘letter to die editor’ he read dur-
ing the city council’s Nov. 11 reg-
ular meeting.
The letter, which ran in the
Nov. 12 edition of The Wylie
News, stated “Voters rejected a
referendum on September 20
regarding Kansas City Southern’s
Railway Company’s proposed
rail/business park development.
The City Council again thanks
everyone for helping determine the
future of this city.
“The City Council respects this
vote. The delay in making this
statement was only out of a gen-
uine intent to thoroughly under-
stand all related issues.”
The letter was written as an orig-
inal draft and then distributed to
the council members. Each council
member then edited portions as
they saw fit and the decision was
agreed to by all members.
The mayor explained that KCS
had been told of this decision and
that he hopes this will help the
(own come together again to work
on battling the tough issues it is
facing.
During the meeting, Nicki Allen
and Billie Jo Swaner stood clap-
ping at this announcement while
others in the room clapped and
whistled.
Allen was the first to speak dur-
ing the citizen participation portion
of the meeting.
“I would like to thank you per-
sonally for trying to put the situa-
tion to rest with the railroad,”
Allen said.
Later in the week, she expressed
her continued excitement for
Wylie’s future now that the
announcement has been made.
“I know the council was under a
lot of pressure and it took a lot to
do this,” Allen said. “I am very
pleased with the decision and I
think that Mayor Swartz and the
council did the right thing.”
She added that they would
receive her support in their deci-
sions and though she may not
agree with them on everything she
feels that they are doing a good job
for Wylie.
Swaner agreed but was not sur-
prised at the announcement
“In talking to members I thought
the majority of the members were
leaning toward the voters,” Swaner
said. ‘The only one I felt would be
See VOTE Page 3A
Concert offers variety of talent
Obituaries ......
... 4A
Births..........
... 5A
Opinion........
... 7A
Dining Guide----
... 8A
Sports..........
... IB
Classifieds......
... 6B
This year’s Christian Care Con-
cert will be held Tuesday, Nov. 25
at 7:30 at First Baptist Church in
Wylie.
The concert will be free and a
collection plate will be passed for
all those who can give a donation.
No tickets will be given out so seat-
ing will be first come first serve.
All types of talent will be shown
as Wylie citizens come out to share
their voices, strings, chords and
hearts to help the Christian Care
Center.
Included in the evenings perfor-
mances scheduled by Roz Garland
will be: the Silver Chords (other-
wise known as the born-again
teenagers), the Hand Bell choir
from First Baptist, Ray Mullins
and his quartet, Shelby Ball
(daughter of Coach Mark Ball), a
duet from the high school and Gar-
land will sing a duet with her
brother.
The emcee for the event will be
First Baptist Music Director Allen
Stroud.
The concert will be part of
Christian Care Week, a week dur-
ing which Wylie citizens can help
those less fortunate.
All acts are brxtked for the con-
cert and anyone interested in per-
forming next year please contact
Garland after Nov. 25.
Area housing start-ups
show healthy increase
By Evan Evans
Wylie, Sachse, and Murphy
reported healthy increases in single
family housing struts for the month
of September when compared to
1996 data.
When compared to August,
housing starts increased in Sachse
while Wylie and Murphy de-
creased.
The estimated average valuation
for a single family home in Wylie
is $104,722, in Murphy—
$123,500, and in Sachse—
$97,662.50.
When compared to permits
issued in 1996, housing starts in
Wylie increased 157 percent and
Sachse and Murphy increased 166
percent. City officials from all three
communities expect the trend to
Single Family
Housing Permits
Oct.
Skit.
Oct.
1997
1997
19%
Wylie
18
26
7
Murphy
8
14
3
Sachse
_&
_2
.2
TOTAL
34
43
13
remain steady or increase as devel-
opers discover opportunities east
of SH 75.
Wylie issued a total of 79 other
permits and Sachse a total of 14
including the demolition of a
burned house.
DECK THE HALLS—The Smith home, 401 N. Ballard, will be featured again in this year’s
Tour of Homes sponsored by the Wylie Women’s League. Photo by Ken Wheatley
Smith home returns to tour
Debut of Davis’ residence also scheduled
By Ken Wheatley
“Chateau Maria,” the christened
name given to the home of Rita
Smith, long-time resident of Wylie,
will be in the Wylie Women’s
League Tour of Homes on Satur-
day, Dec. 6.
