People laughed when Garland was mentioned in the first frames of the movie Zombieland, some were shocked and envious that In-N-Out Burgers was headed to Garland before anywhere else, and now Coke has upped the ante by placing it's new dispensing machine in Garland before anywhere else in the Metroplex—indeed, one of the first places in the world.
 
Amid press reports of the new Freestyle soda fountain, comes this report from Marcus Murphee at NeighborsGo:

The future of fountain drinks arrives in Garland By Marcus Murphree mmurphree@neighborsgo.com   The menu choices are as alien as the large black box containing them in the corner of the Wingstop restaurant along Northwest Highway in Garland.   Raspberry Sprite, Coca-Cola Orange, Pibb Zero, Vault, Dasani Sensations — the list keeps going and going.   No, this isn't a Google search for lesser-known Coca-Cola products, but a sampling of more than 100 Coke brands available in the company's new Freestyle soda fountain.   Last week, through a long-running relationship with Coca-Cola, the Garland Wingstop restaurant became the first store in the Dallas-area — the third market globally — to get one of the futuristic touch-screen machines. By the end of the week, there will be eight more Freestyle machines in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.   "Until Coke approached us, we didn't know anything about it (the machine)," said Phillip Maldonado, director of company and international relations for Wingstop. "The arrival of the machine itself was something special."   The experience of sampling Coca-Cola products from around the globe drew customers like Jonathan Gaither — who drove in from Fort Worth to try the machine — to Garland.   "It's definitely different, I think it's great because some of the flavors you can't get in the grocery store, so you get to try something new," he said.   With 106 options, ranging from Coca-Cola Classic to the European Coca-Cola Orange, consumers have the chance to expand their palates and explore the world of Coke without having to leave their local restaurant.   "It's like nothing you've ever seen before," Maldonado said. "You can't imagine getting so many flavors out of one machine."   The touch screen menu is similar to using an iPhone application.   "Everything nowadays is touch screen, so people get the hang of it pretty quick," Moldonado said.   The innovative fountain, which is no larger than a vending machine, trumps traditional six- to 10-drink soda fountains by storing the 106 Coca-Cola brand flavors in ultra-concentrated cases similar to printer cartridges. Sweetening the deal is the fact that changing out flavors is simpler than the bag, box and hose attachments of machines past.   Said Ray Crockett, Coca-Cola spokesman: "This is revolutionary."

The hand leads the way to the new Coca-Cola Freestyle machine that was installed last week in Garland at its first location in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.   Jose Miguel Delgadillo and Juan Urias try out the new Coca-Cola Freestyle fountains at Wingstop on Northwest Highway in Garland.

Saturday, July 3
Family Fun, Music
& Fireworks

A fun-filled afternoon and evening beginning at 4:00 p.m.!
Fireworks at 9:00 p.m.

 
Make it an Independence Day weekend to remember at Firewheel Town Center’s Star Spangled Spectacular July 3rd, featuring amazing fireworks plus family fun and musical performances all afternoon and night long. Enjoy spectacular savings at your favorite Firewheel stores and restaurants including Macy's, Dillard's, Houlihan's, and T.G.I. Friday's. Festivities begin at 4:00 p.m. with fireworks at 9:00 p.m.!
 
Click for complete schedule of events.
 

 
Cities are feeling the economic crunch and many are not sponsoring the traditional fireworks displays of years past. Dallas seems to have jumped back in at the last minute, so much so that their display won't be until July 5.
 
Garland, for the second year in a row, is in the group that isn't spending money for fireworks but management and the stores at Firewheel Town Center have stepped into the vacuum and will have fireworks and entertainment very much like previous years.
 
The effort to coordinate and host an event like this is not easy. Besides the pretty lights, tons of time, effort, and funds are needed to handle the event, the security, traffic, and trash. We owe a great deal of gratitude to everyone at Firewheel Town Center for their months and months of work hosting what had been a city event, saving the taxpayers many thousands of dollars. They once again exemplify what it means to be a great community partner.
 
