School Brings In Motivational Speaker To Fight Drug Problem
December 17, 2007
School administrators in a Dallas suburb brought in a motivational speaker from Ohio to talk to students and parents about how to fight back against drugs.
Motivational speaker Alfred “Coach” Powell addressed students and parents about the dangers of drugs.
“One of the things we don’t do is chemically manipulate our bodies, minds, spirits — are you with me?” he said.
Earlier this month, three Cedar Hill students were hospitalized after taking a prescription drug. Principal Delsenna Frazier said the incident was a “wake-up call that there is a need we really need to address in our community.” The girls were not students that “fit the description,” she said.
“We’re dealing with a very real issue of something that is sometimes available over the counter, or that you already have at home,” Superintendent Horace Williams said.
Two weeks ago, three ninth-grade girls took the prescription sleep aid Ambien and were rushed to the hospital. They now attend an alternative school. Two other girls were arrested for giving them the drug and face felony charges. They were expelled from the school.
“I was actually really quite surprised because I never saw it coming,” ninth-grade student David Offor said. “Nobody in the school, I think, saw it coming.”
Source: NBC5i.com
Cedar Hill Water Prices
December 17, 2007
I get asked quite often about Cedar Hill water rates. It’s no secret that our water prices are higher than some of our neighbor cities. There are a number of reasons Cedar Hill water is relatively expensive: 1) Joe Pool Lake, 2) the cost of infrastructure, 3) the relative youth of the city, and 4) the sewer treatment facilities.Joe Pool LakeYears ago, before the lake was built, there was a state-wide water crisis. Water was getting very difficult to obtain and there was a concern that Dallas might not continue to sell water to Cedar Hill and surrounding cities.The city council at that time chose to help pay for a part of Lake Joe Pool in exchange for the right to take 6 million gallons per day from the lake. There was also the thought that the lake would be an economic catalyst for this area, and particularly Cedar Hill.The actual arrangement is somewhat complicated, but Cedar Hill currently escrows funds so we can pay off our portion of the debt when it becomes due.As it turned out, the water-crisis resolved and Dallas continued to sell water to nearby cities.Cost of InfrastructureAlthough most of our water and sewer lines are installed by developers, the City still has to install some lines. It should be no surprise that water and sewer lines are incredibly expensive.Since we must install lines in shallow soil, we must dig through rock in order to install lines. Uneven terrain also adds to the cost. We pay approximately twice as much per linear foot as cities without these issues.Relative Youth of the CitySince most of the city’s growth has occurred during the last twenty years, we are still making debt payments on most of the lines we have installed. Older cities have completed the debt payments on most of their infrastructure.Sewer PlantsFinally, the cost of sewage treatment adds to the cost of water.We send sewer to three different plants to be treated. These plants are Central, Ten Mile and Red Oak. The Ten Mile and Red Oak plants are relatively new and their treatment costs are expensive when compared to older plants due to increased cost to construct and outstanding debt.
City’s New Website
December 15, 2007
The City of Cedar Hill has a new website! The new site is more visually appealing and highlights the natural beauty of Cedar Hill.
It also is organized in a way to make it easier for you to find what you are looking for.
In fact, you don’t even have to look. Just click on the Notify Me link and you can sign up to receive emails on important events in the city.
New Tri-City Animal Shelter Could Be The Cat’s Meow
December 7, 2007
Steve Snyder / Cedar Hill TODAY
It’s official - Cedar Hill will have a new Tri-City Animal Shelter.
Nov. 27, the Cedar Hill City Council approved a contract with Quorum Architects for architectural services for a new animal shelter.
The shelter is jointly funded by Cedar Hill, DeSoto and Duncanville. Cedar Hill, where the shelter is located, is the official controlling city for the shelter, so it is responsible for overseeing and organizing development, construction, financing and other shelter issues.
Quorum’s David Duman said his company should have a schematic drawing in about a month, then be finished with its work and be ready to advertise for bids by the end of January.
This facility would house 83 dogs and 70 cats, plus no cats would have to be housed in a mechanical room. It will also have cat play and display areas, and quarantine areas for both dogs and cats. That gets the shelter almost to its target for the year 2017 of 84 dog and 72 cat spaces. It would have 7,500 square feet of floor space. Read more
Longhorn Athletic News
December 5, 2007
From Gina Farmer, CHHS Athletic Director
Basketball
The Lady Longhorn Varsity team has been playing excellent basketball recently. The team brought home the championship trophy in the inaugural Collin County Roundball Classic held at McKinney Boyd High school. The Lady Longhorns defeated McKinney High, Argyle, McKinney Boyd and a strong Plano West team. Skylar Collins was voted tournament MVP.
