Commercial Roofing Contractors in Krum, TX

KRUM — Alan Chamberlain had his eye on the old R.L. Cole grain elevator in Krum for years. As a Denton native and a lover of unique spaces, the tower’s timeless architecture had long drawn his interest.

Two years after Chamberlain was told by the silo’s owner that it wasn’t for sale, Chamberlain’s well repairman — who owned the Quonset hut next door to the structure — informed him the tower was going to market.

“The Realtor said he could show it to me the next Saturday, and I said, ‘No, I need to see it today,’” Chamberlain said. “He gave me a tour, and it blew my mind.”

Chamberlain purchased the silo in 2017, planning to use it as a private space for family gatherings and continue the former owners’ work renovating it during his semiretirement.

Though he initially had no plans to buy the adjacent property, he received a call from the owner of the Quonset hut, who wanted to sell him the space and the 3-acre lot that came with it. He had reservations at first, but Chamberlain bought it — and soon after, the concept for 50 West was born.

Soon, the multipurpose venue will bring live music, private celebrations and other events to Krum’s historic downtown. With burger and barbecue restaurant Smoke & Fire opening next door — headed up by Mike Barnett of Denton Independent Hamburger Co. — and restaurant staff helping run concessions, the venue will offer a space for community gatherings on a scale unmatched in the area.

Important to the spirit of 50 West is its focus on honoring Krum heritage. Though it offers modern amenities such as state-of-the-art stage and sound equipment and a massive projection screen for movies and other content, its design is a nod to the land’s legacy. Situated just on the other side of the railroad tracks and next to the historic downtown strip at 150 W. McCart St., the venue’s open arena for outdoor events is ringed by modified storage containers that mimic boxcars.

The hut, which seats 400, features wooden picnic tables that accent the raw space. An antique pickup is parked just next to the hut, a relic from Texas A&M University’s old experimental farm. Taken together, the elements create a rustic, down-home atmosphere that’s as at home in downtown Krum as the silo that towers above it.

“It’s going to be local, and it’s going to start out country and go from there,” Chamberlain said. “I want it to be a very family-friendly place I can bring my kids and grandkids.”

Like Chamberlain, the space is no-frills. A graduate of the University of North Texas, the 62-year-old has a background in construction, having founded Denton Trinity Roofing while working his way through college in 1980.

Chamberlain originally envisioned the Quonset hut as a downtown restaurant but, given the expanse of the land that came with it, he began to think bigger. With the help of his three daughters and friends, 50 West started to take shape.

“My father-in-law was a grain wheat farmer, and I’m a blue-collar guy,” Chamberlain said. “This just kind of married a lot of things for me.”

The concrete tower itself was first built in 1927, constructed to replace a smaller wood and galvanized steel elevator operated by the R.L. Cole Grain and Elevator Co. After Ralph L. Cole’s death in 1948, his son, Weldon, operated the business, and it remained in the family for some time before being sold to Harpool Seed Co. The silo eventually passed into private ownership, where two separate owners embarked on renovations to convert the space into a residence.

But visitors to 50 West won’t get to see the inside of the silo. Chamberlain is considering the possibility of eventually allowing private dinners on the first floor, but the structure remains, for now, a personal fortress.

As for 50 West, it’s ready to welcome North Texans with cold beer and Texas tunes. The venue’s soft opening March 11 will feature a performance from Jarod Grice complete with yard games and is free to the public (Chamberlain recommends bringing a coat and a lawn chair, but no outside refreshments). Its first ticketed event is a show with Acoustic Journey is March 18, followed by Raised Right Men on March 25.

March will mostly feature a few food trucks and courtyard entertainment on Fridays. In April, Smoke & Fire is set to open, and the courtyard will be open Monday through Saturday, with live music on weekends. Chamberlain plans for full, regular operations in May.

PONDER — A back-and-forth affair between two schools less than 8 miles apart ended in a 56-51 win for Ponder as it scored 35 second-half points to rally from a halftime deficit.

