The property is along FM 455 on the west side of FM 1385.

“The planning commission heard this earlier this month and at their regular meeting and made some recommendations along with advancing a recommendation to approve the requested zone change,” Community Services Director Darrell Gentry said.

The five recommendations were to limit building height to four stories, allow a maximum density of 28 units per acre, allow for the sale of guns in a big-box retail store, require a 30-foot landscape area along the frontages of the major roadways and require the trash enclosures to be 7 feet tall.

Within the concept plans for the development, there are restaurants and fast-food dining options, a gas station, and a trail system connecting the commercial and multifamily areas.

“There's a mid-street area that connects FM 1385 to a future road, which is shown there on the very eastern property line,” Gentry said. “There's extensive landscaping, at least in terms of the development standards, which will incorporate that connecting roadway as well as the roadway that comes in off of 455.”

Heather Shankle of Daake Law represented the applicant and addressed traffic concerns, noting that TxDOT approval to expand and improve both FM 455 and FM 1385 will help as the area grows.

“The expansions and the improvements to 455 would allow us to control the mobility as you travel east to and onto the Dallas North Tollway, which is approximately a mile and a half from the location, and continuing east on G.A. Moore Parkway all the way to Preston Road,” Shankle said.

She shared a similar comment regarding the improvements and expansion to FM 1385.

Jim Knight with KFM Engineering noted that TxDOT is still working on the road im- provement/expansion plans for FM 455 and FM 1385, which are in progress, and that once completed, the two will be “major roadways.”

He added that once the project advances, the traffic study will be updated to ensure it works properly.

During the public hearing, resident Michael Ruttkowski voiced concerns and asked questions about traffic, retail stores and apartment costs.

City Attorney Brenda McDonald addressed the price and stated that it will likely be higher-end apartments.

“An apartment complex these days to build costs about $350,000, $400,000 per unit to build, so there are huge tax generators for the community, and they provide some needed housing when the community starts to grow,” Knight said, adding that the developer will do a market study before pricing the units.

As far as retail stores go, Knight said, the hope is to attract both national and local retailers, but it will be determined later as the project develops.

After approving the rezoning, the council then discussed and voted on an economic incentive agreement for the town center development.

“This is a 20-year agreement that would allow us to reimburse the developer for the ad valorem property taxes that are paid once these areas are constructed,” said Michele Sanchez, the assistant city manager and chief financial officer.

That clock starts “once the first [certificate of occupancy] is pulled,” she said.

“Year one through year three, we reimburse 100% of the ad valorem value, and then years four through five is 80% and then years six through 20 is 50%” Sanchez said.

She noted that there is a cap of $15 million, and once it is reached, the initiative stops.

Sanchez also added that there are requirements in the agreements that the commercial development begin before all multifamily is developed.

“Before they can pull an additional permit to make it beyond 960 units of multifamily, they have to have obtained a building permit for a junior tenant or the 20,000 square foot retail space that's designated in commercial,” Sanchez said. “We've done this to try and keep it from all multifamily building at once and then commercial coming in on the back end. We want to try and blend this all together to work well.”

Mayor Pro Tem Andrew Ambrosio gave positive remarks about the opportunity for more retail space in Pilot Point and its location but also noted that he still has concerns about traffic.

“A lot of people that live on 1385 are now heading south,” Sanchez said. “They're not coming all the way into town, and we saw that when we did our comprehensive plan about sales tax leakage. So, by putting a big box retail here, we're actually capturing it within Pilot Point, which actually helps everybody because your sales tax goes to reduce property taxes, so sales tax generation is great for everybody in town.”

The motion passed. Assistant Director of Community Services Katie Blust discussed major highlights from January to March regarding the progress reports for the Comprehensive Plan.

That included adopting the Water and Wastewater masterplan in January to address current demands and infrastructure needs.

She added that the draft of the Unified Development Code is nearly finalized; a tentative date has been scheduled for later in the year for council feedback.

Blust also discussed that Fire Station No. 3 has a staff of 15 firefi ghters, split equally among three shifts.

“The station also includes an annex for the Pilot Point Police Department, providing office space for two criminal investigation staff members,” Blust said.

Pilot Point Fire Chief Heath Hudson spoke during the staff report and provided more details on how the new Fire Station No. 3 has affected response times for residents.

“We took a couple of … addresses at Mobberly Farms that had repetitive calls there prior to 3's opening, and basically it's cut the response times to about 14 minutes,” Hudson said. “So, that station is there within three to four minutes, where it was taking 15-plus from here.”

Police Chief Angela Mathews shared that four new police officers were set to graduate from the police academy in the days after the council meeting and were set to be out on patrol Wednesday.

Mathews added that there are an additional four officers undergoing background checks.

“If we're able to get everybody completely successful out of background and we get everybody staffed within the next month or two, then we're anticipating the last person should be getting out of field training around this time next year,” she said.

Although Pilot Point will continue its mutual aid agreement with Aubrey, the need is dwindling as the staff grows, Mathews added.

The council approved a special event permit for a Fourth of July parade brought forth by Main Street Manager Jennifer Neal and Parks and Recreation Director Jason Poncio.

The event is in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.

City Manager Britt Lusk added that this parade is being put on with the help of several community organizations and nonprofits in Pilot Point.

“They came and made an ask to the city, and so we were able to maneuver and do some things to make it where we could actually have this parade,” Lusk said. “We heard that the community wanted it. We heard it loud and clear that we needed to move it forward.”

But under all that, for North Texas Fair and Rodeo Princess Mckinley Wagley, the competition is just about a girl who loves her horse.

“I feel like I'm not an absolute, pageant pageant girl, but rodeo pageants—… yeah, let's do it,” Mckinley said. “But, just, modeling and interviewing, that's not me. But the horse ones, I can do. I love them.”

She has participated in pageants since she was 7 years old and is the first in her family to do so.

“McKinley is a firstgeneration cowgirl, so everything that we're learning, we're learning together,” said Kat Wagley, her mother.

It all started one week at Hopper Ranch horse camp during COVID while Mckinley was 5, interacting with horses, riding and doing different activities.

McKinley was captivated by the sport, and it bloomed from there.

McKinley practiced barrel racing, and an instructor who had participated in the rodeo pageantry suggested the idea to Kat.

“So, we tried the summer of 2021, and we signed her up, and we were prepping and doing everything to get ready for the pageant, and then the week of the pageant, my whole family all got COVID that summer,” Kat said.

That setback knocked Mckinley out of the competition.

With more time to practice for the next year, Mckinley came back ready.

When the pageant rolled around in 2022, she ran for junior princess again and won her first title.

She added princess to the list in 2025 and is now going for the Texas princess title in a multiday competition starting June 16.

Sharing the spotlight with Mckinley is her horse, Cupid.

“He has baby blue eyes, sometimes a little sassy but most of the time, super sweet,” Mckinley said of her companion.

The pair have worked together for several years now.

Those around her have noticed improvements in her skills and confidence over the years, including trainer and horsemanship coach Michaela Ponce who owns the facility, Cowgirl in Progress, where Mckinley and Cupid have trained for nearly three years.

“It's been great to watch her grow because as she gets older, the competition in horsemanship gets more difficult,” Ponce said. “So, the bar is raised as they get older and more mature and handle more things. And so, she's had to really grow a lot as a rider to meet the new expectations of each pageant, each level she's doing.”

It can be a challenge competing in pageants and managing horses, Ponce said, but in the world of rodeo, camaraderie is huge.

