Richardson was the third most popular early voting location in Dallas County according to county election data. We examine some of the trends we see in early voting compared to past elections, and we ask what that might mean to Republican and Democratic turnout.

Our Echo Election Series continues for the 2008 election. Retired Richardson teacher Sarah Scott talks about education, Affordable health care, and energy in her support for Sandra VuLe for State Representative in District 112.

Our Echo Election Series continues for the 2008 election. Angie Chen Button talks about economy and immigration in the race for State Representative in District 112.

iPhone, iPod, iTacos. Can you tell that the folks behind this new taco place on Coit Road in Richardson have a techie background? Owner Tom Radecki, 36, was a big gamer back in the day -- so much so that he opened Shadow Lan, a sophisticated gaming spot on Coit, five years ago. But Radecki is also an entrepreneurial sort; and so, when the Quizno's next door to Shadow Lan shut down, he opened the kind of restaurant he himself would frequent.

Our Echo Election Series continues for the 2008 election. Resident Kathleen Lunson writes in favor Rain Minns for State Senator from District 16.

In our Echo Election Series for the 2008 election, John Carona explains why he wants your vote for State Senator from District 16. This is the first editorial in our series. In this article you will find Mr. Carona's editorial and an editor's note about our series.

The League of Women Voters of Richardson website has been updated with the Voters Guides covering all races on the ballot for the upcoming General Election on November 4. Interested voters can now download and print the latest version. Preprinted copies of the state Voters Guide, containing federal and statewide races, are available at the Richardson Library.

TXU Energy is teaming up with Citizens Development Center to sponsor the 2008 TXU Energy Dash for Dignity, a 5K and one-mile fun run. The TXU Energy Dash for Dignity benefits Citizens Development Center, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower men and women with disabilities to achieve their highest level of employability.

Richardson Regional Medical Center has planned several events in October at its Bush/Renner Campus to commemorate the grand opening of the new cancer center and outpatient hospital. City officials and special guests came together for a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, October 2. The public will have a chance to visit the new facilities during a community open house on Saturday, October 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition, several health screenings are scheduled for the month of October to promote cancer awareness.

The Richardson League of Women Voters will co-host three candidate forums for the upcoming November general elections throughout the month of October. These forums will include races for Dallas and Collin County Sheriff, Texas House Seats 66, 67, 70, 112, US House of Representative Seat 3 and other contested races of local interest.

Evolution Academy Charter will unveil their new learning facility at 1101 South Sherman Street; Richardson, TX 75081. The open house will take place on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, from 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm at the school. Light refreshments will be provided and the open house will consist of a tour of the new campus.

Vision Bank of Texas, a local bank in Richardson, has will host a fundraiser for Take Me Home Pet Rescue.(TMHPR) There will be at least nine artists participating in this event and several are from Richardson. All artists will be donating a portion of their sales to TMHPR.

Eltek Valere, a leading power system provider for telecommunication and industrial applications, today announced the V- Series HE, a series of rectifiers offering more than 95% efficient power conversion. The V-Series HE debuts as Eltek Valere’s second product line to adopt high-efficiency technology.

Richardson Community Has International Appeal This School Year UT Dallas and Dallas International School Collaborate and Open New High School Campus

As Hurricane Gustav approaches the Texas Gulf Coast, about 100 evacuees are expected to be brought to Richardson starting Sunday afternoon August 31. Shelter will be provided at the Huffines Recreation Center.

The Richardson Theatre Centre has decided to transport the intriguing “who dunnit?” murder mystery play, “The Hollow” from the quaint English country side to the steamy Mississippi city of Vicksburg.

We have an update on crime prevention efforts in Richardson for the month of August. We talk about our online reporting tool, VIN etching, and a neighborhood scam.

The Texas Educations Agency's (TEA) Accountability ratings were released on August 1 and the Richardson Independent School District (RISD) showed improvement in the ratings. The district’s overall rating remained at “Recognized” while the number of schools rated as “Exemplary” in the district increased. In the eleven schools of the Plano Independent School District (PISD) that cover parts of Richardson, an upward improvement was seen.

