PROSPERTIMES Friday August 25, 2017 | Prosper, Texas
VOL. 1 | NO. 17
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Prosper Prosper Watches the Great American Eclipse Profiles Joyce Godwin Joyce@CedarbrookMedia.Com
Meet Carl Rau
Joyce Godwin Joyce@CedarbrookMedia.com
Carl Rau was surprised that anyone would be interested in writing a profile on him for “Prosper Profiles,” but that is exactly the type of person on which we at Cedarbrook Media want to focus. Rau has been popping up at some of the governing meetings that determine the business of Prosper and Prosper schools. Rau and wife Kathy have lived in for Prosper almost four years and moved here to be close to their children and grandchildren. He wants to learn all things Prosper. After 32 years in military service, Carl and Kathy Rau decided it was time to retire and move to Prosper. But it’s not the kind of retirement in which the two are sitting in rocking chairs. They have much more to do. Carl says his military service was as an Army Chaplain and that’s not something you just sign up for; it’s a calling and you don’t resign from a calling, he says. He retired as a full Colonel. But he insists, “I’m just an average schmoe, nobody special. I’m happy to be a private again.” Carl said when they decided to retire, his duty station was at Fort George G. Mead in Maryland. “I told Kathy to choose the place we would live and to find the house. Texas wasn’t really on our bucket list but we love it here. I kind of knew Kathy would want to live here to be close to the grandchildren.” When asked about skills and talents, Carl refers to Kathy. “She’s an artist, although she doesn’t think so. She does crafts and she will see something and then put it together. Artists see stuff that other people don’t see and that’s the way she is. As for me, I do whatever Kathy wants me to,” he said with a sly grin. “After 39 years of marriage, I finally figured it out.” But Carl also has activities he enjoys. One is riding horses and working on a ranch as a volunteer. “I love it,” he said. Although not born or raised in Texas he is one of those who got here as soon as he could. Carl has immersed himself in the Texas experience and punctuates it with his cowboy hat, bolo, jeans and boots. Carl Rau is a proud Texan. “I love that stuff,” he said about Texas. “It was kind of a fluke because I’m a city boy,” he said. “I want to embrace the culture,” and for Carl that is riding horses. He has even learned the cutting horse sport. The Raus have a dog Lexie who is a Schnauzer. They had two cats but both died last year. “It’s sad,” Carl said. Some in Prosper might know one of the Raus’ daughters Janelle Plana, a nurse who is active in over-seas adoptions helping others to adopt children. Having a heart for ministry seems to be a familywide affair. Carl is originally from Michigan attending high school in Frankenmuth, Michigan. He went on to get a bachelors degree at Michigan State and then two masters degrees. “God already was calling me,” he said, “so I studied human behavior, and at seminary I studied theology and pastoral counseling. The Army sent me to War College and I got a degree in strategic leadership. The Raus have five children — a son in Atlanta and the other four are in Prosper. In December, they will be married 39 years. His favorite quote and one by which he tries to live is John 15:13 — “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
“Oh my gosh. It’s amazing,” were only some of the comments from eighth graders at Reynolds Middle School as they looked up at the now famous eclipse wearing special viewing glasses Monday afternoon. “Okay you guys, it’s 1:09,” announced eighth-grade science teacher Amy Ousley to her class. “Be sure you’re looking.” “Right now, we are going to see 77 percent of the sun that’s blocked out by the moon,” Ousley explained. “It’s so extraordinary because it doesn’t happen very often. We are all excited.” Ousley said she and her students spent all of Friday’s class time just learning about the eclipse and what is actually happening to make it occur. “So, that way, when they walk out here, it’s not just simply, ‘Hey, it’s not very sunny out today,’ but it’s actually they understand what’s occurring in science.” Several students commented on the dropping temperature. “That’s something we talked about,” Ousley said. “It’s still warm but it’s cooler than it was.” “This is so cool,” said another student referring to the experience, not the temperature. Ousley said this will happen again in 2024. “On April 8, right through Prosper and it will be a higher percentage [of eclipse] than now.”