“It's not uncommon to see the girls in the back help each other curling their hair or loaning makeup, or they're even considerate [about] outfits,” Ponce said. “Like, if you get there and one girl's wearing a gold dress and you're going to wear a gold dress, if somebody can swap, they'll swap. So, that way they're trying to give the spotlight or share the spotlight.”

It’s not just a competition; it’s also a friendship and community.

“I am looking forward to meeting all the other girls I don't know and meeting the teens and queens and getting time to spend time with my friends and family,” Mckinley said.

Along with preparing for Miss Rodeo Texas, McKinley spends her summers doing what she loves: horse riding and competitive dance.

“I tell people a lot of times that she's a lot braver than I ever was as a kid,” Kat said. “… It kind of fills you with a lot of pride as a mom to watch your child grow in that space and knowing that they're taking life skills that they're going to be able to take into adulthood and further in their lives.”

The church will pay homage to The Church of the Nazarene, which was established in Pilot Point on October 13, 1908, when three groups, the East Coast, West Coast and the South, came together to form it, Pastor Dwayne Edwards said.

“It was affiliated with a movement in the mid- to late 1800s called the Holiness Movement churches,” Edwards said. “They believed in God could change your life if you feel the power of God. You could walk the holy life; it wasn't just a dream. You could actually do it because God helps you do it. So, that's kind of where that began.”

The Church of Nazarenes will celebrate its 118th anniversary this fall.

Edwards recalled the church and the town’s rich history before the church was founded on the property when Franklin College was the first school in Pilot Point.

The Rest Cottage was a home for babies, unwed mothers and a reverend who made a difference in their lives.

“J.P. Roberts, who went up there, he preached out there in the streets,” Edwards said. “It's a whole different era of life. Like late 1800s, 1890s, these young girls would find Christ in their life, and he would bring them up here, and they developed what's called the Rest Cottage, which is a place they could come and have their baby that they adopted out. And we were there from like 1903 to like 1975. All those over 6,000 babies were born on this, on our ministry right here in Pilot Point.”

Now the Church of the Nazarene has expanded to nearly 3 million members and over 30,000 churches worldwide, including the one in Pilot Point.

After ministering in San Diego, California, for 22 years, Edwards, affectionately known to many in the community as PD, felt called to continue pastoring.

He and his wife came to Pilot Point back in 2016 with a purpose and mission to give new light to the church.

“We really try to be known in the community as a church who gives a rip about your life,” Edwards said.

The church was temporarily closed for remodeling of the 1997 building and reopened with a new look and a new name, becoming Grace Point.

“I was reaching people who didn't go to church,” Edwards said. “Who quit going to church, who used to go to church and who never went to church. That's the people we bring into our place, and we wanted them to know that when you come here, no matter what your background, there's going to be a lot of grace, which is simply put—God's love.”

Keeping the tradition alive, Grace Point hosts several community events annually in Pilot Point, including Chrome Fest, Christmas under the Stars and Easter at Grace Point.

It also holds a biannual community project weekend, during which volunteers go out into the community to provide acts of service.

“God's love is beyond us,” Edwards said. “It's beyond comprehension. It's insane. And that's the love God has for you. And that's the love we offer our community, and we offer the world. So, that's where Grace Point comes from. And that's the message I'm going to [share].'

Matt was elected to the council in 2020.

'I reluctantly make the motion to accept the resignation,' Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Perry said.

Matt shared his feelings about having served on the council.

'Thank you, everyone,' he said. 'Thank you to the city of Aubrey, thank you to the staff members, every employee of the city. Thank you, council. I have thoroughly loved serving the city. A special thanks to Jeff Perry and [Mayor] Chris Rich for really encouraging me to run when I was young and didn't have any experience in city government.'

He added that he is proud of the work done while he served on the council and for the community, which he described as 'a good city' with 'great people.'

'I'm excited to see where the city's going,' Matt said. '… This is in a unique position of extraordinary growth.'

He also encouraged the city leaders to not get bogged down by being between the city's past and what it will grow to become.

'My humble suggestion is to just look around and be thankful for what we do have,' Matt said.

He was honored with a proclamation and a commemorative street sign with Matt Jones Drive 2020-2026 on it.

'Council member [Matt] Jones has played a key role in guiding strategic investments in our employees, infrastructure and community projects, always with a focus on maintaining a high quality of life and fiscal responsibility, and his leadership, integrity and collaborative spirit have made a lasting impact,' Rich read from the proclamation.

The council also discussed how it plans to fill the seat through appointment.

Later in the meeting, the council unanimously approved a treated water supply contract with the Upper Trinity Regional Water District, which has been in the works for over two decades.

'Aubrey currently relies solely on groundwater, but with continued growth and with the availability of groundwater supply that necessitates the need for additional sources,' Assistant City Manager Leanne Wilson said. 'This need was recognized by city officials over 25 years ago, when planning for the future started with the Upper Trinity Regional Water District.'

Water from Upper Trinity will 'serve east of Highway 377 and north of Spring Hill Road,' Wilson said, at a rate of 2 million gallons per day.

'It will be supplemented with groundwater sources for a blended supply in that area,' Wilson said. 'The remaining service area within Aubrey's city limits and service area will remain on groundwater for the near future.'

Fikes asked what the current demand is.

'We are currently pumping about 500,000 gallons a day,' Wilson said.

He responded that that's 'substantially more water,' to which Wilson said, 'for our near future, we will be in good shape.'

'That does take into consideration developments that we have planned that should be in construction in two years,' Wilson added. 'We'll be ready for it when it gets there.'

Also at the meeting, Perry and council member Randy Jones were again sworn in after running unopposed in the May 2 election, and Perry was again elected mayor pro tem by the council with Chuck Fikes named deputy pro tem again as well.

The council also approved changes to the Aubrey Municipal Development District bylaws and to amend the comprehensive plan to change 10 acres along FM 2931 to public/institutional instead of rural life for Aubrey Fire Station No. 4.

The council voted not to approve a preliminary plat for Solid Rock, citing the roadway provisions of the subdivision ordinance.

That included information about the regional lift station project with Upper Trinity Regional Water District, located at the east end of Fishtrap Road between Blazer Boulevard and Brewer Road, and the prevention measures the town is taking to address future safety concerns for drivers who have not complied with the barricades or signs.

“[The] police department's been helping us monitor some of that activity, and hopefully it will come to a stop, because eventually they're going to have a 20- to 40-foot-deep hole in the ground where they put the pipe,” Roberson said.

The sanitary sewer repairs that are planned at the intersection of Providence Boulevard and Waterbury Drive have been rescheduled to June 15.

The intersection will be fully closed, with detour routes marked, and the project is estimated to be complete within a week.

“The contract is behind due to rain and some other projects, but Tx-DOT is planning to add a second turn lane at southbound Main Street onto 380, so we're hoping that gets done,” Roberson said. “They said early June.”

Also at the meeting, the council voted to approve three health benefit options for employees.

The ancillary benefits are paid to staff for qualifying injuries or hospitalization that occur both on and off the job.

“It's an additional expense,” Roberson said. “But we could potentially cover all of our employees with about a $22,000 impact total for all three of these plans into the budget. ... We are expecting a 5 to 11% increase in our normal benefits. They haven't given those yet, but they said that's kind of the range. So, we're planning for that in the budget, but we don't know exactly what the number is yet, but these have to be turned in by June 12 if we're going to participate.”