It was an offensive slugfest throughout, as the final score indicates. The two teams combined for 1,201 yards of total offense as both defenses struggled to get stops. The Lions were able to find just a little more offense than the Bobcats, though, to edge out the win.

“I just felt like the first half we really stopped ourselves,” Ponder coach Kyle Cooper said. “This team is really growing up. I’m really proud of them. They’re learning how to handle adversity and how to fight through that.

“At halftime they really did a good job of just getting back to neutral, regaining their composure, and just came out and executed in the second half.”

Ponder quarterback Clifton Cooper led the team’s offensive efforts in completing 36 of 55 pass attempts for 471 yards and five touchdowns. He also ran for 52 yards and one score. Cooper’s most targeted receivers were Mitch Nuziard (13 catches for 189 yards and two scores) and Case Peacock (12 catches for 191 yards and two scores).

It was just the latest in a series of strong performances for Clifton Cooper, who entered the contest having thrown for 1,035 yards and 14 touchdowns in the team’s first two games.

“We’re going to keep doing great things, keep slinging the rock,” he said. “I don’t know if anybody’s going to be able to stop it.”

Receiving the opening kickoff, Krum (1-2) struck quickly with a three-play, 68-yard touchdown drive. It was capped off by a 53-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ty Taber to wide receiver Justin Wooten.

Taber finished the night with four touchdown passes while giving away two interceptions.

Ponder (3-0) answered on its opening series with a lengthy touchdown drive as Clifton Cooper ran it in from 16 yards out. The Bobcats responded with a 21-yard field goal to lead by three with 6:13 left in the opening frame.

Following a Ponder turnover on downs, Krum extended its edge to 10 on a 1-yard run by running back Devrin Brown, who had a 27-yard carry earlier in that drive. The Lions narrowed the margin again on the first play of the second quarter as tight end Dillon Cope ran it in from a yard out.

Taber found tight end/linebacker Alex Cordova for a 33-yard touchdown pass on the Bobcats’ ensuing drive. Then Krum recovered a fumble and had a field goal blocked before Ponder narrowed the halftime deficit to three at 24-21 with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Cooper to Peacock.

“I never question the fight in our kids. They’ve fought all year,” first-year Krum coach Chuck Caniford said. “The bottom line is, when there were plays to be made, they made ‘em and we had too many missed opportunities.”

A high-scoring second half saw Ponder go three-and-out on its opening drive before Krum hit on a 55-yard pass from Taber to Wooten and Brown scored from a yard out. The Lions answered with a lengthy touchdown drive capped by a 1-yard run.

Ponder then forced a Krum punt and scored again to take a 35-31 lead. The Lions got an interception courtesy of Trey Kysiak and scored on their first ensuing offensive play as Clifton Cooper found Nuziard for a 32-yard touchdown pass to lead 42-31.

More consistently finding that tempo in the second half is something Clifton Cooper felt helped Ponder rally.

“Our whole deal is tempo. We play for that tempo and strive for that tempo. We play to tire the other team out,” Cooper said. “The tempo really came through right there and helped us out. They were getting tired and we just started throwing all over. It really helps.”

Krum narrowed the deficit later after forcing a Cooper fumble and scoring on a 23-yard pass from Taber to Wooten to make it 42-37. Ponder then turned it over on downs and forced a punt before scoring a touchdown on a three-play drive capped by a 60-yard pass from Cooper to Nuziard.

Krum quickly answered on the first play of its next drive with a 46-yard touchdown pass from Taber to wide receiver Dakota Moore to make the score 49-44 with 3:48 to play.

Ponder then scored a crucial touchdown on fourth-and-nine in the red zone as Cooper found Peacock for a 17-yard touchdown pass to make it 56-44.

Krum scored with 5.3 seconds to play on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Taber to Kobe Wall, but it could not recover an onside for one last chance to tie.

