Lots of laughs, handshaking and teamwork expressed at Groundbreaking today!
PIC #1 PIC #2
PIC #1: (L-R) Eugene Lowe, Former Mayor, Wilmer; Alberta Blair, Dir. Public Works Dallas County; County Commissioner John Wiley Price | PIC #2: (L-R) Bill Hale District Engineer, TxDOT; Alberta Blair, PWorks DC; County Judge Clay Jenkins; Desoto Mayor Carl Sherman; County Commissioners Theresa Daniel and John Wiley Price; Michael Morris, Dir. Transportation, NCTCOG; Hector Pena, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Wilmer
Dallas County, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the City of Wilmer celebrated the groundbreaking of the $12.6 million Pleasant Run Overpass this morning. The project is the second phase of a commitment that includes the recently constructed Wintergreen Overpass just to the north and will be virtually identical. Both projects represent critical links to the Inland Port, providing safer crossings at Millers Ferry and the railroad for the traveling public.
Officials at the event expressed great pride in the incredible teamwork, leadership and vision this took to get done, emphasizing that leadership on the part of Commissioner Price. Price thanked partners, the City of Wilmer and Michael Morris, Director of Transportation at the North Texas Council of Governments (NTCOG) for “always being mindful of Southern Dallas when it comes to development…”
The new bridge over Union Pacific tracks and Millers Ferry Road will enable continuous traffic flow from Interstate 45 to areas west of Millers Ferry Road in the City of Wilmer and into Hutchins and Lancaster. This major project transforms Pleasant Run Road which currently consists of a two-lane asphalt road with a railroad crossing and no sidewalks. When completed next summer, it will feature sidewalks and a four-lane continuous concrete overpass that will take vehicles and pedestrians over both Millers Ferry Road and a multiple set of busy railroad tracks without interruption.
Maria Arita Chief PIO Dallas County
Commissioner Price called the work of nurses a “calling that can be undertaken only by the most gifted and dedicated of individuals–people who can be strong in the most extreme and emotional of situations; people who can make instantaneous decisions that can save a life; and people who can make an injured child smile and a dying person feel safe.” He pointed specifically to the heavily utilized Parkland Hospital, with over 130,000 emergency room visits, 18,500 surgeries, their many community clinics, deliveries and nearly eight (8) million prescriptions filled per year, as a hallmark of the important nature of the work of nurses. The Commissioner said they are on the frontlines every day and are the foundation of the Hospital … “the foundation, its heart, its face and the bonding agent.” But, he said “the most significant contribution (of nurses) to Dallas County is their compassion and professionalism…they consistently display.”
Dallas County Commissioners Court gratefully extends its sincere appreciation to the 3,020 nurses of Parkland Hospital for the life-saving and life-giving role that they perform every hour of every day and for the example that they set for each of us and designates the period of May 6 through May 12, 2013 as “National Nurses’ Week.”
Commissioner Daniels rained accolades on Children’s Medical Center today, acknowledging the institution for the exceptional service it has provided for more than 100 years to our most vulnerable citizens. She cited their open-air clinic (baby camp) which became known as one of the world’s most renowned children’s medical centers. The Commissioner commended the medical center’s service in the health and well being of children “regardless of their families’ ability to pay, and does so without tax support from the city or county, providing $140 million in community benefits in 2011.”
Children’s Medical Center has been the pediatric safety net hospital for Dallas County since signing an agreement with the Parkland Health & Hospital System two decades ago. Today, Children’s Medical Center provides the largest portion of the care to Dallas County children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. Among the medical center’s major accomplishments is their provision of medical homes for almost 100,000 children from underserved communities. The hospital has an annual impact of more than $1.6 billion dollars on the regional economy, employing 5,600 people including a medical/dental staff of more than 1,000. They are the only pediatric healthcare organization in the nation to achieve seven disease-specific certifications from the Joint Commission, as well as Magnet Recognition for nursing excellence, the highest national recognition granted to a hospital for nursing excellence. Today Commissioners Court celebrated Children’s Medical Center’s April 6th 100th Anniversary!
… Regional and County officials as well as city partners were on-hand at the Dedication Ceremony last Friday. Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia echoed the sentiment from everyone it took to make this happen, saying, “It has been a long time, but with the diligent work of current and past County officials, dedicated staff, and the cooperation of the City of Grand Prairie, the new space is here. Hope to see you there!”]
The two-story, 32,000-square-foot sub-courthouse will serve as the local county government center housing District 4′s Truancy Court, Justice of the Peace Court, and tax offices plus Juvenile Probation and Constable offices. In addition, approximately 200 people will be employed here, having a positive effect on the economic revitalization of downtown Grand Prairie. County Judge Clay Jenkins added “This is a great day for Dr. Garcia and all of our elected officials and employees in Southwest Dallas County. I am particularly excited for the new Truancy Court facilities which will help us in our ongoing battle to curb the dropout rate and increase graduation rates in Dallas County.”
[Dallas, TX] – [County officials as well as city partners will be on-hand at the Dedication Ceremony. Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia echoes the sentiment from everyone it took to make this happen, saying, “It has been a long time, but with the diligent work of current and past County officials, dedicated staff, and the cooperation of the City of Grand Prairie, the new space is here. Hope to see you there!”]
The two-story, 32,000-square-foot sub-courthouse will serve as the local county government center housing District 4′s Truancy Court, Justice of the Peace Court, and tax offices plus Juvenile Probation and Constable offices. In addition, approximately 200 people will be employed here, having a positive effect on the economic revitalization of downtown Grand Prairie. County Judge Clay Jenkins added “This is a great day for Dr. Garcia and all of our elected officials and employees in Southwest Dallas County. I am particularly excited for the new Truancy Court facilities which will help us in our ongoing battle to curb the dropout rate and increase graduation rates in Dallas County.”]
Dallas County Government Center
Dedication Ceremony
Friday, April 26, 2013
1:30 PM
106 W. Church St.
Grand Prairie, TX
Media Contact:
Commissioner, Dr. Elba Garcia, Dist. 4
214-653-6670
Elba.garcia@dallascounty.org
Old paint …. pesticides …. cleaning products …. used motor oil …. old computers ….batteries
Are these and other items cluttering up your home and garage?
Don’t miss this opportunity to get rid of all that stuff that can’t be thrown in the regular trash.
This Saturday, April 27, 2013, Dallas County Household Hazardous Waste will hold a Home Chemical Collection for residents of fifteen area cities. The event will be hosted by City of Duncanville.
Who can attend? Where is it? When is it? What do they take?
For answers to these questions, Click Here.
Judge Clay Jenkins’ Resolution
Re-purposed by: Maria Arita Chief PIO Dallas Count
Today’s Commissioners Court started off with the reading of a few resolutions by Commissioner John Wiley Price honoring the work and retirement of Donna Garner, Karin Petties and Paul Williams. It continued with a Resolution by Judge Clay Jenkins proclaiming Saturday June 15, 2013 as SERVE-A-THON Day in Dallas County, urging citizens on behalf of the Volunteer Center of North Texas, to volunteer at a public school.
But the BIG story came moments later when Judge Jenkins began with:
| WHEREAS, | John Wiley Price was born by the river in a little tent; the son of a Baptist Minister, the late Holman Coleman Price, and the late Willie Faye Price, on April 24, 1950; and,
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Do we hear a song coming?!…
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