Coppell Chronicle Vol. 3, No. 12

City Honors Seniors Via Grad-venger Hunt • Knuckleheads Fail to Steal Cash Machine • Raided Meth Dealer Finally Sentenced • Council Votes Again on Old Town Church

Today, of all days, some scumbag spoofed my mom’s Facebook profile and sent me a friend request. Not so fast, Nigerian prince; my momma didn’t raise no fools. I’ve been friends with the genuine article for nearly 50 years, ever since the day I made her a mother.

I hope all moms reading this had a happy Mother’s Day, especially mine.

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City Honors Seniors Via Grad-venger Hunt

Lucy Marz, Gabriel Koller, and Isabella Zhang are members of Coppell High School’s Class of 2023.

One of the few good things to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic was Coppell’s Grad-venger Hunt.

For the fourth consecutive spring, the city’s Community Development Department has placed signs around town to congratulate Coppell residents who are graduating from high school. Blue signs feature Coppell High School students, and red signs list students from New Tech High. There are green signs for Victory Place students and at least one purple sign to honor Coppell residents graduating from schools in other districts, private schools, charter schools, and home schools.

I first noticed this year’s signs on Friday morning while buying breakfast for my senior and his younger brother at Whataburger. This was a few hours before the city issued a press release that included a link to a list of all businesses that feature Grad-venger Hunt signs. That list came in handy on Friday evening, when I located my son’s name after about 45 minutes of grad-venging.

Once you find your senior’s name, be sure to go inside the nearest business and buy something. You’ll need to bring that receipt to the commencement ceremony so you can exchange it for your graduate’s diploma.

[dramatic pause while you digest the previous sentence]

Kidding!

But seriously, I found my son’s name on the sign in front of Wu’s Asian Bistro, a restaurant I haven’t patronized even once since it opened in 2014. However, I intend to dine there soon, which is the underlying point of this effort — getting people to visit businesses they don’t know as they look for names they do know.

Speaking of graduating seniors, New Tech High’s commencement ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. on May 26 in the Coppell High School Arena, and Coppell High School’s ceremony will follow at 7 p.m. in Buddy Echols Field. (Even if you have no connection to any of those graduates, mark that date on your calendar, because the latter ceremony will include fireworks.) Coppell ISD announced that Coppell High Valedictorian Umang Vinayaka and Salutatorian Amav Khambete are both headed to Harvard University. New Tech High Valedictorian Troy Angulo will decide on a college or university during a gap year, while New Tech Salutatorian Anthika Gunaselan will attend the University of Texas at Dallas.

If you need to buy a graduation gift for a Coppell kid, I have a suggestion that will help them stay connected to their hometown:

The Grad-venger Hunt signs will be in place through June 2. Happy hunting!

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Knuckleheads Fail to Steal Cash Machine

No matter how much money you’ve withdrawn from an ATM in a single transaction, I doubt you’ve ever tried to withdraw the entire machine.

That was the goal of a gang of fools who pulled up to the 7-Eleven at Sandy Lake and Denton Tap roads on Thursday morning. According to a press release issued by the Coppell Police Department, witnesses saw at least four people wearing ski masks, hoodies, and gloves get out of a pickup truck shortly after 6 o’clock. Police said these dum-dums smashed the window near the ATM, wrapped a cable around the machine, and tried to tow it away with their truck. The operative word there is “tried.” Police said the cable snapped, so these nimrods drove away empty-handed.

I realize I’m veering from the lane of objective journalism by insulting the intelligence of these idiots. But as a regular patron of that particular ATM (often between 6 and 7 a.m.) and as a lifelong Slurpee slurper, I’m taking this one personally.

Here’s photographic evidence that 7-Eleven’s ATM still works. Note the wood where the window used to be.

These ne’er-do-wells didn’t dream up this scheme. If you do a Google News search for “attempted ATM theft,” you’ll find lots of stories about criminals trying to drag ATMs out of convenience stores via cables or chains. They’re rarely successful.

Coppell police said two employees were in the 7-Eleven at the time of the incident, but neither was harmed. According to the press release, they protected themselves by hiding behind the counter, crawling to their office, and locking the door. See, now that’s smart.

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Raided Meth Dealer Finally Sentenced

The attempted ATM theft wasn’t the only big crime news out of Coppell last week. Do you remember the name Michael Feathers? He and Marissa Gonzales were arrested on June 17, 2021, when federal agents used a helicopter and flash-bang grenades to raid a home on Ashford Drive.

