Grapevine Police investigating a deadly single vehicle crash

Shortly after 5:15 p.m. on Friday, June 24, 2022, Grapevine dispatchers received calls about a crash in the northbound lanes of S. SH-121 near Mustang Drive. A Honda Civic left the roadway on the left side and struck an overpass pillar.

The driver was the sole occupant in the car and was already deceased when first responders arrived.

Officers are still investigating what led the driver to veer off the roadway, but witnesses said the car was not speeding at the time of the crash.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner will release the driver’s name pending notification to next of kin. One lane of northbound SH-121 will remain closed until the crash scene is cleared.

Dads can get free gas in North Texas this weekend, here’s where and when

Photo: KDAF

DALLAS (KDAF) — We’re all hurting from these record-high gas prices and for this Father’s Day, why not give your father some relief at the pump.

North Texas Honda Dealers wants to give back to the dads in North Texas with free gas. Dealers will be popping up at local gas stations in Fort Worth and Frisco to give out free gas to fathers, no matter what car they drive.

Read more from NewsBreak…

Fidus Pet Concierge Communities Hosts Adoption Party Summer Bash at Cross Creek, Texas’ First Dog-Centric Apartment Community

WHEN: Saturday, June 18th | 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Cross Creek at Grapevine Ranch, 2701 Grapevine Mills Blvd N, Grapevine, TX 76051

WHO:  Participating rescues and shelters include: North Texas Australian Shepherd Rescue, Habitat 4 Paws, Bull Luv Able Rescue, Rescue Row, The Colony Animal Services, Dallas Dog RRR, and Mid-Cities Rescue; Jasmine Mayorga, Event Coordinator and Senior Marketing Executive for Fidus Pet Concierge Communities; and Alyssa Waldie, Property Manager for Cross Creek at Grapevine Ranch

WHAT:  Fidus Pet Concierge Communities, the creator of Dallas’ first and only pet-centric luxury apartment homes, will host its Adoption Party Summer Bash at Cross Creek at Grapevine Ranch, a garden-style apartment community designed to appeal to dog lovers. The seasonal soiree will feature seven of the city’s most highly regarded adoption shelters, including Dallas Dog: Rescue. Rehab. Reform, as well as 30 friendly dogs of varying ages, breeds, and sizes available for adoption.

Adjacent to the tree-lined Mill Run nature trail, Cross Creek at Grapevine Ranch is widely recognized as Texas’ most dog-friendly community. It accepts pups of all breeds and sizes — each of which is temperament tested — and is designed to meet the needs of dog parents through a combination of unique features in every apartment, exceptional dog-focused amenities, and an array of pet-related community services and events.

While mixing and mingling with a plethora of pups in need of a forever home, Saturday’s attendees will be able to learn more about Cross Creek at Grapevine Ranch by touring its robust selection of dog-centric amenities and apartments, if desired. Every apartment at Cross Creek comes with a doggy door that directly leads to either a private fenced yard or a private porch relief system, as well as a pet-focused tech package that helps address a pet parent’s concerns when away from the apartment. Starting in mid-2023, residents will also have access to an array of conveniences afforded by the opening of the Fidus Care Center, an on-site pet concierge offering services that include doggy daycare, boarding, grooming, walking, and in-unit feeding.

Saturday’s event will bring a variety of food trucks serving up some of the city’s tastiest treats to Cross Creek, along with several photo areas to ensure prime social media content. Admission and parking are both free of charge. 

Buses Replace DART Light Rail between SMU/Mockingbird and Walnut Hill Stations: June 23-26

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will operate shuttle buses instead of light rail vehicles between SMU/Mockingbird Station and Walnut Hill Station beginning on Thursday, June 23 through the end of service on Sunday, June 26. Regularly scheduled light rail service will resume on Monday, June 27.

During this time, DART will conduct concrete repairs on the elevated station at Park Lane Station and replace a section of rail north of SMU/Mockingbird Station.

Shuttle buses will be operated by a third-party charter bus company and will not be DART branded. Passengers should look for charter buses at the red “Rail Disruption” bus stop signs located near each station to board a shuttle bus. Shuttle buses will provide service to each affected station.

These repair projects will impact Red and Orange Line passengers:

  • Red Line passengers will transfer to shuttle buses between SMU/Mockingbird Station and Walnut Hill Station.
  • Orange Line trains will only operate between DFW Airport Station and Pearl/Arts District Station. Northbound Orange Line passengers should board a Red Line or Blue Line train at Pearl/Arts District Station to SMU/Mockingbird Station, and transfer to a shuttle bus to continue to their destination.

DART also provides frequent bus service between SMU/Mockingbird and Lovers Lane stations on Route 17 and between Park Lane and Walnut Hill stations on Route 27. Route and schedule information is available at DART.org or by calling the Customer Information Center at 214-979-1111.