The benefits will help cover lost wages, deductibles and other employee needs.

“This is an important thing to have because you never know when you're going to end up in the hospital for seven days or so,” Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Nelson said.

The ordinance had been in the works since March, after resident John Klatt brought it to the council's attention.

When Mayor Rodney Cagle asked if there were any additional council comments regarding the matter, council member Stacey Sasser said, “I actually am very happy with it. I'm ready to just put it into place.”

Also at the meeting, council members Marion Ragsdale in Place 2, Sasser in Place 4 and Cagle were resworn in by Deputy City Secretary Kayleen Moss.

The council members and the mayor ran uncontested, leading to the cancelation of the May 2 general election.

Following that, Kristen Kromer received unanimous support from the dais to be reappointed as mayor pro tem for a one-year term.

A future agenda item to reduce the speed limit on U.S. 377, in conjunction with Aubrey’s, from 55 to 50 miles per hour within city limits was brought forth by Cagle.

“[From] personal experiences, myself and Chief Ward, that little slowing down has helped getting out of neighborhoods in Aubrey, and we're hoping that will help as well here,” Cagle said, adding that it’ll be “a step in the right direction.”

The dais unanimously approved a request for a variance for the property at 102 Wild Plum Drive on a 0.5080-acre plot in The Woodlands for an issue stemming from a construction error.

“The person who should have caught it has been spoken with,” Cagle said.

Administrative Assistant Susan Zambrano, Court Clerk Krystal Craven and Moss received compliments from council members for handling operations at City Hall as City Secretary and Court Administrator Sandy Frantz prepares for retirement.

“Those three over there have been working so hard with our transition,” Kromer said. “Just kudos to them; they are knocking it out of the park.”

Toward the end of the meeting, the council approved a monthly staff training day, which will close City Hall to the public.

The council did not designate a specific day to accommodate staff schedules, but the members said the hope is to align the closure with council meeting days.

Photos by Corbin Fitch/Contributing Photographer

Jenna Howard/The Post-Signal

The animals were the subject of a focused inspection on April 9 by the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

“We rescued these guys as cubs when they were little tiny cubs,” Shakarosa Manager Brandon Wornick said in a video posted May 20 by the facility on its social media pages. “They had been sick. We have this documented from the zoo they came from.”

The two white lions, Kali and Nzuri, have at least some inbred DNA, Wornick explained in the video.

“Anybody that’s visited us before knows that Nzuri and Kali have had issues for a long time,” Wornick said. “It’s nothing new.”

As cubs, Wornick said, “they had poor coordination [and] couldn’t walk in straight lines,” leading their vets to think they were blind.

“We believe every animal deserves a chance at life, no matter what your disability is,” he said.

Wornick also said the issues with coordination and other neurological symptoms continued to develop over the six years they had the lions, which was attributed to “a neurological condition that stemmed back to the symptoms they showed as cubs.”

Wornick also questioned why the USDA did not reach out to the diagnosing vet about the lions, Dr. Lynn Stucky, in the video Sharkarosa posted.

Among other comments Ronald Richardson attributed to Sharkarosa’s owner, Scott Edwards, in the official report was a comment of “If USDA ever comes back, they had bet- ter bring a gun.”

Wornick confirmed in the video from Sharkarosa that Edwards made a comment along those lines, saying it was “then bring a gun.”

“When someone questions your integrity, calls you and your staff liars, it can be a bit emotional,” Wornick said. “Was this the right answer? No, probably not. But in the heat of the moment, that’s what came to his mind, because he didn’t know how else to tell this guy to please leave our property. … It wasn’t meant as a threat, but as a confirmation to Dr. Richardson that we didn’t want him specifically to be here. It had nothing to do with the USDA. It had to do with him.”

The USDA followed up for an inspection and exit interview on April 13, with Richardson accompanied by Veterinary Medical Officer Michael Tygart.

“No non-compliant items identified during this inspection,” the inspection report reads.

On April 28, the Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a complaint with the USDA in regard to the lions.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund sent a followup email to the USDA on May 15, in which it listed concerns about additional animals, specifically a binturong, a zebra, the sloths, the bobcats, the Kunekune pig, a blue and gold macaw, a hyena and a white tiger based on the observations of “Drs. Monica Bando and Valerie Johnson, two veterinarians with extensive training and experience with both captive wildlife and domestic species, on April 26, 2026,” according to the email.

The ALDF also called “for the USDA to immediately suspend Edwards’ AWA license,” and to take additional legal action against Edwards.

By May 8, the Sharkarosa staff opted to release the lions into the care of a Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries facility, In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center, after the ALDF posted footage of the lions.

“We decided to move the lions after the harassment that we received, and the reason we did this was to protect the lions,” Wornick said, citing concerns about activists.

Vicky Keahey, the founder and president of In-Sync, and In-Sync veterinarian Dr. Stephanie LaGrone posted a video as well, explaining their perspective on the exchange and what they had determined about the lions’ condition.

“Right now, they’re being housed in our veterinary clinic,” Keahey said. “That’s so that we can get to them and administer the medications and treatments and stuff that they need.”

The enclosure they are planned to inhabit, she said, is 11,000 square feet.

“The cats would not be able to get to the fence or get into a position where we could give them their medication,” Keahey said.

She also added that the cats coming to her facility was not a rescue situation, but a surrender instead.

“Scott called me,” she said. “He asked for help because he knew that we would be able to help the lions get better medical care than he had knowledge of. He didn’t know what was wrong with them. He couldn’t figure out what was wrong with them. He called us to bring the lions here so that we could take care of them, we could diagnose them and we could try to fix what their issues are.”

LaGrone showed video of the lions from when they were in the care of the original breeder as well as from Sharkarosa around the time the lions came to that facility.

She also said the records do not give a full picture of what could have been done for the lions’ care.

“Since they’ve been here, we’ve done a couple of diagnostic tests,” La-Grone said. “They had a good deworming protocol; we didn’t find any intestinal parasites in these girls, there [were] no worms, no worm larvae, anything like that.”

In-Sync’s testing did find the presence of a protozoan parasite called toxoplasmosis, “but that’s not a parasite that you’re going to find on a routine fecal examination,” LaGrone said. “It lives in the nervous- system tissue, so the only way you can diagnose this would be by doing bloodwork or by doing a spinal tap,” she said.

Finding that parasite and what In-Sync said was a critically low Vitamin A deficiency in the lions required additional bloodwork beyond the basic panels that they did not find on a record of being performed at Sharkarosa.

“There’s a lot of micronutrients that these animals need, and if they’re just eating protein, they’re not getting any of that,” LaGrone said.

Vitamin A deficiency causes skull thickening, she added, which increases cranial pressure and “will cause the very back part of the brain, called the cerebellum, to push out.”

“This pressure on the cerebellum, the pressure on the spinal cord causes coordination issues, it causes stargazing, it causes weakness in all four limbs,” LaGrone said. “It will eventually start causing issues with their vision and their ability to swallow.”

The neurological problems are a “100% reversable issue” with proper nutrition, LaGrone said.

Keahey added that they have successfully rehabilitated two lions with similar physical ailments from Vitamin A deficiency before Kali and Nzuri.

“The uncertainty with these girls comes from the chronicity of their issue,” LaGrone said, with Keahey adding, “because they’ve had it so long.”

Time will tell, La-Grone said.

“If they aren’t showing the improvement that we’re expecting, then the next steps is we’re going to take them to get MRIs done,” she added. “… We’re not just going to give up on them. We’re going to exhaust every resource that we can before making any sort of decision like that.”

