Commercial Roofing Contractors in Melissa, TX

A relatively quiet Tuesday on the recruiting trail still resulted in some positive news for the Buckeyes, as defensive line coach Larry Johnson helped put the program in good position for a blue-chip prospect along the defensive front four. Plus, a Nashville standout is eyeing a return visit to Columbus in the near future.

There has been no shortage of suitors for 2024 four-star defensive lineman Nigel Smith II of Melissa (TX) as he has piled up over 35 offers from programs across the country.

The 6-foot-5, 260-pounder would ultimately decide on Tuesday that he was prepared to narrow things down, and now just 16 schools remain in the running for the Texas standout.

Four-Star DL Nigel Smith has narrowed his 35+ offer list down to 1️⃣6️⃣ Schools!The 6’5 255 DL from Melissa, TX is ranked as a Top 50 Player in the ‘24 Class (No. 6 DL)Where Should He Go? https://t.co/4mb7ZQUOnt pic.twitter.com/57ppJLzER5

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 8, 2023

As seen above, the Buckeyes are one of the 16 schools that remain a real option for Smith. Ohio State will have 15 schools in their way, and with the likes of Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, and more being included in the group, it won’t be an easy task.

It also speaks to the talent of Smith, as blue bloods from coast to coast are aiming to bring him into their respective program. Smith is currently graded as a Top 50 prospect in the class as he stands at No. 36 overall player. Among defensive lineman in the class, Smith slots in as the sixth highest graded of the bunch. The Sunshine State talent also grades as the fifth best player from Texas.

According to Bucknuts, newly hired graduate assistant and Ohio State great James Laurinaitis was “quickly in touch” with 2024 four-star linebacker Edwin Spillman of Lipscomb Academy (TN) since returning to Columbus.

Bucknuts continued by saying Spillman, a Nashville native, will soon return to the Buckeyes campus. The 6-foot-1, 216-pounder was last in Columbus in April of last year, according to his Twitter account.

Spillman is a prospect that was long on the Ohio State radar as they offered him way back in June of 2021 — one of his first few offers he received as a prospect. Now with the addition of Laurinaitis to the coaching staff, there seems to be some added attention given to the Tennessee standout.

Spillman currently grades out as the No. 166 prospect overall in the class. Despite Tennessee being the 247Sports Crystal Ball favorite, it won’t stop the Buckeyes pursuit of the No. 16 highest graded linebacker in the class and the second best player from the Volunteer State.

+6000

KATY, TX (Covering Katy News) - GEICO expects to add 250 to 300 new jobs at its Katy office over the next five years. The new positions will support its growing commercial insurance line.

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) was founded in 1936 and insures more than 28 million vehicles in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The company celebrated its news at its Merchant's Way corporate office on Wednesday. Senior Vice President Melissa Gallaro, Vice President of Commercial Insurance Operations Jason Andrukonis, and Katy Economic Development Council acting President and CEO Angie Thomason lead the celebration.

"The hundreds of jobs we're adding here in Katy over the next few years will primarily focus on small business insurance sales and customer service," said Melissa Gallaro, GEICO senior vice president. "We need outgoing, solutions-oriented individuals to work with our customers to help them find the coverage that makes most sense for the type of business they own."

Gallaro also noted the significant growth GEICO's commercial insurance business has experienced over the past year. "Our investment in the Houston area will allow us to effectively manage that growth as more business owners realize how easy it is to buy coverage through GEICO," Gallaro said.

GEICO offers competitive starting salaries, a comprehensive benefits package, career growth and community engagement opportunities, and a friendly, supportive workplace.

Associates also have an opportunity to earn degrees and further their education through the company's GEICO Strive tuition reimbursement program.

Future job openings will include insurance sales and customer service positions. Applicants can search for open roles by visiting careers.geico.com.

Immediately following the Commercial Insurance Operations Expansion Ceremony, GEICO reaffirmed its commitment to the Katy community by hosting a National Auto Body Council (NABC) Recycled Rides® vehicle gifting presentation.

This program, led by the NABC, is a collaboration between businesses representing all facets of the collision repair industry in which they team up to repair and donate vehicles to individuals and families in need of reliable transportation.

The recipient at this event was nominated by one of GEICO's community partners, Fort Bend Women's Shelter. The car she received will help her commute to work more efficiently without relying on friends or paying for expensive rideshare rides.