New in Grapevine: May 2022

May proved to be Grapevine’s most prolific month yet for new business openings in 2022! Almost two dozen new vendors opened their doors (or, at least, obtained their certificates of occupancy) last month, offering everything from tasty food to life-saving medical services. While there isn’t room for all of the awesomeness here in our monthly round-up, there are so many exciting announcements that our team had a hard time deciding who to feature. Here’s a short list:

THE ONES YOU ALREADY HEARD ABOUT:

Some of the biggest projects Grapevine has ever seen made their public announcements last month. If you follow our Grapevine Economic Development on social, you know that Grapevine Mills is now home to an official Stranger Things Store and will soon see the opening of Meow Wolf‘s fourth-ever portal. Just as impactful, in a totally different way: Paycom is bringing 1,000+ jobs to the City and hosted their official ribbon-cutting at a beautiful new campus just a few weeks ago.

THERE IS PLENTY OF ABA IN FOXHOLE:

Children and teens with autism have a new resource in Grapevine’s Foxhole Therapies, LLC. This talented team of specialists uses evidence-based techniques like Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), Natural Environment Teaching (NET), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and advocacy to support children and families navigating the challenges of Autism Spectrum Disorder. They can even provide training for parents and professionals seeking to better support members of their community. Locally owned with multiple insurance plans accepted.

WE WANT TO PUMP YOU(R CONCRETE) UP:

With three main locations across the US, Concrete Pump Supply is a tenured provider of construction materials and services dedicated to helping contractors finish their jobs safely and on schedule. Their new Grapevine location is just about equidistant to offices in Georgia and California, reinforcing the strategic value of our City in a nationwide distribution network for companies of all shapes and sizes. Sadly, Hans and Franz aren’t available to help you pour concrete, but you’ll likely prefer the 150 years of combined experience at Concrete Pump Supply over a couple of disparaging personal trainers.

BEN’S COOKIES ARE A CHUNK OFF THE OLD BLOCK:

Internationally beloved cookies packed with chocolate chunks (never chips) are coming to Grapevine. UK-based Ben’s Cookies have chosen Grapevine for their first location here in the USA, and we’re betting they can list a baker’s dozen reasons why. The confectionary joins a long list of exciting vendors sweetening the deal for shoppers at Grapevine Mills. After forty years, this Great British Bakery is off on a great adventure here in North Texas, with your taste buds invited along for the ride.

MAKE MEMORIES WORTH 1,000 WORDS, NOT 1,000 BUCKS:

Given the choice between supporting the arts and supporting small business owners, we say: “Why not both?!” So when Certified Professional Photographer Laura Kellerman launched her new studio on College Street, we had cause to celebrate. Kellerman offers everything from family photos to personal branding for professionals, with custom printing and layout options available in-house. Now there’s a service that deserves some exposure (if that photography joke hits you the wrong way, you might try adjusting your shutter speed)!

Source: https://www.choosegrapevinetx.com/news-center/p/item/43765/new-in-grapevine-may-2022

Job Seekers Beware! How to Avoid Scams Designed to Dupe the Unemployed

While many Americans are still facing unemployment or job pay rates that aren’t quite enough to support a family, the national unemployment rate in May 2022 stood steady at 3.6%, according to the Monthly Jobs Report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that was released on June 3. While that is good news for the economy, the flip side is that more job scams are out there, preying on folks who are earnestly looking for employment.

The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Marketing Practices Division reported that over 16,000 job scam reports have already been filed during the first part of this year.

Read more from NewsBreak…

AG Paxton Launches Investigation Against Twitter for Potentially Deceiving Texas Consumers, Texas Businesses Over Fake Bot Accounts

AUSTIN –Today Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation against Twitter for potentially false reporting over its fake bot accounts in violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.  

On Twitter, “bots” are automated, non-human accounts that can do virtually the same things as real people: send tweets, follow other users, and like and retweet others’ posts. Spam accounts like these inflate followers and reach, and often push deceptive and annoying activity. Bot accounts can not only reduce the quality of users’ experience on the platform but may also inflate the value of the company and the costs of doing business with it, thus directly harming Texas consumers and businesses.  

Twitter has received intense scrutiny in recent weeks over claiming in its financial regulatory filings that fewer than 5% of all users are bots, when they may in fact comprise as much as 20% or more. The difference could dramatically affect the cost to Texas consumers and businesses who transact with Twitter.  

To address this concern, Attorney General Paxton issued a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) to investigate whether Twitter’s reporting on real versus fake users is “false, misleading, or deceptive” under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The CID requires Twitter to turn over documents related to how it calculates and manages its user data and how these numbers relate to Twitter’s advertising businesses. Twitter has until June 27 to respond to Attorney General Paxton’s Demand.  