Lazer Vaudeville combines high-tech laser magic with the traditional arts of vaudeville to create an original theatrical production. This exciting event will be held at the Charles W. Eisemann Center on Sunday, September 28, 2008 at 2:30 pm in the Hill Performance Hall. Complete with superlative juggling, black light illusion, acrobatics, zany comedy, and audience participation, Lazer Vaudeville offers clean, classy fun for the entire family.

The Richardson Echo is taking a small but not total break. We will be here but we will be taking it easy for a few weeks. We also want your opinion. Read on and tell us your opinion about things in Richardson.

Creative Focus By Two Gutsy Broads invites you to come see Greece & Turkey, Bryce & Zion at a reception Sunday, Aug. 10, 2-4 p.m. at the Manske Library in Farmers Branch. Westward HO!, a photo exhibit by the Gutsy Broads of Creative Focus, runs Aug. 2-22 at the Manske Library. Along with the photography of Sarah Scott and Carol Stum, the works of potter Randy Findley and folk artist Cynthia Erdei will also be featured. The four artists met while teaching at Richardson High School.

Carol Kent, candidate for State Representative in House District 102, is demonstrating her commitment to equipping Texas students for the job of learning with a unique service project titled Giving Back to our Schools. Kent’s campaign has plans to collect more than 200 backpacks for the schools districts within District 102, which includes Dallas, Garland and Richardson.

Chelsea Rachel, of Richardson, Texas, is in Missouri today as part of a 15-person team from the Eastern Region National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) that has been deployed to assist those recovering from the floods that hit the area last month.

Deconstruction of the Heights Space Age playground happened on Monday. Many people were on hand with many learning of it from stories on the Echo, the Dallas Observer's Unfair Park blog, and a Dallas Morning News story. Many people arrived hearing of its demise only that day.

Letter about Heights Park Playground equipment removal

Rose Tattoo open in the space previously occupied by the Parlour Wine Bar in the Shire.

For several generations, the Space Age themed playground at Heights Park has fascinated and affixed Heights Park as one of the few truly unique places in Richardson’s suburban landscape. That era is about to come to an end. Starting July 14, without any ceremony or recognition of Richardson’s past, the equipment along with other "non compliant" equipment will be removed.

Cheaper by the Dozen at the Richardson Theatre Centre on July 11 and running through August 2. What do you get when you mix a blunt-talking, famous efficiency-expert father and a brilliant, compassionate psychologist mother with twelve rambunctious offspring of various sizes? You get one of America 's all-time best- loved memoirs. This Christopher Seagel dramatization is based on the 1946 book by Frank Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey.

June was a good month for awards and accolades given to Richardson’s public safety officials. On June 9th, the Richardson City Council issued a proclamation honoring Richardson Police Chief Zacharias that recognized him for receiving an award from the Texas Police Chief’s Association. Richardson residents apparently overwhelmingly support Chief Zacharias and Fire Chief Alan Palomba according to a recent survey by local group, Richardson Residents for Responsive Government. Lastly, International Association of Chiefs of Police will honor Richardson’s law enforcement volunteer programs later this year.

It has been widely reported that an investor bought Promenade Shopping Center. Reports of this appeared in the Dallas Morning news, and the Dallas Business Journal. Actually that claim is slightly inaccurate.

Dr. Dennis M. Kratz, dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at The University of Texas at Dallas, is the 2008 recipient of the Heart For The Arts award. The honor is given annually to an outstanding community leader who has devoted time and financial resources to further the arts in the greater Richardson area.

Richardson native and Kansas State freshman jumper TiAra Walpool has been selected to compete for the U.S. team at the 12th annual International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) World Junior Championships to be held July 8-13 at Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak Stadium in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Austin Evans Wilmot, a recent graduate of Richardson High School has won a national scholarship from the American Radio Relay League. Brittney Junell, daughter of Gary and Carol Junell of Richardson, has won an honor from Texas A&M-Commerce.