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) — Today, North Texas continues to see cold and icy conditions. Black ice continues to cover roads and freeways, creating dangerous driving conditions this morning. Some North Texans are waking up to power outages across North Texas. Warmer temperatures are expected this afternoon, but with that, more rain as well.

6:01 PM / February 2, 2023

Meals on Wheels Tarrant County closed Friday

Meals on Wheels of Tarrant County will be closed on Friday, Feb. 3 due to continued unsafe driving conditions.

Meals on Wheels said it will resume meal deliveries on Monday, Feb. 6.

By CBS Texas Staff

4:16 PM / February 2, 2023

City of Plano to reopen Friday

The City of Plano announced all city facilities will be open on Friday, Feb. 3.

Libraries and recreation centers will be open at 9 a.m.

Also open on Friday:

Customer and Utility Services open to walk-in

Municipal Court and Municipal Court Clerk's Office

Day Labor Center

Texas Pure Products

As for trash collection, the city said that roads are still too icy to navigate and ice accumulations on trees pose another risk. Residents should leave their carts at the collection point. Once service is resumed, trash/recycling will be picked up from those who have regular service on Tuesday.

The following day, trash/recycling will be picked up from those who have regular service on Wednesday and so on.

Crews will work as quickly as possible and will continue service through Saturday. Any collections not complete by Saturday will be addressed on Monday. Yard debris will also not be collected this week.

By CBS Texas Staff

2:31 PM / February 2, 2023

Fallen tree delays DART Blue Line service

Riders of DART's Blue Line should expect delays, officials said, after ice caused a tree to fall onto overhead wires.

Customers will either have to wait longer or look for shuttle buses between SMU/Mockingbird and White Rock stations due to the damage.

By Alex Keller

1:01 PM / February 2, 2023

DART Rail service operating on modified schedule

DART Rail service has officially been restored and will operate on a modified 30-minute schedule.

The earlier Blue Line shuttle has been canceled and all rail lines are back to normal operating procedures.

Some delays are still possible due to lingering icy conditions.

By Alex Keller

12:16 PM / February 2, 2023

Frisco announces plan to resume garbage pickup

Frisco will resume garbage pickup on Friday morning, pushing routes back a day and allowing residents to place extra bags outside.

Thursday routes will now be picked up on Feb. 3. The city said both trash and recycling carts should be placed for collection before 7 a.m. Similarly, Friday routes will be pushed to Feb. 4.

"The alleys are still too icy for the trucks to operate safely," said Jeremy Starritt, Environmental Services Manager. "We essentially had to 'trash the trash only' approach and switch gears. Our contractor believes this new schedule will be the most efficient and safest plan moving forward."

Normal routes resume on Monday, Feb. 6, and residents will be allowed to leave up to five extra bags of recycling next to their carts that day. On Tuesday and Wednesday, customers are allowed to leave five bags of trash in addition to the five bags of recycling next to their carts. The city said bags should not be placed on top of the cart.

Recycling can also be brought to the Environmental Collection Center at 6616 Walnut St. from Monday to Saturday and dropped off for free. Residents with Frisco water bills will also be allowed to dispose of trash, recycling, yard waste, household chemicals, and electronics on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Custer Transfer Station, Plano Parkway Transfer Station, and Melissa landfill are also open for extended hours from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Saturday. Customers will have to show a Frisco water bill and driver's license.

Bulk trash collection will resume on a normal schedule next Monday, Feb. 13.

By Alex Keller

10:05 AM / February 2, 2023

Trash pickup restarts on Friday in Dallas

Dallas will resume collecting garbage and recycling from residents on Friday.

The city said that anyone whose pickup day fell on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday will be allowed to set out extra bags next week. The closed lid policy will be suspended, and anything that doesn't fit in the rollcart should be placed on top of or next to the containers.

However, these residents are asked to keep their carts in until their pickup day next week.

The McCommas Bluff Landfill and transfer stations - where disposal is free for Dallas residents - will resume regular operation on Friday as well.

By Alex Keller

9:44 AM / February 2, 2023

Fort Worth to resume normal trash collection Monday

Fort Worth will resume its normal trash pickup schedule on Monday, the city says.