Keahey said the goal was not to damage Edwards or Sharkarosa in any of the information they have released about Kali and Nzuri.

In the Sharkarosa video, Wornick spoke about the diagnoses In-Sync publicized.

“We did not know about a Vitamin A deficiency, nor do we know if this is 100% true or not,” he said. “But we didn’t know about it because we did our bloodwork in October. It didn’t show a Vitamin A deficiency. We actually provide a carnivore supplement that provides Vitamin A in their food.”

He acknowledged that such a deficiency “might help their symptoms a little bit.”

“But that’s definitely not the root cause of their issue,” Wornick said.

The tribute, which includes flowers, plaques with his name and a motorcycle rider image, and things he enjoyed in life, resulted from a three-vehicle accident that claimed Shane’s life on Saturday morning.

“He loved the beach,” she said. “He loved motorcycles, absolutely. He loved plants and flowers, all kinds. We had huge gardens. He was just a really genuine person,” said Shane’s wife, Tara Mozingo.

The couple taught each other about their passions—Tara taught Shane how to be a tattoo artist, and Shane taught Tara to ride motorcycles.

“We used to go ride everywhere, everywhere,” she said. “He taught me to ride two years ago.”

They loved riding together between Sanger and Pilot Point, she said Wednesday, as they went from home to their tattoo parlor, Singing Cicada Tattoos.

“I taught him to tattoo about five years ago; we’ve been together for 10,” Tara said.

She described Saturday as the worst day of her life, but she said she takes some small comfort in knowing that Shane was not alone when he died, as she and a family member were riding with him that day.

Shane was unable to be revived despite efforts by Good Samaritans on the scene or when the Pilot Point Fire Department responded at 11:20 a.m.

“Crews on the scene performed advanced life support … but due to the extent of the injuries were unable to resuscitate the individual,” PPFD Chief Heath Hudson said without identifying Mozingo by name.

There was one person transported to the hospital from incident.

Shane had recently celebrated his 34th birthday, Tara said.

“And his 10-year sobriety date on his birthday,” she said.

His family, which includes their 14-year-old daughter who Shane has helped raise since she was 4 years old, is mourning their loved one.

Tara is determined to honor Shane’s memory, including with a plan for a memorial ride from Dallas to Denton.

The details for that ride will be available on the Singing Cicada Tattoos social media pages.

It was an exhilarating moment for Kenzie, her family and adviser as she received first place in the Barbara Jordan Historical Essay in combined classes 1-3A on May 18.

“Kenzie is one of our hardest-working kids in the school, and so if there’s anyone deserving of a trip to state, it is certainly her,” theater teacher Haley Hertel said. “So I was super excited.”

Kenzie was drawn to this writing assignment for several reasons, including seeing her former high school peer, Lizbeth Fraire De León, become a state champion last year in the same competition along with the message of the essay.

“The purpose of the essay is a lot different than like any other writing assignment or UIL competition, because it’s about uplifting Texas voices and recognizing them for their contributions to Texas culture,” Kenzie said.

For her essay, Kenzie chose to interview Carrie Johnson, a former student of Hertel’s and a journalist who writes about indigenous issues and strives to uplift their voices, a message that really stuck with her.

“We knew when she was writing the paper that we were taking a bit of a risk because it is a research paper,” Hertel said. “… The person she wrote her paper on is a creative writer and had written a lot of poetry, so we decided to weave some of her poetry into the research paper, which is not a very typical way to write a research paper. So, we knew it was a big gamble, and we weren’t sure it was going to pay off.”

After submitting the essay in February, Kenzie waited several months, with- out a word, until late April.

Then one day, she received a surprise call from Hertel, who told her she would advance to the state level in Austin.

Although certain of her spot in the Top 12 and guaranteed a plaque, Kenzie hoped to place in the Top 6 to receive a gold medal at the award ceremony.

“I was so scared,” Kenzie said.

She recalled waiting and hoping for her name to be called as they went one by one, listing the Top 6 in ascending order.

“At that point, it’s like, ‘OK, I either just won the whole thing, or I didn’t place at all,’ which in that moment, I was so anxious,” Kenzie said. “It was more plausible to believe I just hadn’t placed at all.”

With only one place left, Kenzie was announced the winner of the contest, earning her first gold medal at the state UIL level.

“When they called my name, it was really surreal,” she said. “Everybody who was sitting in my section was screaming, and my mom almost started crying. Sometimes, even now, I don’t really believe it.”

Despite Kenzie’s initial uncertainty, there alongside her was her father, Austin Lewter, a man with enough unwavering confidence in his daughter’s ability to support both of them.

“Proud is not a strong enough word,” Austin said. “She really did a good job on this. I work with young people, and I work with bright young people, and to see your child be one of the brightest among them, it’s just really gratifying. … She took the spirit of this contest seriously, … [and] do what journalists do to tell the stories about folks that need those stories told.”

Her father, the owner and publisher of the Whitesboro News-Record, added that the shared moment was even more significant.

“As long as your kids are happy and thriving, that’s what you want, but if they can do that and you can have a little bit of common ground with them, then that’s even more special,” Austin said.

For Kenize, it has been a year with many UIL highlights, which include having qualified for state in traditional animation for her group film “Charles the Shifty Dog,” along with her sister Bella Lewter and friend Abbie Hammer, being the stage manager of the Tioga One Act Play that placed fifth at state, and placing third at state in group design.

Now, with the school year nearing its end, she looks ahead to her final year.

“Being able to take all the positive feedback my essay got and then do another one next year and then just keep going in UIL events as a senior next year is really helpful and good and encouraging,” Kenzie said.

Her full essay has been republished on the Whitesboro News-Record website to read for free at bit. ly/4v9SwfR.

Starbright is great resource

This past weekend, Fiona, Shrek, Prince Farquaad, Donkey and a host of fairy-tale characters came alive on the Starbright Stage.

With fabulous singing, dancing, delightful costumes and an oversized dragon with sparkling eyes, the production offered a memorable evening of entertainment.

Best of all was the broad community participation across ages and backgrounds, which made the program feel especially welcoming and joyful.

What a delightful experience for all ages, just a few steps from the gazebo.

Bravo to the actors, production team and support staff whose commitment to the community was evident throughout the performance.

If you were unable to attend, check the marquee on Washington Street for the next event on June 6: “Ghostbusters.”

Pilot Point is fortunate to have quality entertainment for all ages just steps from our front door. Looking forward to the next production, Bonnie Ambrose Pilot Point

Bodies are incredible things.

They push through stress, physical challenges and other adversity to do what we ask of them most of the time, unless there’s some underlying issue that prevents that.

For some of us, they seem to work best under stress and react in weird ways to the feeling of the adrenaline wearing off.

And some of us keep that adrenaline running a bit too long, so we end up facing a bit of a crash after a big project or a stressful time of year, especially if those circles create a lovely Venn diagram.

For those of you who have found themselves rundown or feeling a bit under the weather this week as the chaos of the end of the school year winds down, here are some suggestions for how to take care of yourself.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests “healthy ways to cope with stress” on its website, accessible at cdc.gov/mental- health/livingwith/ index.html.

It encourages us to step away from our screens to allow ourselves a break from the 24/7 stream of news coming our way.

It also suggests deep breathing or meditation, journaling or spending time outdoors as good ways to reset your brain. Connecting with others and practicing gratitude daily also make the list. As far as the physical is concerned, it suggests getting at least seven hours of sleep per night and moving at least two and a half hours per week.