(See “What the Heck Was That?” in Vol. 1, No. 17 and “No Trial Necessary in Meth Case” in Vol. 2, No. 29.)

Last September, I reported that Feathers and Gonzales had pled guilty to drug and weapons charges. Because the wheels of justice turn slowly, their sentences weren’t handed down until last Thursday.

Feathers was sentenced to 56 months behind bars, mostly likely at the federal prison in Seagoville, according to a judgment signed by U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer. That document says he was guilty of “conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.” Their indictment said Feathers and Gonzales had conspired since June of 2018 to distribute more than 50 grams of “a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.”

That indictment also said a Glock pistol, a Bulldog revolver, an FN Herstal pistol, ammunition and assorted magazines, and $7,796 in cash were seized from the home on Ashford six days after the raid. The judgment that Scholer signed Thursday says Feathers has to forfeit all of that, plus a few pieces of drug manufacturing equipment, including a tablet press and a powder mixer. The judgment doesn’t mention these three hoopties that were towed from Ashford shortly after the raid.

A separate judgment that Scholer signed on Friday says Gonzales was guilty of “misprision of a felony.” The first word in that phrase was a new one to this wordsmith. According to Merriam-Webster, “misprision” means “concealment of treason or felony by one who is not a participant.” Gonzales received two years of probation and was fined $2,500.

Reviewing all of this reminded me that a second Coppell home was raided in the summer of 2021. On July 14, Dallas police got help from Coppell’s finest as they served a warrant on Laguna Drive related to a human trafficking investigation. They arrested Sang Sun Yoon, a citizen of South Korea, who was 69 years old at the time. Shortly thereafter, she posted a $50,000 bond.

Dallas County court records show that Yoon was initially arraigned on a charge of “aggravated promotion of prostitution.” After perusing a few lawyers’ websites, I learned the difference between that charge and the lesser charge of “promotion of prostitution” hinges on the number of prostitutes involved; two or more make a case aggravated.

Last January, Yoon pled guilty to the lesser charge in exchange for a light sentence: three years of deferred probation. As part of that plea bargain, she also had to surrender her massage license.

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Council Votes Again on Old Town Church

On Tuesday, the Coppell City Council unanimously approved a proposal to regulate “lodging houses” via special use permits. Anybody who wants to offer their house as a short-term rental on a website such as Airbnb will need to get permission from the council, and property owners within 800 feet will have a chance to voice their opposition – or support – during a public hearing.

(See “Script May be Flipped on Short-Term Rentals” in Vol. 3, No. 5.)

Before the council voted, City Attorney Bob Hager reminded them that they will see a final ordinance regarding lodging houses on the consent agenda of their next meeting. Hager presumably pointed this out because of a discussion earlier in the evening.

During the council’s work session, John Jun asked why Tuesday’s consent agenda included an item regarding the dormant church in Old Town and its attached annex. The council approved Chris Collins’ proposal to rezone the property by a 4-3 vote that happened last month.

(See “Majority of Council Trusts Developer” in Vol. 3, No. 8.)

City Manager Mike Land explained to Jun that the item on Tuesday’s consent agenda was merely a formality.

“The way our system is set up is that the ordinance then gets drafted to represent whatever it is the council approves,” Land said. “That is then what ends up in your packet. All you’re voting on is ‘this ordinance represents what we approved.’ So every rezoning that you’ve seen since you’ve been on the council, the following meeting has had an ordinance for rezoning, and that’s what you’ve been approving each time.”

For anyone who’s not aware, items on the consent agenda “are routine in nature and generally enacted in one motion. These items have been previously approved through the budget or past council actions.” Those words are read into the record at virtually every council meeting.

Mayor Pro Tem Biju Mathew read them on Tuesday because Mayor Wes Mays was absent. Consequently, Mathew also read proclamations designating May as Building Safety Month and National Water Safety Month, and he recognized Coppell High School’s varsity girls basketball team for their first berth in the state tournament. Mathew posed for photos with each of the Cowgirls, but none of those photos amused me as much as this one featuring [checks notes] Margo the Manatee.

Biju Mathew is wearing the purple blazer and tie; Margo the Manatee is wearing the pink bow and tutu.

As is his right, Jun requested that the Old Town item be pulled from the consent agenda so it could be considered separately, which gave him and Mathew a chance to vote against it one more time. Brianna Hinojosa-Smith sided with them back in April, but she joined the rest of the council in approving Tuesday’s procedural necessity.

