By entering, you acknowledge and agree to the following rules:

1 ) You must register to participate. Registration is free, and just entails filling out the information below.

2 ) The deadline to register is Monday, December 8th.

3 ) Celebrity judging will occur between the 8th and the 13th.

4 ) The community favorites will be selected via online voting, so you have to be able to submit a digital photo of your light display to enter. Depending on the number of entries, I maybe able to assist you with obtaining a digital photo of your light display. Also, depending on the number of entries, I may be able to post video of all of the entries to allow people to see video of sparking/dancing lights, pop-up inflatable decorations, etc.

5 ) Your Christmas light display should not violate any federal, state or local laws or ordinances or any HOA covenants or rules. I’m not the HOA police, so if your display does violate your HOA’s particular rules, you may not be disqualified. However, I don’t want to encourage or reward people who break the rules/laws with their display, so please make sure you respect all applicable laws/rules.

6 ) You must have a Forney address to enter. Sorry, it’s just not practical to have the celebrity judges driving all over Norther Kaufman County to judge entries. Depending on the success of the event this year, we may expand it to include neighboring areas, but for now, it’s Forney only.

7 ) Online voting for the community favorites will begin on Monday, December 8th and end at noon on Sunday, December 14th.

8 ) Winners will be announced at the Christmas party on Sunday, December 14th and then posted to the site that evening.

9 ) If all goes to plan, the winners will receive a small prize - more of a trophy, really, but it’s a small something. The main prize, of course, is bragging rights.

If you have any questions, please email me at Josh@TwentyPeacefulMinutes.com. Also, after submitting the form below, please email the photo(s) of your Christmas lights to Josh@TwentyPeacefulMinutes.com.

Check back on Monday, December 8th to vote for your favorites, and make sure to tell all your friends to visit http://20PM.NET/Lights to vote for your entry!

Privacy: Your privacy is very important to me. Your email address will only be used to contact you regarding your entry in the contest, and will not be stored, sold, rented, spammed or shared at all. Your street address is only necessary if you wish to be considered for the Celebrity Judges pick. Your street address will not be disclosed to anyone other than the 5 celebrity judges. Your neighborhood may be made public with your entry, but your permission will be obtained via email before any information is released.

Other 20PM Community Christmas Extravaganza Events:

20PM Community Christmas Party - On Sunday, December 14th Hands to the Heavens and Twenty Peaceful Minutes invite the entire community to join us at the Family Life Center at First United Methodist Church, located at 414 W Broad Street in Forney. Come have fun, meet your neighbors and vote for Forney’s best Christmas cookies!

20PM Community Christmas Cookie Contest - We’ll be voting for Forney’s best Christmas cookies at the Community Christmas Party on the 14th! A preregistration form and more information will be available here on Twenty Peaceful Minutes shortly.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

The competition, sponsored by NAMM and the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), is designed to encourage bands across Texas to demonstrate their musical talents and enjoy the many proven benefits of making music.

The online voting portion of the competition begins November 21, 2008, at www.schooljamtexas.com. The six bands receiving the most votes will be announced February 2, 2009, and will be invited to a live SchoolJam Texas Battle of the Bands event held at the Parish in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, February 28, 2009.

The SchoolJam Texas Battle of the Bands helps highlight the best and most talented teens in Texas, while supporting the bands’ school music education programs.  The winning band will receive $750 toward new musical equipment and could win a trip to perform at the SchoolJam Germany live finals in Frankfurt, Germany, at the MusikMesse trade fair. Their school music program will also receive $5,000 toward new musical equipment at their local NAMM Member retailer of choice.

Editor’s note: Go vote! You can vote online every day now through January 31st. In addition to helping the guys win the title of finalist in the competition, you’ll be helping Forney High School potentially earn $5000 towards new musical equipment, and when you vote, you’re entered to win an iPod Touch! -Josh

The council will hold a public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan, allowing citizens one more chance to comment on the plan, which is a long range plan designed to direct growth and physical development in the city by assisting the city with zoning and land use, with capital improvements and by projecting the direction of growth for the next five to ten years. After the public hearing, the council will consider adoption of the plan, which will be Forney’s first comprehensive plan since 2001.

The Downtown Advisory Committee has made a recommendation to the council regarding the boundaries of Downtown Forney. The council will consider those proposed boundaries and also the committee’s recommendation for a name for the area designated by the boundaries. The committee has recommended the name ‘Forney Historic Town Center’, which will be considered by council at tonight’s meeting. A PDF of the proposed downtown Forney boundaries is available.

Finally, another item of interest are revisions to the city’s animal control regulations. The new, proposed regulations the council will consider include a number of measures, such as:

• Defining dangerous dogs and providing animal services the ability to proactively deal with dangerous dogs
• Clarification of the quarantine procedure and expense when an animal bites a person
• Allowing pet owners to legally select a 3-year rabies vaccine in place of a 1-year vaccine
• Clarification of each pet owners’ responsibility to treat their pets in a humane manner

Check back here at 20PM after the meeting for a story about the public hearing and other agenda items as well as video from the meeting.

The Santa Cop program is asking the community to help them in their mission by donating new, unwrapped toys or clothing items for children and their parents. Donations will be accepted through December 15th.

In addition to an event at the Capital One Bank on Saturday, December 13th from 10AM to 2PM, the Santa Cop program is accepting donations at 10 different locations during business hours.

Along with the toys and clothing, Santa Cop will be teaming up with Angels Care Home Health of Forney to deliver a Christmas dinner to the families - Angels Care Home Health of Forney food donation boxes will be appearing around town to help with this portion of the event, as well.