On Thursday, June 26, Lowe’s Home Improvement held the grand opening of its new store on the site of the former Richardson Square Mall. The neighborhood and Richardson leaders welcomed the opening wholeheartedly. A single retail opening might not usually be a tremendous occasion but this one marked the final chapter of Richardson Square Mall moving into the dustbin of memory. It is not only the story of one retail location but it is also a microcosm of the entire saga of the indoor American shopping mall.

Buckingham Storage heard about the emergency at the Food Pantry and decided to take action. They will host a food drop at the location at 500 E. Buckingham Rd.

The City of Richardson and Texas Instruments Foundation announced today a grant of $500,000 from the TI Foundation to the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations to help fund the center’s much-needed Phase II capital projects. The donation will boost performance capabilities and enhance patron amenities, further establishing the Eisemann Center as one of the leading performing arts and corporate meeting facilities serving the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

The Mercury 13 were a group of women selected in 1961 to join the fledgling United States Space program. They were to be part of project Mercury but the feminine part of the project was cancelled. Richardson resident Jerri Truhill was one of those women.

Richardson City Council news briefs from the June 2, 2008 work session. Summary: Dallas and Collin County Preliminary Taxing values, Review of the Senior Tax Exemption, Capital Improvement Program status report, Eastside grant program change

When we are kids, most of us don’t know what we are going to be when we grow up. Some people do. The person I interviewed seemed to know. This person has just turned professional and comes from three generations of this chosen profession. All that would not be very extraordinary, if not for the fact that this life long Richardson resident just turned 21, wants to dominate NASCAR, currently races for breast cancer survivors like her very own mother, and – yes – she is a woman in a sport dominated by men. Meet Lindsey Adams.

At the Richardson City Council’s May 19 work session, the council was presented with a discussion of the City’s achievements and a partial path to its goals on the environmental front. Included in the presentation was an ordinance that would establish an environmental advisory committee for Richardson.

Richardson business relocation and expansion activity to date in 2008 has been relatively small in the number of projects but very significant in terms of jobs and economic impact on the community. Major employers like Credit Solutions and Fujitsu Transaction Solutions led the way, bringing over 1,000 jobs to Richardson.

Richardson City Council news briefs from the May 19, 2008 work session. Summary: Richardson’s Tax Increment Finance participation increase, interlocal agreement to provide sewer service, and environmental initiatives

Fujitsu Transaction Solutions Inc. will relocate its North American headquarters to the Fujitsu campus in Richardson, Texas. About 300 Fujitsu employees will begin moving to the master-planned campus during May, with all employees expected to occupy approximately 90,000 total sq. ft. at 2791 Telecom Parkway by June 2. Fujitsu Transaction Solutions will join five other affiliate Fujitsu companies on the campus.

Richardson City Council news briefs from the May 12, 2008 meeting. Summary: Higher water rates, Sprouts is coming to town, retail zoning near Campbell and Coit and Brick Row variances approved.

The Golden Dragon Acrobats direct from Cangzhou, Hebei province in China will perform their latest gravity defying creations on Saturday, June 14th. This will be part of the American premiere tour of Cirque D’Or.

On Monday, the Richardson City Council passed tighter smoking regulations which will eliminate smoking in many public areas. The decision came after 7 public meetings that sometimes included contentious public debates including some tension between council members. Exemptions were added for bars and businesses that primarily exist to sell tobacco.

Last year, one of our National Night Out "Project 365s" was a curb addressing campaign. This initiative came about after a Patrol Officer sent us his concerns about how difficult it was becoming to locate many home addresses at night. Neighborhood Services partnered with the city's neighborhood associations in an effort to publicize this initiative to assist emergency responders. I understand there has been some interest, but overall, response has not been what we had hoped. It is still dark out there at night.

Mumtaz Indian Restaurant and Bar was opened in Richardson on January 16 by Kulwinder Dhaliwal, a longtime local who ran Taj Mahal for 15 years. In December, he sold out his interest to his partner and headed north to what has become a pretty busy center on Campbell, just west of US 75.

