Latest News
Property taxes on a median value home in Murphy will increase by $165 if City Council gives final approval to the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 tax rate.Council gave preliminary approval to a 1.2% tax increase — $.004 — at the regular Tuesday, Aug. 18, meeting and...
Collin County voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to authorize up to $817.5 million in bonds for county facilities, roads and bridges, parks and open space, and a new elections and records storage facility. The Collin County Commissioners Court called the bond election...
Plano Independent School District earned a grade of B, 85 out of 100 points, in the latest 2025-2026 school accountability rankings released by the Texas Education Agency. The district’s overall ranking improved 3 points from last year. “This measures how much...
The Wylie Historical Society will celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary with history, fashion and a look at how family stories can become historical works during its Celebrate America 250 BBQ Luncheon Saturday, Aug. 29. The luncheon begins at 11 a.m. at St....
Smith Public Library hosted local food programs throughout the summer, as they distributed nearly 9,000 meals to 600 students. Courtesy photo Nearly 150,000 Collin County residents were estimated to lack consistent access to adequate food in 2024, according to a newly...
Sports
Plano East freshman Ava Nzegwu jumps in the air to hit the ball last Friday against Frisco Lebanon Trail. Photo by Tina Lopez / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] One year after making their first regional final appearance since 2008, the Plano East...
Plano East junior Addison Tucker serves during a match against Garland ISD Tournament. Photo by Tina Lopez / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] Two days after winning the Garland ISD Volleyball Tournament for the third time in the last four years,...
Plano East senior Meena Mulford earned third place with a time of 12:01 at the Plano ISD Invitational on Saturday. Photo by David Wolman / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] PLANO – Plano East and Sachse’s cross country teams have high expectations...
A Plano East defender tips the ball away from a Panthers wide receiver during a one-on-one drill during Monday morning’s practice. Photo by David Wolman / C&S Media By David Wolman [email protected] Plano East head football coach Tony Benedetto and his...
Plano East incoming senior Bilal Habib earned fifth place at 106 pounds at the Class 6A state wrestling tournament. Photo by Niall Morga Media By David Wolman [email protected] Plano East remained one of the premier athletic programs in Plano ISD during the...
Education
Plano Independent School District earned a grade of B, 85 out of 100 points, in the latest 2025-2026 school accountability rankings released by the Texas Education Agency. The district’s overall ranking improved 3 points from last year. “This measures how much...
Plans include an expansion for the Collin College Wylie Campus. Trustees of Collin College have called for a November bond election to raise $600 million for expansion including three new facilities. The board voted unanimously to place Proposition A on the Tuesday,...
With two weeks before the start of classes, the Plano ISD held a crowded back-to-school fair in the Plano Center on Wednesday, July 29. Bob Wieland/Murphy Monitor Thousands of Plano ISD students and their families swarmed the Plano Center for the district’s annual...
The countdown to a new school year has begun, and for many families, the final days of summer are filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension. While children may be eager to reunite with friends, join a sports team or move up to a new grade, they also may feel...
The Plano ISD Board of Trustees will meet next month to set a 2026-27 tax rate after receiving certified taxable property values from the Collin Central Appraisal District. The school board will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 4, and a work...
Life & Style
Cool coastal escapes for one final getaway By Carrie Dunlea By August, many Texans have had enough. Triple-digit temperatures, baked sidewalks and endless afternoons indoors have us dreaming of somewhere cooler. Fortunately, late summer can be one of the best times to...
The countdown to a new school year has begun, and for many families, the final days of summer are filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension. While children may be eager to reunite with friends, join a sports team or move up to a new grade, they also may feel...
By Carrie Dunlea Retirement often brings more freedom, but it can also mean fewer daily opportunities to connect with others. Whether you're newly retired or simply looking to expand your circle, building new friendships can improve both physical and mental well-being...
Few things are as delicious and refreshing as watermelon on a warm day. Watermelon grows quite readily in summer and is often ready to pick after three months of growing time. Harvesters look for a pale buttery yellow spot on the bottom of watermelon (the ground...
The rusted water tower is one of the last visible reminders of the Princeton POW Camp, which briefly housed German prisoners of war during World War II. The Stories Collin County Forgot to Notice Every time I drive through Princeton, I pass the same brown sign. You...
Opinion
Thanks to his grandmother, columnist John Moore knows the price of most items. Which will help if he's ever selected as a contestant on The Price Is Right. Photo John Moore By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com Long before anyone knew who Drew Carey was,...
Columnist John Moore (right) and his sister, Renee', are pictured on a 1966 trip to Carlsbad Caverns. Photo: Mary Moore By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com Leaving Ashdown, Arkansas, was an event unto itself. When your family has one car, going anywhere was a treat....
Columnist John Moore (bottom left) is pictured with his father, mother, and sister in 1965. Photo: Moore Family Photos By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com In 2014, I was contacted by a newspaper in Tyler, Texas. Unbeknownst to me, the publisher of said...
Columnist John Moore rarely went out to eat when he was young. But when he did, he had a pretty good idea where his family was going to dine. Photo: Moore Family Photos By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com “Are we going out to eat?” was not a phrase my...
Columnist John Moore bought a lot of books when he was young. He still has many of them. Photo: John Moore By John Moore | TheCountryWriter.com I’m not sure what fundraisers try to sell to grade school kids today, but when I was a kid, it was books. The...