I hope to see you there!
 
Original post revised.
 
UPDATE: Another article on cities with No Bucks, No Booms. Mayors from across the country are asking much the same questions we asked last year, how can we justify fireworks when city employees are receiving salary cuts? The article doesn't mention relief for taxpayers but that's every bit as important, too. They also mention how individuals and private companies have stepped in to save fireworks displays, much like Firewheel Town Center is doing this year. Again, my appreciation to the staff and the businesses at Firewheel for their Star-Spangled Spectacular gift to Garland and our neighbors.
 

From Texas Government Insider, June 25:

'Big D' area growing: Census Bureau cites 2009 population figures

Latest numbers come while 2010 decennial count still under way nationwide
 
"Big D" is getting bigger! According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau figures, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex has added more residents in the last 10 years than any other area in the country. The area's population grew by about 25 percent, or 1.3 million people from April 2000 to July 2009.
 

In fact, four of the state's cities - Austin, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio - were among the top nine cities throughout the country with the largest population increases during the year beginning in July 2008. The city with the largest population gain nationwide was once again Houston.
 
Don't confuse these figures with the decennial census which is currently under way. Those numbers are still being tabulated. While the U.S. Census Bureau in many cases mailed more than one census form to many residences across the country in an effort to have every resident counted, the bureau also sent census workers door-to-door to households that did not respond to the mailed forms.
 
Just this week, the Census Bureau reported that 98 percent of the 47 million households that failed to return their census forms have now been contacted in person by a census worker.
 
"Census numbers govern the distribution of more than $400 billion in federal funds each year and serve as the baseline for future post-census population estimates," said Census Bureau Director Robert Groves. Groves explained that local governments use census data to plan infrastructure, schools and emergency services while businesses use the data to develop new economic opportunities. The data is also used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
 
The numbers could well change when the final 2010 Census figures that lead to the distribution of such funds are delivered to the President in April of next year. But for now, Frisco (in the Dallas area), was tabbed as the fastest growing city in the country among cities with a population of more than 100,000. The city's average annual growth rate of 204 percent was also the nation's highest.
 
As for counties, Rockwall County (also near Dallas) was tabbed as one of the 10 fastest growing counties in the nation.
 
In neighboring Louisiana, the New Orleans population that was decimated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 continued its population growth. New Orleans' population grew to nearly 355,000 after an 18,000 increase in one year. However, the city has a long way to go yet to get back to its pre-Katrina population of nearly 455,000.
 

 
According to the article above, the Metroplex grew about 25% between 2000 and 2010. Garland grew about 6.4% over that period. Last year we grew about 1,250 (or, about ½%).
 

From the Dallas Morning News:

Garland ISD's events center to be site of Southwestern Athletic Conference basketball tournaments

12:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, June 23, 2010
By KAREL HOLLOWAY / The Dallas Morning News
kholloway@dallasnews.com
 
The Garland school district's Special Events Center has snagged a contract for the Southwestern Athletic Conference's 2011, 2012 and 2013 basketball tournaments.
 
The agreement was announced in Birmingham, Ala., on Tuesday after a vote of the presidents and chancellors representing member universities.
 
The conference is made up of 10 historically black colleges including Grambling State University, Prairie View A&M University and Texas Southern University.
 
The conference sought proposals from 15 areas.
 
"Garland's was by far the best proposal," said Tom Galbraith, the conference's assistant commissioner for communications.
 
Neither Galbraith nor Garland Superintendent Curtis Culwell could say how much Garland will receive.
 
"It gives the Events Center exposure," Culwell said. "I think it will be a positive event for the region and a positive event for us."
 
The conference would like to turn the men's and women's tournaments into a four-day entertainment and sports event, Galbraith said.
 
"It's time to really brand the tournament. We're trying to make it a total entertainment and destination event," he said.
 
The facility, which includes a 7,500-seat arena and conference center, was built to hold school events. But part of the plan was to bring in outside concerts, meetings and other events to help pay operating expenses.
 