To donate a new, unwrapped toy or clothing item to Santa Cop, visit one of these 10 locations: Capital One; Forney PD; American National Bank; Mooney Allstate Office; Remax; Forney ISD Administration Building; Forney City Hall; City Bank; Parrish Chiropractic; Edward Jones.

Press release by Sgt. Bryan Francis, Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office

On November 25, 2008 the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office arrested Pamela Stone former City Secretary for the City of Combine for Misapplication of Fiduciary Property after it was discovered that Ms. Stone was using the city’s credit card for her own personal expenses.

On November 18th, 2008 the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Department was asked by the City of Combine to conduct an investigation into the former city secretary of Combine.

Pamela Stone was hired by the city of Combine in March of 2008 to be the City Secretary.  Part of the City Secretary’s duties are to maintain control of a city credit card and use it for city purchases.  Kaufman County investigators found that for the last six months Ms. Stone had been using the City of Combine credit cards for personal purchases including trips to Walmart, a bowling alley and a book store to name a few.  All total Sheriff’s Investigators discovered that Ms. Stone charged in excess of $10,000 in personal expenses to the City’s credit card.

On November 24, 2008 Sheriff’s Investigators obtained a warrant for Misapplication of Fiduciary Property.  Pamela Stone 33, of Crandall was arrested on November 25th, 2008.  At the time of her arrest Ms. Stone was found to also have two additional warrants on unrelated theft charges.  Ms. Stone was transported to the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office where she was arraigned on November 26th, 2008.  Ms. Stone was released after posting $6000 bond.  “This is an ongoing investigation; more criminal charges may be filed against Ms. Stone,”  stated Sheriff David Byrnes.

Press Release by Forney PD, Written by Detective M. Clay

On 11-24-2008 at approx 1449, Forney PD responded to Wal-Mart in reference to a shoplifter. The subject, later identified as 34 yo Jennifer Ussery of Forney, left Wal-Mart running and got into a black Ford pickup truck to leave. Two Wal-Mart employees stated they believed Ussery tried to run over them in her attempt to leave the parking lot. She was stopped by Forney PD near Capitol One Bank. Property was recovered from the pickup and returned to Wal-Mart. Ussery stated she needed medical attention and was transported to Presbyterian Hospital in Kaufman in Police custody. She was then booked into Forney jail on two outstanding warrants out of different agencies, two counts of aggravated assault w/ deadly weapon, and theft under $50.00. Ussery is awaiting arraignment and bond amount(s).

Like the Community Christmas Light Contest, further details will be coming soon. For now, I can say that the contest will be judged at the first annual 20PM Community Christmas Party on Sunday, December 14th - we’ll be allowing anyone who is interested to vote for their favorite cookies at the party, and winners will be announced before the end of the party. The contest is open to anyone and everyone, and thus far, the only rule is no store bought cookies - let’s showcase our best family and secret recipes at this event!

Stay tuned for more information, and start working on your cookie recipes!

Press Release by Forney PD, Written by Detective M. Clay

On 11-23-2008 at approx 1630, Forney PD responded to Wal-Mart in reference to a female attempting to use a fraudulent check to make purchases. The subject was arrested and booked into Forney Jail and is awaiting arraignment. She also had four outstanding warrants out of surrounding agencies for similar crimes. Child Protection Services were contacted and has begun an investigation due to the fact children were present during the commission of the crime. Forney PD is investigating this situation and will release more information as it develops and can be dispersed.

Press Release by Sgt. Bryan Francis, Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office

On Thursday, November 20, 2008 the Kaufman County Narcotics Division arrested 50 year old Annie Cunningham and her son 29 year old Glenn Gardner for Delivery of a Controlled Substance in a Drug Free Zone.  Cunningham and Gardner attempted to sell 200 pills of Xanax and 400 pills of Clonapin to an undercover police officer less then a half a mile from the Kaufman High school.  The two were arrested in the 2300 block of South Washington street in the city of Kaufman without incident.  Gardner remains in custody with $100,000 bond and Cunningham has been released after posting $100,000 bond.

The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office has noticed a rise in youths abusing prescription drugs; this appears to be following the national trend.  Youths find that pills such as Xanax are cheaper and easier to gain access to then more typical street drugs.  Teens often go through their parent’s medicine cabinet to find left over medications.  Parents are advised to keep a close eye on prescription medications such as mood altering medications and painkillers.

In continuing with the theme of bringing the community together in the spirit of the season while also encouraging everyone to help those in need this holiday season, the event will support the efforts of Hands to the Heavens, a local charity that helps families in need in Forney. We are working with Hands to the Heavens to find ways we can best serve those in need, so stay tuned for more information about how you can help as a part of this event!

In addition, this event will be when and where the winners of the first annual 20PM Community Christmas Light contest will be announced!

This will be the first formal, organized 20PM event, but certainly not the last, as we have exciting plans for a number of events in 2009. In addition, this event is one of many ways I’m working to use 20PM to encourage all Forney residents to help one another and those in need - not only this holiday season, but every day throughout the coming years. Events in the past year such as the Help Hannah bake sale have helped me realize that we are blessed to live in a town where people really look out for one another and I want to help facilitate and encourage that as much as possible through the amazing community of individuals here on the 20PM discussion forum.

Stay tuned - we’re not quite ready to make a complete announcement, but with busy calendars filling up fast with Christmas and other holiday events, I wanted to announce the date (Sunday, December 14th) and the  time (afternoon - think between morning & evening church services) so that everyone could mark their calendars now for what will no doubt be a fun, interesting afternoon!