The Richardson Theatre Centre will be presenting the classic thriller "Gaslight" by Patrick Hamilton. May 9th-May 31st Friday-Saturday at 8pm and Sunday Matinees at 3pm. "Gaslight" by Patrick Hamilton is a Broadway masterpiece with some of the most brilliant suspense in the modern theatre.

You have read many past warnings about what thieves look for when burglarizing vehicles--- laptops, radar detectors, purses, etc. Well, we have recently had to pull out our "Vehicle Burglary" prevention brochure and update it with a new target -- some of you, unfortunately, already know what's coming. Portable GPS navigation units are the current item of preference.

Last November Richardson residents reported being asked to participate in a telephone survey about the state of Richardson and its leadership. Some perceived the survey as an attack on newer members of the city council, while others did not. Rumors began to fly as to who the conducted it and what it was about. Some council members denounced the survey without having seen the results and hearing of the questions only secondhand. The phone survey created a minor stir. Recently the Echo was able to see the actual survey questions, and we will reveal what the survey says residents think of City Manager Bill Keffler.

(March 26, 2008) The Richardson Building and Standards Commission accepted the findings and recommendations of the City of Richardson and set a deadline the Ashley Place Apartments to be brought up to compliance or be demolished. As was the case with previous city actions, the owner did not show up for the public hearing. However, several residents spoke up and so did an attorney representing the lender.

Rebecca Earnest, a student at J.J. Pearce High School, has been chosen to compete for a $50,000 college scholarship at the 2007-08 Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Competition sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and administered by the College Board. She will travel to Washington, D.C. to present her at the competition on April 4 – 7, 2008.

DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management hosted a dedication celebration for its new Richardson location. Participants included Richardson Mayor Steve Mitchell, Chamber of Commerce President Bill Sproull, DeVry University Dallas President Kevin LaMountain, DeVry University Center Dean Sheneka Freeman and DeVry University Metro Operations Rob Paul, as well as members of the Richardson business community and DeVry University faculty, students, alumni, family and friends.

On this past Thursday, the City of Richardson declared the Ashley Place Apartments in the 700 block of West Spring Valley Road to be an “Urban Nuisance.” According the City, the complex has had an extensive history of code violations. Those violations apparently have gone uncorrected and now, according to the City, constitute a threat to the safety and welfare of the residents. A hearing has been set and one possible outcome is the forced demolition of the complex.

The dust has mostly cleared from the March 4th primaries in Texas. Of course, we heard endless discussion about who won that day in Texas and Ohio. We wanted to share with you the opinions of Richardson alone. It appears the winners were John McCain, and Barack Obama on the presidential side. In the talked about State representative seat being vacated by Fred Hill, Angie Chen Button was Richardson's choice but by a narrow margin and not by a majority.

Author and former Richardson resident Anne Rice wrote to the Richardson Echo recently. She is best known for her Vampire Chronicles series. From that series her novel Interview with the Vampire has been the most popular and was made into a movie starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. We wrote to her when we were researching our article on rennovations in the Heights area because there were rumors she lived there. Her response is very enlightening about those times in Richardson.

Representative Fred Hill is retiring from his District 112 seat on the State House, and filling the vacuum on the Republican side is a bevy of candidates. On February 14, the Richardson Chamber of Commerce had a candidate forum for the three Republicans vying for that seat: Angie Chen Button, Randall Dunning, and Jim Shepherd. We take a glance at their answers to questions. Also, each candidate has tried to garner endorsements. On page 2 of this article we review those in what we call Endorsement Wars. The democratic side only has one candidate.

The Richardson Chamber of Commerce announced the 2007 Citizen of the Year at the 51st Annual Banquet at the Renaissance Hotel on Wednesday, Feb. 27th. The winner of the prestigious award is the Founder of Zyvex Corporation, the first molecular nanotechnology company, Mr. James Von Ehr.

Using timeless pieces by Scott Joplin, Billie Holiday and Motown, the inaugural performance of the Strings of Color Orchestra will be presented in “The Sounds of Black History” concert, at The Eisemann Center in Richardson, Texas. The orchestra features several Richardson residents. The concert will be held Sunday February 24, 2008.