While the number of events at the center has increased, the facility still doesn't pay for itself, according to school district records. The district continues to aggressively market the center.
 

 
I still haven't read all of Wednesday's paper, where the above article appeared, but I did manage to hear a report from Superintendent Curtis Culwell yesterday at the Garland Economic Development Partnership's meeting. It is exciting news and I thought others probably missed the article, too. The news did appear earlier on the DMN Garland Blog here so be sure to check-in there for school and city news.
 

The Marketing and Events Committee of the Council has received a couple updates on Bass Pro's possible fishing tournament here in Garland. Word comes today that the waiting is over and...it's on!
 

City of Garland News Release:

Garland Selected as Site for 2010 PAA Bass Pro Shops Tournament

The Garland Convention & Visitors Bureau is pleased to announce that the Professional Anglers Association (PAA) has selected Garland, Texas, as the site for one of four 2010 PAA Bass Pro Shops Series Tournaments. Garland’s Bass Pro Shops, located at 5001 Bass Pro Drive, will serve as tournament headquarters. The event will take place September 8-11, with tournament locations at Lake Tawakoni and Lake Ray Hubbard.
 
The PAA is a nonprofit association dedicated to the professional angler and the sport of professional bass fishing. The tournament will attract the nation’s top pro anglers, corporate sponsors and spectators.
 
"We are excited that Garland has been selected as a site for this event," said Mayor Ronald E. Jones. "We look forward to welcoming all of the professional anglers and spectators to Garland and hope that, in addition to enjoying the tournament, they will take advantage of the many attractions and entertainment options available in the city."
 
In conjunction with the tournament, the PAA will offer a variety of spectator seminars, as well as opportunities to get the general public and amateur anglers involved in the event. Activity details and a tournament schedule will be provided in the coming months.
 
This will be the first PAA tournament to be headquartered at Garland’s Bass Pro Shops. Other sites for the 2010 tournament series include Morristown, Tenn.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Branson, Mo.
 

From Nation Cities Weekly, a publication of the National League of Cities:

Securing Your Highest 'Return on Investment' Through Redevelopment

by Christiana McFarland and Will McGahan
 

The current economic downturn has underscored the benefits of more sustainable, intense, interconnected development based on existing local assets and infrastructure. Common models include transit-oriented and mixed-use development.
 
Return on investment from these efforts comes in the form of higher property values, extended life of previous infrastructure investments, retention of community character, revitalization of local businesses and a stable synergy among housing, transportation, and retail and industry activity.
 
But redevelopment is not without its challenges. Communities that are built out or simply seeking more sustainable development patterns encounter many hurdles. For example, many existing land use and other local regulations prohibit mixing uses. Additionally, banks and other investors may not be willing to take on the risk they associate with redevelopment.
 
Local officials from first tier suburban communities — those outside of central cities and inside the ring of developing suburbs and rural areas — know these challenges all too well. During the summer meeting of NLC’s First Tier Suburbs Council, hosted by Garland, Texas, Councilmember and Council Chair Douglas Athas in his city, steering committee members explored redevelopment projects throughout the Dallas region and discussed how to translate these best practices into realities for their own communities.
 
"Go after deals that make sense for your community and that leverage what you already have," said Paul Mayer, CEO of Garland Chamber of Commerce.
 
In Plano, Texas, that’s just what they did. With the announced extension of Dallas Area Rapid Transit in 1998, the city started planning for the future to bring new life to its already distinct, historic downtown.
 
"Downtown Plano has been transformed into a vital, active urban village through a strategy combining transit oriented development, public-private partnerships, and community support and participation," said Frank Tuner, Plano deputy city manager.
 
Among the redevelopment strategies used in Plano and in other communities in the region, the following were said to be key:

• Provide leadership and political will;
• Be educated about the benefits of redevelopment and help educate constituents and other key stakeholders;
• Understand that the benefits of a mixed-use project will be realized over a longer time frame than traditional development, but will garner much greater and more stable local revenues;
• Streamline your development process and consider form-based codes;
• Act as a facilitator and partner in the project;
• Provide strategic financial and regulatory support to help equalize economic risk of the developer; and
• Find a development partner that is invested in the community.

