local boy scouts learn welding at tcc south campus
TRANSCRIPT
Local Boy Scouts Learn Welding at TCC South Campus June 24, 2014 by Kendra Prince
Local boy scouts recently worked toward a merit badge in welding at the Tarrant County College South Campus. Ranging in age from 12 to 18, the scouts spent more than four hours learning about welding from instructor Candace Ortega. “The scouts were amazing,” Ortega said. “Everyone had a good time and learned something new. I see potential welders.” After covering safety with the 11 boys, Ortega trained them in common welding and cutting processes, machine set-up and welding. She also talked about career opportunities and the American Welding Society (AWS). “There was not a boy there who did not have fun,” said Kim Anderson, scoutmaster of Troop 120 in Everman. “There were four or five boys who asked if they could come and weld some more.” Anderson said as a scoutmaster taking the boys to learn and have a new experience is what scouting is all about. The event emerged from strong ties between the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and Lincoln Electric, a leader in the welding supplies field. Lincoln Electric works with Boy Scout troops nationwide to help them earn welding merit badges. Charlie Cross, a welding educator and BSA account manager for Lincoln Electric, contacted Ortega about providing training for the scouts. Scouting Magazine covered the event for an issue to be released this fall. “The college was very supportive of this project, Anderson said. “I would love to work with TCC again.
TCC South Campus Employee Lands Book
Contract June 23, 2014 by Kendra Prince
Julie Murphy, a library specialist at Tarrant County College South Campus, recently published
her first young adult novel, “Side Effects May Vary,” with the Balzer + Bray division of
HarperCollins. The story is about 16-year-old Alice, who after being diagnosed with leukemia,
vows to spend the rest of her life correcting what she considers to be wrongs. Her bucket list
includes humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting revenge on her arch nemesis. Once the scores
are settled, Alice unexpectedly goes into remission.
Faced with the consequences of her actions, Alice has to evaluate whether or not she has caused
irreparable damage as she learns about love, life and confronting your own mortality.
Murphy’s inspiration for the story came out of a gathering with a group of teens when she
worked as a youth programs coordinator for a public library. At the gathering, Murphy and the
teens got into a discussion about what would happen if they were stranded in the library during a
zombie apocalypse. Ultimately, the teens decided they could do whatever they wanted. Based on
that discussion, Murphy was inspired to write about a teen doing what she wants because she
thinks she is going to die.
“I’ve always gravitated toward writing,” Murphy said. “It is only recently that I began to take it
seriously. Shortly after finishing her bachelor’s degree at Texas Wesleyan University, Murphy
planned to work on her master’s degree. However, she started on the novel and couldn’t stop.
Nine months later, her book sold.
In March, South Campus Student Activities hosted a book signing for Murphy. When Tristian
Evans, a senior office assistant for Student Activities, heard about Murphy’s upcoming book
during National Novel Writing Month last November, he reached out to her to schedule the
event.
“I really like to write about mortality,” Murphy said. “As writers, we write about things that
puzzle us and are complex issues to us. Mortality is something I will always question. Because of
that, I will always write about the effect of death on the living.”
Murphy’s next novel, “Dumplin’,” is scheduled for publication next year.
TCC Holds Honors Recitals at Northeast and Northwest Campuses June 19, 2014 by Kendra Prince
Students participating in two honors recitals at the Northeast and Northwest campuses recently demonstrated TCC’s commitment to excellence. Both singing and playing a variety of instruments, students receiving private lessons signed up to audition with the approval of their instructors. Auditions are held before a panel of outside judges. “This is the largest group of honors recital students to earn this opportunity at TCC, ever!” said Northeast Music Department Chair Karen Parsons. The Northeast panel of judges asked if they could select a “Best in Room” for the day. They bestowed the honor upon Alex Gillen, who played guitar for “Tango en Skai,” by Roland Dyens. Nineteen artists performed during the Northeast Honors recital. Musical selections included vocal and instrumental numbers from a variety of works including Don Giovanni, Magnificat, Pirates of Penzance and The Godfather. The event was attended by the Sonata Club, a group of enthusiasts committed to support the study of music. They established the Sonata Club Scholarship to stimulate interest in music and encourage deserving students. At the Northwest Honors Recital, eight students performed music by Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Mendelsohn and Sondheim. Two artists performed vocal numbers while the remaining six played instrumentals on the piano, saxophone, trombone and tuba. Northwest Music Director Richard Powell praised the students, saying, “With their performances, honors participants demonstrate the utmost in preparation, interpretation and technical ability that our wonderful private music faculty passes on to our students.”
