Reminder to Citizens about Wild Animals

As the weather begins to warm, the number of calls to the police department and our city’s animal control officers increases as encounters with wild animals such as coyotes become more frequent.  Many areas of our city are still very rural and are natural habitats for such wild animals that we do not want to see roaming in our backyards; however, these animals are in their natural habitat and do not recognize property lines or residential neighborhoods.  When they do wander into unsafe areas it’s time for the professionals to take over. 

The Frisco Police Department would like to encourage all citizens to not attempt to run off, shoot at, or trap any wild animal that they encounter.  Instead, call Animal Control at 972.292.5303 or the police department at 972.292.6010 if after hours and have a Frisco animal control officer or police officer respond to handle the situation.

Also, please remember that Frisco city ordinance prohibits discharging a firearm within the city limits.  Please do not shoot any weapons in an attempt to scare off wild animals that you may encounter. 

We appreciate your help in this matter and hope that you enjoy spring and the warm weather it brings!

Frisco Police Department

Public Information Office

Here are a few April garden projects that you can do to help keep your garden looking its best the rest of this season.

Shrubs and trees

• There still is time to plant trees and shrubs. However, by mid month it will be a little late to transplant large trees or shrubs, so do them now.
  
• The months of March, April and May are ideal for pruning evergreens. So if you have a Juniper, Cypress or conifer that need shearing or pruning this is a good time to accomplish this task. Remove all dead, diseased, and undesirable wood. However, do not prune back into the bare wood part of the plant.
  
• Prune your Forsythia after it finishes flowering.
  
• Broadleaf and needle leaf evergreens benefit most from lightly spreading a high nitrogen fertilizer around their bases.
  

Perennials, annuals, and bulbs

• April is the month for planting summer flowering bulbs like dahlias, gladiolas and lilies. Mix bulb fertilizer, processed manure and peat moss into the planting soil. Tuberous Begonias and Canna should not be set outdoors until all danger of frost has passed, so wait until next month.
  
• Plant annual seeds of asters, cosmos, marigolds, zinnias in the garden.
  
• When all frost danger has passed you can move your stored fuchsias and geraniums outdoors. Trim them back, feed and re-pot if necessary. Water them well.
  
• When they have finished blooming, you should deadhead your spring flowering bulbs. Do not cut off the green foliage yet! These green leaves continue to grow for a few weeks, and provide the bulb with food for flowering next year.
  
• Divide perennials like Daylilies, Delphiniums, iris, chrysanthemums, Daisies,and Phlox. The additional plants you create can be traded or given to friends, or moved to a new area of the garden.
  
• Hybrid Tea Roses should be fertilized prior to buds beginning to bloom. Using a systemic fertilizer will help prevent insect infestation later in the summer, as it feeds your rose.
  
• Plant new rosebushes before growth starts and buds swell.
  
• If you have a pond or pool you should set aquatic plants any time after the middle of the month.
  

Fruits and veggies

• Control weeds and aerate the soil by cultivating between the rows of plants.
  
• April is a great time to select and plant fruit trees and berry plants. Fruits and berries do best when planted in full sun.
  
• Plant perennial vegetables like asparagus, rhubarb, horseradish, etc. It's also time to plant peas, carrots, beets, spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, etc. Root crops like potatoes, radishes, parsnips and onions can be planted at anytime. Late this month you can plant beans and corn. Warmer weather crops like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and peppers should not be planted until next month.
  
• As your direct-seeded crops sprout, be sure to keep them thinned out to avoid crowding.
  
• Cut out all the dead canes from your raspberry patch. The new canes that will bear this year's fruit should have new, swollen buds along the edges. Thin these to five canes per foot of row to allow good air circulation and prevent overcrowding.
  
• When danger of frost has passed, uncover strawberry beds and keep them well watered.
  

The lawn

• The application of a spring type of lawn fertilizer should perk up the lawn and improve its over-all color and appearance. If there is moss growing in the lawn, use spring lawn fertilizer that has the moss-killer included, so you can do both jobs in one easy application.
  
