« November 2010 | Main | January 2011 »
Top stories for the year:
Record 12 inch snowfall
Art student works to finish decorated cow
The Summit - Open House
Police nab 3 armed robbery suspect
Art sculpture lights up the night at Central Park
Heavy rains from Hermine causes flooding
Fall Indie Fest – three day festival
Police Chief Glen Hill to retire
Ruthe Jackson celebrates birthday
Miniature winter wonderland
Auditions will be held at the GPAC Studio, 116 East Main Street – next door to the Uptown Theater. Auditions are by appointment, additional information is available on the GPAC website.
Audition dates:
January 4: 6:00 - 9:00 pm
January 6: 6:00 - 9:00 pm
January 7: call backs if needed
January 9: Cast read-through
Continue reading "Auditions for Arts Council’s 2011 spring show" »
Donald H. Freeland, 43, of Grand Prairie was killed Christmas Eve in a single car accident in the 3000 block of Avenue K.
Police said the accident occurred at about 3:35 p.m. when Freeland, driving a 2003 Chevrolet pickup, lost control on the wet pavement, left the road way, and overturned.
Freeland was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sergeant Eric Hansen, Traffic Division Supervisor, said the collision remains under investigation and this is the 17th traffic fatality in Grand Prairie this year.
For Mike Ramsey it began in 1986 with a collection of five miniature ceramic buildings he purchased to make a Christmas display on a coffee table for his family. Today, that display has grown to 137 buildings, 500 – 600 accessories, and 2 trains on a 225 square feet, multi-level display that turns his double car garage into a Christmas winter wonderland.
Ramsey, a retired Dallas Police Officer, said after his collection took over the media room of his home, his wife, Debbie, suggested that he move the display out to the garage to share with others. So Pop’s Christmas Village moved to the garage in 2005 transforming their home into a Christmas display that attracts hundreds of visitors yearly.
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| Charmaine Stewart, center, owner of Beauty for U Supercenter, cuts the ribbon at Wednesday's grand opening ceremony hosted by the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce Branding Irons. © 2010 - Bob Fitch/Grand Prairie Reporter |
Members of the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce Branding Irons hosted a ribbon cutting Wednesday welcoming its newest member, Beauty for U Supercenter, a retail hair care and beauty supply store.
With a store located in Arlington, owners Cornelius and Charmaine Stewart expanded to Grand Prairie with Saturday’s opening of the supercenter located at 5145 Lake Ridge Parkway, Suite 115.
Continue reading "Chamber hosts grand opening of beauty supply supercenter" »
The AirHogs will open their fourth season in the American Association on Thursday, May 12 with a series against the Gary SouthShore Railcats. The opening homestand will include three games against the RailCats and three games against the Lincoln Saltdogs.
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| (L-R)Roy Whitfill, Richard Whitman, Monica Kelley, Corley Rinaldi, Book Boleyn, and Savannah Marten. Richard Whitman, Dallas Children's Charities, presents Book Boleyn, White Bridle Humane Society's Executive Director, with a check for $750. © 2010 - Bob Fitch/Grand Prairie Reporter |
Dallas Children’s Charities presented White Bridle Humane Society, a non-profit organization that provides equine recreational therapy to children with developmental delays and physical disabilities, a check for $750 on Monday.
Continue reading "Children’s therapy program receives donation" »
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| Undreia Wright struggles to get a bicycle, donated as a Christmas gift for her 11-year-old daughter, into her compact car outside of the Grand Prairie United Charities office. © 2010 - Bob Fitch/Grand Prairie Reporter |
Grand Prairie United Charities (GPUC) began distributing Christmas assistance Monday to 336 local families that would not have a Christmas without the help of the charity.
Nicole Ford, Angel Tree Coordinator at GPUC, said each family will receive toys for the children and food for a Christmas meal thanks to the generosity and help from local residents, corporate sponsors, and other charities.
