🌱 Patch AM: Why a Plano-based leader just earned 2025 Citizen of the Year honors

Morning Plano! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• Why a Plano-based leader just earned 2025 Citizen of the Year honors
• How Plano helped launch Kellyn Acosta’s path to the World Cup
• Remember when a loose monkey turned a Plano store upside down?

Also on today's calendar: Crain & Wooley: Free Estate Planning Webinar.

Today's riddle: My brother swallowed a box of firecrackers. - Is he all right now? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Mostly sunny and breezy, with a high of 67 and low of 38 degrees.
• Friday: Pleasant with plenty of sun, temps: high: 62, low: 52.
• Saturday: Breezy in the morning; sunny, with a high of 77 and low of 53 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. June Jenkins Named 2025 Citizen of the Year by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity (northdallasgazette.com) — Plano is the backdrop as local civil rights leader June Jenkins is honored as Omega Psi Phi’s 2025 Citizen of the Year for her work across Collin County. As NAACP Collin County Branch president, she’s led voter engagement, youth leadership, and education-focused advocacy that connects underserved residents with vital resources and strengthens civic participation.
   

2. From Plano to the World Cup: Kellyn Acosta shares his story (bigdsoccer.com) — Plano is highlighted as the hometown and first soccer stage of World Cup veteran Kellyn Acosta, who grew up there before joining FC Dallas’ academy. The story traces his journey from Plano to MLS titles and the U.S. national team, and how he’s handling a reduced role late in his career with maturity and perspective.
   

3. Viral Video Shows Horse Strolling Through Dallas Target (925theranch.com) — A wild TikTok of a shopper bringing a horse into a Dallas Target also calls back to last month’s loose pet monkey in a Plano Spirit Halloween store. The piece uses both incidents to question how far Texans should go bringing animals into shops. It urges common sense and limiting in-store animals to true service pets.
   

4. Dallas man sentenced to federal prison in ATM robbery spree (wfaa.com) — A federal case based out of Plano has resulted in a nearly five-year prison sentence for a Dallas man involved in a string of ATM robberies across the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Prosecutors say he and others smashed into North Texas convenience stores, dragged out ATMs with stolen vehicles, and emptied the machines before abandoning them, as part of a wider federal anti-crime initiative.
   

5. Federal judge to hear case against state law banning LGBTQ+ groups from schools (kxan.com) — Plano ISD is a named defendant in a major federal lawsuit challenging parts of Texas’ new “Parent’s Bill of Rights” law, after a Plano ISD teacher and GSA Network say a high school LGBTQ+ club was shut down. The district admits requiring staff not to sponsor such clubs but disputes that a formal GSA application or shutdown record exists. A Houston judge will hear arguments Thursday on whether to block key provisions statewide.
   

📸 Around Plano

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Plano

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

Thursday December 25

• Christmas Day
  Plano Chamber of Commerce , 5400 Independence Pkwy #200 , Plano

Wednesday December 31

• Crain & Wooley: Free Estate Planning Webinar
  Online
  12:00 pm

📣 Plano Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday December 18

• HES Talent Show
  Hart Elementary School , HESFUR-Cafeteria , Allen
  8:30 am
• Touch Typing Basics
  J. Erik Jonsson Central Library , 1515 Young Street , Dallas
  10:30 am
• Dallasite Yogis
  J. Erik Jonsson Central Library , 1515 Young Street , Dallas
  12:00 pm
• Technology and Media Literacy
  Fretz Park Branch Library , 6990 Belt Line Road , Dallas
  12:00 pm
• Keyboard Class
  J. Erik Jonsson Central Library , 1515 Young Street , Dallas
  1:00 pm
• Ukulele Class
  J. Erik Jonsson Central Library , 1515 Young Street , Dallas
  2:00 pm
• Career Launch Pad
  Fretz Park Branch Library , 6990 Belt Line Road , Dallas
  2:00 pm
• English Conversation / Ingles Conversación
  Fretz Park Branch Library , 6990 Belt Line Road , Dallas
  2:00 pm
• Dungeons and Dragons: The Central Guild
  J. Erik Jonsson Central Library , 1515 Young Street , Dallas
  3:00 pm
• Winter Holiday Crafts
  Fretz Park Branch Library , 6990 Belt Line Road , Dallas
  3:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Plano PatchAM possible:

• Crain & Wooley — (972) 560-6288
  Estate Planning and Probate Attorneys serving DFW
• PeakPower Learners — (469) 396-6182
  The Power Of Two: Online Classes for Dual Language Students

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Dallas PULSE Hosts Free Scrimmage Friday, December 19 at Comerica Center —Carolyn Alvey Read on Patch

• So after seeing almost everyone in my neighborhood having to repair incoming waterline leaks in their front yards or under their slabs (or both in our case) in the last two or three years my plumber happened to run a test of the water pressure
  coming in from the city's waterline into our house. That pressure was 100 PSI. He said the maximum recommended PSI for waterlines coming into the… (Nextdoor Park Ridge)
• Posted about a package that was delivered to us a couple of days ago.
  Owner came by yesterday. She was very happy to receive it. She said thankyou and was happy I asked to see her Identification knowing it went to… (Nextdoor Armstrong Park)

• Costco Wholesale Corporation posted a job opening for Stocker in Plano. Apply here.
• Kroger posted a job opening for Courtesy Clerk/Grocery Bagger in Plano. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Plano here.

Ok Plano! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know. I haven’t heard the last report.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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