• Spring is also a good time to thatch and over-seed the lawn. Thatch buildup can smother your lawn and provide an environment for diseases. Remove thatch with a brisk raking, or with a dethatching machine. Over seeding will help fill-in the lawn and deter the re-growth of moss and weeds. Use about one pound of quality grass seed for every 300 square feet of lawn area. Apply a light compost or soil over the seed to keep it moist and in place.
  
• Aerating the lawn will allow water to penetrate deeper into the lawn soil and reduce the need to water during the dryer months ahead. Use a garden fork and punch holes over the surface of your lawn.
  
• As mowing becomes necessary, be certain that the blade is sharp to prevent tearing the grass tips. (Did you get the mower tuned up and sharpened back in January when I suggested it????) Set the blade on your lawnmower to cut the grass at 2 1/2 inches to avoid scalping. (A mulching blade will eliminate the need to rake or bag the clippings, prevent thatch buildup, and the clippings will provide food for the lawn.)
  

House Plants

• Rotate your houseplants so that each side receives it's share of light, for even growth and a balanced shape.
  
• As the sun's rays strengthen, some plants, such as African Violets, may need to be moved away from a south-facing window to avoid leaf scorch.
  
• Spring cleaning your plants will keep them beautiful and help to avoid diseases. Remove any spent flowers, dead leaves or branches, or any yellowing leaves. Rinse the dust from the leaves with the kitchen sprayer. Clean leaves allow the plant to breathe!
  
• Pinching back the tips of foliage plants will stimulate new growth and make your plant fuller and bushier.
  
• If you keep a Coleus as a house plant you can still start cuttings for transplant to the garden. Use a sharp clean knife to cut the stem just below a leaf node. Remove the lowest leaves, dip the cut end into a rooting hormone and insert it into some fresh, sterile potting soil. These cuttings will be ready to use as a bright garden accent by early June.
  
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Odds and ends

• It seems that different states can't agree to a universal Arbor Day, but more than likely the day exists in your individual state or country, at some point in this month.... Plant a tree!
  
• Although we think of this as a rainy month, it can fool us. Keep transplanted flowers well watered during dry spells.
  
• Be sure to take a little time to check the plants in containers and those under the eaves of the house and under tall evergreens to see that they are getting enough water.
  
• If you receive mail-order plants or can't resist the urge to pick up a few perennials before you are ready, make a trench and heel them into the ground in a protected area.
  
• Driving around the neighborhood, ar visiting a local nursery may give you some great ideas of what you'd like to have blooming in your yard at this time next year.
  
• Take a stroll in the woods or the park at least once each season to enjoy a little bit of Mother Natures gardening handiwork!

Remember that whatever you accomplish in the garden now will definitely cut down on yard maintenance later this season!

If you received a letter from the Records Division of the FPD in the last couple of days regarding your alarm permit, please disregard the verbiage.  The letter was supposed to be a renewal reminder for January. It should have read:

Our records indicate that your alarm permit will expire on  _______.

Please update your information on the enclosed form and return it with the appropriate fee to the police department within thirty days of the date of this letter.  Residential and business alarm permit fees are $25.00 annually.  If there are no changes, write "no changes" on the form and return it with the fee.  For a more efficient transaction, please do not send the fee separate from the application.  If this notice does not apply to you, indicate this on the form and return it so we can update the system.

City Ordinance 96-10-10 states that "a person commits an offense if he operates or causes to be operated an alarm system without first obtaining a permit from the director or his/her authorized representative.  Failure to renew your permit could result in termination of responses from police and fire departments."

The date in the first paragraph of the letter is the date the permit expires and is correct.  It is the verbiage that is incorrect and you still need to pay the fee.

Please accept our sincerest apologies for the error.  Should you have any questions please contact the Frisco Police Department Records Division at 972-292-6000.

We had an auto stolen from a driveway recently in the community as reported by a resident. We are sharing the following information with you so you can be vigilant. Please visit.

http://www.frisconeighborhoodwatch.com/Documents/Auto_Burglary/BMV%20Presentation2_files/frame.htm

Luis Palau headlines weekend Christian celebration

By TERRY LEE GOODRICH

tgoodrich@star-telegram.com

The event — the 18th annual 94.9 KLTY/Interstate Batteries Celebrate Freedom — will be at Pizza Hut Park and is expected to attract more than 250,000 people, said festival director Duffy Johnson, of the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association.