Continue reading "Charity gets Christmas gifts to families" »
Sunday, more than a thousand motorcycle riders from across the Metroplex came to Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie for the 25th annual The Big Texas Toy Run to benefit Dallas and Tarrant county mental health, mental retardation centers.
Bikers who participated in the run brought thousands of toys that are to be distributed to underprivileged and challenged children all over the Metroplex.
Continue reading "Toy run draws more than a thousand bikers" »
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| Courtesy National Weather Service - Fort Worth, Texas |
Grand Prairie will witness a rare winter solstice lunar eclipse early Tuesday morning.
Starting at 12:32 a.m. and reaching a total eclipse from 1:40 a.m. to 2:53 a.m., the lunar event ends at 4:02 a.m.
The moon will remain visible throughout the eclipse and obtain a red or copper color. These colors occur as residual light rays from the sun that are bent by the Earth's atmosphere.
Continue reading "Lunar eclipse - early Tuesday morning" »
While some of the funding can be used for training, the bulk of it goes to pay officers overtime to conduct traffic enforcement with the focus on speed, seatbelt, and DWI enforcement.
Continue reading "Grand Prairie Police receive grant funding for traffic enforcement" »
Police said the accident happened at about 9:00 p.m. in the 2800 block of West I-20.
Investigators believe Perry was trying to cross the frontage road from north to south to get back to his vehicle that was disabled on the shoulder of the freeway.
Continue reading "Elderly man killed crossing I-20 frontage road" »
Thursday night Santa Cop and Santa Spot, charities sponsored by the Grand Prairie Police and Fire Department, delivered Christmas gifts and a holiday meal to about 450 less fortunate Grand Prairie families.
“We are deeply grateful to the King Foundation for this much-needed funding which will help us to continue providing these services to those most in need,” Chuck Poffenbarger, Board President, said. The center provided urgent and preventive medical care to medically vulnerable children, adults and families. Those needs continue to grow each year. Many would not have any medical services without these funds.”
Continue reading "King Foundation awards $20,000 grant to Grand Prairie Wellness Center" »
At Tuesday’s Grand Prairie City Council meeting, Chesapeake Energy presented the city a check for $25,000 to sponsor the Prairie Lights, the city’s annual holiday lighting extravaganza.
Continue reading "Prairie Lights sponsor and Employee of the Month recognized" »
Continue reading "Grand Prairie city services Christmas and New Year’s schedule" »
Grand Prairie ISD School Superintendent Dr. Susan Hull introduced the district’s attendance improvement initiative, Every Child, Every Seat, Every Day, at Monday’s district leadership meeting.
With the ominous prediction of a state budget deficit of between $18-20 billion next year, Dr. Hull said, “We would be remiss if we did not know that is going to impact school funding.”
Continue reading "School district kicks-off attendance campaign" »
Continue reading "Keep Grand Prairie Beautiful named best in nation" »
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| Jacqueline Campbell, 15, collects a cash donation to Santa Cop at Saturday's toy drive hosted by the the Mira Lagos Homeowners Association. © 2010 - Bob Fitch/Grand Prairie Reporter |
Members of Grand Prairie’s Mira Lagos Homeowners Association braved the cold north wind Saturday morning to man the intersection of England Parkway and Day Miar to collect donations for its second annual toy drive and fundraiser for Santa Cop/Santa Spot.
J. Hughes, Co-chairman for safety for the HOA, said Santa Cop was chosen as a way for it to help the community. He learned of the charity from police officers and firefighters he met while his employer, Manhattan Construction, built the city’s new public safety building.
Continue reading "Mira Lagos community hosts fundraiser for Santa Cop/Santa Spot" »
On Friday, Reagan Middle School donated to Grand Prairie Food and Clothing Co-op sixteen large boxes of warm clothing the students donated to help the less fortunate stay warm as winter approaches.
The school’s student council and sponsors Janaye Easter and Delise Chavers came up with the idea as a way for the students to give back to the community.