Photo by Joyce Godwin/PROSPER TIMES
Amy Ousley’s students get a look at the Great American Eclipse Monday. Ousley teaches eighth-grade science at Reynolds Middle School. These eighth graders will be off to came from NASA through the some of the high school students,” college by then, but Ousley says she University of North Texas. Ousley she said. “We really appreciate UNT hopes to be right here teaching the said that PISD curriculum designer participation.” sciences to Prosper students. “This Meredith Bell was able to get the PISD students were not the only is my second year here and I love it,” glasses and they are both NASA viewers of the eclipse. At each of the she said. “I love Prosper.” and ISO certified, “so we knew they school buildings, small groups of As her students looked up, she were good.” teachers could be seen just outside went back to instructing, “Look “Because it is the eighth-grade one of the doors to get a look of in the bottom right. See how it’s a standards and also there is a class at the historic event dubbed the Great little darker than the rest. That’s the the high school that it works with, American Eclipse. corona we were talking about.” we were able to get enough for both See ECLIPSE, Page 3 The glasses the students used middle schools’ eighth grades and
Town Council discusses 2017-2018 budget
Joyce Godwin Joyce@CedarbrookMedia.Com
The Prosper Town Council meeting kicked off with the presentation of a Storm Ready certification presented by Senior Meteorologist Eric Martello on hand from the National Weather Service. Martello explained that the certification means the Town of Prosper is storm ready and the community has communications in place and is able to get the word out quickly and also has the means with which to monitor weather and take action quickly. Martello presented the town with signs declaring the community to be storm ready intended for the public roadways. In the regular meeting, John Harris appeared and asked for a zoning variance for signs on First Street. The request was approved and provided for an ordinance for a Special Purpose Sign District for Prosper Town Center on the northeast corner of Preston Road
and First Street. In the next session, several residents of Windsong appeared one after another to address the council complaining about the condition of roadways in one area of Windsong Ranch. They were objecting to the Council’s lack of allocation of funds to repair those roads. Town Manager Harlan Jefferson explained that the money is still in the budget it was simply moved to another budget item to be held until the work can start on the Windsong roads. But the residents continued to make objections as if they hadn’t heard the explanation from Jefferson. One speaker said more Windsong residents will be at the next council meeting for more of the same. Since this issue was not a part of the agenda, Council members could not speak to the issue in compliance with the Open Meetings Act. In other business, the Council approved a variance to the Subdivision Ordinance regarding thoroughfare screening for Parkside, located on the west side of Coit Road and south of Prosper Trail.
An ordinance was passed amending Article 13.08 “Right-ofWay Management of Chapter 13 “Utilities” the Town’s Code of Ordinances, by establishing regulations related to network providers. In the public Photo by Joyce Godwin/PROSPER TIMES hearings section The town of Prosper receives certification for storm of the meeting the readiness during Tuesday’s meeting of the Town Council approved an Council. regarding bond issues regarding ordinance amending Permitted Uses and Definitions of substandard structures; personnel the Zoning Ordinance regarding matters; and appointments to the temporary buildings. Part of that Board of Adjustment/Construction, classification involves the temporary Board of Appeals, Parks and “portable” buildings used by the Recreation Board, Library Board, school district to help combat over- Prosper Economic Development Corporation Board, and Planning crowding when it happens. The Council adjourned into and Zoning Commission. After a lengthy closed session, closed executive session to discuss economic development incentives; the Council convened and Councilor purchase, exchange, lease or value Meigs Miller moved to authorize of property; consult with the town the town manager to modify the attorney for possible litigation personnel policies to reflect correct
PISD Officer Wins at Rangers Game Joyce Godwin Joyce@CedarbrookMedia.com
Rachel Fallwell, officer for the Prosper Independent School District, is having a banner year. Not only has she met the love of her life, but these days she’s sporting a diamond ring on her left hand and nuptials are in the works for a December wedding. And now, there is one more thing. Thursday night, Fallwell won the jackpot at Globe Life Park. Halfway through the eighth inning of the Texas Rangers baseball game, the winning number was announced for an award of more than $6,000. Fallwell was with her daughters in a complimentary suite for first responders for a girls’ night out with other officers. As the winning number was being announced, she pulled out her receipt from the donation and scanned the list. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing as the number stood out to her among the list. “I re-read it about four times because I thought surely I was reading the numbers backwards,” she said. “I turned to Erin [Hubbard, Courtesy photo an officer for the Prosper Police PISD Officer Rachel Fallwell stands with daughters Ally, 9, (left) and Department] and said, ‘Erin, I think Emma, 8, minutes after winning the jackpot at Globe Life Park in Arlington I just won.’” in the eighth inning of the Rangers Game against the White Sox Thursday Hubbard looked it over and sure night last week.
enough, Fallwell was a winner. Stadium security escorted her to the station where she needed to claim her prize. She filled out paperwork and was told her check will arrive within weeks. After a few pictures, the deal was completed except for the impatient waiting for the check to arrive in the mail. “It was so awesome,” Fallwell said the day after. “I’ve been on cloud nine all day.” She said her thoughts first went to consider the things she and fiancé Shane can now do and one of them includes a honeymoon trip that’s been in question. “We can take the kids on a trip and we can go on our honeymoon now,” she said. When looking back on Thursday, she considered its beginning. “We leave early for school because of my job,” she said. “On the way to school we put on the armour of God and thank God for our blessings. We were thankful for our house and our life here and then we remembered more blessings and thanked God for going to the Rangers game that night. And then, at the end of the day, we get this blessing.” See JACKPOT, Page 7
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