Fire Fighters Battle Grass Fire Near Cedar Hill
January 31, 2008
Firefighters from three different agencies battled a grass fire Thursday just outside Cedar Hill on the Dallas-Ellis County line, NBC 5 reported.
Firefighters from Ovilla and Desoto helped crews from Cedar Hill put out the hot spots.
There were no reports of injuries, nor were there any homes or buildings reported in danger.
Cedar Hill ISD To Open Early College High School
January 31, 2008
The Cedar Hill Independent School District to starting a new program aimed at giving its students college Associate Degrees when they graduate from High School.
The program allows students to earn high school and college diplomas at the same time. The program is know as the “early college high school.”
It is planned to begin in August and will be housed in an unused portion of the ninth-grade center.
The program is not for all students, however, and there will be limited enrollment. The district is currently working on the framework of the program and will distribute information in the coming weeks.
This program comes after the TEA awarded the district a grant to establish the program.
The Dallas Morning News has a nice article on the program. Also, expect a press release from the CHISD soon.
Cedar Hill-Ex Among Five Basketball Players Suspended By Missouri
January 30, 2008
Basketball coach Mike Anderson suspended five players indefinitely after a weekend brawl left his top scorer with a broken jaw.
Columbia, Mo., police confirmed that several teammates were with Stefhon Hannah when he was attacked outside a nightclub early Sunday morning.
Hannah, senior guard and Cedar Hill product Jason Horton and forwards Marshall Brown, Darryl Butterfield and Leo Lyons were suspended.
Source: Dallas Morning News
Suggestions Abound for Red Bird Mall
January 29, 2008
The Dallas Morning News has an article about the struggling Red Bird Mall (now, Southwest Center Mall). The mall has been struggling since the early 1990s, when it developed a reputation for crime. It was foreclosed on in 2003 and purchased by Dallas-based developers in 2005.
At 1.3 million square feet, Southwest Center is half-empty. Macy’s, Burlington Coat Factory and Sears are the mall’s anchors, but J.C. Penney and Dillard’s have left in favor of newer outdoor developments in Cedar Hill.The mall could benefit from becoming a mixed-use development, said Frank Mihalopoulos, whose Corinth Properties has built retail centers in Cedar Hill and is redeveloping an older mall in Nashville, Tenn.”It needs a school or a government office, a data processing operation or a hospital facility, some kind of nontraditional use that will fill the space. It needs to be more than a mall.”Barry Pener, vice president of the Kansas City-based chain of 34 stores, said he heard about the new Cedar Hill shopping center a couple of months ago.”It will probably take some business from us, but we do OK,” he said. “That store is an average one for us. It does fine.”
Source: Dallas Morning News
Cedar Hill Medical Plaza To Open
January 28, 2008
A health fair which also will serve as the grand opening of Cedar Hill Medical Plaza will be Feb. 16. The facility is at the southwest corner of Belt Line Road and Waterford Oaks Drive. The event will be from 9 a.m. to noon.
The Cirrus Group recently completed the $4.3 million plaza, a 25,000-square-foot medical facility, which is affiliated with Methodist Health System.
Methodist Family Health Center will occupy 6,000 square feet in the plaza. Other tenants include Trinity Foot Center, Custom Eyes Vision Care, Dr. Linda A. Rodrigue(OB/GYN), Clinical Pathology Laboratories and Comfort Rehab.
Source: Dallas Business Journal
Sports Brief
January 28, 2008
Romie Blaylock from Cedar Hill has committed to playing football at Baylor University. Source: Waco Tribune
Short article about Bishop Wheatley of Cedar Hill and his basketball career at Tulsa University. Source: Tulsa World
Uptown Village To Add To Cedar Hill’s Shopping Luster
January 26, 2008
By MARIA HALKIAS / The Dallas Morning News
mhalkias@dallasnews.com
The booming U.S. Highway 67 corridor in southern Dallas County is about to get its first upscale retail: Uptown Village at Cedar Hill.
Like new high-end shopping centers in Southlake, Highland Village and Garland, this will be an “outdoor lifestyle center.” It will open March 12 with stores such as Chico’s, Coldwater Creek and American Eagle Outfitters.