TCC Employee Earns National
Recognition for Novel June 18, 2014 by Kendra Prince
Adrian Jackson, publications manager in the Tarrant County College District Graphic
Services department, recently received an honorable mention in the Writer’s Digest First
Annual Self- Published e-Book Awards for her historical fiction novel, Kindertransport.
“This is one of those war stories you hear little about,” Jackson said. Seventy-five years
ago, humanitarians came together to rescue Jewish children from the grasp of the Nazis
and place them with foster families. Before the door slammed shut nine months later,
more than 10,000 children were saved. Kindertransport explores the fictitious story of
four siblings whose lives were changed by their parents’ decision to send them to
England until the end of the war.
Jackson, a historian, says the idea for the novel came from a magazine article, which focused
on children saved by foster families in the United Kingdom. Her research for the book
introduced her to Sir Nicholas Winton, the “Father of the Kindertransport,” who organized
the rescue of mostly Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia on the eve of
World War II. He found homes for the children and safely transported them to Britain.
“Some historians don’t consider the children of the Kindertransport as victims of the
Holocaust,” Jackson said. “I don’t agree. They were deeply affected and their survival has
had an exponential impact on the world. I wanted to explore their lives in this book and
honor their stories.”
Kindertransport is the fourth eBook for Jackson, who says she chose to self-publish and go
the eBook route because she wanted to make her work available. “I decided that I wanted to
get my work out there more than I wanted to wait on someone else. This is a great time to
self-publish – my novel is available to everyone and I don’t have to sell it out of the trunk of
the car.”
Jackson is already at work on her next novel, which takes place in Texas during the same
period as Kindertransport, and focuses on Americans of German and Italian descent that
were rounded up at the same time Japanese-Americans were arrested as enemy aliens.
NEWS ADVISORY AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES
TCC Dedicates Opportunity Center Community Resource Room
FORT WORTH, Texas (July 8, 2014)
WHAT:
In keeping with its commitment to open access, Tarrant County College, in conjunction with
the Focus Network, will honor area educators as part of its dedication of the Tarrant County
College Opportunity Center Community Resource Room. The Community Resource Room
will provide resources, including computer access, for research about educational
opportunities.
Honorees will be recognized as part of “A Breakfast with Our Elders,” during which their
contributions will be highlighted. The Community Resource Room will be dedicated
immediately following the breakfast.
The honorees are The Honorable Reby Cary, Dorothy Pinkard, Mae Cora Peterson, Erma Bonner-Platte, Abraham Washington, Bishop Marjorie Burns, Franklin Burkly, Joe Kirven, Mamie McKnight, Mitchell McEwing and Kerven Carter.
WHEN:
Wednesday, July 9
7:30 a.m.
WHERE:
TCC Opportunity Center
5901 Fitzhugh Avenue
Fort Worth, TX 76119
###
CONTACT:
Rita L.B. Parson
817-515-1542
www.tccd.edu
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
TCCD Assistant Chief Honored for Excellence FORT WORTH, Texas (June 24, 2014) The Texas Association of College and University
Police Administrators (TACUPA) recently presented the prestigious Larry W. Fultz Memorial
Award for Excellence to Tarrant County College District (TCCD) Assistant Chief Leigh
Dietrich at its recent 50th Annual Conference in Corpus Christi.
During her tenure with TCCD, Dietrich has received numerous departmental awards
including recognition as “2004 Officer of the Year,” “2008 Supervisor of the Year” and as the
recipient of a life-saving award in 2011.
Dietrich has demonstrated critical thinking, strong leadership and management skills along
with exceptional team-building skills. She maintains direct lines of effective communication
internally and externally. Her areas of responsibility include the development of department
policies such as crisis management and critical incident responses and the establishment of
liaisons and cooperation with other agencies when emergency or disaster response
coordination is required.
Prior to joining TCCD, Dietrich began her law enforcement career with the Dallas Police
Department where she was president of her academy class. She started as a police officer
on the Northwest Campus in 2001 where she worked for almost five years. She later
worked at Northeast Campus where she was promoted to corporal in 2008. In April 2010,
Dietrich was promoted to sergeant at Northwest Campus. She was promoted the next year
to lieutenant at Southeast Campus.
Dietrich comes from a family of law enforcement officers. Her grandfather was a
Department of Public Safety officer for 30 years before his retirement. Her brother is City
Marshal in South Texas. Additionally, her sister is an attorney.
She earned a master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati and a bachelor’s degree
from The University of Texas at Arlington, both in criminal justice. On June 2, 2012, she
became the second person to become assistant chief of police at TCC.
