Welcome to Plano City News , your weekly update
on what's happening in the City of Plano.
Congratulate Plano's Fire Prevention Poster Winners
Thousands of student artists competed in the 2019-20 Fire Prevention Week Poster Contest , sponsored by Plano Fire-Rescue, Plano Independent School District and the Texas State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association. Their creative posters reflect the National Fire Protection Association’s Fire Prevention Week theme “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape: Plan and Practice Your Escape.” Our thanks to all students who participated on the school level. 

The city-level poster contest winners below move forward to the district competition in March for a chance to compete at state level in July:

Kindergarten Division (Pre-K & Kindergarten)
1st Place – Shreyashi Pratihari, Andrews Elementary, Kindergarten
2nd Place – Adair Varghese, Boggess Elementary, Kindergarten
3rd Place – Jaret Rubio, Daffron Elementary, Kindergarten

Primary Division (1st & 2nd grade) 
1st Place – Pranav Balakrishnan, Gulledge Elementary, 1st Grade
2nd Place – Laina Sidlik, Huffman Elementary, 2nd Grade
3rd Place – Layla Chen, Daffron Elementary, 2nd Grade

Intermediate Division (3rd & 4th grade) 
1st Place – Austin Saecheu, Barksdale Elementary, 4th Grade
2nd Place – Zara Ahmed, Brinker Elementary, 3rd Grade
3rd Place – Dhanvi Avula, Hightower Elementary, 3rd Grade

Middle Division (5th & 6th grade) 
1st Place – Kaitlyn Fan, Rice Middle, 6th Grade
2nd Place – Sugauri Mirpuri, Andrews Elementary, 5th Grade
3rd Place – Krish Chokshi, Skaggs Elementary, 5th Grade

Junior High Division (7th & 8th grade)
1st Place – Shreya Gajakosh, Rice Middle, 7th Grade
2nd Place – Olivia Embess, Rice Middle, 8th Grade
3rd Place – Sanjana Arulkumaran, Murphy Middle, 8th Grade

High School Division (9th, 10th, 11th & 12th grade) 
1st Place – Brooke Qiao, Plano Academy High, 9th Grade
2nd Place – Joshua Wang, Plano West Senior High, 11th Grade

A special thank you to the school judges and the Plano firefighters who judged at the city level. We wish our winners the best of luck.
Protect Your Pipes from Fats, Oils and Grease
Keep your Thanksgiving fun and festive without unexpected plumbing problems by following these simple tips:

  • Don't dump cooking fats, oils or grease down your sink drain. It can plug your pipes, causing sewer water to back up into your house or your neighborhood.

  • Use cold water to rinse pots and pans.

  • Collect smaller amounts of used, cooled cooking oil in a sturdy, plastic container with a screw-top lid. When the container is full, put it in the trash cart.

  • Schedule a free pick up for 1 or more gallons of cooking or turkey fryer oil. Just collect it in a container (like above) and call Environmental Waste Services at 972-769-4150 to recycle it into bio-diesel fuel.

  • Pour fats and grease into a container to harden. Trash it when full. 

  • Soak up small amounts of fats, oils or grease from pots and pans with a paper towel, then toss the towel in the trash.

Still not sure, watch this fun educational video . Don't be a drain on your holiday; protect your pipes so your time can be spent enjoying family not plumbing repairs!
Thanksgiving Scraps Are Not Safe for Your Pets
Before your dog or cat slides across the floor to snatch a tasty holiday morsel, learn which foods hold the biggest dangers. A pet’s delicate digestive system is nothing to mess around with (pun intended). Here's a handy guide:

  • Chocolate is toxic.
  • Anything sweetened with xylitol can be poisonous.
  • Protect your crafty critter from their own curiosity. Keep unattended plates of food out of reach and secure the lids to your trash bin. 
  • Keep fatty or spicy food away from pets.
  • Plain turkey is not toxic to dogs. When it has butter, herbs and spices, it can lead to pancreatitis.
  • Ham and other pork products can be high in sodium and nitrites, which can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination, lethargy and abnormal fluid accumulation. 
  • Dressing or stuffing made with onions, scallions or garlic can be extremely toxic to dogs and cats.
  • Bones can cause severe indigestion, obstruct the bowel, or splinter and damage the intestines and stomach.
  • Mashed potatoes with butter and milk can cause issues for lactose intolerant pets. Add garlic and the "taters" are toxic.
  • Alcohol is another no-no for pets. It can actually kill your pet.
  • Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in pets.
If you aren’t sure you can control what drops, put your pet in another room until the feasting and clean up is over.
Happenings
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Saturday, Nov. 16
8:30 a.m.-noon

Chase Oaks Church
281 Legacy Dr.

In one stop, leave items with several organizations. Don't forget to bring two boxes for shredding. Some electronics require a fee.


Nov. 8-16
Oak Point Park
2801 E. Spring Creek Pkwy.

The Rotary Club of Plano East has installed more than 1,000 American flags at the park. Each flag tells the story of a hero who sacrificed their life in service to our country.



Saturday, Nov. 16
7:30 a.m.-noon
Starts and finishes at Ericsson, 6300 Legacy Dr.

Sunday, Nov. 24
4-7 p.m.
The Shops at Legacy, Dallas North Tollway & Legacy Drive


Saturday, Nov. 23
9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 24
11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Carpenter Park Recreation Center, 6701 Coit Rd.

Find great gifts and decor from a variety of vendors.



December through February

Wednesdays
11 a.m.-1 p.m.

3rd Saturdays (only)
9 -11 a.m.

4110 W. Plano Pkwy.

Visit the Reuse Center for free reusable household products. This site is not a drop off for chemicals, schedule a collection.


Before you head to the recreation center for a post Thanksgiving workout, take a peek at the holiday hours. Plano Municipal Center is closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 28 and Nov. 29.

Last week's Plano Town Hall unpacked the current challenges of the changing recycling market and what you can do to make the most of your recycling efforts. We received a ton of questions. If you missed it, play it in the City of Plano Facebook feed to see if we answered the recycling questions on your mind. Thank you to everyone who called in or posted questions on Facebook.
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