Other Texas communities on the steering committee’s tour of successful redevelopment and transit-oriented projects included Duncanville, North Richland Hills and Richardson. The committee also discussed regionalism, retail revitalization, neighborhood vitality and economic attraction strategies.
 
Details: For more information about NLC’s First Tier Suburbs Council or NLC’s Center for Research and Innovation’s work on finance and economic development, contact Christiana McFarland at mcfarland@nlc.org or William McGahan at mcgahan@nlc.org.
 

 
The article above gives some details on the recent First Tier Suburbs Council meeting held in Garland that I announced here. It was a very positive meeting and attendees gave it high praise.
 
Much of the credit for the successful meeting goes to assistant director Anita Russelmann in the Planning Dept for her dedication and time spent coordinating the speakers and other arrangements. Deputy city manager Martin Glenn and development director Neil Montgomery gave their full support and experience to the planning that resulted in a meeting judged by some of those attending as "the best summer meeting of the FTS Council ever." The authors of the article above, Christiana McFarland and Will McGahan, are also to be complimented because they are the NLC liaisons to the FTS Council and they handled all the arrangements and updates necessary from their end. Chamber of Commerce CEO Paul Mayer and economic development director Ayako Schuster met with Christy and Will a day earlier to explain local economic development efforts, the importance of the job training facility at the Garland campus of Richland College, and Garland's unique Economic Development Partnership between the city, chamber, and school district. Paul and Ayako were also available at all meetings to help field questions from FTS members that represented most areas of the country.
 
I offer my appreciation to these individuals and the others that helped gain Garland this recognition. I also appreciate those members of the City Council that were able to participate and help host our guests.
 

City of Garland News Release:

Alert: Potential Sewer Service Scam

It has been reported that citizens in the Garland/Rowlett area have been receiving calls from a company claiming to be “working with the City” to “scope” sewer lines. They are also claiming that there is an undetermined service charge for this service. The City is NOT conducting any such service.
 
The callers tell citizens that the City is requiring them to set up appointments to come to the citizen’s home to scope the sewer lines for a fee. These calls are not legitimate.
 
If citizens receive any calls of this nature, they are being asked to please contact the City of Garland Water Utilities at 972-205-3210 to make a report.
 

 
UPDATE: For Rowlett readers, more information here.
 

At last night's work session, Chief Mitch Bates presented several tools the Police Dept has been working to add to it's crime-fighting arsenal. He gave details of the online reporting system covered in the press release below but he also told of an online crime reports/mapping tool, getting accident reports online, and obtaining license plate readers and a tactical observation tower, all of which should be available relatively soon. All the acquisitions will be paid from grants, narcotic seizure funds, or existing internal funding. His presentation is available here by streaming video.   The online reporting tool should make it especially easy to report thefts and car burglaries.   I occasionally learn that someone has suffered a reportable incident but it doesn't appear in the monthly reports (such as this one for May). The victim chooses to not take the time and effort to report it. That allows a criminal to operate longer, harming more people, before being caught and makes it harder to see the affected areas and trends that would help our officers find the criminals operating in our community. With online reporting, letting the police know about the incident can be done quickly—while the details are still fresh—without ever picking up the phone or driving to the station.

Police Chief Mitch Bates

Garland Police Dept New Release:

Police Department Announces New Online Reporting System

The Garland Police Department has launched a new online reporting option for its citizens. Now the public will be able to file several types of offense reports via the internet without waiting for an officer to respond. The speed and accuracy of this web-based reporting option will result in more efficient reporting of crime and allow officers more time to address other community needs.
 