Garbage and recycling collection is scheduled for tomorrow, but bulk items will not be picked up until Feb. 6.

To make up for the delayed pickup, the city is allowing residents to set out an extra four bags of garbage on their regular pickup day for the week of Feb. 6 through Feb. 10. Code Compliance will suspend enforcement of bagged garbage outside of carts or dumpsters until collections are caught up and will work with residents and businesses to fix any issues.

Drop-off stations and the Environmental Collection Center go back to normal operations today for anyone who wants to drop off their garbage.

Yard waste collections will not resume until Monday, Feb. 13 so that staff and equipment can be concentrated on collections next week.

By Alex Keller

9:18 AM / February 2, 2023

Power outage update

As of 9:15 a.m., Oncor is reporting 4,197 active outages affecting 152,581 customers across Texas.

The majority of outages in North Texas are in eastern Tarrant County and northeastern Dallas County.

Earlier this morning, Nick Starling drove through Dallas and reported that ice was weighing down branches and power lines.

By Alex Keller

9:13 AM / February 2, 2023

Plano streets improving, but many facilities still closed

The city of Plano says that although travel conditions are improving, many of their facilities will remain closed today.

Major streets are reportedly slushy but passable, but neighborhood streets are still covered in ice. Sand trucks are still out on the roads, but mostly focusing on bridges and other trouble spots.

Since side streets, sidewalks, and parking lots are still iced over, recreation centers and libraries will not reopen until tomorrow. Anyone who missed classes will be offered make-ups or a refund.

Trash collection will be delayed until at least noon while supervisors inspect routes.

By Alex Keller

8:42 AM / February 2, 2023

Ice storm warning expires at 9 a.m.

The ice storm warning issued for parts of North Texas is set to expire at 9 a.m. Thursday morning. However, roads are still expected to be slick and travel impacts will likely persist through the morning.

By CBS Texas Staff

6:22 AM / February 2, 2023

MedStar response update

6:22 a.m. - Over the last 12 hours, MedStar has responded to the following calls:

Since Monday at 5:00 a.m., MedStar personnel have responded to:

MedStar reported on Wednesday afternoon that their crews had responded to fewer calls than over the days prior, crediting the drop-off in part thanks to drivers staying home.

By CBS Texas Staff

6:07 AM / February 2, 2023

Flight delays and cancellations continue

6:05 a.m. - Flights out of North Texas continue to be delayed or cancelled this morning. Check with your airline for the status of your flight if you had plans to fly today.

DFW International AirportTotal delays today: 14Total cancellations today: 510

Dallas Love Field AirportTotal delays today: 10Total cancellations today: 34

By CBS Texas Staff

6:00 AM / February 2, 2023

Families waking up without power

6:00 a.m. - In parts of North Texas, Ice has weighed down power lines, causing them to sag. Oncor crews are working to restore power to those affected.

By CBS Texas Staff

5:26 AM / February 2, 2023

Schools closed Thursday, Feb. 2

5:25 a.m. - Several North Texas school districts have cancelled classes for the day, including Azle ISD, Dallas ISD, Fort Worth ISD and Plano ISD.

See our updated list of school closings here.

By CBS Texas Staff

5:19 AM / February 2, 2023

Oncor outages this morning

5:20 a.m. - Out of nearly 4 million customers, the following are being impacted by the winter weather in North Texas:

Active outages — 3.602

Affected customers — 135,089

By CBS Texas Staff

Medication abortions in the United States usually involve two different drugs. In the latest effort to limit abortion access, opponents of the procedure are seeking to ban one of those medications. If they succeed, only one of the pills would be available, but women would still be able to get abortions.

Here’s a look at medications, efforts to curtail them and how clinics are responding.

The Food and Drug Administration regimen for medication abortions involves two drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol. The drugs can be taken at home and are used in just over half of U.S. abortions.

Mifepristone dilates the cervix and blocks the action of the hormone progesterone, which enables a pregnancy to continue. Misoprostol causes contractions that empty the uterus. Typically, mifepristone is taken by mouth first, followed by misoprostol a day or two later.

Studies show medication abortions are safe and effective, though with a slightly lower success rate than ones done by procedure in a clinic.