It also gives some guidelines for what should go into your body and what to avoid.

As the Aubrey Senior Class Vice President Makiah Radick pointed out at graduation, May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

Probably most important on the CDC webpage is this note: “If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, confidential, free, 24/7/365 help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.”

I hope you’ll take the time to put some of these suggestions to good use.

My body is definitely telling me I need to do the same today.

Abigail Bardwell is the Editor & Publisher of the Post-Signal, and she serves on both the North and East Texas Press Association and the Texas Press Association boards. She can be reached at abardwell@postsignal. com.

Paisley McGee/The Post-Signal

Carrie Rodriguez/The Post-Signal

The Ray Roberts Lake State Park Johnson Branch Unit, 100 PW 4153 in Valley View will have Full Moon Hike, 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Nature Center parking lot; Carleton’s Catfish Catch-AThon, 9 a.m. June 6, Kid Fish Pond; Skins and Skulls, 10 a.m. June 13, Kid Fish Pond; and Broad Stripes and Bright Stars, noon June 13, Nature Center.

All events are free with a paid entrance fee into the park. For more information, call 940637-2294.

Summer Kickoff at PP library

The Pilot Point Community Library at 324 S. Washington St. will have the Summer Reading Kickoff Party from noon-3 p.m. Tuesday; Digital Newspaper Program (adults), 11 a.m. June 6, Clifton and Nadene Irick Museum; Master Gardeners: Composting (adults), 2 p.m. June 12; and movie: “Jurassic World Rebirth,” 11 a.m. June 13.

For more information or to register for classes, call 940686-5004.

Tween, Cat clubs at Aubrey library

The Aubrey Area Library at 226 Countryside Drive will offer Tween Club (ages 9-13), 4:30 p.m. Friday and The Cat Club (ages 9-13), 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The summer reading challenge starts Monday. Summer volunteers are needed ages 11-adults.

For more information or to register for classes, call 940365-9162 or email aubreyarealibrary@ gmail.com.

NCTC to have veteran grants

North Central Texas College will offer grant funding for veterans to cover the cost of NCTC’s Class A CDL training program. For more information, call 940-668-3373 or email ace@nctc.edu.

19th Century Club silent quilt auction

The 19th Century Club is having a silent quilt auction with proceeds going toward scholarships for local high school students. The quilt is on display at PointBank in Pilot Point.

Participants can bid on a sheet in the bank or by emailing 19thccpp@gmail.com.

Summer camps, movie at Starbright Center

Starbright Center for the Arts will show the movie “Ghostbusters” at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. June 6 at 110 S. Washington St.

The summer camp featuring “The Jungle Book Kids” will be from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. June 8-12 with performances June 12-14.

Backroad Anthem will perform live music at 7 p.m. June 19.

To purchase tickets or for more information, go to starbrightmpa. com.

Battle at the Net at THS

Tioga High School will sponsor the Bulldog Battle at the Net volleyball tournament at 10 a.m. Saturday. Cost is $20 per person for ages ninth grade to adults. Teams can be coed, all guys or all girls and open to all athletes.

To register, go to the Tioga Volleyball Facebook page.

Market on Main in Pilot Point

The May Market on Main will be from 5-9 p.m. Saturday at the Pilot Point Ice House, 123 E. Main. There will be handcrafted items, jewelry, baked and canned goods, and the Pilot Point Chamber Margarita Trail.

“Shakespeare Off the Square” will be performed during the event by Starbright Center for the Arts.

PPISD to offer free summer meals

Pilot Point ISD will have free summer meals for children ages 18 and younger Monday- Thursday through June 25. Breakfast will be offered from 8:30-9 a.m. with lunch from 11:30 a.m.-noon at Pilot Point Early Childhood Center and Pilot Point High School.

Pre-k qualifying events at Aubrey ISD

Aubrey ISD will have prek qualification events for the 2026-27 school year.

•9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, West Elementary School library (all campus);

•9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. June 10, Fuller Elementary School library (all campus).

For a list of required documentation and qualifications, go to bit.ly/AubreyPKRegistration.

The Smile Sanctuary ribbon cutting

A ribbon cutting will be held at noon June 5 for The Smile Sanctuary, 26565 E. University Drive, Ste. 200 in Aubrey.

Fruit Jar Junction Market in Aubrey

The next Fruit Jar Junction Market will be from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. June 6 at Veterans Memorial Park, 146 E. Mulberry St. in Aubrey.

Rancho Roundup Charity Car Show

The Rancho Roundup Charity Car Show will be from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. June 6 at Ranco De La Roca, 2459 W. Blackjack Road in Aubrey. There will be food trucks, fishing, paddle boats, canoes, bounce houses and playgrounds.

All proceeds will go to the Peace of the Rock Ministries.

Area Vacation Bible Schools

Several churches will offer Vacation Bible School in June.

•Calvary Baptist Church, 6-8:30 p.m. June 7-10, calvarypilotpoint. org;

•Midway Baptist Church, 6:30-8:30 p.m. June 15-18, midwaychurch. org;

•St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 9 a.m.-noon June 22-26, stthomaspilotpointorg.

Junior summer golf camps

Summer 2026 junior golf camps for ages 7-12 will be from 8:30-10:30 a.m. the weeks of June 8-Aug. 6 at Christie’s Golf Ranch, 920 U.S. 377 in Pilot Point. Cost will be $175.

For more information or to register, go to christiesgolfranch. com or call 214-3171488.

Chamber Challenge Golf Tournament

The 28th annual Pilot Point Chamber Challenge Golf Tournament will begin at 8 a.m. June 12 at The Bridges Golf Club, 2400 Fred Couples Drive in Gunter. Entry fees are $500 per team.

To register, go to pilotpoint. org.

Mountain Springs Community Market

The next Mountain Springs Community Market will be from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. June 13 at 173 Mountain Springs Lane in Valley View. Noah’s Ark Animal Shelter will be there from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. with adoptable dogs.

To become a vendor, go to mountainspringscommunitycenter. com.

Flag Day Celebration at American Legion

The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 550 will host a Flag Day Celebration from noon-4 p.m. June 14 at 905 Foundation Drive. There will be free hot dogs, entertainment for the kids and a flag retirement ceremony.

Aubrey to offer Health Talk Express

The city of Aubrey along with Aubrey Parks and Recreation will offer Health Talk Express for senior residents from noon-1 p.m. June 15 at the Aubrey Community Center, 226 Countryside Drive.

For more information, contact Dusty Fife at 469-6780889.

Summer Music Series at Veterans Park

The second Summer Music Series will be from 5-9:30 p.m. June 20 at Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Aubrey. There will be bounce houses, food trucks, and music by Sister Hazel and Jerrod Medulla.

City of Oak Point to celebrate 50 years

The city of Oak Point will have a 50th Anniversary Celebration from 6-10 p.m. June 20 at Prestonwood Polo Club, 501 Martingale Trail in Oak Point. For sponsorship information, call Jennifer Henry at 972-2942312, ext. 106.

Krugerville to host Park Fest

The city of Krugerville will host Park Fest with a car show from 1-5 p.m. and live music from The Shane Hamilton Band and Jon Young Band from 5-9 p.m. June 27 at 5200 U.S. 377. There will be food and vendors. The car show entry fee will be $20.

Landscape design course set for Denton County

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension will offer a free Landscape Design Course from 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m. July 17-18. Registration opens Monday at dcmga. com. For more information, email info@dcmga.com.

