Rockwall Council votes to banish Ridge Rd. banners

The Rockwall City Council voted last week to banish all the banners and signs from Ridge Rd. @ I-30 – and perhaps other locations throughout the city – beginning in August.

According to initial reports, many area residents have complained that the banners look too tacky and trashy and Council members agreed.

Certainly most of these signs are too small for drivers to read anyway. I’ve never understood why organizations put up banners that are too small to read.

There is some talk that the City will continue to post banners and signs about City events. There’s some question about how appropriate that is, according to at least one Council member I spoke to,  if all the other banners are being banished.

We’ll find more and report details soon at TheRockwallNews.com.

Rockwall County’s population continues to grow

Rockwall County’s population increased by another 1,950 people and 2.5 percent in 2008, according to a new report by the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

The county population increased from an estimated 76,000 at the beginning of 2008 to 77,950 at the beginning of 2009 – an increase of 2.57 percent.

The City of Fate increased by 850 people to 5,650, an increase of 17.71 percent.

The population of Rockwall increased by an estimated 700 people to 32,100, an increase of 2.23 percent.

The population of Royse City increased by 50 people to 10,150, an increase of 0.5 percent.

Can’t find a breakdown of the estimates in Rowlett or McClendon-Chisholm, but after subtracting the three cities from the County total, 350 people either moved into those cities or just into the County.

Football magazine predicts Highland Park will overthrow champion Heath Hawks

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine’s 2009 edition is out and predicting that Highland Park will overthrow defending District 10-4A champion Rockwall-Heath this year and win the District crown.  

It ranks the Scots as the state’s no. 7 team in the Class 4A poll, after an 11-2 season last year.

Longview is ranked No. 1, followed by Denton Guyer, Cibolo Steele, Denison, Austin Lake Travis, Everman, Waco Midway, Aledo and Dallas Carter.

Texas Football also predicted Rockwall-Heath, Pearce, and Rockwall would be the other three playoff teams from the District.

The magazine, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, previews football from high school to college to the pros in the Lone Star State.

The Scots are ranked No. 3 in the coaches’ state poll with Lake Travis No. 1 and Longview No. 2.

Costco now hiring, will open in Rockwall April 8

The huge Costco store, under construction at the intersection of Highways 276 and 205 in Rockwall

Costco, the huge box discount store, will open April 8 in Rockwall on Highway 276, just southeast of the Hwy. 205 intersection.

The store is currently hiring employees, age 18 and over.

For employment info and job applications, see costco.com and click on either “Locations” or “Employment” and follow the links.

After the initial excitement dies down, will Shenaniganz make it?

So far, so good. The spacious parking lot is frequently full.

It will be very interesting to see if, after the initial excitement dies down, Shenaniganz will actually make it in the Rockwall area as a business venture.

The owners have certainly spared no expense in providing Rockwall with quite an upscale destination, not just for kids’ birthday parties, but also for adults. It easily compares with Dave & Busters, which seems to have done pretty well over the years. But D&B is in Dallas, where thousands of dinks (double income, no kids) are searching for hot, new places to go every night. Shenaniganz is located in conservative, family-oriented Rockwall. There is a difference.

Now that the initial glitz about The Harbor is over, already several businesses have had to pull out there. There simply aren’t enough customers during the week to keep some businesses afloat.

Perhaps someday ‘Ganz and The Harbor will advertise “Rockwall-by-the-Lake” together as an upscale destination.

What do you think? Will Shenaniganz make it – over the long haul?