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By Allison LaBrot

Northplace Church has a goal to serve local neighborhoods and the nations. A group of young adults from the church put that mission into action during a 10-day mission trip to Ireland in July. A 27-member team partnered with missionaries to host a week of science camps and events for youth and young adults.

Since 2021, Northplace Young Adults (NPYA) has met weekly in Wylie, and the community of 18 to 25-year-olds took its first mission trip during the summer of 2025. Northplace Youth, the church’s teen ministry, sent a group of 16 to serve in Ireland the same summer. The group worked with Randal and Kendra Baird, missionaries to Ennis, Ireland, and Hope Church Ennis to organize camps, outings and services for young people in the area.

Northplace decided to continue building the partnership with the Bairds and Hope Church through the Young Adults mission trip for 2026.

Read the full story in the August 27th edition. Stay informed — subscribe to The Sachse News.

Dallas County commissioners approved a modified $1.589 billion all-funds budget for fiscal 2027, which begins Oct. 1. The budget was reduced from an initial proposal of about $1.608 billion.

Commissioners also approved a property tax rate of 24.865 cents per $100 of assessed value on a 3-2 vote. County Judge Clay Jenkins and commissioners Theresa Daniel and Andrew Sommerman voted for the rate, while commissioners John Wiley Price and Elba Garcia voted against it.

Read the full story in the August 27th edition. Stay informed — subscribe to The Sachse News.

The commission voted unanimously on Aug. 18 to recommend that City Council approve the change from Agricultural and Commercial Corridor zoning to Commercial Corridor with a Special Use Permit. The property is generally located at 2002 W. FM 544 and is part of the WEDC Retail Addition.

The proposed development would include a wholesale retail store, minor automobile repair services for tires and batteries, and a member-only fueling station. The SUP also includes the site plan for the project.

Read the full story in the August 27th edition. Stay informed — subscribe to The Sachse News.

Wylie ISD’s newest career and technical education facility will carry the name of a longtime community leader whose ties to the district and its agricultural programs span more than three decades.

Trustees announced Monday, Aug. 17, that the new facility at the F.O. Birmingham Agriculture Center will be named the Marvin Fuller Career & Technical Education Center in honor of Albert Marvin Fuller Jr.

The name was recommended by the district’s Board Naming Committee in recognition of Fuller’s decades of service to Wylie in education, agriculture, business and economic development.

Read the full story in the August 27th edition. Stay informed — subscribe to The Sachse News.

The Commissioners Court approved a modified all-funds budget totaling $1.589 billion for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 and ending Sept. 30, 2027. The budget was reduced from an initial proposal of about $1.608 billion.

Commissioners also approved a county property tax rate of 24.865 cents per $100 of assessed value, a 3-2 vote supported by County Judge Clay Jenkins and commissioners Theresa Daniel and Andrew Sommerman. Commissioners John Wiley Price and Elba Garcia voted against the rate and budget.

The adopted rate is higher than the county’s voter-approval tax rate of 22.465 cents per $100 of valuation. Because the adopted rate exceeds that threshold, commissioners ordered an election for Nov. 3, when voters will decide whether to approve the higher rate.

The tax increase is tied to a proposal to fund programs aimed at reducing homelessness and resolving encampments, improving neighborhood conditions, expanding access to mental health treatment and helping provide stable housing.

Under the county’s adopted tax-rate notice, the higher rate would increase the Dallas County portion of the annual property tax bill on a $350,000 home by about $116.03 compared with the prior rate. If voters reject the higher rate, the county would use the voter-approval rate instead.

The county’s prior tax rate was 21.55 cents per $100 of valuation. The adopted fiscal 2027 rate represents an increase of 3.315 cents per $100.

The homelessness proposal also would support outreach and housing services, as well as mental health treatment. The plan calls for a minimum five-year contract with Housing Forward to help allocate funding among housing and health care programs.

Dallas County held its public hearing on the proposed fiscal 2027 budget and tax rate Aug. 11 at the Records Building. The Commissioners Court then adopted the modified budget and tax rate.

The county’s online FY2027 adopted budget provides detailed information on spending, revenues, departments, capital projects, road and bridge funds, public safety, health and human services and other county operations.

The fiscal year begins Oct. 1, 2026, with the tax-rate election scheduled for Nov. 3.

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The luncheon begins at 11 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church’s Pondant Hall, 404 N. Ballard Ave.

Local author and historian Tracy Lawson will deliver the keynote address, “Using Family Lore, Letters, and Journals as the Basis for Historical Novels.”

Lawson, curator of the Brown House Welcome Center and public relations liaison for the Wylie Historical Society, is the author of 15 books, including four inspired by stories from her own family history.

Rather than focusing on a single book, Lawson said her presentation will feature three case studies showing how different family stories evolved into books. She will also offer tips for preserving family lore and using letters, journals and other personal records to share those stories with a wider audience.

Attendees will receive a complimentary copy of one of Lawson’s “Ladies of the Revolution” novels, courtesy of Frost Bank, the event’s literacy sponsor.

The program will also take attendees back to the 18th century through a presentation and demonstration of period fashions by Jen Thompson and Beth Klimek of the DFW Costumers Guild.

Guests are encouraged to participate in a patriotic outfit and hat contest. The luncheon will also include door prizes and a silent auction featuring items from local merchants.

Tickets are $50 for adults and $15 for children attending with a parent. Although children are welcome, organizers note the program is not designed for young children. Space is limited.

Proceeds benefit the Wylie Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The historical celebration will continue at 2 p.m. with a reception marking the placement of Wylie’s newest Texas Registered Historic Landmark plaque at 405 N. Ballard Ave.

The 1901 Queen Anne-style house is owned by Lawson and her family, who purchased it in October 2020. They are the 21st owners of the home since it was built.

“As soon as we moved in, we started talking about getting a historical marker for the house,” Lawson said. “We read that another family had tried in the past, so we assumed it would be difficult.”

Lawson said researching the house required considerable work, including several trips to the courthouse to establish its history.

“It did take a lot of work and several trips to the courthouse before we could document the house’s exact age and had a complete list of all the house’s owners and their importance to the community,” she said.

The public is invited to the 2 p.m. reception, which will include light refreshments and tours of the historic home.

The luncheon is part of the Wylie Historical Society’s observance of America’s 250th anniversary, commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Tickets and additional information are available at wyliehistoricalsociety.org.

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Sachse City Council on Monday set Sept. 8 as the date for approving a municipal budget for fiscal year 2026-2027.

The current fiscal year ends on Sept. 30.

Council approved the proposed budget on July 31 after a series of public hearings and open meetings, including a burger event with Mayor Jeff Bickerstaff in June.

The new budget projects a surplus at the end of the new fiscal year and keeps the municipal tax rate at 68.0416 cents per $100 assessed property valuation, according to Finance Director David Baldwin. He said the new tax rate is below both the no-new-tax-rate and the rate needed to avoid calling for an election.

Read the full story in the August 20th edition. Stay informed — subscribe to The Sachse News.

For the second consecutive year, no Garland ISD campus received an F rating, according to the district.

District officials attributed the gains to a continued focus on high-quality instruction, strong leadership and ensuring students have the opportunity to succeed.

Read the full story in the August 20th edition. Stay informed — subscribe to The Sachse News.

The Collin County Commissioners Court called the bond election Aug. 10 after weeks of discussion and consideration of funding options. The court unanimously selected the larger of two final bond program options for the November general election.

The six-year program, covering fiscal years 2027 through 2032, would divide the proposed investment among four propositions.

Read the full story in the August 20th edition. Stay informed — subscribe to The Sachse News.