HOPE Food Ministry asks for food, clothing

The HOPE Food and Clothing Ministry is asking for nonperishable food items, clothing and personal care items at 819 Sherman Drive in Aubrey. Donations can also be dropped off at Keller Williams Realty, 806 S. U.S. 377 in Aubrey.

For more information or to donate online, go to hopefood. org.

Meals on Wheels seeks drivers

Volunteer drivers are needed to deliver Meals on Wheels one day a week Monday- Friday for 2 to 2 1/2 hours from 10:15 a.m.-12:45 p.m. in Aubrey, Krugerville and Pilot Point.

For more information, call Cindy Faris at 972-838-3259.

Around Town is published weekly. Submit information to abardwell@postsignal.com.

Every Weekday

•11 a.m. Congregate meals, conversation and games. Pilot Point Senior Center, 310 S. Washington St. 972-838-3259.

Friday, May 29

•8:30 a.m. Shepherd’s Storehouse, 1189 U.S. 377, Pilot Point. 940-686-2620.

•10 a.m. Exercise Class. Pilot Point Senior Center, 310 S. Washington St.

•10:30 a.m. Early Childhood Storytime (Toddler Time). Aubrey Area Library, 226 Countryside Drive. 940-365-9162.

•11:30 a.m. Early Childhood Storytime (Baby & Me). Aubrey Area Library, 226 Countryside Drive. 940-365-9162.

•7 p.m. Live music with JB & The Fastracs. Pilot Point Coffee House, 110 W. Main St.

•7:30 p.m. Karaoke with Pam and Dave. Vaughn-Walling American Legion Post 550, 905 N. Foundation St., Pilot Point.

Saturday, May 30

•8 a.m. Cross Roads Community Farmers Market. Cross Roads Town Park, corner of FM

424 and Fishtrap Road.

•9 a.m. Clifton and Nadene Irick Museum, 201 S. Jefferson St., Pilot Point.

•10:30 a.m. The Aubrey Area Museum opens for walk-in tours. Tours can also be scheduled by appointment. 209 S. Main St. 940-343-1313.

•7 p.m. Karaoke Night. Pilot Point Coffee House, 110 W. Main St.

Sunday, May 31

•1 p.m. American Legion Membership meeting. Vaughn-Walling American Legion Post 550,

905 N. Foundation St., Pilot Point. 972-816-4353.

•1 p.m. ALA meeting. Vaughn-Walling American Legion Post

550, 905 N. Foundation St., Pilot Point. 940-686-9901.

•2 p.m. SAL meeting. Vaughn-Walling American Legion Post

550, 905 N. Foundation St., Pilot Point. 940-686-9901.

Monday, June 1

•8:30 a.m. Shepherd’s Storehouse. 1189 U.S. 377, Pilot Point. 940-686-2620.

•10 a.m. Exercise Class. Pilot Point Senior Center, 310 S. Washington St.

•6 p.m. Cross Roads Town Council. Town Hall, 3201 U.S.

380, Ste.105. 940-365-9693.

•6 p.m. Pilot Point Main Street board. Pilot Point City Hall, 102 E. Main St. 940-686-2165.

•7 p.m. Recovery Care Group. Midway Church, 9540 U.S. 377, Pilot Point.

•7:30 p.m. Pool tournament. Vaughn-Walling American Legion Post 550, 905 N. Foundation St., Pilot Point.

Tuesday, June 2

•9:30 a.m. Games. Pilot Point Senior Center, 310 S. Washington St. 972-838-3259.

•Noon. Lake Ray Roberts Rotary Club. PointBank Community Center, 739 E. Liberty St.

•1:30 p.m. Local Vocals Community Singers. Contact Charlotte Petermeier, 214-514-4892.

•4:15 p.m. After School Storytime (all ages). Aubrey Area Library, 226 Countryside Drive.

940-365-9162.

•5:30 p.m. Meditation Hour (ages 16 and up). Aubrey Area Library, 226 Countryside Drive.

940-365-9162.

•6 p.m. Aubrey Parks and Recreation. Aubrey Council Chambers, 226 Countryside Drive.

940-440-9343.

•6 p.m. Cross Roads Planning and Zoning Commission. Town Hall, 3201 U.S. 380, Ste.105.

940-365-9693.

•6 p.m. Jam Sessions. Pilot Point Coffee House, 110 W. Main St.

•6 p.m. Pilot Point Municipal Development District. Pilot Point City Hall, 102 E. Main St. 940--

342-5023.

•6:30 p.m. Providence Village Economic Development Corporation. Providence Village Town Hall, 1755 Main St. 940-365--

9333.

•7 p.m. Poker tournament. Vaughn-Walling American Legion Post 550, 905 N. Foundation St., Pilot Point.

•7:30 p.m. Providence Village Town Council. Providence Village Town Hall, 1755 Main St.

940-365-9333.

Wednesday, June 3

•8:30 a.m. Shepherd’s Storehouse. 1189 U.S. 377, Pilot Point. 940-686-2620.

•9 a.m. Mountain Springs Quilters. Mountain Springs Community Center, 173 Mountain Springs Lane. 940-736-8013.

•10 a.m. Exercise Class. Pilot Point Senior Center, 310 S. Washington St.

•10 a.m. Baby & Toddler Storytime (ages 0-2). Pilot Point Community Library, 324 S. Washington St. 940-686-5004.

•10:45 a.m. Preschool Storytime (ages 3-5). Pilot Point Community Library, 324 S. Washington St. 940-686-5004.

•Noon. Parks and Recreation board. Pilot Point City Hall, 102 E. Main St. 940-686-2165.

•1 p.m. Clifton and Nadene Irick Museum, 201 S. Jefferson St., Pilot Point.

•6 p.m. Queen of Hearts. Vaughn-Walling American Legion Post 550, 905 N. Foundation St., Pilot Point.

•7 p.m. Karaoke Wednesdays with Pam and Dave. Lowbrows Saloon, 200 S. Washington St.

•7:30 p.m. Pool tournament. Vaughn-Walling American Legion Post 550, 905 N. Foundation St., Pilot Point.

Thursday, June 4

•9 a.m. Clifton and Nadene Irick Museum, 201 S. Jefferson St., Pilot Point.

•9:30 a.m. Games. Pilot Point Senior Center, 310 S. Washington St. 972-838-3259.

•10 a.m. Thrilling Thursday: Science Heroes (all ages). Pilot Point Community Library, 324 S. Washington St. 940-686-5004.

•10:30 a.m. Little Readers Book Club (ages 2-5). Aubrey Area Library, 226 Countryside Drive.

940-365-9162.

•10:30 a.m. Stitch & Sketch (ages 10-adult). Pilot Point Community Library, 324 S. Washington St. 940-686-5004.

•11 a.m. Tioga Senior Center open for refreshments, games and bingo. 305 N. Porch St.

•11:30 a.m. Women’s Lunch.

First United Methodist Church,

217 S. Church St., Pilot Point.

940-686-2338.

•6 p.m. Improv Club. Pilot Point Coffee House, 110 W. Main St.

Community Calendar is published weekly. To add or change a listing, email abardwell@postsignal.com.

Photos by Abigail Bardwell/ The Post-Signal

The business first opened at 1129 South U.S. 377 in December 2023 with little traction and a gym that Josh Wilcox, the co-owner, described as “bare bones,” but since then, it has grown and expanded.

