Memorial Day Observance

The offices of People Newspapers will be closed Monday, May 26, for Memorial Day.

And you really should be grilling out in your back yard instead of sitting inside reading a blog that day anyway.

Since we’ll miss this chance Monday, let’s take a moment to think of all the men and women of this country who have sacrificed their lives in the name of freedom. And all those who stand in harm’s way as I sit in air-conditioned comfort with a beautiful view of Dallas out my office window.

If you want to give a shout-out to a special serviceman or servicewoman of your own — or just want to rag on Merritt some more — feel free to use the comments below.

UP Elementary Field Day Greets First Timer and Old Friend

First grader Gracie Green didn’t get to take part in field day last year due to her overwhelming medical issues. Look at her today. Go Gracie!

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Vet to Vet Event

This just in from everyone’s favorite Christian radio Parkie, Jess Johnson:

Vet to Vet will host the 2nd Annual Fundraiser at the Midway Point tomorrow, Saturday May 24, 2008 from 11:00-6:00 (12801 Midway Rd Ste 212, Dallas, Texas 75244) located at the Southwest corner of Midway and LBJ in Dallas.  The proceeds will support the Vet to Vet activities for disabled veterans at the Bonham, Dallas, Waco, Temple, San Antonio and Kerrville Veterans Hospitals.  Activities include Bingo, parades, Memorial Day lunches, BBQ during the 4th of July, Fall patient festivals, and Christmas meals and gifts. 

Re: Vote For Survivor Jennifer Griffin

I’ve received many e-mails from people about Jennifer Griffin and how her story has touched lives. But one sweet reader has a good point, she called my attention to a video in competition with Griffin’s that has received 2600 votes.

Right now Griffin has 216 but before it was posted yesterday there were only 52. Vote, vote, vote!

You can vote everyday one time. The contest ends July 31.

We Encourage Feedback From Our Readers . . .

Even when it turns out to be one of these:

(phone message left for Cassie Clark, who wrote our lead story this week on the shooting at NorthPark):

(Thu., 8:49 p.m.) — “You dumb ****. I’ve been here 37 years and I read your stupid article. You think because one god ****** ****** decides to commit a random crime that NorthPark and its changes has anything to do with it? Huh? You ass****.”

The caller, whose caller ID listed ‘unknown’, hadn’t had enough. He called back later.

(Fri., 2:52 a.m.) — You forgot to mention in your article how those damn ******* get to NorthPark these days. DART. They get on that DART train and they don’t need a car to get there. They get there to steal cars. Don’t forget to put that in there. ‘Course you don’t have to say ‘******.’ Say ‘undesirables.’

How about that. He found his conscience in the final two sentences.

Editor’s Note: The correlation between the increase in crime (most of it non-violent) and NorthPark’s expansion two years ago is attributed to shoppers we quote as sources in the story. We made no such conclusions in the story itself or in our reporting.

Re: WFAA Asks People Newspapers to Report For Them

WFAA’s Jeff Brady called me on my cell phone during lunch today wanting to know if I’d give him a phone number for a source from the news I broke yesterday about pit bull owner John Harris’ lawsuit against Ebby Halliday, Realtors and dog attack victim Debbie O’Connor. I’ll relay the conservation for my adoring fans. [Note: these are not exact quotes, but rather a summary of the conversation]

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Before You Get Too Excited About the New Chick-fil-A

Merritt writes in:

I’m here and they have the wrong shape of ice.

Re:Another Big Hole in the Ground

You can read all about it today’s Real Estate section.

Crass Transportation

From Merritt, by way of an alert reader, comes a query about limousines spotted in front of Hyer during carpool dropoff recently.  I did see a limo yseterday, and although I didn’t see one today, I’m told there was one.  All I saw today was a UP Police SUV parked at the entrance.

So, before we get on our soapbox about the inappropriateness of driving young children to school in limos, does anyone know the story on this?

Another Big Hole in the Ground

Anyone know why that huge, newly renovated French country-looking house on the north west corner of Armstrong and Rheims was torn down last week? Two or three years ago, former racecar driver Bill Tichenor finished a spectauclar reno and now? It’s gone.