Tuesday the team beat a scrappy Plano East team in overtime at East. Ariel Robertson, BreAnna Dawkins and Ariel Robertson led the team in scoring, while Moriah Scott anchored the defense. This win improved the Lady Longhorns’ record to 12-2.
The Lady Longhorns Junior Varsity basketball team improved their record to 10-3 after beating Plano East 38-31 on Tuesday night Dec. 12. They were led by Latroya Lawrence and Senae Dillard both scoring 10 points. Karol House added 8 points for the Lady Longhorns.
The Lady Longhorn Freshman A team has competed in two tournaments – Colleyville Heritage and Skyline and won consolation in each. B team finished 3rd & 4th in their tournament appearances so far. Both teams have performed well and are improving each game. The A team record is 7 – 3, and B team is 6-3.
The freshman boys basketball team defeated Flower Mound Marcus Thursday night 64-42. Larry Ranson scored 17 points. Johnathon Alberrcrombie, Darius Smith, and Willie Clayborne all had 11 and Bryce Pearson scored 7. Dillon Johnson, Craig White and Gasteneaux Fisher all had 2. Read more
Holiday Trash Pickup Schedule
December 5, 2007
The residential trash pickup schedule for Christmas and New Year’s will be as follows:
Week of Christmas
- No trash pickup on Christmas Day (Tuesday)
- Tuesday’s pickup will occur on the next day (Wednesday)
- There will be no recycling pickup that week.
Week of New Year’s Day
- Trash and recycling will be picked up on the regular schedule, including New Year’s Day.
In addition, we are working on a couple of drop off locations the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day for those who wish recycle Christmas Trees. These will be announced as soon as arrangements are finalized.
Cedar Hill Downtown circa 1982
December 1, 2007
cedar hill 04a, originally uploaded by gargrizz.
This is a great shot of what is now the Southwest Corner Gallery. It looks so different today than it did in 1982.
High School Playoffs
November 18, 2007
But the best matchup of the second round?
That’s Cedar Hill (8-3) against Southlake Carroll (10-1), a matchup that will end the season for one of the defending 5A champions. It can’t match the appeal of last year’s second-round matchup of Carroll and Euless Trinity, but it should be great.
Especially now that Cedar Hill, which beat Irving MacArthur, 61-24, on Friday, has hit a peak in a season in which a playoff berth was in question. That was after a loss to Arlington three weeks ago.
“That loss really turned the tide for us,” McGuire said. “The guys all kind of started to understand that this all could be coming to an end.”
Instead, it could be the start of something great, which is what the first round of the playoffs were. More than any time in recent memory, the idea that “anything can happen” was true, and that made the weekend memorable.
Source: Dallas Morning News
Babe’s Chicken to lay claim to Cedar Hill City Hall
November 18, 2007
The Dallas Morning News as a new article on Babe’s Chicken coming to Cedar Hill.
As soon as city officials decided to move, they started considering potential replacement uses for City Hall. They wanted a tenant that would attract at least as many visitors as city business generated. “Right now it’s one of the main traffic drivers for the historic downtown area,” said Patty Bushart, the city’s Main Street coordinator. … “It’s just good, clean entertainment; a wholesome, family atmosphere,” said Mr. Vinyard, who opened the first Babe’s with his wife, Mary Beth, 14 years ago in Roanoke. … Mr. Vinyard “has a way of doing business that is down-home and friendly, and that’s the way we like to think of our downtown area,” she said. “It’s the kind of small-town feel that we think is important and want to hold on to.
Source: Dallas Morning News
Longhorn Athletic News
November 1, 2007
From Gina Farmer, CHHS Athletic Director
Football
The Longhorn Football team lost Friday night to the Colts of Arlington High 34-31. The Longhorns will play Arlington Martin Friday, November 2, at 7:30 pm at Longhorn Stadium.