Offenses currently available for online reporting include:

1. Criminal mischief
2. Harassing phone calls
3. Identity theft
4. Lost property
5. Theft
6. Vehicle burglary

Once the report has been submitted the reporting person may print a temporary report. Submitted online reports will be reviewed by police personnel and receive the same investigation and statistical analysis as a report filed by a police officer. When the report has been approved, the submitting party will receive an email with a copy of the report attached along with the official report number.
 
The reporting system may be accessed directly by the following address:
 

www.garlandtx.gov/coplogic/start-report.html

 
or by accessing the Garland Police web site, www.garlandpolice.com, and clicking "Reports/Links," then "Citizen Online Reporting."
 

City of Garland News Release:

City to Conduct CodeRED Test Calls

The City of Garland has scheduled a test of its CodeRED telephone notification system for the week of June 14. The test call will go out to all current CodeRED subscribers to validate our current database and to inform them of program upgrades.
 
First, a severe weather early warning system has been added, which automatically launches calls to specific geographic areas that are in the path of tornados, severe thunderstorms and other hazardous weather developments. These automated warnings can provide critical preparation time when severe weather threatens.
 
"As soon as the National Weather Service issues the warning, the calls begin going to the areas affected," says Dorothy White, Public & Media Affairs Manager for the City of Garland. "Since these notifications are automatic, residents and businesses must opt-in for these specialized notifications."
 
When a CodeRED weather warning call is received, the number 800-566-9780 will be displayed by caller-ID.
 
The City will continue to use CodeRED in other emergency situations such as a hazardous chemical spill, major utility outage, or an Amber or Silver Alert. The number displayed by caller-ID will be 866-419-5000, which a citizen can call back from the phone that received the CodeRED alert and listen to the message again with a time and date stamp. Caller-ID will also display the name "Emergency Communications Network" for most telephone customers.
 
In addition, CodeRED subscribers can now opt to receive text and email messages for all messages except the automated weather warnings.
 
To "opt-in" for the automatic weather warnings or to add your email and text information, go to the City of Garland website at www.GarlandTx.gov, click on the CodeRED icon on the left side of the page and follow the prompts. Those who are registering for the first time can follow the same instructions.
 
For customers without access to a computer or internet service, registration forms are available at City Hall, the Duckworth Utility Services Building and all branches of the Nicholson Memorial Library System.
 

 

Although the number of violent incidents weren't much higher than most most months, the number did rise in May. Robbery and assault accounted for five of the reported incidents. Two of the robberies were the same night, after midnight, at the Town Center near the AMC Theatre. Two suspects were soon arrested and did give partial confessions. Neither suspect was from Garland.
 
The picture was just the opposite and much brighter for home burglaries, just two reported, the lowest of the last three years (or longer), at least four times lower than the average across that period (8.1/mo).
 
Vehicle burglaries (22) were the same as last month, a little higher than the three-year average (19.3/mo). However, unauthorized use of a vehicle was higher (5), more than double the three-year average (2.16/mo).
 
Thefts have been slowly rising over the last three years (average: 43.6/mo) but, at 45 in May, were about the same as we've seen the last few months and considerably lower than last Fall when the number of reported incidents hit 72. For May, two-thirds of the thefts were shoplifting cases for which arrests were made.
 
It would be improper to link crime to the economic situation the country currently faces unless there was evidence. There is no such evidence in District 1 (or Garland, to my knowledge). Reported incidents are as much as 20% lower than two years ago. Richard Cohen reports in the Washington Post that crime is down across the nation [backup link]. He says, "[T]hose disposed to attribute criminality to poverty—my view at one time—have some strenuous rethinking to do." He concludes, "[T]he latest crime statistics strongly suggest that bad times do not necessarily make bad people. Bad character does."
 
The article is timely and well worth reading. It's always good to reconsider and test our assumptions, no matter where we stand most days.
 
If you want to review the areas that have reported incidents over the last month, download the complete report here for address-by-address information that includes your neighborhood. If you are a Garland resident reading this but do not live in District 1, you can get reports for your area here on the Police Department's website.
 