Mifepristone was developed in France in the 1980s as an abortion drug to be used with misoprostol. The FDA approved it in 2000. It’s indicated for use during the first trimester. It’s also approved in the U.S. to treat Cushing’s syndrome, a hormonal disorder.

Misoprostol, which is made by several companies, is approved for treating gastric ulcers. It's sometimes used in miscarriages to help expel tissue, in addition to its use in abortions.

In countries where mifepristone is banned for abortions, misoprostol alone is often used instead. Some U.S. clinics and telehealth providers also offer misoprostol-only abortions.

In these instances, one four-tablet dose of misoprostol is typically recommended for very early abortions. Additional doses taken four hours apart are recommended for later abortions.

Medication abortions are generally less expensive than procedures. At Carafem, a reproductive health group with clinics in four states and telehealth services in 16 states, medication abortions with both drugs cost $249 or $175 with misoprostol alone when obtained through a virtual visit. Abortion procedures at Carafem clinics cost about $450, a representative said.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, several states have tightened restrictions on abortions. Some limits were imposed even before then. Abortions are banned or unavailable in 14 states and 14 others restrict access to medication abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

In November, an anti-abortion group filed a federal lawsuit in Texas seeking to ban mifepristone, claiming the FDA approved the drug 23 years ago without adequate evidence of safety. A federal judge appointed by former President Donald Trump could rule as early as Friday. If he sides with abortion opponents, access to mifepristone could be halted nationwide.

Clinics and telehealth providers already are preparing for a potential mifepristone ban by ordering more misoprostol supplies, so they can offer medication abortions with just that one drug. They’re also expecting a potential increase in demand for in-clinic procedures and are making sure they have enough staff members to handle the demand.

“Our manufacturers reassure us that there is plenty of misoprostol. They’re aware of this potential dramatic increase in need," said Dr. Katie McHugh, an OB-GYN and abortion provider who works in Indiana, Ohio and Maryland.

Clinics are also preparing for changes in how they counsel patients, who will need to be told that misoprostol-only abortions are slightly less effective and sometimes more painful than abortions done with both drugs.

Abortions using both drugs “can be as effective as 98% or more," while misoprostol-only abortions are up to about 95% effective, said Melissa Grant, chief operating officer of Carafem. The reproductive health group already offers abortions with both drugs or misoprostol alone.

“Hopefully we won't have supply issues," Grant said. “What worries me is potential interference with this drug, too."

Emma Hernandez, who works with the abortion rights group WeTestify, had an abortion eight years ago using both medications, and a second one more recently using just misoprostol. She was about eight weeks pregnant both times but said the experiences were pretty different.

The first time she was living in Indiana and obtained the pills from a clinic, where she took the first pill and went home to take misoprostol.

She took the four pills, holding them under her tongue for about half an hour, then went to sleep, only to be awakened by cramps stronger than she usually had with her period. The next day, the experience was complete and follow-up testing showed she was no longer pregnant.

Now 29 and living far from an abortion clinic, she recently learned she was pregnant again. She decided on an abortion and was told a clinic in an adjoining state was her best option. Hernandez says she was too sick with pregnancy nausea to make the trip, but was able to buy abortion pills closer to home.

She didn’t realize at first that the medication packet contained only misoprostol.

She took three doses, three hours apart. The cramps were so intense she had trouble standing. There was little blood loss. And she eventually realized “it was not successful."

Within two weeks, her nausea and pregnancy fatigue returned. She bought abortion pills again, this time including mifepristone, and her next effort was a success.

She knows her options could be more limited in the future.

“We’ve seen our clinics taken away. We’ve seen our mifepristone at risk of being taken away. What are the limits?" Hernandez asked. “It’s a tremendous loss."

MELISSA — Seeing their city’s population almost double over just five years isn’t something Melissa city officials would have bet on in 2020, but they’ve been waiting for this for more than a decade.

Jay Northcut, who was elected the city’s mayor in May, first moved his family from Plano in 2001, knowing even back then that things would change in the coming years. At that point, Melissa — wedged between U.S. Highway 75 and State Highway 121 just northeast of McKinney — had around 2,000 residents and didn’t even have its own high school.

“McKinney at that time was starting to take off, so we knew that the development would eventually make it up here,” Northcut said.