Palau was called "one of the greatest evangelists of our generation" by renowned evangelist Billy Graham at a 1994 North American Conference for Itinerant Evangelists, said Erik Ogren, senior public relations specialist for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Palau’s presence at Celebrate Freedom for the first time last year was a boost to the festival, said John Peroyea, KLTY’s vice president and general manager.

"A lot of people came to our event that had never been, just to witness him," Peroyea said.

Palau and KLTY also are seeking to bolster the Ninety Days of Blessing, an effort by more than 40 area churches that began May 10, said Mike Fechner, minister of global outreach for Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano. The churches have joined in prison outreach, providing school supplies to children in need and building homes through Habitat for Humanity.

"We’re grateful for this collaboration with Palau and the festival," he said.

The June 27 lineup will feature the David Crowder Band, a Texas-bred group that is a six-time Dove Award winner, Shane & Shane, Sanctus Real and Cornersvine.

Among Saturday’s performers will be five-time Grammy Award winner Kirk Franklin, Hawk Nelson and Aaron Shust.

The weekend also will include appearances by retired Brig. Gen. Tommy Franks, Maj. Gen. Bob Deese, the Rev. Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, the Dallas Desperados dancers, professional kickboxing champion Jonathan Spinks and comedian Nazareth.

Entertainment will include motocross, BMX and skateboard shows. There will be a family fun zone and food vendors.

Palau, with a ministry based in Portland, Ore., has shared the gospel with more than 1 billion people through evangelistic events and media. His radio broadcasts in English and Spanish are heard by millions on more than 2,600 radio stations in 42 countries.

Sterling Ranch Women’s Christian Connection

By Katina Wilkins

 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.  Romans 12:10-13            

  Welcome to the heart of the Sterling Ranch Women’s Christian Connection.  These verses represent what the Christian Connection is all about—fellowship, prayer, hospitality—loving thy neighbor, literally.              The Christian Connection idea came to me over time when I realized that other neighborhoods had really great connections that tied people together in good and hard times, like Bible studies, prayer groups, and play groups.  I realized that we didn’t have anything like this in our neighborhood.  How do I know when my very own neighbors are in need?  What do they need prayer for?  Do they need any meals?  I didn’t really feel connected to anyone except maybe my immediate neighbors.  Who were the other Christians in the neighborhood?  Was I the only one?  I wanted our neighborhood to be a place where I could feel proud to live and feel connected to others in a bigger way, not just because of our close living proximity.  After much prayer, God gave me the vision for the Christian Connection. What an awesome way to connect with others, pray for others, and serve others in our own neighborhood!            The Christian Connection is a nondenominational group of Christian women that are committed to brotherly love and a desire to worship and serve in our own neighborhood.  It consists of prayer time, light snacks, and a time of spiritual growth.  We currently meet at my house, 5978 Cheyenne Way every 2^nd and 4^th Thursday evening at 8:30 (hopefully a good time for moms getting young kiddos to bed and working women to wind down).  It is very casual, even coming in pajamas is welcomed!  My desire is that when you come to my house, you feel comfortable and completely enveloped in God’s loving arms.  An important rule: no gossiping, as this is to be an uplifting, positive, and respectful atmosphere.            For those of you who may be unable to come or uncomfortable, please feel free to share any concerns or prayer needs with me.  Let me know if you want your prayer request to be confidential; we don’t have to pray with names.  You can call me at 469-287-0602 or email me at Katina_wilkins@hotmail.com.  Other information about myself that some have asked, I currently attend Frisco Bible Church.  Previously I attended the First Baptist Church and I was raised Greek Orthodox so I have quite a broad Christian perspective.  I coordinated the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group at the First Baptist Church of Frisco 2005-2007 and have taught a few different Bible Studies.  I encourage you to join us as part of the body of Christ in Sterling Ranch!  I know I am very excited to connect with you!