Page 2

EDITOR’S NOTE

Summer Edition 2016

BlueRibbonNews.com

About Blue Ribbon News

Blue Ribbon News is your #1 source for positive hometown news and
events, in print and online at BlueRibbonNews.com. Our Rockwall/Heath
print edition is published 8x/year and direct mailed free to more than
18,000 households in 75087 and 75032 zip codes. Pick up free copies at
the Rockwall Area Chamber of Commerce, YMCA, Rockwall County
Library and various local businesses. Extra copies may be available by
calling 214-342-8000. A fee of $5 for postage and handling may be
charged when requesting copies by mail.

Due to high demand, we offer an annual subscription to those living
outside our free delivery zone. To request a subscription, email
editor@blueribbonnews.com & send payment of $28 for postage
to Blue Ribbon News, PO Box 967, Rockwall, TX 75087.

To submit your good news and events, go to
blueribbonnews.com/rockwall/event-submission-form
or email editor@BlueRibbonNews.com.

Download the FREE Official Rockwall Area App at
RockwallAreaApp.com.

ON THE COVER:

Liberty Heights residents fly Terrell skies in a restored war plane.
Photo by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News editor.

Visit us at BlueRibbonNews.com

Blue Ribbon News, LLC

PO Box 967, Rockwall, TX 75087

info@blueribbonnews.com, 214-342-8000

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief:

Dawn Redig, dawnredig@blueribbonnews.com

Editor/Senior Reporter:

Austin Wells, Austin@blueribbonnews.com

Reporter/Staff Writer: Julie Anne White

Student Intern Photographer/Videographer:

Blake Macaluso

Design Editors: Fowler Designs and Qball Design

Media Coordinators: Amy Sidebottom,

Samantha Leigh Redig

Contributing Writers: Judy Evans, Patti Richter

Guest Columnists: John Adams, Bob and Becky Barnes,

Karen Coughlin, Sheri Franza, Scott Gill,

Michael Kitkoski, Dana Macalik, Enid Reyes,

Patti Richter, Karen Straughan.

Print & Online Advertising/BRN Media Services:

214-342-8000 ext. 1123,

advertising@blueribbonnews.com

Official Rockwall Area App:

214-342-8000 ext. 1127,

rockwallareaapp@blueribbonnews.com

not be reproduced without written permission. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability

for content of all ads. Information published is the opinion of sourced authors. Personal decisions

regarding health, finance and other matters should

be made after consultation with the reader’s professional advisors.

This good news just in: at the time
of this writing, I’m just two weeks
away from celebrating my 28th
birthday by planting myself on the
white sand beach in Destin, Florida,
with a glass of rum punch (my own
recipe) and a picture perfect view
of the ocean!

Now, as tempting as it will be for me to want to grow
roots in the sand and stay on that beach for my entire
week-long stay, these fidgety legs of mine simply
won’t allow it. And that’s perfectly okay, because
there’s plenty of fun things to do and places to see
in Destin to keep my active self occupied. But I’ll
try not to wear out my welcome too quickly, so I’ll
probably keep it simple, maybe toss a Frisbee or find
a game of sand volleyball.

Of course I can’t forget about one of my favorite
pastimes while vacationing in Destin: hunting for
those little white sand crabs which scour the beach
when the sun goes down. I remember when I was
younger taking me a small net and a flashlight and
walking up and down the beach chasing the little
critters, netting them, and then releasing them back to
their sand burrows. I call them little, and most were,
but some of them weren’t so little. Some of them
were roughly the size of my palm. I didn’t mess with
those, although it entertained me to no end to see
them frantically scuttle sideways and quickly burrow
a retreat under the sand.

Reminiscing aside, I’ll skip to the part of this trip that
has me so excited I can hardly sit still while I write
this: my first ever visit to the Wizarding World of
Harry Potter at Universal Orlando!

For those who don’t know, The Wizarding World
of Harry Potter consists of two separate theme park
experiences: Hogsmeade at Universal’s Island of
Adventure and Diagon Alley in Universal Studios.
And the best part is you can access both parks via a
ride on the Hogwarts Express train with a Park-to-
Park admission ticket!

Looking on the website at all of the attractions,
shops, and rides Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley have
to offer… I’m so overwhelmed and completely
stoked for this! I’ll definitely be taking up the Dragon
Challenge, the two intertwining high speed roller
coasters resembling two dragons featured in the Tri
Wizard Tournament from the fourth book of the
Harry Potter series, “The Goblet of Fire.” I also very
much look forward to stuffing myself with some
authentic British cuisine at the Three Broomsticks,
and indulging myself to a fair amount of Butterbeer
and Pumpkin Juice as well.

At Diagon Alley, I’ll definitely make a stop inside
Ollivander’s to purchase my own wand! The
Interactive Wand sounds like a dream come true for
the Harry Potter nerd in me. And who can forget
about all the magical jokes and novelty items to
be had at Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes? Or the thrill
ride inside the Gringotts bank? Or all the Quidditch
supplies you could ever need at Quality Quidditch
Supplies? Good grief! It sounds like I’m going home
broke after this trip. But it’ll all be so worth it!

Looking forward to the best birthday trip ever!

By Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News editor.

Beach time, magical adventures will

make upcoming birthday trip the best ever

Austin Wells

AUGUST 13

7:30AM START

For registration & general info go to

HotRocksBikeRide.com

Official 100K for Red Route

(62 mi)

12, 24 & 42 mile routes

Proceeds go to college scholarships