“We thought it would be a good idea to have a grand reopening to kind of rekindle that fire and let people know that we have other things that we offer, and it’s different from when we first started,” Josh said.

The day featured free morning classes, including boxing and large-group fitness, to showcase what it offers and inspire others to be proactive about their own health, something that holds significance to him.

“I’ve had a lot of family members that had passed away just from completely avoidable diseases or instances where [if] they’d just been healthier, they’d still be here,” Josh said. “… I always want to be present for my kids, and I want to teach people how to be present.”

Guests could also explore the event booths to learn more about the businesses they are partnered with, such as MC Spray Tans, Lone Star IV Medics and Clean Eatz.

“I am incredibly thankful and blessed to have the support that we have, and especially from our trainers as well,” co-owner Charlie Wilcox said. “They are phenomenal. They care about our members just as much as we do.”

Pilot Point Chamber of Commerce provided the ribbon and scissors for the ceremonial ribbon cutting, in which the couple’s son, Oliver Wilcox, did the honors, standing alongside his parents and two siblings, Liam and Sage.

During the ceremony, Chamber Vice President Lisa Cave spoke about how proud she is to see the business grow in just a few years now with over 100 members.

“That says a lot to what he’s doing here and just the community connections that he’s making,” Cave said.

Property owners Jeremy Malazzo and his wife Jorden Malazzo were equally inspired with the transformation of the building and what the couple were able to accomplish.

“[Josh] is top-notch as far as taking care of his customers and also what he’s done in the building and the space,” Jeremy said. “It’s kind of blown our minds.”

Jorden added, “He’s been a great tenant in just the way that he pours into the community.”

After living across the DFW Metroplex, the Wilcoxes decided to settle down with their children in a small town, set roots and open up their own fitness business, starting with around 20 members.

“We’ve grown since then,” Charlie said. “We wouldn’t be able to be where we’re at or have been able to expand it without them. They show up every day. They put in the work. They’re very dedicated, and we’re so incredibly blessed to have them.”

She added that the members have become a second family, showing up for her family in times of need.

“I’ve never experienced something so close-knit, and so caring, and so positive,” Charlie said. “… It’s just that very loving community that you find here in Pilot Point that you don’t necessarily find everywhere else.”

Josh Campbell, the commercial program manager for TNMP, was the first to present and spoke about energy efficiency, the different programs offered and an overview of how TNMP came about.

“Most customers in Texas are in a deregulated part of the territory, meaning there’s one transmission and distribution company, like a TNMP, which services the poles and wires and the delivery infrastructure, but you actually buy your electricity from a retail electric provider,” Campbell said. “… When the market deregulated [in 1999], they introduced a competitive structure by decoupling distribution from retail.”

The company is a transmission and distribution provider that has around 280,000 customers across Texas.

The corporate office is in Lewisville, but Campbell explained there are service centers similar to the one in Pilot Point throughout the state.

“Every investor-owned utility like TNMP have energy efficiency goals and usage reduction goals that we have to meet,” Campbell said.

He began to elaborate on a couple of programs, like the Commercial Market Transformations Program.

“This is a program for any commercial customer,” Campbell said. “We offer technical guidance and assistance with identifying equipment in your facility where there could be opportunities to save energy when it comes to replacing common things.”

After the customer completes the project, TNMP offers a one-time cash incentive based on the estimated energy saved.

“When you pair the cash incentive with the annual energy cost savings, the equipment oftentimes pretty quickly will pay for itself over three- to eight-year payback, whatever type it is, so we want to help offset those initial costs,” Campbell said.

TNMP also partners with Frontier Energy to manage and assist with incentive payments, site assessments, energy calculations and checks to ensure TNMP remains state compliant.

“The main takeaway is we paid $1.1 million in cash incentives, estimated lifetime cost savings of over $14 million,” Campbell said. “Sometimes when you look at something expensive like a chiller retrofit, the first couple of years, it’s a really expensive project. But if you think about 15 to 20 years, what those accumulated savings look like over time, that’s where the business case for energy efficiency really shines.”

Another program offered is the Commercial Direct Install Program, geared toward small to mid-sized businesses.

“What we did is identify the kind of lower-hangingfruit measures that are not really expensive, where we don’t have to pay a contractor a lot of hours to install, and we’re offering these equipment projects to retrofit customers completely free of charge,” Campbell said.

He then segued to the Residential Program, which currently has a waitlist for 2027.

“This is a contractordriven program that will come in and the main measure that they do is ceiling insulation and duct sealing,” Campbell said. “They can also do some forms of lighting and advanced power strips. So, no-cost measures to homeowners to help the home become more efficient.”

He added that there’s a network of about 10 contractors who are required to have a peddler’s permit and meet the local requirements that pertain to it.

“The three programs combined serve well over 1,900 customers, installed over 4,000 new devices,” Campbell said. “That’s 2.7 megawatts, 4.4 gigawatt hours of energy savings. That’s the electricity equivalent that’s needed to power 562 homes for one year or 240 million smartphone chargers.”

He encouraged everyone to reach out when they have a project.

“We would love to talk to you about it and see where it could fit and how we can claim savings, pay an incentive or, in some cases, the full cost of the project,” Campbell said in closing.

Lovepacs community leaders for the Aubrey and Pilot Point area, Kim Groff and Glory Huerta, were next to present.

They shared the different ways to volunteer and the impact the nonprofit has had in the community.

Groff provided a brief history of Lovepacs’s founding in 2011.

It was started by four families from The Colony, and that year several children took backpacks filled with food home every Friday.

Now, in 2026, the nonprofit has five pantries and serves 12 school districts, 296 schools and 18 communities, which means “over 8,000 students receive food each major holiday, plus thousands served each month with weekend bags,” according to the presentation.

“It’s a real problem in our community, and … it also doesn’t look the way you think,” Groff said. “Yes, we serve people that live in the cars, but we also serve people that live in really, really nice houses that either can’t pay for it, can’t move or there’s multiple families living there.”

Groff provided a breakdown on the impact Lovepacs had on Pilot Point ISD for the 2025-26 school year.

The nonprofit serves all four campuses, with 31 weekly deliveries and three box deliveries.

On average, they served 82 students each week and delivered 98 boxes on average.

They distributed a total of 13,600 pounds of food, up from last year’s 10,200 pounds.

In total, the organization distributed $17,900 worth of food, including 2,546 weekly bags and 294 boxes.

It was another increase from the previous amount of $11,800.

“The Lovepacs model has always been, we want to fulfill every request we get,” Groff said. “The school counselor calls and says, ‘We need a box for our kid.’ We will do everything we can to do it.”

They shared that the best ways to help are by donating food and money and spreading the word.

Other ways to support the initiative are to invite Lovepacs to events to speak.

“There were many days in my life that I didn’t know what to eat,” Huerta said. “Sometimes I would spend two days just drinking water and a little bit of sugar because that’s what my mom had, so I don’t want any kid to be in my position. That’s why I love Lovepacs so much and why I’m so passionate, and I give everything to it. I think about how many kids you’re helping right now, but how many other kids you will be helping if you just join forces with us.”

The Pilot Point Chamber of Commerce was there to support the new business at 717 E. Liberty St., with President Jimerson Adkins sharing a few words about the joy of having another creative space in town, as did Mayor Chad Major.

“I really want to welcome you because I love doing this because it relaxes me, and this is awesome,” Major said.

Adkins presented the ceremonial scissors for the ribbon cutting to owner Wendy Amie Cavazos.