The HOV lanes that run on US-75 between I-635 and Allen opened last month with mixed reviews. The introduction of these lanes has produced much controversy, rumor and myth. Much of the criticism revolves around the barrier system, and lack of entrances and exits particularly that there are no entrances and exits in Richardson. This has additionally produced much finger pointing with fingers oftentimes pointed the wrong direction. In this article we hope to set the record straight… or at least a little straighter.

A residential developer is seeking to gives homes in the Richardson Heights area a rebirth. Residential developer Peter Livingston is refurbishing the interiors – and more – on over one dozen homes in the Richardson Heights area.

On Monday, the city council adopted its goals and initiatives for 2007-2009. These goals and initiatives lay out the framework for what the city council thinks ought to be accomplished in the next two years. It comes after months of work and public input on the plan. It includes major items such as initiatives to update the city’s comprehensive plan and create a comprehensive environmental plan.

On the good side, we have an announcement about National Night Out. National Night Out, usually in the sweltering month of August, is moving to a cooler month. On another front, if you don't believe that thieves were looking to steal your Christmas this past holiday season then guess again. We have a tale of stolen Christmas gifts that offers a lesson about crime prevention.

The Richardson Chamber of Commerce recently announced the winners of its 2007 Volunteer Awards, which recognize outstanding community service efforts within the organization.

The Mayor and the city council helped light up Santa's Village last Saturday. We have video of the lighting ceremony.

There have been four residential burglaries reported within the Arapaho and Reservation Homeowner Association areas between November 15 and 16. Read the full article to get a description and get prevention tips.

At its November 12 regular meeting, the city council rejected, by a unanimous vote, a plan to add condominiums, restaurant space, and further residential near the existing Home Depot. The vote surprised many in attendance, including the developer, who thought the only issue was from traffic concerns near the proposed restaurant space. The council stated protection of the neighborhood, density, and condominium size in its rejection. The developer expressed shock because the plan commission had approved the plan.

On the sixth of October at the Texas Tech Homecoming game against Iowa State, this writer, an ex-Richardson High School Cheerleader, most likely performed as the oldest cheerleader on the football fields of Texas, maybe even America! Tech hosted a reunion of all ex-cheerleaders complete with reception, recognition, Texas Tech tee-shirts and a full two quarters cheering opportunity on the field.

The Richardson 2007 FallFest Car and Truck show recently took place in east Richardson. Dozens of classic cars and trucks were on display and participants voted on their favorites. We even have a few photos for your enjoyment.

This past July two J.J. Pearce High School seniors, David Rehfuss and Paul R. Miller, won outstanding student awards from the Military Order of the World Wars, a national organization for military officers.

Richardson voters, in low numbers, approved all three changes to the city's charter. These changes clarify locations of council meetings, allow for closed door meetings as allowed by state law and set term limits for city council members.

Richardson based SNR Labs, a startup company dedicated to smoothly integrating radios with multiple radios, won a $750,000 Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF) Award from the North Texas Regional Center for Innovation and Commercialization (NTXRCIC).

Richardson voters are being asked to decide three propositions on a charter election that could change how the city conducts business and elects its representatives. We break down these propositions giving arguments for and against each proposition. We encourage all Richardson voters to carefully consider these propositions and to vote. Voters go to the polls starting now for early voting and on November 6 for regular Election Day.

At Monday's city council meeting former Mayor Gary Slagel announced that he would complete his term as the Place 4 representative on the Richardson city council. He announced this decision to a standing ovation of supporters after Charles Eisemann presented a petition signed by citizens.

We have gotten a great response since we unofficially launched a few weeks ago. In this article, we will tell you about our plans for the next few weeks.

DeVry University, one of the largest private learning institutions, is opening a center in Richardson. DeVry will be moving its Plano location to Richardson and hopes to start classes in in January 2008. Not surprisingly it was the strengths of the Telecom Corridor that attracted DeVry to Richardson.