The 82nd Texas Legislature: September 30, 2011

September 30, 2011

I was pleased to welcome everyone to my district office opening on Saturday, September 17. It was a wonderful event and a great way to christen my new office. I enjoyed visiting with the more than 200 people who attended and want to invite those who were unable to make it to stop by my office when you get a chance. My office is located at 7616 LBJ Freeway, Suite 675, Dallas, TX 75251. I look forward to seeing you soon! Check out pictures from the open house  here.

THE GREAT GARLAND LABOR DAY PARADE

I would like to extend a special thank you for all of those who participated in 66th Garland Labor Day Parade. It was a huge success but could not have been without everyone who attended. I, along with seven high school bands, local community groups, and pee wee football teams walked in the largest Labor Day parade west of the Mississippi. On the morning of September 5th, the bands marched, the dance teams performed, the crowd cheered and the Kiwanis Club served a wonderful Pancake Breakfast after the parade. Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy this lively Garland celebration.

Representative Carter and supporters marched in the Garland Labor Day Parade.

REMEMBERING 9/11

I along with Richardson locals remembered the tragedy that occurred ten years ago at a local memorial service. We honored those who passed, as well as the brave men and women of the country who risked and sacrificed their lives, to save others. We remembered the victims, heroes, and their families, whose lives were irrevocably changed by this senseless act of terrorism. We honor those people by cherishing the freedoms and blessings of our great nation today. Many Americans were moved by the events from 9/11 to protect our freedom. We owe them our gratitude as well. We will never forget this day.

DISTRICT HAPPENINGS

As a member of the Energy Resources Committee I was especially excited to tour Atmos Energy, the largest distributor of natural gas in the United States which falls in the new House District 102. The tour was very informative as I learned about the dynamics of the company and its 3.2 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Atmos Energy provides for 1,600 communities in
12 states. I will use the information I learned from the tour in future legislative discussions with the
Energy Resources Committee.

On September 8th, the doors for the new Dallas Republican Party Headquarters were officially open. The event was well attended by influential leaders and locals of the Republican Party, including Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst. The refreshments and generous donations made for a remarkable evening. I am looking forward to working with everyone at the new headquarters.

Representative Carter and Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst at the grand opening of the new Dallas County Republican Party headquarters.

I also attended the Addison Business Association Luncheon last week. It was great to hear from the new Bush Elementary School Principal, Ms. Shavannia Dash, on the importance of volunteerism in our community. As a new member of this group, I am excited to help foster greater communication between the Town of Addison business community and the Addison city government and CityCouncil.

Representative Carter pictured with Principal Dash (left) and Addison Councilwoman Kimberly Lay (right).

This month I have had many opportunities to interact with constituents and relay valuable information to community groups regarding the legislative session. Recently I provided legislative updates to the MetroTex Realtors, KidsCare Therapy, and numerous Republican clubs. I also had the honor of giving a lecture to a class of honors students at the University of Texas at Dallas, which included explanation of the legislative process, as well as an overview the legislative session.

Representative Carter provides the MetroTex Realtors with a legislative update.

Representative Carter delivers a lecture to a class of honors students at the University of Texas at Dallas.

THE MONTH AT A GLANCE

This section is designed so that you can quickly explore some of the additional events I have attended over the course of the month. These were wonderful events, and I was delighted to have been involved in each. If you would like additional information about any of them, please do not hesitate
to contact me. I would be thrilled to discuss them with you in greater detail!

- Ribbon cutting ceremony of the new Temple Shalom. The recent completion of Temple Shalom’s dramatic renovation and expansion was also marked by the beginning of a new religious school year.

- Breakfast with Republican Precinct Chairs. We discussed conservative initiatives and important issues in our community.

- Area Homeowners Association Meetings. I addressed many Richardson HOAs, including JJ Pearce and Berkner HOAs, at their annual president’s meeting.

- Tour of Harmony Science Academy of Dallas. I was invited to tour and learn more about the school.

Representative Carter with students from Harmony Science Academy of Dallas.

- Spoke to Fifth Graders at Mata Elementary School. I spoke to 150 fifth graders about the key factors and importance of staying in school.

Representative Carter inspires fifth graders at Mata Elementary School.

- Supporting Senator John Carona. Senator John Carona recently held his annual fundraising breakfast, and I was pleased to lend my support to such a wonderful statesman.

- Meeting with Rabbis. We discussed key issues impacting the Jewish community in our area.

- DFW Asian-American Citizens Council Banquet. Along with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, I
celebrated the contributions made to our community by local Asian Americans.

Representative Carter with Attorney General Greg Abbott at the DFW Asian-American Citizens Council Banquet.

- Education Meetings. I met with various education associations in an effort to learn more about their education priorities for the interim.

– Reception for The Venture Development Center at UT Dallas. We celebrated the grand opening of
the UT Dallas Venture Development Center.

- Meeting with firefighters. We discussed the importance of fair pensions for retired firefighters and potential legislative solutions.

SELECTION TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE COUNCIL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

I am honored to have recently been selected to serve as a member of the Neighborhood Service Council (NSC) Board of Directors. NSC is a community organization that provides after-school programs and summer camps for economically disadvantaged children in the North Dallas and Richardson area. NSC not only helps children in the local area; the council also offers classes for the entire family, including programs that teach valuable parenting skills and those that help parents improve their English-speaking skills.

ALTRUSA INTERNATIONAL, INC. AWARD NOMINATION

Recently I was nominated for the Richardson Altrusa International, Inc. Outstanding Women of Today…Builders of Tomorrow Award. Altrusa is an international organization of women who are civic- minded and interested in creating a better community around them. Founded in 1917, Altrusa promotes the importance of greater volunteerism. I am truly humbled to be nominated for such a prestigious award.

I encourage you to stay in touch by visiting my House website.

Sincerely,

Stefani Carter