The inspiration for the business came from visiting paint-your-own pottery places in Frisco, McKinney and surrounding cities with her daughters.

“We made so many new memories and everything together that when I had the opportunity and started to think about, ‘OK, I want to start a business. What would be the ideal thing to do?’” she said. “And well, we love to paint, we love to craft, we like to have those moments as mother and daughter. So, then I was like, paint your own pottery.”

She received added encouragement from her landlord, who saw the vision.

“It’s been exciting but nervous at the same time because, first of all, I’m a new business owner, so just the fact of opening my own business, I was already like, could I really do this?” she said. “Could this really happen? So, that was nervous, but when I saw it all come together, I was, like yeah, it can happen, yeah, we can do this.”

Although the business opened back on the first of April, Cavazos said there are already talks of collaborating with another ma-and-pa business in Pilot Point.

She added that the possibilities seem endless, with plans to host a ladies’ night and other events in the future.

Through the process, she has inspired those around her, like her oldest daughter, Bernece Cruz, who recalled an early conversation she had with her mom when it was only an idea.

“She couldn’t sleep because she was trying to make a decision,” Cruz said.

So, Cavazos’ daughter offered her words of advice.

“If you want to, you’ll do it,” Cruz said. “And if you feel like you’re called to do it, you can’t miss your mark, this is it.”

Now that the place is up and running, it’s become a full-circle moment for her, as she shared what it meant to be there to support her mom’s grand opening.

“It was really inspiring,” Cruz said. “And if anything, it’s amazing. It really, really is, because she’s not setting an example just for me but for everybody around her.”

The moment was even more special for Cruz, who brought her own children to the grand opening.

“My kids feel so proud to just come in, and they know where to go, what to do,” Cruz said. “They set an example, too. They can act crazy other places, but here it’s like, this is my grandma’s place. This is our place. We’ve got to act right.”

In addition to the outpouring of support from family, community members offered their own warm welcomes.

“They’re all happy to have me here, and I feel like the future will be good,” Cavazos said. “I feel like every month is gonna be better and better as we go.”

PUBLIC INTOXICATION – A 39-year-old was arrested Sunday by Aubrey PD on a charge of public intoxication in the 200 block of South Main Street.

DWI – A man, 44, was arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated second Sunday by CRPD during a traffic stop investigation in the 7000 block of U.S. 380.

WARRANT – Aubrey police arrested a 24-yearold Sunday on a Collin County warrant charge in the 9300 block of Westminster Drive.

ASSAULT – A 33-yearold was arrested Saturday by Aubrey PD on a charge of assault causes bodily injury in the 11700 block of Alpine Springs Drive.

WARRANT – On Saturday, APD arrested a 42-year-old on a Denton County warrant charge in the 1400 block of Devonshire Drive.

DWI – A 37-yearold was arrested by Aubrey police Saturday on a charge of driving while intoxicated in the 2100 block of Sherman Drive.

PUBLIC INTOXICATION – A 33-year-old was arrested Saturday by Aubrey PD on charges of public intoxication, interference with public duties and a Dallas County warrant in the 12100 block of Steeplechase Drive.

ACCIDENT – A twovehicle crash was reported to Cross Road police May 22 in the 10000 block of U.S. 380.

CRASH – Around 11 a.m. May 21, KVPD were dispatched to a crash near the intersection of U.S. 377 and Arvin Hill Road. One person was transported to Medical City Denton.

CRASH – On May 21, Cross Road PD were dispatched to a two-vehicle accident with no report of injury near the intersection of U.S. 377 and Liberty Road.

DWI – A traffic stop investigation May 20 by CRPD resulted in the arrest of a woman, 42, on a charge of driving while intoxicated with an open container in the 10000 block of U.S. 380.

CITATION – A woman, 35, was issued a citation for shoplifting and a criminal trespass warning by Cross Roads police May 18 in the 11700 block of U.S. 380.

CRASH – A two-vehicle accident was investigated May 18 by Cross Roads PD near the intersection of U.S. 377 and Liberty Road. No injuries were reported.

DWI – A 23-year-old was arrested May 18 by APD on a charge of driving while intoxicated second in the 9400 block of Waterman Drive.

ACCIDENT – Pilot Point PD responded to an accident May 18 in the 300 block of East Main Street. No injuries were reported.

CRASH – A three-vehicle crash with minor injuries was reported to Cross Roads police May 18 near the intersection of FM 424 and Fishtrap Road.

-Kim Fleming

Panther Creek opened the best of three series with a 3-0 win in Game 1, and Aubrey battled back to win Game 2, 4-3, but the Panthers took Game 3 and the series in convincing fashion, winning 12-2.

“Our kids played their tails off,” Aubrey head baseball coach Nathan Henry said. “… We just came up a little short there, and in Game 3 we ran out of gas, but we have nothing to be ashamed of. We were playing for our season in Game 3, which is something we did two times before, but one game doesn’t overshadow the whole season, and I’m incredibly proud of how hard our kids played.”

The series started with a defensive duel in Game 1 with both teams containing their opponent’s offense, until Panther Creek found gaps in Aubrey’s to score the two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, taking a 2-0 lead.

Panther Creek picked up another score in the next inning and held on to win 3-0.

The Panthers won the hitting and pitching battles, finishing with 6 hits to the Chaps’ 3 and racking up 14 strikeouts to Aubrey’s 2.

The defensive battle continued in Game 2, with the matchup remaining scoreless until the Chaps scored the first run in the bottom of the sixth inning when a pop fly hit by Colton Billings allowed Keriel Torres to cross home plate.

Aubrey added three more runs in the same inning with Matthew Finley scoring on a passed ball and a line drive single hit by Dane Buck driving in 2 runs, putting the Chaps on top 4-0.

The Panthers responded with a 3-run scoring run in the top of the seventh inning, cutting the Chaps’ lead to 1, but Aubrey pitcher Jimmy Hay struck out Panther Creek batter Jacob Hocson for the final out, tying the series at one game apiece.

Panther Creek leapt out to an early 2-0 lead in the second inning of Game 3, but Aubrey answered with a 2-run scoring burst in the third, tying the game at 2-2.

Despite the Chaps’ efforts to keep it close, the Panthers took control of the matchup with back-to-back 4-run bursts in the fourth and fifth innings, taking a 10-2 lead.

Panther Creek went on to add two more runs in the seventh inning, taking the win 12-2 and the series.

Henry said he was proud of the resilience the Chaps displayed during their playoff run and said he’s excited for the future of the program.

“We lost Game 1, and it would’ve been easier to just say we had a great season and move on, but they wanted to keep [playing] for each other,” he said. “I couldn’t be more proud of how they showed up every week and their ability to respond to adversity, and that’s what made this team so great. … We can only grow from this.”

He also spoke highly of what the team accomplished overall this season, with them reaching the regional finals for the second time in program history.

“We ended up playing 41 games in a high school season, and that’s incredible,” Henry said. “… We ask a lot of these kids, early mornings and late nights, with them being a student first, and they answered, and that’s what makes this program different.”

Henry thanked God, his assistant coaches, the Aubrey ISD Administration, the Aubrey ISD parents and the players for supporting the team and for helping make the season special.

“They’re all first-class people, who are outstanding at their jobs, and they are always there to support us in anything that we needed, and the parents showed up every game and made a huge difference for us,” he said. “It’s a lot easier to play when you have a good fan base behind you, rooting for you, so thank you to them.”