HEATH – Heath Mayor John Ratcliffe announced today that he will not seek re-election after his fourth term ends in May.

Mayor Ratcliffe was first elected Mayor of Heath in May 2004, winning nearly 70 percent of the vote in a three-way contested race. Ratcliffe was re-elected without opposition in 2006, 2008 and 2010. The City of Heath does not place term limits on elected officials.

Mayor Ratcliffe expressed that one factor in his decision not to seek re-election was the increased time and travel demands for the strategic legal and consulting services provided by the company he founded in 2009 with former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. Mayor Ratcliffe, who served as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas under President George W. Bush, cited his expanding role in support of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign as another factor.

Under Mayor Ratcliffe’s leadership, the City of Heath tax rate never changed from .3433 cents per $100 valuation during eight consecutive budgets. Heath is the only municipality in Rockwall County without at least one or more tax rate increases over that eight-year span. Over the same period, the City’s financial ratings rose significantly to “AA” (“Very Strong”) status through multiple upgrades from all three of the nation’s leading bond rating agencies—Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s Investors and Fitch Ratings.

“Not raising taxes during my tenure as Mayor was something that we’ve worked hard to achieve, and I am pleased for our citizens that we were able to accomplish this goal despite challenging economic times in our country,” said Mayor Ratcliffe.

“Heath’s future has never looked brighter, and after almost eight years, I am ready to look forward to new challenges. But, I will always remain incredibly grateful and forever indebted to the citizens of Heath for allowing me to serve as their mayor.”

The filing period for municipal elections begins on February 4, 2012, and ends on March 5, 2012. Election day is May 12, 2012.

No word yet about who may be running to replace him.

By J.J. Smith, Publisher

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(WFAA-TV News) DALLAS — One day after a dramatic water rescue on Lake Ray Hubbard, there is concern about whether some boat ramps along the shore are too easily mistaken for roads.

Shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday Ngac Do, 20, and her cousin, Nhi Tran, 21, became trapped in their sinking Honda Civic after Do drove onto a boat ramp and directly into the frigid waters.

“At night, their lights don’t hit that water until it’s almost too late,” said Rockwall County Sheriff Harold Eavenson. “I could see how they could drive off in there.”

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(CBS11-TV News) GARLAND – A Rockwall County Sheriff’s deputy is being called a hero for saving the lives of two women who were trapped inside a sinking car at Lake Ray Hubbard.

Deputy Keven Rowen was patrolling Robertson Park at the border of the Rockwall and Dallas County lines on Saturday when he spotted a vehicle in the water with the headlights sticking out. The vehicle was sinking before his eyes.

He could see two victims inside the backseat of the car and heard their cries for help.

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(FOX4-TV News) ROCKWALL – Rockwall County deputy Keven Rowan rescued two women after their Honda Civic ended up in Lake Ray Hubbard early Saturday morning.

Twenty-year-old Ngoc Do and 21-year-old Nhi Hoang Tran say they were heading home after an evening out when they got lost. Ngoc Do was driving. She says she was on the phone talking to her father and didn’t realize she was driving down a boat ramp and into the lake. Do says when she tried to back up the car started to float out into the lake.

Deputy Rowan was doing routine patrols when he spotted the car’s brake lights just above the water. He says he then saw the two women in the backseat pounding on the window and yelling for help.

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ROCKWALL – US Senate candidates Ted Cruz and Craig James, plus Republican Party of Texas Chairman Steve Munisteri, will be the featured speakers at the Rockwall Co. Republican Party’s annual Reagan Day Dinner, Feb. 18, at 6 pm, at the Hilton Bella Harbor Hotel.

Syndicated radio talk show host and conservative political commentator Mike Gallagher will be be the Master of Ceremonies.

A special VIP reception will be held at 5 pm for event sponsors and special guests. A silent auction and door prizes will also be available.

Tickets cost $80 per person and can be obtained by calling 214-793-2923.

Sponsorships from $10,000 to $1,000 are available for purchase from Ken Sterling at 469-698-6565. To see the sponsorship packages, visit:  http://www.rockwallgop.com/reagan-day/reagan-day-2012.

From 2003-08, Cruz (top row center) served as the Solicitor General of Texas, the chief lawyer for the State before the U.S. Supreme Court plus all the state and federal appellate courts. Cruz was the youngest Solicitor General in the nation, the longest serving Solicitor General in Texas, and the first Hispanic Solicitor General in Texas.