If you have thoughts on the future of Old Town, the city would appreciate you filling out this survey. Meanwhile, anyone who attended the Old Town anniversary celebration on May 5 is asked to answer this separate survey.

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Congratulations Are in Order

• Congratulations to Coppell High School senior Skyler Schuller, who won the gold medal in the Class 6A girls’ pole vault competition at the UIL State Track and Field Meet on Saturday. Schuller, who has signed with Stanford University, was the silver medalist in pole vault as a junior and as a sophomore. Her teammate Megan Judd finished fifth among the Class 6A high jumpers at this year’s state meet.

• Congratulations to the cast and crew of Mamma Mia! as staged by the Coppell High School Cowboy Theatre Company. They’ve been nominated for seven Schmidt and Jones Awards, which honor excellence in musicals produced by high schools in Dallas, Collin, and Tarrant Counties. The winners will be announced on May 22 at the Majestic Theatre in Dallas.

• Congratulations to Coppell High School’s Ian VanderSchee and Lee Elementary School’s Laura Jennings. They’ve been named Coppell ISD’s Secondary Teacher of the Year and Elementary Teacher of the Year.

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Chronicle Crumbs

• In her concessionary Facebook post, Coppell ISD Board of Trustees candidate Julie Waters asked her supporters to “please take my sign out of your yard.” As of yesterday morning, I was wondering why dozens of them had not yet complied with that request. Then I saw an email that Waters sent to her supporters on May 9, when she asked people to keep their signs in place through today. “I need to track the homes to make a future campaign more efficient,” she wrote.

• On Friday, pOpshelf bEgan hAwking its wAres in the fOrmer pEtco spAce nExt to cOppell’s tOm thUmb.

• Thursday’s meeting of the Coppell Planning and Zoning Commission will include a public hearing on a proposal to add a fuel station with five pumps to the Kroger parking lot.

• The application period for the City of Coppell’s fourth Allies in Community cohort opens tomorrow.

• Restaurant Roundup: Paris Baguette is open for business on South Belt Line Road, just a block or two north of Interstate 635. … A City of Coppell permit in the window of Zena Sushi’s former location on Denton Tap Road confirms that it will soon be the home of Sushi Sakana. … A banner on the building along 635 that was once known as Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux heralds the impending arrival of Sickies Garage Burgers & Brews. That sounds like a refined dining experience.

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Community Calendar

Coffee and Connection: Coppell ISD’s Intervention Services Department hosts a series of social gatherings for parents of students with special needs. The final session of the school year is coming up at 9 a.m. on Wednesday at George Coffee + Provisions.

Coppell Ride of Silence: Cyclists around the world periodically gather to honor their peers who have been killed or injured by motorists. The 16th annual Coppell edition of the Ride of Silence will follow an 11-mile loop around the city starting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Participants should arrive at Town Center by 6:45, with helmets and lights in tow.

Summer Reading Kickoff Party: Kids who plan to participate in the Cozby Library’s summer reading challenge are invited to a party between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturday in Town Center Plaza. The event will feature games, treats, and a giant inflatable slide.

Encore!: The Coppell Children’s Chorus will perform their favorite songs from throughout the year at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the Coppell Arts Center.

Spring Gala: Ballet Academy of Texas and Ballet Ensemble of Texas will team up for four performances next weekend at the Coppell Arts Center — at 5 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, and at 1 and 4 p.m. on May 21.

Classics at the Park: I’m told you can expect to see a bunch of classic cars in Andrew Brown Park West starting at 11 a.m. on May 21.

Today’s Housing Market: Coppell Realty’s Jeff Varnell and Aaron Duncan will be at the Cozby Library and Community Commons at 2 p.m. on May 21 to give advice on home improvements you can make to get the most out of a sale and how to buy a new home in the current market.

Coyote Seminar: Coyotes have been spotted in Coppell’s Grapevine Springs Park, so it’s important to be aware and stay safe. Rachel Richter, an urban wildlife biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife, will be at the Coppell Senior and Community Center at 10 a.m. on May 23 to share her expertise.

Coppell 5K: The annual race benefiting Coppell’s Special Olympics teams is scheduled for June 3 at Andrew Brown Park East.

Hit Like a Girl: The Coppell Police Department will offer a self-defense course for recent high school graduates from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on June 13 and 14. Attendance on both days will be required to earn a certificate. Reserve one of the limited spaces by sending an email to Officer Kelly Luther via that link.