As the two teams ready for their final nondistrict games next week, improvement is front of mind for both. Krum is set to take on Caddo Mills, and Caniford preached turning over a new leaf to his players after the tough loss.

“The thing you lose sight of is these kids are still learning. It’s all new on both sides of the football,” Caniford said. “We’re able to make big plays in all phases of the game. We just have to continue to do that on a more consistent basis and we can’t leave plays out on the field.”

For Ponder, continued growth is still the priority despite matching their best start in program history at 3-0. The Lions face Godley next Friday on the road as they look to open 4-0 for the first time ever.

“On both sides of the ball there’s things for us to clean up, and special teams as well,” Kyle Cooper said. “Just keep plugging one day at a time — it’s still early in the season, but district’s right around the corner. We just have to start really honing in on some small details in each phase of the game.”

A North Carolina company is estimating it will invest hundreds of millions in Denton and Wise counties with a new solar farm project breaking ground this month.

Porter Solar, one of the first Texas projects by national renewable energy company Pine Gate Renewables, will bring about 200 jobs to the area for the erection of the 245-megawatt solar farm. The 1,700-acre project will represent a roughly $265 million investment in Denton and Wise counties, in the form of construction jobs, building materials from local suppliers and taxes over the life of the project.

Pine Gate identified the site, about 12 miles northwest of Krum, as a potential location for their first North Texas project in 2019. Former agricultural grazing land, its proximity to the Metroplex — and commercial energy consumers — made it an ideal spot.

“It’s really close to a population center and a large load of electricity usage — it kind of functions as a hub for workforce, for amenities and for getting materials to site,” said Jay Linke, vice president of product development for Pine Gate.

Texas has become a mecca for renewable energy because of its low production costs, leading the country in wind, solar and energy projects last year. The state has also drawn in major energy consumers like cryptocurrency miners, whose need for power has been a boon for cities including Denton. The city and Denton Municipal Electric expect to bring in nearly $20 million in combined revenue from Core Scientific, which took up residence last year.

A lack of federal regulations on the energy sector, thanks to Texas establishing its own power grid, has also made the state attractive for producers.

“A common configuration for some of these renewables projects in the state is you’ll have a solar project, and you’ll have a Bitcoin facility right next door, and there’s kind of a bilateral agreement between the two,” Linke said. “Anything excess goes to the grid, then there’s this supplemental agreement with Facebook or Google, large companies like that, for a smaller portion. But the idea is that the Bitcoin facility is the one purchasing from the solar project rather than the utility.”

Linke has not given any indication that will be the case for Core Scientific’s Denton mine. Pine Gate does have a purchase agreement for the power Porter Solar will produce, but details on who the purchaser is and what that agreement will look like have not been made public. Besides, Core Scientific has a standing power purchase agreement with Denton Municipal Electric, which will help offset the debt incurred during the February 2021 winter storms, according to city officials.

Regardless of the purchaser, Linke says the goal is community investment. Partner Blue Ridge Power, which facilitates construction, will recruit and train local contractors though its PowerUp Workforce Development Program. The Pine Gate team has had conversations with Denton County commissioners and the county engineer as well as leaders from the Denton Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Partnership, Linke says, to get feedback about the solar farm.

“We want to make sure we’re connected to the community as closely as we can to be supportive and answer any questions and challenges that may come along the way,” Linke said.

County commissioners could not be reached for comment about the project by Tuesday afternoon.

It has taken about two years to clear the land, which includes working with Texas Parks and Wildlife to make sure no sensitive species are being affected, having the Army Corp of Engineers verify independent studies performed on the land and coordinating with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality before getting local permits. What sets Porter Solar apart from some other solar farms, Linke says, is the company’s experience in producing projects in areas with stricter regulations, meaning aesthetic considerations like native plant buffers are an inherent part of the build.

Porter Solar is expected to be operational by the end of next year, after which it will be mostly self-sustaining, run remotely via computers. The project is one of six in the state, representing a $1 billion investment in Texas.

