Last looks at Christmas Vandagriff Kindergaren Program, 12J a n u a r y 4 - 1 0 , 2 0 1 3 · w w w . c o m m u n i t y - n e w s . c o m · 7 5 c e n t s

TTHHEE CCOOMMMMUUNNIITTYY NNEEWWSSServing Eastern Parker County, Texas: Aledo · the Annettas · Hudson Oaks · Willow Park

Copyright 2013, The Community News

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Volume 24, Number 01Published Weekly

Commentary

YOUR HEALTH | PAGE 6

Biggest StoryKing Hoover encourages an “Avengers” approach to health.

Life&Community

PAGE 18

AHS Christmas ConcertBand Program Dec. 20

PAGE 7

Offensive KeyTaylor Johnson leads Bearcats

Sports

ON THE SIDE

Spring Baseball RegistrationAledo Athletics Inc has announced that online reg-istration will be available through Jan. 31 for players returning from 2012. In-per-son signups for new or all other players will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12 and Saturday, Jan. 19 at the McAnally Intermediate School cafeteria. New players should take a copy of his/her birth certificate for age verifi-cation. Fees are $140 for ages 5 and up, and $80 for ages 3-4 (honkball). Tryouts will be Feb 9-10 at times to be announced. For more informa-tion, visit www.aledoathletics.com or email info@aledoath-letics.com.

Aledo Chili SupperThe annual Aledo Chili Supper, Silent Auction and Style Show will run from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Aledo Community Center, 104 Robinson Court, across from City Hall. Tickets are $5 per adult and $3 per child 8 and under. Tickets may be purchased at Aledo City Hall, East Parker County Library or the East Parker County Chamber of Commerce. All proceeds go to benefit the Aledo Community Center to help keep rental fees low.

Bearcat BootcampThe 2013 Bearcat Bootcamp workouts will run at 6:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at the Aledo ISD indoor practice facility through June 1. Cost for the public fitness program is $125 for single and $200 for two. All proceeds ben-efit Aledo student athletes. For more information, email bearcatbootcamp@live.com.

Genealogy and Historical SocietyThe East Parker County Genealogy and Historical Society will start the year off with its annual busi-ness meeting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 19. Following election of officers and dis-cussion of program activities for the year, those wishing can join the group for a dutch treat lunch in the area. The meeting will be held at the Willow Park Community Center at the intersection of Ranch House Rd. and Stagecoach Trail in Willow Park (Exit 418 of I-20).

ALEDO

Council looks at improvements to Aledo Trail◗ Approves landscaping improvements at Parks of AledoBy Phil MajorThe Community News

Two major projects in Aledo received attention from the city council Dec. 20.

Construction on the Aledo Trail project, impacting the rail-road crossing on Farm Road 1187 near downtown, is set to begin in February.

Parker County opened the bids Dec. 6, according to engi-neer Chris Bosco with Freese and Nichols engineering fi rm.

Low bid was submitted by McMahon Contracting of Irving for $3,175,592. The project is a part of the Parker County 2008 Transportation Bond and is being completed in conjunction with the widening of FM 1187 from Interstate 20 to the downtown area.

Bosco presented the coun-cil with four bid alternates for upgrades to the project.

City Manager Ken Pfeifer said the alternates will be requested from Parker County if funds are available.

Improvements include upgrad-ed lighting, concrete parking areas (versus asphalt), improved sign poles and improved crosswalks.

Total of the improvements to be requested is $119,173, Pfeifer said.

If the county cannot afford the improvements, the council will have to revisit the issue, he said.

The city is budgeting $24,950 toward the improvements.

Aledo Trail will route south-bound traffi c onto a new railroad crossing near city hall to the west of the current crossing, which will become a one-way northbound crossing - essentially creating a one way loop with two lanes cross-ing the tracks in each direction.

Construction is expected to be complete by the year’s end.

Improvements in the landscap-ing and hardscaping for the entry ways and parks in the Parks of Aledo subdivision improvements also met the council’s approval.

Justin Welborn, project man-ager for the subdivision off Bailey Ranch Road, said the developers were not happy with the origi-nal landscaping and switched to another fi rm. The new concept is “much closer to what we had envi-sioned,” he said. It ties in with the native character of the landscape. Features include a mix of native and cut limestone and a restored meadow look, with more native plants.

The council added its approv-al to that of the Planning and Zoning Commission, which also reviewed the changes.

Also approved was a plat for Specialty Research Associates at 426 Circle Dr. The fi rm plans to expand its facilities.