City of Garland News Release:

Garland Library Catalog Upgrades

The library catalog for the Nicholson Memorial Library System will be upgraded the week of June 13. This upgrade includes a new online portal and web presence for the library, which will result in improved online access to library materials, services and program information, and customizable user features.
 
During the migration to the new online catalog system, library users can expect extended service disruptions. All City libraries will be affected beginning Sunday, June 13. Materials checkout will continue and librarians will be on hand to help users find materials during the migration, but public computers and the library's Wi-Fi hotspots are not expected to be functional until the upgrade of the library's catalog system is completed. Remote and in-library access to the library catalog, the library's online resources, OverDrive downloadable materials, and patron account information will also be interrupted. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
 
The new library catalog and online portal is expected to be available Thursday, June 17 at which time service disruptions should cease. Library users can look forward to a bright new web presence for the library with lots of exciting, new features.
 

When I read this news release of a local scam, I couldn't help but remember cautions we've all received about the e-mails where a wealthy Nigerian wants to move money and needs help, or one of the many variations. In the end, the money moving is from your account to someone else's. The con has actually been around much longer than e-mail, at least as far back as the 1920's.
 
If you have any information that might assist the police, please contact the number below.
 

Garland Police News Release:

Police Try to ID Scam Suspects   Garland Police are trying to identify one of two men who have scammed at least two Garland residents out of several thousand dollars.   Suspect #1 has been dressed in a business suit and is described as approximately 6’ 3”, 190 pounds, and speaks with an African accent. Police believe he may only be using an accent when he is scamming people out their money. A second suspect joins the first each time and is described as a black male, 6-foot, 240 pounds, and balding.   The two suspects show the victim a large amount of cash and say they want to give it to a charity. They want the victim to help them in giving the money away and to build trust they need the victim to show them some of their money. They convince the victim to withdraw money from their bank and when victim’s money is in hand the two suspects leave and never return.   The suspects will not go into banks because they say it is against their religion to be photographed. The attached picture and video was recovered from a McDonald’s surveillance system where the man wearing the suit had gone inside.   Garland Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for the identity of the man shown in this picture and video. 972-272-TIPS (8477).

Scam Suspect (Click image to view surveillance video.)

Garland Power and Light News Release:

New Locations for City of Garland Customer Service and Tax & Revenue Recovery Offices

As of June 7, the City of Garland Utility Customer Service and Tax offices will move to the Charles E. Duckworth Utility Services building at 217 N. Fifth Street, across from City Hall. Customers will make utility and tax payments or inquire about an account at one of the service areas on the first floor.
 
Also opening June 7, the new Garland Utility Payment Drive Thru is located at 717 W. State Street, just a couple of blocks away at the corner of State and Glenbrook. This facility features a four-lane drive thru, a welcome improvement over the previous two-lane drive thru. Additionally, customers will be able to access the utility payment drop box without leaving their vehicle. The drop box is located in the far left lane of the Drive Thru.
 
At the close of business on Friday, June 4, the old Customer Service and Tax offices and drive through will be closed. Utility and tax payments will no longer be accepted at the 800 Main Street building.

Charles E. Duckworth Utility Services Building 217 N. Fifth Street   Garland Utility Payment Drive Thru 717 W. State Street

Both locations have had numerous news mentions. Signs are posted at the old payment locations. However, anyone that missed all that will learn in less than a week that all utility payments will be accepted at the new locations.   Customers paying in person at the customer service location in the new Duckworth Utility Services Bldg (across from City Hall) will find more stations to handle customers and private conference rooms are available to speak with representatives. The facilities will be much nicer for the employees, too.   Those wishing to continue using drive-through facilities will find more lanes at the new Garland Utility Payment Drive Thru building. One caveat: the entrance lane from State St looks like an alley entrance. I don't know who made the call to wall off the street side and leave only the "alley," but it wouldn't have been my choice. After the initial confusion, drivers will figure it out but I don't think they'll ever get comfortable with it. Besides that small hurdle, everything else about the experience should be a big step up.