This is the second year the Smith
home, 401 N. Ballard St„ will be
opened to visitors.
The home was built for Truett
and Rita Smith in 1974 by Beverly
Harris Architecture Interiors. It was
designed by architect Bill Thomas.
The construction took a year to
complete.
“The house was supposed to be
completed by summer, but we were
not in until Christmas time,” Smith
said.
The light-colored brick of the
exterior accentuates the symmetri-
cal, clean lines of the French Coun-
try style. Large trees adorn the
neady landscaped mature yard.
The floor plan was chosen as a
matter of function.
When the house was designed,
the Smiths’ two brothers lived with
them requiring separate living
areas.
The 4,300 square foot house has
four bedrooms, four baths, a large
center room, a library and a morn-
ing room.
A set of large doors with frosted
etched glass panes decorate the
entrance of the beautiful home.
Once inside, the openness of the
large room which Smith described
as the “living den” is noticed. She
described the home as “having a
good flow; it’s nice but not formal
and very comfortable.”
In one comer of the “living den”
there is a large fireplace which pro-
See TOUR Page 3A
Area firefighters receive training on the
dynamics of automobile safety airbags from
Rich Henderson, a manufacturer representa-
tive from General Motors, during a training
session in Sachse last week .
Photo by Ken Wheatley
Sachse fire department hosts air bag training
By Evan Evans
SACHSE—Twenty members of
area fire departments attended a
training session on air bags hosted
by the Sachse Fire Department on
Nov. 10. Guest instructor for the
session was Rich Henderson from
the General Motors Training Cen-
ter.
“While we are all aware of the
benefits to occupants in vehicles
equipped with air bags in the case
of accidents,” said Sachse Fire
Chief Doug Kendrick, “there are
several features in air bag equipped
vehicles that fire fighters involved
with rescue need to be aware of.”
This seminar was designed to
address those issues.
Aside from a demonstration
where an air bag was inflated (150
miles per hour), air bag dynamics
and procedures on how to disarm
the device were discussed.
Other topics included fuel tank
construction, safety features of fuel
lines, characteristics of plastics on
impact and high temperatures and
the resulting toxins released, and
materials used in vehicle construc-
tion that under certain conditions
could be hazardous.
No Christmas blues
with Blue Santa
By Ann Boden
Elue Santa, a charity started by
Santa’s elves at the Wylie Police
Department, helps ensure that
every child has a Merry Christmas
with a visit from Santa Claus.
The purpose of the organization
is to ensure that families who do
not have a great deal of money are
not overlooked by the elves at the
North Pole, said Susie Ellison,
police department elf.
The group helps get Santa lists
from children who may not be able
to get to the mall to visit him. They
also help Santa collect toys that he
may need in his workshop.
Through the Christmas season,
Santa’s elves at Blue Santa would
like for anyone who is interested in
helping make children happy at
Christmas to donate new,
unwrapped toys to the Wylie Police
Department or donate money so the
elves can purchase materials need-
ed to make the toys themselves.
During the month of November
and December, the elves have
scheduled:
■ Santa's stars will be sold at
local merchants and at City Hall.
They are blue and silver and are $3
each or two for $5.
The proceeds from these will
help the Blue Santa elves in their
search for the perfect toy or toys for
every child on their list, the
naughty excluded of course.
■ On the Friday and Saturday
after Thanksgiving, the Wylie Fire
Department elves will do their
annual boot-fill at the intersection
of Hwy. 78 and I'M 544. The elves
will be asking that people help fill
their boots to the top with money so
they can help the Blue Santa elves
with their toys.
■ Also, the elves left the rein-
deer to rest and decided that on
Dec. 6, they will be riding motorcy-
cles to help collect money and toys.
Any elf or person with a motorcy-
cle is welcome to participate.
The first stop for these helpers
isthe Old Country Steak House
where the group will eat lunch.
With milk and cookies finished
the group will then travel to the
Wylie Police Department to drop
off the treasures for the good chil-
dren in the area. For more informa-
tion call (972) 429-0268.
■ All those who would like to
send cash donations for the elves,
send them to Blue Santa 2000 N.
Hwy 78, Wylie, TX 75098.
Blue Santa is sponsored by the
City of Wylie and its employees
and elves.
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Engbrock, Chad B. The Wylie News (Wylie, Tex.), Vol. 51, No. 25, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 19, 1997, newspaper, November 19, 1997; Wylie, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth750617/m1/1/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Smith Public Library.