Over 8,000 fans jam Rockwall Cinemark to see New Moon

Over 8,000 crazy fans jammed into the Cinemark movie theatre in Rockwall this past weekend to see the supernatural heartthrob thriller The Twilight Series: New Moon, helping it shatter box-office attendance records nationwide.

Long lines began forming as early as 5 pm Thursday for the opening Midnight performance, starring Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan, Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen and Ashley Greene as Alice Cullen, according to Cinemark Theatres management.

Our daughter-in-law from Forney went to the Thursday Midnight showing and did not return home until about 3:30 am, I’m told.

The film, which is the sequel to Twilight and the second in a series based upon the four novels by Stephenie Meyer, smashed opening day and two day movie records nationwide.

Wish I would have thought to have someone take some photos!

For more details, see the story at TheRockwallNews.com.

Rowlett GOP PAC president Sharon Russell to challenge Deuell for state senate seat

Rowlett Republican PAC founder and president Sharon Russell has just announced her intentions to try to unseat State Sen. Bob Deuell in the Republican Senate District 2 primary election March 7.

It won’t be easy.

Sen. Deuell, a family physician in Greenville, was first sworn in January, 2003, and has received numerous awards and recognition for his service since.

Also the chairman of the Rowlett Economical & Development Sub-comittee, Russell is currently a Dallas County Republican party precinct chair and former delegate to district and state GOP conventions. 

According to her new website, Russell, mother of four and grandmother of four, thinks a more conservative Senator is needed to represent District 2. 

“The need for conservative representatives in the Texas Senate cannot be understated,” wrote Russell. “I bring my reputation for reliable conservative actions and high moral character as the Republican of choice in this election.”

(Doesn’t she mean… ”overstated?”)

A former small business owner, she claims she is dedicated to family values and straight talk,  plus a tough defender of personal property rights.

“The current economic climate demands judicious spending of every public dollar,” said Russell. “When spending is without consideration for future consequences, the entire State suffers.”

“I stand for family values, I stand for the Constitution, and I will stand for your rights as we fight to take our country back,” she said.

She also said she is never afraid to make her Christian heritage and personal convictions known.

“Russell lives by those principles that guided Texas to greatness in the past, and will so in the future with the right people in office,” she writes on her website. 

For more info, see her website at http://russellforsenate2010.com and her Facebook page.

Million-dollar boat docks at The Harbor a bad idea during tough economic times

I’ve heard a lot of talk around town between people questioning the Rockwall City Council’s decision Oct. 19 to invest nearly $1 million dollars into increasing the number of boat docks at The Harbor from the current nine to 35-40.

Construction is expected to be completed during the summer of 2010.

While I’ll admit that I haven’t taken the time to closely review the budget – which I’m about to do – I have to add my voice to those who think a million dollars for more boat docks is a bad idea right now, particularly during this time of economic hardship for so many families and organizations.

I’m personally disappointed with the Rockwall City Council for approving such a measure.

For example, the Rockwall Boys & Girls Club desperately needs $50,000 immediately to just keep its doors open. If the City Council really wants to invest where it’s needed, how about paying that amount and more to put the non-profit organization on better economic footing? Since opening here a couple of years ago, nearly 200 children daily now attend the Club after school. If the Club closes, where will these children go?

National crime statistics show the majority of juvenile crime is committed after school, when many parents are working. The Boys & Girls Club helps prevent crime by offering children a safe place after school to hang out with friends, do their homework, learn about a variety of things, plus develop their talents and interests – with the help of volunteer mentors. 

The Club even holds pizza parties and stays open late Fridays until 10 pm, so parents can go out on a date once in a while. That’s good for marriages and might just help prevent some divorces.

Another organization which needs funding is the Women In Need women’s shelter office in Rockwall. An average of five women a day – local domestic violence victims – seek counseling and assistance from WIN’s office in the Helping Hands medical facility. But WIN, based in Greenville, is paying about $50,000 per year to staff and operate it – including paying $500 per month for rent there.