He currently serves as a Partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Houston, where he leads the firm’s U.S. Supreme Court and national Appellate Litigation practice. In addition, from 2004-09, he taught U.S. Supreme Court Litigation as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Texas School of Law.

Ted has authored over 80 U.S. Supreme Court briefs and personally argued 40 oral arguments, including nine before the U.S. Supreme Court.

James (top row right) is a former All-American running back at SMU, played pro football for the New England Patriots – including participating in the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl. He later worked as a college football analyst for more than two decades, with time spent at CBS, ABC and ESPN.

James founded Emerging Land Markets in 2003, an extension of his personal real estate holdings with a focus on ranch acquisitions and development. These holdings extended to nearly 50,000 acres with value in excess of $150 million. The sale of assets from 2006-2008 was approximately $100 million.

In January 2010, he joined the board of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a leading research institution that shares Craig’s strong belief in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets and liberty. Later than year, he founded Texans for a Better America, a 501(c)4 corporation, committed to celebrating the essential Texas values and policies that could transform America for the better.

Munisteri (bottom row left) is a retired attorney from Houston who was elected State Party chairman at the state convention June 13, 2010. He unseated incumbent Cathie L. Adams, who had held the position for eight months. Early in his political career, Munisteri served as State Chairman of the Texas Chapter of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), and founded the Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) in 1980.

Munisteri was also involved in numerous other businesses in his professional career. He founded Munisteri Properties, with interests in commercial properties, Munisteri Exploration and has participated as a partner in the drilling of several dozen oil and natural gas wells.

As a side business, Munisteri managed dozens of professional boxers from 1989 to 2009, when he fully retired from the business. Many of his fighters obtained boxing titles and two fought for world championships. He freelanced as a play-by-play announcer and color commentator for independently produced televised boxing matches from 1995 to 2009. He was also a Court TV legal contributor and on-air personality from 1995 to 2001.

Conservative talk show host Gallagher (bottom row center) can be heard weekday mornings, from 8-11 am, at KSKY-AM 660. His show is simulcast nationwide on hundreds of stations over the Salem Broadcasting Network.

After beginning his radio career in Dayton OH  right out of high school, Gallagher worked his way up to a two-year stint as morning drive host on WABC-AM, the nation’s most listened-to talk radio station in New York City.

In 1998, The Mike Gallagher Show was launched nationally with twelve radio stations. As of the Spring 2011, Talkers Magazine reports that Gallagher is the sixth most listened-to talk radio host in America with over four million weekly listeners. He’s heard daily in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Detroit, Atlanta, and Philadelphia as well as in small, medium and major markets all over the country.

According to the Benchmark Company, he is the 8th most-recognized talk radio personality in America. Gallagher has also been featured in numerous magazines and newspapers including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time, and Forbes. He is also a regular Fox News Channel contributor.

For information, contact Reagan Day Committee Members Mark Russo, Patti Muggeo, Andrew Leonie or Laverne & Dalton Kennimer at 972-636-4034.

By J.J. Smith, Publisher

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ROCKWALL -  The Rockwall Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors recently announced its new officers for 2012, plus the names of six new Board members.

They were elected at the Board’s Dec. 15 meeting. 

Cindy Tayem, Area Manager – Customer Operations, Oncor, will serve as the 2012 Board Chair, succeeding past-chair Cheryl Dunlop, Human Resources Director, City of Rockwall.

Cindy Paris, Chief Operating Officer of Texas Health Presbyterian-Rockwall was selected as Chair-Elect.

Lou Johnson, Vice President and Trust Manager, ANB Wealth Management Group/Trust Services, will serve as treasurer, and attorney Bryan Pope, The Pope Law Firm, will be secretary.

Dana Macalik was recently named the new President of the Chamber, succeeding Margie Hooper, who has retired.

The Board also ratified the election of six new board members to serve three-year terms:

• Lesli Johnson, Controller, Rest Haven Funeral Homes
• Stewart Storms, Vice President of Commercial Lending, American National Bank
• Stephen A. Straughan, Owner & Broker, Straughan Properties LLC and RockwallNow.com
• Darby Burkey, Owner, Rockwall Flower & Design Studio
• Nancy Runge, Marketing Specialist, Farmers Electric Cooperative
• James Nelson, Vice President of Business Development, Alliance Bank

The Board ratified the appointments of two Honorary Directors to serve a one year term:

• Troy Reimer, Principal, Reimer Legal Services
• Lou Johnson, ANB Wealth Management Group/Trust Services, Vice President and Trust Manager