Recognizing an outstanding campus police officer in the state of Texas, TACUPA named its
award after Larry W. Fultz, who had a multi-faceted life dedicated to law enforcement. He
was a retired inspector for the city of Houston Police Department, an attorney, head of
Juvenile Probation Department for Harris County and principal author of the current juvenile
and family code of the state of Texas. He served as director of security at the University of
Houston and became active in the promotion and development of campus policing.
Each member institution may nominate officers. The recipient for this recognition must be a
full-commissioned peace officer who promotes professional ideals and standards in law
enforcement in order to serve the educational objectives of institutions of higher education.
###
CONTACT: Rita Parson Tarrant County College 817-515-1542 [email protected] www.tccd.edu
Power plant: Proposals abound for next steps for former TXU facility June 28, 2014 Scott Nishimura [email protected]
Former TXU power plant. Photo by Alyson Peyton Perkins
There’s no shortage of proposals for what Tarrant County College can do with the historic 100-year-old TXU power plant it owns on the Trinity River north of downtown.
The Downtown Fort Worth Inc. economic development nonprofit has sent groups interested in everything from office, to residential, hotel and entertainment to the college district in recent years, said Andy Taft, DFWI president.
“All kinds of people are thinking all kinds of different things,” he said.
A group of Texas Tech University architecture graduate students in 2012 examined the site, and each proposed an adaptive reuse plan.
Proposals included an aquarium; multipurpose facility; beer brewery, gardens and restaurant; museum; Tarrant County College student union and activity center; multipurpose
athletic and retail building with amenities such as a climbing wall and basketball court; restaurants and bars; culinary school and restaurant; and community arts center.
The proposals took advantage of the cavernous “vast cathedral-like” space, said Elizabeth Louden, the architecture professor whose students have examined five sites in Fort Worth and done public presentations on each.
“They don’t have to pay for (the rehab) financially,” Louden joked. “We realize we can dream big dreams.”
Worldwide, there are numerous examples of the adaptive reuse of old power plants, usually all on waterfronts. Typically, the plans include the construction of substantial new spaces around the plants.
In Austin, for example, one plant on Lady Bird Lake is being made over and the power plant space itself leased almost entirely by a health care company for office space. The plant also will feature a bar and grill, coffee shop and viewing area, said Mary Alice Kaspar, a spokeswoman for the development group.
The site will feature a newly built condo tower and low-rise commercial building that will include a Trader Joe’s and office space.
J.D. Granger, executive director of the Trinity River Vision Authority, said retail, restaurant and public spaces are among the likely uses for an adaptive reuse of the TXU plant, which the city and TRV view as a critical piece in the development of the Trinity River Vision plan. The TRV plan includes a town lake, which the TXU site would front.
The TXU plant adaptive reuse “will be part of a much larger project,” Granger predicted.
“We expect there to be a lot of activity around the building,” he said. “I do expect it will be a huge catalyst.”
The Tarrant County College Board started the process in motion June 19, when it voted to explore the sale, lease or new use of the plant, which it obtained several years ago as it was developing its downtown campus.
The college board will soon issue “requests for qualification” that will seek ideas and qualifications from groups interested in the site, “but not necessarily a timeline or fiscal plan,” said Louise Appleman, the college board president.
Appleman said the college district has been pitched numerous ideas since it’s owned the property.
“We’ve had everything suggested except a filling station or an auto garage,” she said.
Appleman cautioned development groups that the project “won’t be an easy renovation.”
The college board had estimates of $3 million to mothball the plant, “just to protect it,” she said.
She did not rule out a potential partnership under which the college district is a partner, and said the "use" and "lease" wording was designed to leave open all possibilities.
But of a partnership, she said, “you have to be really careful with something like that. We’re very conscious of the fact that we’re dealing with taxpayer money here.”
Jerre Tracy, executive director of the Historic Fort Worth economic development nonprofit, said she’s encouraged by the college district’s signals that it intends to seek a highly qualified developer.
“They do have to have a qualified developer, and one who knows how to use the historic tax credits,” she said. “Sometimes, you inadvertently make mistakes that lose money for the project.”
Taft said the proposals he’s heard picked up in number after the state Legislature approved a new tax credit for historic rehab work during its last session.
“It’s a 25 percent historic credit that can be double with a federal 20 percent historic tax credit,” he said.
Taft said the interest demonstrates the confidence that the market has in the Trinity River Vision, downtown, West Seventh corridor and Near Southside.
“It’s another signal that the tide of investment is turning to the city center and people are starting to come back,” he said.
The college board’s vote coincided with the completion of lengthy talks over a land swap between the college district and Tarrant Regional Water District.
The swap went ahead without an 18-acre parcel adjacent to the TXU site that the college district has under option.