Continue reading "Reagan Middle School collects winter wear" »
The Uptown Stage will be overrun with chocolate and Oompa-Loompas as the Grand Prairie Arts Council's production of Willie Wonka opens December 9 at the historic Uptown Theater.
Roald Dahl’s timeless story of the world-famous candy man and his quest to find an heir comes to life in this musical stage version of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. More than 50 talented regional performers will bring the story to life in a beautifully colorful and magically whimsical world created by Set Designer and Artistic Director Matt Betz.
Continue reading "Arts Council’s production of “Willy Wonka” to open at the Uptown" »
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| XueRu Chen, center, owner of K & L Oriental Buffet, cuts the ribbon at Wednesday's grand opening ceremony hosted by the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce Branding Irons. © 2010 - Bob Fitch/Grand Prairie Reporter |
The Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce Branding Irons hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony at the grand opening of K & L Oriental Buffet, 540 S. Carrier Parkway.
The buffet with its five food service islands, Sushi bar, and ample seating, features a wide variety of fresh cooked oriental foods.
Continue reading "Chamber hosts ribbon cutting at new oriental buffet" »
According to Zelaya-Robles’ August 5 plea agreement, the parents of an 11 year old girl living in Prince George’s County, Maryland reported their daughter missing on February 13. At approximately 2:00 a.m. that morning, Zelaya-Robles, a friend of the child’s family, picked up the girl at her parents’ home.
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| Soroptimist International of Grand Prairie honored its Girl of the Month at Saturday's ceremony. Back row, Debbie Bailey, Front Row (L-R)Kim Bonilla, Sabrina Stratton, Marciela Arce, Sara Hall, Madison Head, Sabrina Branch, Daphne Zuniga, and Carlie Clawson. ©2010-Bob Fitch/Grand Prairie Reporter |
Saturday, the Soroptimist Club recognized nine high school and middle school girls in the Grand Prairie ISD for their outstanding character, community service and leadership.
Continue reading "Soroptimist Girl of the Month ceremony" »
Police spokesman Detective John Brimmer said Russell was wanted for injury to his eight year-old step-child.
He said on April 23 Child Protective Services contacted police after school officials detected facial bruising on the child. Investigators learned that Russell struck the child when they could not do their homework properly.
Continue reading "U.S. Marshals arrests man wanted by police" »
During Grand Prairie Police Department’s three-year re-accreditation process, the department’s accreditation team documented all aspects of the department’s policies, procedures, management, operations and support services and gathered detailed proofs of compliance according to CALEA guidelines. Outside assessors from other accredited law enforcement agencies conducted an onsite visit to review the department’s ongoing compliance with CALEA standards. CALEA-accredited law enforcement agencies must meet a body of professional standards and are required to maintain those standards demonstrating excellence in the profession of law enforcement.
Continue reading "Grand Prairie Police Department earns CALEA re-accreditation" »
Texas singer-songwriter Tish Hinojosa played Thursday night at the Uptown for a rare North Texas appearance.
Hinojosa’s with her characteristic warmth and a pure, soulful voice showed her versatility as she moved through folk, country, pop and Latino styles of music.
Grand Prairie police are investigating the robbery of the Gibson Pharmacy, 2505 South Carrier Parkway, and the CVS Pharmacy, 701 East Main, Tuesday night.
Police spokesman Detective John Brimmer said two men armed with handguns entered the Gibson Pharmacy at about 6:04 p.m. ordering customers on the floor and going behind the counter demanding money. An employee of the store managed to slip a tracking device in the bag of money given to the robbers.
The two suspects made off with an undisclosed amount of cash and an undetermined amount of drugs.
Detective Brimmer said through the tracking device, officers were able to locate the possible get-away car unoccupied at Windridge Apartments in the 1500 block of North Highway 161.
Continue reading "Armed robbers strike drug stores Tuesday night" »