No Rockwall funds are currently used to operate the office, from what I understand from WIN’s Executive Director Roger Robertson. And WIN generates most of its income by operating three resale shops in Greenville.

So Rockwall only has an office for domestic violence victims, thanks to the people who purchase items from Hunt Co. resale shops. That’s crazy! Rockwall can definitely afford to pay for an office to help abuse victims.

And then there’s always Helping Hands, the city’s and county’s designated agency for helping those in need. The food pantry is bare right now. How about taking at least a few thousand dollars to pay for some more food for city residents who are out of work or ill?

Yes, The Harbor probably does need more boat docks, so more boaters can party there during Summer concerts, and so more boaters can eat at restaurants there.

And I probably need to better understand what the City can and can’t do with tax dollars.

But I just think there are many better places to invest Rockwall’s tax dollars right now.

What do you think?

The late John Fitzwater honored by Rockwall Police, City Council

The Rockwall City Council honored the late Rockwall Police volunteer John Fitzwater and his wife at their meeting last Monday night when they unanimously agreed to rename the Police Community Service office located in the Brookshire’s shopping center in his honor. 

He passed away Sept. 19, 2009. The Rockwall Police Officer’s Association requested the change.

According to police, Fitzwater donated 724 documented service hours – plus many more undocumented - patrolling neighborhoods and businesses, performing children’s puppet shows and training volunteers how to operate the Sky Watch crime prevention unit, which he often transported.

He began his service in 1998, when he attended the Citizen Police Academy. He then joined the Citizens on Patrol organization and was president of the Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association from January, 2008, until his death.

Rockwall needs more unsung heroes like Mr. Fitzwater.

Local teen band semi-finalist in national battle-of-the-bands contest

A local teen band was recently selected as a semi-finalist in a national battle-of-the-bands competition sponsored by NAMM, the trade association of the international music products industry.

Jaci and Those Guys, composed of teens from the Rowlett, Royse City and Fate, was selected to move on to the semi-finals of the SchoolJam USA teen competition.

Jaci and Those Guys will be included in the online voting portion of the competition, which began Nov. 1, 2009 and ends Dec. 5, at www.schooljamusa.com.

The general public is encouraged to visit the site and vote for their favorite band. The top two bands in five designated regions that receive the most votes will be announced Dec. 19, and will be invited to the live SchoolJam USA battle of the bands finals held at the NAMM Show Jan. 16 in Anaheim, CA.

The winning band will receive $750 toward new musical equipment and could win a trip to perform at the SchoolJam Germany live finals in Frankfurt, Germany, at the MusikMesse trade fair.

The top band’s school music program will also receive $5,000 toward new musical equipment purchased at their local NAMM Member retailer of choice. The competition is sponsored with the help of MENC, the national association for music education; the Music Education National Conference; Music For All; the John Lennon Educational Bus; SchoolJam and InTune Monthly magazine.

Jaci and Those Guys consists of lead vocalist, Jaci Butler, a 13-year-old Rowlett teen; lead guitarist Matt Venhaus,  bass player Jason Savage, rhythm guitarist Chad Ragsdale and drummer Trevor Quiett, all 16-17 years old from Royse City and Fate.

The band has received local and national attention as they have performed throughout the Dallas Area.  Recent accomplishments include winning two local battle of the band competitions, playing at the House of Blues, and taking 2nd place in the nation in the slurpee.com BOTB contest sponsored by the 7-Eleven Corporation.  

They have also performed at such benefits such as Local Euphoria to help raise money and awareness for cystic-fibrosis, the Rowlett Relay for Life to raise money for the National Cancer Society, and the Living for Zachary Benefit in Plano, to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest in teens.  

To learn more about the band and hear their music, visit www.myspace.com/jacibutler.  

From this site you can go to the SchoolJam USA box, and click on “VOTE FOR US” to go directly to www.schooljam.com to vote.

Funeral arrangements set for Nevada mom, parents killed in car accident

Funeral arrangements have been made for the mother and her parents from Nevada who were killed in that terrible head-on car crash last Friday, north of Rockwall on Hwy 205.

Read m0re at TheRockwallNews.com.