That tract is owned by Luminant, a subsidiary of Energy Futures Holdings, and it remains tied up in the Energy Futures Holdings ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.
As part of the land swap, TCC agreed to sign the option over to the Tarrant Regional Water District once TCC secures Luminant approval, said Granger, who also represents the TRWD.
The water district plans to use it for a marina and access canal.
Grand Prairie TEXAS Nearby Towns AmericanTowns.com June 24, 2014 Schools and Libraries
Eyes on the Skies: Space Exploration from the Moon and Beyond From: Grand Prairie Public Library System
The Grand Prairie Main Library presents "Eyes on the Skies: Space Exploration from the Moon and Beyond," a free program, Raymond Benge, an astronomer with a special interest in eclipsing binary stars, will discuss the past, present, and future of space exploration. An associate professor of physics and astronomy at Tarrant County College’s Northeast Campus, Benge found his passion for space while growing up in Houston during the height of the early space age. After study at Duke University and Texas A&M, he was the observatory director at UNT before teaching full time at TCC. Following the program (weather and sky conditions permitting) members of the Tarrant County College Astronomy Club will have telescopes available to view the Moon, planets, and other objects from the lawn by the parking lot. Viewing starts about 30 minutes after the program ends. The Library cannot be re-entered after 9 pm. This program is part of "Literary Elements", an adult summer reading program. Participants of this program earn the chance to win a Kindle Fire. A grand prize winner will be drawn for each of the three libraries at the end of the summer. Date & Time: July 8, 2014 at 7:30 pm Location: Grand Prairie Main Library, 901 Conover Drive, Grand Prairie, TX. For more information call 972-237-5700 or visit gptx.org/library.
TEXAS PRESS CLIPPING REPORT - TARRANT COUNTY COLLEGE05/26/14 Business Press Fort Worth, TX Weekly 7,810 23,430 Focus: Transportation & Logistics05/26/14 Business Press Fort Worth, TX Weekly 7,810 23,430 Community Bank, Northstar Bank To Merge05/28/14 Azle News Azle, TX Weekly 3,584 10,752 Graduation 201405/29/14 White Settlement Bomber Fort Worth, TX Weekly 11,500 34,500 WS Police Welcomes New Officer05/30/14 Star Telegram Fort Worth, TX Daily 167,433 502,299 Calendar of Events06/01/14 Focus Daily News DeSoto, TX Daily 27,708 83,124 Hospital Director earns top healthcare credential06/01/14 Star Telegram Fort Worth, TX Daily 167,433 502,299 Sonata Club06/01/14 Times Record News Wichita Falls, TX Daily 23,479 70,437 Congratulations 2014 Graduates06/02/14 Business Press Fort Worth, TX Weekly 7,810 23,430 Coming UP 06/02/14 Business Press Fort Worth, TX Weekly 7,810 23,430 News Makers06/05/14 El Lider USA Dallas, TX Weekly 50,000 150,000 Ameritas Launches Hispanic Pathways06/06/14 Star Telegram Fort Worth, TX Daily 167,433 502,299 Fort Worth's founder finally gets his statue06/08/14 Dallas Morning News Dallas, TX Daily 254,898 764,694 It's all coming together thanks to YOUnited Way06/08/14 Star Telegram Fort Worth, TX Daily 167,433 502,299 Congratulations Graduates06/09/14 Business Press Fort Worth, TX Weekly 7,810 23,430 Newsmakers: Boards & Organizations06/11/14 Azle News Azle, TX Weekly 3,584 10,752 Taking Oath06/11/14 Star Telegram Fort Worth, TX Daily 167,433 502,299 Downtown post office no longer up for sale 06/12/14 Crowley Star Burleson, TX Weekly 1,504 4,512 Student's PSA sheds light on abuse06/15/14 Dallas Morning News Dallas, TX Daily 254,898 764,694 Tarrant County Public Schools Valedictorians & Salutatorians06/16/14 Business Press Fort Worth, TX Weekly 7,810 23,430 Tarrant County Area Advertising and PR Firms06/19/14 River Oaks News Fort Worth, TX Weekly 7,500 22,500 River Oaks Resident Named to President's List06/22/14 Star Telegram Fort Worth, TX Daily 167,433 502,299 TCC will explore options for plant06/22/14 Star Telegram Fort Worth, TX Daily 167,433 502,299 Northeast Tarrant school news06/24/14 Star Telegram Fort Worth, TX Daily 167,433 502,299 A dusty old relic or a real estate gem06/25/14 Star Telegram Fort Worth, TX Daily 167,433 502,299 Expert looks at future of space exploration06/25/14 Star Telegram Fort Worth, TX Daily 167,433 502,299 Arlington looks to expand parking for Rangers games