Latest News
New Place 3 councilmember Debbie Ison and new Place 5 councilmember Kevin Kelley take the oath of office at last week's council meeting. Photos Bob Wieland/Murphy Monitor Newly elected Councilmembers Debbie Ison and Kevin Kelley have taken their seats on the Murphy...
Mary Pat Elledge, board president of the Murphy Veterans Tribute, poses with the "honor the Fallen" statue dedicated Wednesday, May 27, in front of City Hall. Photo Bob Wieland/Murphy Monitor After nearly nine years of planning, fundraising and frustration, the Murphy...
PESH Class of 2026 Valedictorian Haosu Zhu and Salutatorian Vedant Sundar pose by the panther outside Plano East Senior High School. Courtesy photo The top two students in the Plano East Senior High School Class of 2026 have both attended Plano ISD schools since...
Six projects by Plano ISD students advanced this year to the 76th annual International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world’s largest international pre-college science competition. Four projects captured category grand awards. One student placed first and...
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...
Sports
Lead varsity assistant Michael Godwin has been promoted to head coach of the Plano East boys basketball team. Photo courtesy Tony Benedetto By David Wolman [email protected] Plano East has made the decision to hire from within in its search for its next head...
After a four-day tryout in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Plano East incoming junior guard Arianna Robinson was chosen to the USA Basketball Women's U17 National Team on May 24. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] For the second...
Plano East freshman Emerson Bailey, left, has been named the District 6-6A Utility Player of the Year. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] Baseball and softball coaches in District 6-6A recently cast their votes for the...
Plano East senior Caitlyn Tran, left, earned fifth place in the girls 100-meter hurdles at the Class 6A state track and field meet in Austin. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] Plano East had two runners compete at the Class...
Thirteen seniors at Plano East High School pose for pictures after signing a National Letter of Intent with their college of choice during a ceremony that was held May 13. Photo by David Wolman / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] Thirteen seniors...
Education
PESH Class of 2026 Valedictorian Haosu Zhu and Salutatorian Vedant Sundar pose by the panther outside Plano East Senior High School. Courtesy photo The top two students in the Plano East Senior High School Class of 2026 have both attended Plano ISD schools since...
Six projects by Plano ISD students advanced this year to the 76th annual International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world’s largest international pre-college science competition. Four projects captured category grand awards. One student placed first and...
Carter BloodCare is encouraging Texans to roll up their sleeves this month as the nonprofit works to replenish blood supplies and meet patient needs across the state. Health officials said all blood types are currently needed, with particular demand for O negative and...
The Art Gallery at Collin College will host “Between the Frames: Student Photography Portfolio Exhibition,” an annual student photography showcase, beginning Tuesday, June 10, at the Plano Campus. A closing reception is planned from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, in the...
Wylie ISD trustees approved staff raises, adopted legislative priorities and recognized dozens of students during their Monday, May 18 meeting held at the Montgomery Center at Wylie High School. The meeting began with recognitions for the parent-teacher associations...
Life & Style
By Carrie Dunlea Backyards have evolved far beyond basic patios and grills. Today’s outdoor spaces are increasingly designed as extensions of the home — places where families can stream movies, host game-day gatherings or simply unwind outdoors without sacrificing...
Getty images Longer days and lighter schedules make summer perfect for relaxing, having fun outdoors and spending time with loved ones. However, more physical activity and time spent in the sun can also translate to increased health and safety risks. As you and your...
Simple lifestyle changes may help improve rest, overall wellness By Carrie Dunlea A good night’s sleep can make all the difference between starting the day energized and focused or dragging through it feeling irritable, distracted and exhausted. Yet for many people,...
Where to travel before Summer crowds hit By Carrie Dunlea May sits in a sweet spot on the travel calendar — that fleeting window when spring is still in full bloom, temperatures are comfortable across much of the country and summer crowds haven’t yet arrived in force....
From immersive dining to wellness at sea and elevated entertainment, cruise vacations are becoming some of the most experience-rich trips travelers can take. “Our industry has long been known for innovation, but what’s most compelling now is how that scale is being...
Opinion
Columnist John Moore wonders if we can stop the rain we started. Photo John Moore By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com Back in 2011, it didn’t rain. It didn’t rain for a long, long time. It didn’t rain for so long that fires began to pop up where I live. One of them...
Dozens of Texas wind projects have been halted because the Department of Defense has not approved the federal permits required for them to move forward, the Austin American-Statesman reported. Data from the American Clean Power Association indicate that the state...
Columnist John Moore has played guitar since he was eight. The Doobie Brothers helped remind him of why he still plays. Photo John Moore When I first picked up a guitar in 1970, my fingers didn’t make the sounds I wanted to hear. But I knew that if I kept trying, I...
Columnist John Moore has a book on communication his wife bought him in the early 90s. He intends to read it soon. In the early 90s, there was a self-help, relationship book called, “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus.” The goal of publishing this was for the...
Columnist John Moore speaks Southern. He learned it in his grandfather's blacksmith shop. Photo John Moore Southern folks don’t need proper nouns. We have whatchamacallits and thingamajigs. My grandfather had the only blacksmith shop in Ashdown, Arkansas. That’s where...