The Cedar Hill Longhorn Freshman Football White Team played against Arlington High last night at Longhorn Stadium. The Longhorns improved their record to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in district with the 38-6 win. The Longhorns offense continued its explosion from last week. Demarcus Jackson scored 3 rushing touchdowns and led the Longhorns in rushing yards while Terry Waters also scored a rushing touchdown from 20 yards out. Don Johnson also scored on a 26 yard touchdown pass from Brian Miller. 2 point conversions were scored by Kendrick Hurd, Dion Jackson, and Ronnie Davis. The defense was outstanding causing 4 turnovers. 3 fumbles, 2 recovered by Daniel Tackett and 1 by Sebastian Lawhorn, and 1 interception by Zack Fain. The Cedar Hill Longhorn Freshman Football White Team plays their final home game of the season next week on Thursday November 1st against Arlington Martin at 6:00 pm. Read more
Parks & Rec Awards
October 30, 2007
Last week, the Cedar Hill Parks and Recreation Department received two awards from the DFW Parks & Recreation Director’s Association:
- 2007 Innovative Award in Facility Design for the Cedar Hill Recreation Center
- 2007 Innovative Award in Maintenance for the Amazing Spray Gator
Congratulations to the City of Cedar Hill Parks & Recreation Team!
State Park Improvement Plan Goes To Voters
October 24, 2007
Next month, Texas voters will decide whether or not to amend the state’s constitution. A total of 16 propositions are on the ballot.
Proposition 4 is a $1 billion plan to improve and maintain state parks, such as Cedar Hill State Park. Located in Dallas County, the park would receive several million dollars if the proposition is approved by voters.
Phil Feinberg recently retired and bought a new RV. He said that Cedar Hill State Park desperately needs wastewater lines for its campsites. “To have to pull this thing out, especially with the difficulty I’ve had driving it, and to go to a dump station to dump it,” he said, “if we were going to have to stay here a week or two versus having a sewer connection right here, would just be a tremendous improvement.”
Source: CBS11tv.com
Best Southwest Cities Adopt Resolutions Backing Trinity Toll Road
October 24, 2007
The city councils of Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville and Lancaster – collectively known as the Best Southwest Cities – recently adopted resolutions supporting the proposed Trinity Parkway in Dallas.
Cedar Hill’s and DeSoto’s resolutions directly encourage Dallas voters to defeat Proposition 1 on the Nov. 6 ballot, which calls for blocking construction of a high-speed toll road inside the Trinity River levees.
Officials with the cities say that killing the toll road, which is designed to relieve traffic congestion around downtown Dallas, would jeopardize southern sector projects, such as reconstructing the Mixmaster and widening south Interstate 35E and U.S. Highway 67. Three of the resolutions passed unanimously.
The Duncanville council split 4-3, with the minority saying the city shouldn’t campaign in another jurisdiction’s election. The cities sent their resolutions, which carry no legal weight, to Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert last week.
Source: Dallas Morning News
Longhorn Athletic News
October 19, 2007
From Gina Farmer, CHHS Athletic Director
Volleyball
Friday, October 12, the Lady Longhorn Volleyball team improved their district record to 6-5 by defeating the Texans from Sam Houston in three games. Tuesday, October 16, the Lady Longhorn Volleyball team lost to Arlington High, making their district record 6-6. The Lady Horns are currently in fourth place in district with two games left in the season. They will play Arlington Martin at Martin High School, Friday, October 19 at 6:30.
Football
The Longhorn Football team improved their district record to 1-2 by defeating the Vikings of Arlington Lamar 20-9. The Longhorns will play Arlington Sam Houston for Homecoming Friday, October 19, at 7:30 pm at Longhorn Stadium. Read more
The Top 10 Reasons to “Vote No” to Save the Trinity
October 15, 2007
By voting NO to SAVE THE TRINITY, the vision approved in 1998 – including flood control, lakes, recreational areas, and transportation improvements – will become a reality. The money approved in the 1998 bond election will be combined with toll income and federal, state and private dollars to create a 10,000-acre park with lakes, trails, athletic fields and an equestrian center.
Here are the Top 10 reasons to VOTE NO against the Trinity Parkway referendum on November 6:
- Vote NO so that the Trinity Project, as approved by the voters in 1998, can move forward and deliver flood protection, lakes, parks, recreational areas, and transportation improvements. Read more
Welcome!
My name is Wade Emmert and I am a Council Member for the City of Cedar Hill. This web site is a way for me to share with you some of my thoughts about issues important to the City.
It is my sincerest goal to be a good steward of the citizens’ trust. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to serve you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at Wade.Emmert@cedarhilltx.com or (214) 740-3164.