Meanwhile, seven miles up the road, the 1970s-era Southwest Center mall sits half-empty after years of neglect from retailers and shoppers.
Uptown Village has lured the Dillard’s department store from the mall and is hoping to do the same with Macy’s.
For many years, Southwest Center’s troubles left a stigma on the Dallas area’s southern sector as officials tried to attract retail development. But the developers of Uptown Village say their center will prove the doubters wrong once and for all.
When the 725,000-square-foot Uptown Village opens, the U.S. 67 and FM1382 intersection will have almost 3 million square feet of retail, or the equivalent of 1 ½ Dallas Gallerias. Read more
Cedar Hill’s Soon-To-Open Uptown Village Unveils List Of Soon-To-Open Shops
January 25, 2008
By Steve Snyder of Today Newspapers
With just 48 days left before the March 12 grand opening of Uptown Village, people with itchy credit cards can at least know the official list of opening day stores.
The MGHerring Group, the Dallas-based developer of Uptown Village, announced its upcoming stores and restaurants for the site Jan. 21.
Anchored by Dillard’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Barnes & Noble, the 725,000-square-foot Uptown Village is the first open-air, regional lifestyle center in the Best Southwest region, which includes Cedar Hill, Desoto, Duncanville and Lancaster. Read more
Smoking Ban ???
January 25, 2008
There has been some discussion in the City of Dallas about expanding the smoking ban in Dallas. Currently, the Dallas smoking ban prevents smokers from smoking in restaurants, except in the bar area. Numerous other cities in the Metroplex, including Fort Worth, have also implemented a similar ban.
Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert is an advocate for expanding the smoking ban to prohibit smoking even in bar areas. He’s calling for a regional approach, and many of the area Mayors have expressed a willingness to listen.
Lately, I have had a few citizens ask me if we would consider a smoking ban in Cedar Hill. I think this is an interesting question and I am curious what you think.
Would you support a smoking ordinance prohibiting smoking in restaurants?
Family Christian Stores Coming Soon
January 25, 2008
Family Christian Stores leased 6,250 square feet at the southwest corner of U.S. Highway 67 and Pleasant Run Road in Cedar Hill. David Levinson of the Retail Connection negotiated the lease with Greg Bracchi of the Staubach Co.
Source: Dallas Morning News
Pioneer Trail
January 23, 2008
There’s a new road in Cedar Hill and its called “Pioneer Trail.”
To the north of the new Government Center there is a small connector road connecting Cedar Hill Road and Uptown Blvd.
At a prior City Council meeting, we struggled to name the road. We floated various names, some of which included “Cedar Hill”. We got feedback from the Fire Department and the Post Office asking us (actually begging us) not to name it “Cedar Hill” anything. There are just too many roads that start with that name and it becomes confusing.
So, after seeking input from the Historical Society and others, we have settled on “Pioneer Trail” in honor of Cedar Hill being part of the route often traveled by early settlers in this region.
I expect the street sign to be posted in short order and the road open for business!
Community Members Come Together At Citywide Prayer Meeting
January 11, 2008
Here’s an article from Jacksonville, Texas. Seems like some of the prayer sessions we have had in Cedar Hill had such a big impact on one citizen, that when he moved to Jacksonville, he took the idea with him.
While living in Cedar Hill, Watters had participated in a similar citywide prayer group, and he said the results were profound for that community.
“We had a ministerial association there that decided to meet on a monthly basis for prayer, for fellowship and for sharing together. We began meeting and the impact it had on our community was incredible,” he said. “Our chief of police, who was a member of the group, shared with us that while all the communities around Cedar Hill had seen crime increase by 30 percent in the last two years, Cedar Hill’s crime had gone down more than 40 percent. And I am convinced today that it was because of our efforts to pray for our community.”
Watters was thrilled by the meeting’s attendance, especially considering it was a first-time event.
“I’m just terribly encouraged and impressed by the number of people who came out this morning. Our purpose is to present the needs of our community to our God, and we don’t need to be told how much our community needs our prayers,” Watters said.
Source: Daily Progress, Jacksonville, TX
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.