“This is a long-term partnership between Pine Gate and the community, so past construction we will have a presence here and look forward to continued growth,” Linke said.

A split moment decision by a Krum ISD teacher on Thursday saved the life of one of her students.

Carly Jane Lovelace, an English teacher at Krum High School, was teaching her class Thursday morning when one of her students jumped from her chair in a panic.

"We were in chapter two of a novel. We were so into it you could have heard a pin drop in the room and then the next thing I knew my student is up," said Lovelace.

The student ran into the hallway but was quickly followed by her teacher.

"If I hadn't taken the time to know her behaviors, her facial expressions, and her mood day to day, I wouldn't have known in that instant something was majorly wrong," Lovelace said.

SAVING A CHOKING CHILD

Lovelace immediately wrapped her arms around the student and began performing the Heimlich maneuver.

"In the moment, I was just emotionless, I had tunnel vision, I knew what had to be done and the goal was to get whatever was in there out," she said.

After several attempts, the cap of a water bottle finally dislodged and flew across the floor, then the student collapsed into Lovelace's arms.

STUDENT AND TEACHER 'HUG IT OUT'

"She needed to cry, she needed a big 'momma hug' and I needed it too," Lovelace said. "We just needed to hold each other and say this happened, it's over and it's going to be OK."

"Mrs. Lovelace's instant action is truly heroic," said Krum ISD Superintendent Dr. Jason Cochran. "Seeing this student embrace Mrs. Lovelace for so long after being saved is inspiring to me and inspiring to others in the profession; that relationship right there is why teachers come into this profession."

NOT LOVELACE'S FIRST TIME USING HEIMLICH

Lovelace used to teach preschool and not only had training on Heimlich but also experienced using it to help younger students years prior.

"This is the first time the child was taller than me," said Lovelace.

The student speaks Spanish primarily and Lovelace told her in Spanish they would always be family.

"This could have easily gone a different way, I'm glad we both weren't hurt," said Lovelace.

The student received the proper medical attention by the school nurse and is doing OK.

Drive-In considered top in the nation; Teams from Krum, Texas and Gainesville, Florida receive Silver and Bronze medals

SONIC® Drive-In congratulates the winning drive-in teams from Summertown, Tenn., Krum, Texas and Gainesville, Fla. for being named the top three crews in the 2022 DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES. This is the third recent win for the Summertown Drive-In, having placed top in 2021 and 2019.

The teams claiming the top three spots in the 28th annual DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES include:

“The winning drive-in teams showed outstanding dedication to excellent guest service and positive team culture,” said Kevin Knutson, Vice President of Operations and Training for SONIC. “They exemplified our core values throughout the competition and their hard work paid off!”

The DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES is the brand’s premier training program. For months, thousands of SONIC Drive-In crews across the country competed against each other in a series of trainings, quizzes, and challenging team and individual competitions. A team’s efficiency, service and even friendliness have been put to the test for the length of the competition.

“Each year we’re impressed by the countless crews that compete to prove their commitment to providing excellent guest service,” said Blaine Wood, Director of Sales for Keurig Dr Pepper. “Dr Pepper is proud to sponsor these games and witness these teams accept their awards in Dallas.”

To support the local communities that the Final 12 teams represent, SONIC donated $50,000 in each team’s hometown last month to directly fund local classroom projects submitted by public school teachers, in association with educational nonprofit, DonorsChoose. In total, SONIC donated $600,000 to public schools across the Final 12 team markets.

“It’s amazing to be able to help these kids realize that there is something out there for everyone,” said Keven Briggs, SONIC franchise partner and owner of the Summertown store. “This proves that you can work at SONIC and have so much more than a job.”

SONIC donates a portion of proceeds from drink purchases to support local public schools. Since 2009, SONIC has donated more than $23 million to fund local education programs.

Learn more about the DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES and the drive-in crews that competed from across the country by following along on Instagram.