The approval is subject to a review of utility easements.

Turn to ALEDO, page 2

Passion and Passion and AmbitionAmbition

◗ Tedder ‘fi nds himself ’ at the guitarBy Kathy ChruscielskiThe Community News

Blues guitarist Matt Tedder says, “I’ve found who I am and what I’m supposed to be doing here.” The Aledo High School senior has a passion for music and the ambi-tion to travel the world playing guitar. With graduation only weeks away, Matt has been busy working in the studio and playing guitar in a church praise band, but still made time for a recent benefi t in honor of his friend Eric Willoughby.

Eric, also a senior at Aledo High School, has been battling Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer, for the more than two years. Tedder’s “Honoring a Warrior” event at the Willow Park Railhead restaurant last month raised almost two thousand dol-lars and collected six boxes of gifts for cancer patients at Children’s Medical Center. Proceeds will bene-fi t 1million4anna.com, a local non-profi t foundation named for a teen who lost her battle with Ewing’s sarcoma.

Turn to MATT, page 2

KATHY CHRUSCIELSKI/THE COMMUNITY NEWS

Aledo High School senior Matt Tedder sings “Sweet Home Chicago” at a December concert to honor his friend Eric Willoughby.

KATHY CHRUSCIELSKI/THE COMMUNITY NEWS

Eric Willoughby (left), a friend of Matt Tedder, has been battling Ewing’s Sarcoma for two years.

2 January 4, 2013 News THE COMMUNITY NEWS

Robert Casey Stroud, D.D.S., P.C. Pediatric & Adolescent Dentistry

Diplomate of American Board of Pediatric DentistryFellow of American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

134 El Chico Trail, Suite 101Aledo/Willow Park, TX 76087

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MATTfrom page one

Eric’s mother Tara Willoughby expressed her gratitude for the support of the community, friends and neighbors.

Matt and Eric met in a class at AHS.“Me and Eric share a great love for music and

a passion for it,” Tedder said. “Get us in a room, we could last a lifetime sharing music…that’s just how we are.”

Tedder is happy to have a friend as plugged into music as he is.

“It seems like he’s one of the only really true friends I’ve been able to share that passion with,” Tedder said.

Matt has taken Eric into the studio to sing on recordings for Eric’s parents. “Everywhere Eric goes, he’s humming a song. Music is always on his mind,” Tedder said.

Listening to blues music puts Tedder in a good mood.

“The blues is something that gives us that feel-ing that I’m sure 15 year-old girls get when they listen to One Direction,” he said. Tedder prefers the music of Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, and Django Reinhardt to popular modern music which he believes can sound “artifi cial.”

“Now it seems like more music is coming from the computer than the soul and the heart,” he laments.

Tedder recently started playing contempo-rary gospel music in the praise band at New Life Fellowship Church in Arlington, a forty minute drive. “It’s been one of the greatest learning expe-riences that any musician could ever go through because you’re there for God... it’s ministry and it’s a good feeling, and at the same time you’re learning so much new about music,” he said. Matt has taken Eric to church at New Life Fellowship where he says that Eric loves to sing along and clap his hands.

Tedder’s older sister Jessica has started sing-ing and playing the harmonica with him. Matt cherishes the time with family and considers himself “blessed to have an impact on (Jessica) musically.” Jessica goes to blues jams with Matt. They plan to perform as a brother and sister act at the NAMM (National Association of Music Manufacturers) show in California on Jan. 24. Matt is endorsed by Burris Amps and Trophy Guitar Straps. Videos of Matt performing at pre-vious NAMM shows are posted on the internet.

After he completes high school in January, Matt plans to forego college to concentrate on stu-dio work with his best friend, producer Joey Rios. Tedder plans to release an EP with four or fi ve original blues rock and soul songs “very soon.”

“At my age, I really want to impact the young-er generation with music that has the roots of the old folk,” he said.

ABOVE: Matt Tedder plays his Gibson Les Paul at home among photos of his musical influences and a “saz” instru-ment from Turkey. Matt’s mother Hattice, a nurse at Aledo High School, is Turkish. | LEFT: Matt greets fans after the show at Railhead on Dec. 19 including friend Eric Willoughby. | BELOW: Country recording artist Steve Helms sings during the benefit con-cert.

Photos by Kathy Chruscielski

The Community News

Photos by Bethanie James, Ben

Regalado, Bridget Chaffin andRegalado, Bridget Chaffi n and

Jeff GrimmJeff Grimm

Thanks to all who made the 2012 Moritz Holiday Classic a Success!

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