Additional Directors on the Board include:

• Bill Hair, Owner, My Computer Guy
• Cheryl Dunlop, Past Chair (2011), Human Resources Director, City of Rockwall
• Eric Evans, Chief Executive Officer, Lake Point Health Network
• Judy Harris, Manager, Ebby Halliday Realtors
• Karen Coughlin, Manager, Hilton Bella Harbor
• Kevin Fowler, President, Rockwall Bancshares, Inc.
• Liz Beauchamp, Manager of Public Affairs, Atmos Energy Corporation
• Mike Mishler, President, Mishler Builders, Inc.
• Randall Noe, Principal, Randall Noe Auto Group
• Rick Filip, President, Filip Insurance Services
• Stan Lowrance, Stan Lowrance, DDS
• Ex-Officio Directors are:
• Sheri Franza, President, Rockwall Economic Development Corporation
• Jerry Hogan, County Judge, Rockwall County
• Dennis Bailey, County Commissioner, Rockwall County
• Lorie Grinnan, County Commissioner, Rockwall County
• David Sweet, Mayor, City of Rockwall
• Bethany Golden, Main Street Manager, City of Rockwall
• Jeff Bailey, Superintendent of Schools, Rockwall ISD

Full bios can be found at www.rockwallchamber.org/board.

The Board of Directors meets on the fourth Thursday of each month in the Rockwall Area Chamber of Commerce Community Room.

Founded in 1929, the Rockwall Area Chamber is comprised of over 800 companies and offers a vast array of educational and networking programs to help its members to gain the skills and resources necessary to prosper in today’s economy.

For more information, call (972) 771-5733 or visit www.rockwallchamber.org.

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ROCKWALL – Over 180 members and guests gathered at the Allure Restaurant at Chandler’s Landing for the Rockwall Area Chamber of Commerce 2011 Awards and Member Appreciation Banquet Jan. 12.

(See photo captions below)

Outgoing Board Chair Cheryl Dunlop, Director of Administrative Services for the City of Rockwall, presented awards to Ebby Halliday Realtors and the Hilton Bella Harbor Hotel for Small and Large Business Partners for the year, respectively.

Rockwall Boys & Girls Club President & Straughan Properties business owner Stephen Straughan received the “Spirit of Rockwall” and “Ambassador of the Year” awards.

Incoming Board Chair Oncor Electric Area Manager Cindy Tayem was named “Director of the Year.”

A special Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to American National Bank board member and senior vice president Larry Parks for his outstanding long-time commitment and support to the Rockwall Area Chamber of Commerce and the Rockwall community as a whole.

The City of Rockwall also received a “Partner Appreciation Award.”

During the program portion of the event, Dunlop provided an overview of 2011 highlights. Tayem presented the audience with key points from the Chamber’s business plan.

She said that the overall focus for 2012 would be member retention, and explained the key objective for the campaign will be to strengthen branding and endorse the benefits that a partnership with the Chamber will bring to any business, small or large.

Chamber Ambassadors Straughan and Sheila Hair, co-owner of My Computer  Guy, gave an overview of the new Chamber Ambassador Program and spoke of the importance the Ambassadors play in its success.

New Chamber President Dana Macalik recognized the outgoing Board Members and introduced the new 2012 Board of Directors:

• Lesli Johnson, Controller, Rest Haven Funeral Homes
• Stewart Storms, Vice President of Commercial Lending, American National Bank
• Stephen A. Straughan, Owner & Broker, Straughan Properties LLC and RockwallNow.com
• Darby Burkey, Owner, Rockwall Flower & Design Studio
• Nancy Runge, Marketing Specialist, Farmers Electric Cooperative
• James Nelson, Vice President of Business Development, Alliance Bank
• Troy Reimer, Principal, Reimer Legal Services (Honorary)
• Lou Johnson, ANB Wealth Management Group/Trust Services, Vice President and Trust Manager (Honorary)

The event was sponsored by:

• American National Bank Texas
• ANB Trust Department
• Business Directories of Texas
• the City of Rockwall
• Ebby  Halliday Realtors
• Endodontic Specialists of Rockwall
• Farmers Electric Cooperative
• Hilton Bella Harbor
• Lake Pointe Medical Center
• My Computer Guy
• Rockwall Economic Development Corporation
• Rockwall Flower & Design Studio
• Texans for Bob Deuell
• Timpa Law Firm
• TX Health Presbyterian Hospital – Rockwall

Photos (Click to enlarge):

Top Left (from left):