“Texans rely on Twitter’s public statements that nearly all its users are real people. It matters not only for regular Twitter users but also Texas businesses and advertisers who use Twitter for their livelihoods,” said Attorney General Paxton. “If Twitter is misrepresenting how many accounts are fake to drive up their revenue, I have a duty to protect Texans.” 

Read a copy of the CID here. 

PTSD Awareness Month: Providing Aid to Police Officers

Photo: Dr. Jarrod Sadulski

June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month. During this event, it is vital to recognize what PTSD is, how to recognize it in ourselves, and how to mitigate it.

For police officers, it is especially important to recognize PTSD and treat it. Police officers are regularly exposed to traumatic events that can result in PTSD, and it can affect their on-the-job performance if officers are not aware of PTSD’s warning signs. For instance, PTSD that is not properly managed can lead to serious mental health problems, suicide, substance abuse, or aggression.

Read more from American Military University EDGE…

New Concept Convenience Store Thrives in Grapevine

Most people who have driven in Texas by vehicle, whether on long trips or just traveling around town, are likely to be familiar with the concept of the “convenience store.” These are the gas stations that also carry food, drinks, and other necessities for the traveler or hometown resident. Merriam-Webster defines this type of business as, “A small, often franchised, market that is open long hours.” These are the places that are open 12 – 24 hours a day to make sure that customers can get what they need when they need it.

People who want to save time often buy from convenience stores because they’re…convenient. There’s no huge store to walk through, there are many items available, and usually, there’s no big line to wait in. Folks can be in and out in five minutes, depending on their needs and the store’s merchandise. The prices may be a bit higher than bigger stores, but that can be a small price to pay to save a trip to a Big Box store.

The concept of a “mega” convenience store is well-illustrated by Buc-ees’s, which tends to be an automatic stop for those traveling long distances on the highways of Texas, as well as in four other states. When stopping at this mega-store, travelers can count on clean restrooms, plenty of homemade goodies, interesting home décor available for purchase, and tons of gas pumps. They can also count on difficulty finding a parking place, crowded stores, lines for the restrooms, and oftentimes, lines for gasoline.

Almost every convenience store in Grapevine is a regular gas and basic needs station. Some serve up pizza and a small menu of goodies. A new concept convenience store, which opened about a year ago, is giving the “normal” convenience store model a run for its money. Welcome to Texas Best Smokehouse.

Read more from NewsBreak…

Enjoy the gallery below:

Shuttle Buses to Replace Rail for Tunnel Maintenance: June 9-12 and June 23-26

Due to planned system maintenance and repairs in and around the Cityplace/Uptown Station tunnel, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will operate shuttle buses instead of light rail vehicles between Pearl/Arts District Station and SMU/Mockingbird Station on Thursday, June 9 – Sunday, June 12, and between SMU/Mockingbird Station and Walnut Hill Station on Thursday, June 23 – Sunday, June 26. Regularly scheduled light rail service will resume on the Monday morning after each service event.

These maintenance and repair measures are part of DART’s State of Good Repair (SGR) program, ensuring that the light rail system is able to operate at a full level of performance. During these events, DART will replace a failed transformer in the tunnel, conduct concrete repairs on the elevated station at Park Lane Station, and replace a section of rail north of SMU/Mockingbird Station.

Shuttle buses will be operated by a third-party charter bus company and will not be DART branded. Passengers should look for charter buses at the red “Rail Disruption” bus stop signs located near each station to board a shuttle bus. Shuttle buses will provide service to each affected station.

June 9 – June 12, 2022

Shuttle buses will replace light rail vehicles between Pearl/Arts District Station and SMU/Mockingbird Station.

  • Red Line and Blue Line passengers will transfer to shuttle buses between Pearl/Arts District Station and SMU/Mockingbird Station.
  • Orange Line trains will only operate between DFW Airport Station and Pearl/Arts District Station. Northbound passengers should board a shuttle bus at Pearl/Arts District Station to SMU/Mockingbird Station to continue to their destination.

June 23 – June 26, 2022

Shuttle buses will replace light rail vehicles between SMU/Mockingbird Station and Walnut Hill Station.

  • Red Line passengers will transfer to shuttle buses between SMU/Mockingbird Station and Walnut Hill Station.
  • Orange Line trains will only operate between DFW Airport Station and Pearl/Arts District Station. Northbound Orange Line passengers should board a Red Line or Blue Line train at Pearl/Arts District Station to SMU/Mockingbird Station, and transfer to a shuttle bus to continue to their destination.

We remind passengers that Bus Routes 3, 105, 209, and 249 also provide service between SMU/Mockingbird Station and Downtown Dallas. Route and schedule information is available at DART.org or by calling the Customer Information Center at 214-979-1111.