Want to stay connected to Denton County? Watch for my column each month for updates and events happening in Precinct 3 and around the county.
Denton County Reports Two Additional Influenza-Associated Deaths
Denton County Public Health (DCPH) has reported the fourth and fifth influenza-associated deaths in Denton County for the 2017-2018 flu season. The current flu vaccine is critically important for preventing both Flu A and the now-growing number of Flu B cases and the DCPH reminds everyone that simple everyday preventive actions help stop the transmission of the flu.
DCPH recommends a three-pronged approach to fighting the flu:
- Get vaccinated. The best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu is to get an annual flu shot, and the flu vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
- Remember that antiviral medications are a second-line defense against the flu. If you are experiencing fever, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, muscle aches and headaches, visit your doctor immediately, and take antivirals if prescribed. These remedies can help you recover quicker, and can potentially prevent you from being hospitalized with flu complications.
- Take everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs. Cover your cough and sneeze, avoid people experiencing flu symptoms, stay home when you feel sick and wash your hands often.
Weekly Denton County flu surveillance reports and additional information can be found at www.DentonCounty.com/flu. Visit www.cdc.gov/flu for details about symptoms, treatment and prevention, and search www.vaccinefinder.org to find the vaccine in your neighborhood.
Transportation Update
One of my duties as County Commissioner is to manage transportation needs. We currently have several projects in Precinct 3 that are in process as we continue to look for ways to make your commute easier and improve your quality of life.
FM 2499 Extension
FM 2499 has been developed and constructed in five sections, from its origins at SH 121/DFW Connector in Tarrant County extending roughly 17 miles north to I-35E in Denton. Construction on the last segment–Section 5 from FM 2181 to Robinson Road – began in April of 2015 and opened to traffic on December 18, 2017.
Traffic at the intersection of FM 2499 and Robinson Road is being controlled by three-way stop signs with assistance by police. The final section from Robinson Road to State School Road is expected to open soon after a traffic signal is installed.
Corporate Drive
The Corporate Drive project in Lewisville has several construction project sections. The first goes from Railroad Street to Holfords Prairie Road. The plan is to work with the city on the design and to construct a four-lane, divided urban roadway. The cost of the project is $34.5 million. Construction will start in March of 2020 and is scheduled for completion in December 2022.
The second section is a planned four-lane, divided urban roadway from Holfords Prairie Road to FM 2281 at a cost of $4.5 million. Construction on this section will begin in July of this year and will be complete by March 2021.
The final plan on Corporate Drive is the complete construction of a railroad underpass and railroad bridge at FM 544 at a cost of $15 million. Once all the preliminary work is done, construction will start in September of this year and is planned for completion by winter of 2020.
Denton County Fun Fact
Denton County was established by the Texas legislature on April 11, 1846, shortly after Texas abandoned its dream of being a Republic and joined the United States, and was named for John B. Denton, a pioneer Methodist minister, lawyer, soldier, and political candidate who was killed in an Indian battle in 1841.
Upcoming Community and Nonprofit Events:
Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce 55th Annual Awards Gala
The Lewisville Chamber’s 55th Annual Awards Gala is Friday, February 16, at the Lewisville Convention Center at Hilton Garden Inn Lewisville from 7-10 p.m. Tickets are $100 per person and sponsored tables are available for $1,500, $1,000 or $800.
The gala, “Unmasking the Excellence”, will be emceed by NBC 5’s Kris Gutierrez and is an opportunity for the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce to recognize its members for the outstanding work that they do in their businesses and in the community.
For more information log onto their web site at www.lewisvillechamber.org/annual-awards-gala.
Highland Village Rotary “Taste of the Village”
The Highland Village Rotary Club is hosting its first ever “Taste of the Village” on Thursday, March 23, from 6–9 p.m. at Briarwood Retreat Centre, 670 Copper Canyon Rd. in Argyle.
The event is a gourmet food and drink tasting night featuring multiple food stations, two breweries, two wineries, two distilleries, plus a casino party and live music from Good Therapy. Tickets are $50 per person and sponsorship opportunities are still available.
Highland Village Rotary raises funds to benefit local non-profits, including Meals On Wheels, YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, Children’s Advocacy Center, Special Olympics, Fallen Officers Fund and many more.
Go to their web site at hvrotary.org/event/taste-of-the-village for more information.
Highland Village Rotary is a volunteer organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Go to www.HVRotary.org for more information about the club and details on how to become a member.
Children’s Advocacy Center “Champions for Children” Gala
Save the date for Saturday, March 24, for the Children’s Advocacy Center “Champions for Children” Gala. Known for incredible décor, outstanding food and friendly, competitive live and silent auctions, this is an event you won’t want to miss. This gala raises a huge portion of the money to help in the fight for healing and justice for the children in our community.
The gala will start at 7 p.m., with a 6 p.m. preview party, at the Circle R Ranch in Flower Mound.
The Children’s Advocacy Center for Denton County’s (CACDC) empowers child abuse victims, their families and our community through education, healing and justice. Their vision is to break the cycle of child abuse by educating families and our community to proactively protect children.
For more information log onto their web site at cacdc.org/donate/gala.
Did You Know?
The Denton County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) was established to assist the local community during a public health emergency or natural disaster with health implications by providing a rapid, coordinated and specific response.
The MRC was established after President Bush’s 2002 State of the Union Address in which he asked all Americans to volunteer in support of their country. It is a partner program with Citizen Corps, a national network of volunteers dedicated to ensuring hometown security. Citizen Corps, along with AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and the Peace Corps are part of the President’s USA Freedom Corps, which promotes volunteerism and service nationwide.
Denton County’s goal is to prepare over 2,000 medical and non-medical volunteers to respond. As you may be aware, during Hurricane Katrina and September 11, 2001, literally thousands of Americans rushed to Louisiana and New York City to offer assistance to the helpless victims that we all witnessed on our television news broadcasts, but many were turned away because they had not been trained to respond in concert with emergency responders at the state, local and federal levels.
The MRC is the mechanism that we use to ensure that when large numbers of Americans are injured or exposed to a health hazard, they can be treated or cared for expeditiously. In addition, Denton County also provides all the training, “Go bags” and Response gear free!
Contact the Denton County Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator at 940-349-2910 or go to the web site at http://bit.ly/DentonCountyMRC to send an email and let them know you are interested. Register now, your community needs you!
Connect With Us
Be sure and connect with Denton County on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DentonCountyTX and on Twitter @DentonCountyTX.
If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear from you. My email is [email protected] and my office number is 972-434-4780.
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