UPDATE: ONCOR Meeting - August 18th, 2010

Another ONCOR Meeting about the new substation has been scheduled for Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at the Carpenter Park Recreation Center (Preschool Room) from 6:30PM to 8:00PM.

The discussion will focus on the walls and landscaping surrounding the substation. Concerned homeowners are encouraged to attend.

ASPCA Hot Weather Tips For Your Furry Friends

We all love spending the long, sunny days of summer outdoors with our furry companions, but being overeager in hot weather can spell danger, warn ASPCA experts.

"Even the healthiest pets can suffer from dehydration, heat stroke and sunburn if overexposed to the heat," says Dr. Lila Miller, ASPCA Vice President of Veterinary Outreach, "and heat stroke can be fatal if not treated promptly."

Take these simple precautions, provided by ASPCA experts, to help prevent your pet from overheating. And if you suspect your pet is suffering from heat stroke, get help from your veterinarian immediately.

Visit the Vet

A visit to the veterinarian for a spring or early summer check-up is a must. Make sure your pets get tested for heartworm if they aren't on year-round preventive medication. Do parasites bug your animal companions? Ask your doctor to recommend a safe flea and tick control program.

Made in the Shade

Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water when it's hot outdoors. Make sure your pets have a shady place to get out of the sun, be careful to not over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it's extremely hot.

Know the Warning Signs

According to Dr. Lila Miller, ASPCA Vice President of Veterinary Outreach, "symptoms of overheating in pets include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse. They can also include seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomit along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees." Animals with flat faces, like Pugs and Persian cats, are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. These pets, along with the elderly, the overweight, and those with heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.

No Parking!

Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle. "On a hot day, a parked car can become a furnace in no time—even with the windows open—which could lead to fatal heat stroke," says Dr. Louise Murray, Director of Medicine at ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. Also, leaving pets unattended in cars in extreme weather is illegal in several states.

Make a Safe Splash

Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool—not all dogs are good swimmers. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from his fur, and try to keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals that could cause stomach upset.

Screen Test

"During warmer months, the ASPCA sees an increase in injured animals as a result of High-Rise Syndrome, which occurs when pets—mostly cats—fall out of windows or doors and are seriously or fatally injured," says Dr. Murray. "Pet owners need to know that this is completely preventable if they take simple precautions." Keep all unscreened windows or doors in your home closed and make sure adjustable screens are tightly secured.

Summer Style

Giving your dog a lightweight summer haircut helps prevent overheating. Shave down to a one-inch length, never to the skin, so your dog still has some protection from the sun. Brushing cats more often than usual can prevent problems caused by excessive heat. As far as skin care, be sure that any sunscreen or insect repellent product you use on your pets is labeled specifically for use on animals.

Street Smarts

When the temperature is very high, don't let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Being so close the ground, your pooch's body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum.

Avoid Chemicals

Commonly used flea and tick products, rodenticides (mouse and rat baits), and lawn and garden insecticides can be harmful to cats and dogs if ingested, so keep them out of reach. When walking your dog, steer clear of areas that you suspect have been sprayed with insecticides or other chemicals. Keep citronella candles, oil products and insect coils out of pets' reach as well. Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 if you suspect your animal has ingested a poisonous substance.

Party Animals

Taking Fido to a backyard barbeque or party? Remember that the food and drink offered to guests may be poisonous to pets. "Keep alcoholic beverages away from pets, as they can cause intoxication, depression and comas," says Dr. Steven Hansen, ASPCA Senior Vice President of Animal Health Services. "Similarly, remember that the snacks enjoyed by your human friends should not be a treat for your pet; any change of diet, even for one meal, may give your dog or cat severe digestive ailments. Avoid raisins, grapes, onions, chocolate and products with the sweetener xylitol."

Wishing you and your furry friends a safe and happy summer!!!

Photo by: Federico Stevanin

ONCOR Substation Meeting Notes

Meeting held August 3, 2010

The meeting itself was not a public hearing. Rather, it was a question and answer format, whereas there were several “stations” where you could walk up and ask questions. At each “station,” there was a subject matter expert assigned to answer any questions related to the project, i.e. the landscaping/design, the engineering work, maps of other substations and how the current requirements are being met, etc.

Additionally, the general feeling was that this plan has been put in place since 1986, and it is not going to change. The meeting was for the community to come out and see what is going to be built, but the plan itself if moving forward. The substation needs to be built because Oncor is required by regulation to provide a certain level of service, and they anticipate they will not be able to meet demand by mid to late 2012.

Construction will begin around May 2011 and will complete around Nov/Dec 2011.

Studies have shown that there is no reduction on property values related to building an electrical substation. There may be some softness during construction, but history will show that property values will stay the same when compared before construction to after completion.

The substation that is being built is the smallest version available, so it will not be as big as some of the others, i.e. Communications Parkway.

At this point, the only real impact we can have is on the aesthetics, i.e. the color of the brick to match other surrounding brick colors, the type and size (25 gallon) of shrubbery or trees we would like to see, etc.

Your questions and concerns can be addressed to:

Mark Isrealson
Assistant City Manager
Marki@plano.gov

or

Michael Baldwin
Area Manager - ONCOR
Michael.baldwin@oncor.com

CRIME WATCH BULLETIN

CRIME WATCH BULLETIN

PLANO POLICE DEPARTMENT

The following event was reported to the Plano Police Department.

OFFENSE NUMBER: 2010-139316
OFFENSE TYPE: Suspicious Vehicle
LOCATION/STREET: Sicilian Circle (Spring Creek/Preston Meadow, Mapsco 656D)
BLOCK NUMBER: 5900
DATE: 7/30/10 TIME: 3:30pm


DESCRIPTION: The homeowner was returning to his house in the 5900 block of Sicilian Circle when he noticed a dark colored minivan parked in his driveway. The vehicle did not belong to the homeowner. Sitting in the van was the below mentioned suspect who quickly drove away upon being discovered by the homeowner.

SUSPECT INFORMATION: White male, 30-40 years of age, short hair.

VEHICLE INFORMATION: Dodge Caravan; dark colored, partial Texas license plate #441-YX?

If you have any information regarding suspicious persons or activity in your area, please call the Plano Police Department at (972) 424-5678.