The high school had its first graduating class in 2007 and won its first state football title in 2011. The city, along with partners including the school district, first opened the Z-Plex Texas Sports Village in 2018, a sports complex that hosts national tournaments.

Northcut says when he moved to Melissa, there were only two new-home neighborhoods, Country Ridge and Berry Farms. Now there are around 20 to choose from.

“The beauty of all this to me, when we talk about the massive growth and the sudden growth, is despite all that, I can say that we were never unprepared, that the planning that was done, the tedious planning that was done from years past, made us ready for that,” Northcut said.

City Manager Jason Little came to Melissa in November 2006 after working at the city of Hurst, drawn in by the opportunity to shape the growth of what was essentially a blank canvas — and seeing it as a good place to raise his family. Back when he started, the city was on a steep upward curve in population growth, but the 2008 recession slowed that growth spurt.

“Had that not occurred, I don’t know if we would have been as prepared as we are,” Little said. “I think it’s because of the recession that we could plan all of our infrastructure, our parks, quality-of-life elements. We’ve been waiting for this; we’re ready.”

When Little got to Melissa, there were about 2,000 platted lots ready for development, so for about the next decade it was rare for new subdivisions to pop up as builders in existing neighborhoods were working through the lots they already had. But in 2016, the city started seeing new neighborhoods go through the approval process, and it continued from there.

“Next thing you know, we’re doing 13 in one year,” Little said. “Now we’re seeing more diverse products — not only denser single-family neighborhoods, we’re seeing multifamily, we’re seeing townhomes, we’re seeing all types of housing products.”

The city’s population has nearly doubled over the past five years from 11,900 residents in 2018 to 16,400 in 2020 and 22,000 in 2022, according to the city’s estimates.

“That was a very unexpected boom,” Little said. “Now we have a large community, a more diverse community that represents the larger parts of the country.”

All the new developments are filling out the city’s vision for its comprehensive plan, which calls for housing for all types of people, from recent college graduates to young couples and families.

“You see what used to be fields just pop up as neighborhoods seemingly overnight, but because of all the planning we’ve done, not in a haphazard way,” said Tyler Brewer, director of development and neighborhood services for the city of Melissa. “Even with the massive growth over the last couple of years, I think it’s been very purposeful, and still feels like it’s kind of layering on to what we already had, a really good foundation.”

As more new neighborhoods arrive in Melissa, the city is able to focus on its downtown core along State Highway 5. The City Council approved plans in April for a 57,000-square-foot downtown redevelopment project by Salser Development with restaurants, gathering spaces, a coffee shop and an Ace Hardware store.

Melissa has more of a blank canvas to work with in its downtown than other cities. Many downtown buildings were destroyed in 1921 when a tornado struck the town, and in 1929, a fire destroyed buildings that were rebuilt after the tornado.

Downtown “is going to be the focus, because we think that’s the area where these communities can come to connect,” Little said.

MELISSA AT A GLANCE

Population: 16,983 as of 2021, according to U.S. Census Bureau

Location: 39 miles northeast of downtown Dallas

Racial demographics: 77.1% white, 9.1% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% Black or African American, 3% Asian, according to U.S. Census Bureau

Median household income: $91,550 as of 2020, according to U.S. Census Bureau

Median existing home sale price: $567,713, according to Redfin

Median new construction sale price: $555,430, according to Residential Strategies

Annual single-family home starts: 897 through second-quarter 2022, according to Residential Strategies

School district: Melissa ISD

Master-planned communities: The largest include the Liberty and North Creek neighborhoods along State Highway 121, both of which are close to being built out.

Rental communities: NexMetro Communities has two single-family rental communities underway in Melissa, Avilla Stoneridge and Avilla Springs. Dallas-based HighPark Capital is building Farmhouse 121, an apartment complex along S.H. 121.

Retail: Buc-ee’s opened in 2019, and the city is finally getting its own grocery store, with H-E-B planning to develop a supermarket on 43 acres it owns next door.

How Melissa got its name: Like its neighbor Anna, the origin of Melissa’s name is unclear. Some say the city was named for the daughter of Houston and Texas Central Railroad official George Quinlan or the daughter of railroad executive C.P. Huntington.

Meet the next North Texas boomtowns

As Dallas-Fort Worth grows, smaller cities in every direction are attracting the attention of builders and new residents. Here are some of the ones to watch.