• Margie Hooper, former Chamber President
• Larry Parks
• Cheryl Dunlop

Top Center:

• Dana Macalik
• Judy Harris, Branch Manager, Ebby Halliday Realtors-Rockwall
• Cheryl Dunlop

Top Right:

• Dana Macalik
• Cindy Tayem
• Cheryl Dunlop

Bottom left:

• Dana Macalik
• Stephen Straughan
• Cheryl Dunlop

Bottom right:

City of Rockwall Council Members & Staff

By J.J. Smith, Publisher

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GARLAND- Republican US Senate candidate Tom Leppert, former Mayor of Dallas, will be the guest speaker at the Lake Ray Hubbard Pachyderm Club luncheon meeting Jan. 25, 11:30 am – 1 pm, at Texas Land & Cattle Steakhouse, I-30 & Bass Pro Dr.

The public is invited to attend and ask questions.

The cost is $20 per person for a complete lunch, including drink, tax & tip.

Rather than giving a speech, Leppert prefers to answer questions from the audience, according to Pachyderm Club founder J.J. Smith.

Leppert served as Mayor of Dallas from June, 2007 until 2011. He surprised many by announcing last February his campaign to replace retiring US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, in competition with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. Solicitor General Ted Cruz and others.

Prior to serving as Mayor of Dallas from 2007 to 2011, Leppert led major national and international companies in the areas of construction, financial services and real estate, including serving as CEO of The Turner Corporation, the nation’s largest general building company.

As Mayor, was credited with revitalizing downtown Dallas by persuading more companies to relocate there, bringing more jobs to the city, a new convention center hotel, reducing the crime rate, an improved ethics system and improving Dallas’ education system.

The conservative Republican, who employed tens of thousands as CEO of Turner Construction before entering politics, says a business leader and job creator is what Texas needs as its next US Senator.

Some key points of his jobs plan, listed on his website, are:

• Institute Fundamental Tax Reform
• Allow America’s Small Businesses To Grow
• Give All Americans The Right To Work
• Put American Energy First
• Reduce The Role Of Government In Our Lives
• Save Our Entitlement Programs

“The common practice for Republican politicians today is to rail against President Obama’s economy and call for rolling back his disastrous policies,” said Leppert. “The truth is that Obama has made our situation far worse, but our problems did not start with Obama and they won’t stop by simply rolling back his policies.”

“We are in a crisis that has been created by Washington and can only be fixed by outsiders, not more lawyers and career politicians.”

“This plan is about creating new opportunities that aren’t out there today. Make no mistake; these proposals will change the way our government works. And for those like me who have felt the pull of government holding our country back from its place in history as the “shining city upon a hill,” this plan will restore the greatness that we know our country can achieve.”

For more info about Tom Leppert, visit:  www.tomleppert.com.

For details about the luncheon, call J.J. Smith, 214-317-1718.

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A huge number of major Internet websites are expected to go offline tomorrow to stage a blackout to protest the SOPA and PIPA web censorship bills now in Congress.

According to a non-profit group leading the blackout, Fight For The Future, the Senate will vote next week on forever altering the free and open internet by instituting a new regime of extra-judicial, corporate-led website takedowns.

“This is a fundamental fight about who has power in society – the people with the means to communicate freely or the governments and corporations that feel threatened,” said spokesman Donny Shaw.

“The clock is ticking, and we’re still 35 senators short of the number we need to kill the bill.”

The non-profit is encouraging others to join the blackout.

“Join us on the historic day by blacking out your site,” the non-profit leader explained. “Copy the code below and paste it into the header of your theme (WordPress users: use the SOPA Strike plugin) to black your site out in protest of SOPA/PIPA. It will activate automatically on Jan. 18th, displaying this page and directing visitors to contact Congress, and will deactivate at the end of the day.”

For the full state of play on the censorship bills , visit this infographic.

TheRockwallNews.com will remain online as most news websites will do.

By J.J. Smith, Publisher

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GARLAND (WBAP 24/7 NEWS) – Five hours after an 18-wheeler went out of control and overturned on westbound I-30 in Garland, the freeway was still shut down.

Investigators believe the driver, who was hauling 18,000 pounds of medical equipment from Memphis to Fort Worth, struck the steel guardrail on the right shoulder of I-30 near Zion Road, before losing control.  The tractor-trailer tipped onto its side, blocking the left lane beneath the President George Bush Turnpike ramp.

The truck driver was not hurt and his was the only vehicle involved in the crash.

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