Old Town Coppell’s makeover may be completed sooner than originally thought. The construction project is ahead of schedule.

The project is supposed to add new restaurants to the area with the intent of drawing in people from Coppell and other surrounding cities. The things that will be built this year include patio homes, which will bring new residents to Coppell as well.

There are going to be multiple attractions for everyone, like a pavilion for hosting events and an interactive water feature for children.

While the project is currently ahead of schedule, it will still take about ten years for the entire project to be completely finished.

For all the music lovers out there, this weekend holds some unique opportunities.

Tonight, Feb. 10, the Rock and Worship Road Show is back in Dallas. Held at the American Airlines center, this is a Christian concert and will be featuring MercyMe, Tenth Avenue North, Lecrae, Diciple, Hawk Nelson, Sidewalk Prophets and The Rend Collective Experience. Other activities include a message from Bart Millard (lead singer of MercyMe), a tour merchandise table and even a chance to win door prizes. This concert kicks off at 7:30 PM and tickets cost $10 at the door. For more information, click here.

Tomorrow, Feb. 11, country singer Luke Bryan will be preforming at Billy Bob’s Texas in the Fort Worth Stockyards. Although this show is unfortunately sold out, it starts at 10:30 PM and will be a really good time where he will be preforming songs from his recent album including “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” and “Don’t Want This Night To End”.

With the current sophomore class rank and grade point average revealed, students are anxious to begin applying to the National Honor Society at Coppell High School. The applications are due on Friday March 9 giving students ample amount of time to create their resumes and gather recommendations.

If students have a GPA of 4.80 or higher, they have the opportunity to apply for membership in the organization. The application consists of three parts, which include a cover letter written by the student, a resume and two letters of recommendation. Kevin Casey, NHS sponsor, notes in the application that it is very important to follow all directions precisely and also turn in the application on time because no late applications will be accepted.

Students will know if they have been accepted into NHS on March 23. Questions regarding membership or the application can be addressed to Mr. Casey in room B214.

Staff Writer

Next week on Friday, Feb. 17, Junior World Affairs Council (JWAC) will be hosting their annual, Heritage Night. At this event many countries will be displayed such as India, Pakistan, Nigeria, etc along with their cultural  food and drinks. In addition, there will be some awesome Bollywood and African dance performances.

During this event, the JWAC  club shirts will be sold for $10 for short sleeves and $15 for long sleeves. Also at the event, the winners for the best tri-board display for their country will be announced.

Do not miss this annual event that is very popular amongst CHS Students.

Entertainment Editor

I have never considered myself to be a feminist, but at the same time, I have never shied away from defending my rights. This is why I feel the topic of sexism is always tricky. On one hand, I completely understand where some women are coming from in their unrest. It is true that in America, women get paid less on average than men do. It is also true that woman are still, to some extent, viewed as weaker than men, or incapable of performing the same tasks as men, whether this is on the playground or in the workforce.

However, I also feel that as woman, we cannot let such facts and figures blind us from the opportunities that are given to us. I count myself extremely lucky to be living in the generation I am. From the time I was young, I was taught time after time, both at home and in school, that men and women are equal. I have never felt slighted or held back by my gender. In fact, it is somewhat empowering to be a woman in today’s society because there are so many leaders and organizations that urge women to meet their full potential.

I am not naive though. I have grown up in an affluent community that is, on the whole, quite accepting of all races, religions, and genders (of course there are exceptions to this, there always are). But there are undoubtedly communities within this nation, and certainly throughout the world, that are not so lucky, and are plagued with the burdens of racism, sexism, and prejudice. So the question is, where do we go next? Our country certainly does not promote such behavior, and yet it is still present through the actions of its citizens. We can pass numerous laws to combat it, dealing with equality, and demanding affirmative action, but when it comes down to it, we must rely on each other to make a change that will push us onward.

After reading an article from another young journalist on the subject, I felt inclined to bring up this topic. She brings a more feminist view on the subject, which provides another perspective on the issue of sexism.

I would like to end this blog by posing a question, or rather, a few questions, to readers. Do you, whether you are a man or a woman, still feel like sexism is a prevalent issue in the United States? How about the world? Have you been discriminated against, or held back in some way because of your gender? How do you think we should address the issue of sexism in our country, and the world?

Last night, the Coppell High School Varsity boys basketball team played Keller Central. The game came down to the final seconds, but the Cowboys came up short 41-43.

If you did not get the opportunity to make it to a game during the week, other  Varsity athletic match ups this weekend include:

Boys’ Basketball
2/10 – District Game against Saginaw
7:30 p.m. @ Saginaw High School

Girls’ Softball
2/10 –  Game against Grapevine
7:00 p.m. @ Coppell ISD Baseball/ Softball Complex

Boys’ Baseball
2/11 – Scrimmage against Birdville
11:00 a.m. @ Coppell ISD Baseball/ Softball Complex

Girls’ Soccer
2/10 –  District Game against Southlake Carroll
7:30 p.m. @ Buddy Echols Field

Boys’ Soccer
2/10 –  District Game against Southlake Carroll
7:30 p.m. @ Southlake Carroll

With the results of the CHS science fair coming in this week, many students are under the impression that their experiments end here. But don’t discard your tri-board just yet – all students, regardless of whether or not they placed in one of the categories in this past round, can apply for a spot in the 2012 Dallas Regional Science & Engineering Fair.

Applications can be found here and must be turned in by this Friday, Feb. 10. In addition to the application, there is a $20 entry fee to be turned in to Mrs. Hunt by the application deadline.

The fair will be held in Dallas on Saturday, Feb. 25. Cash prizes, scholarships and a nice addition to college applications await those who enter, so grab the opportunity while you can.

David Cupstid of Columbia, Miss., holds a sign in favor of Prop 26 Personhood Amendment at the corner of Popps Ferry and Pass Road in Biloxi, Mississippi on Tuesday, November 8, 2011. Voters defeated the Prop 26 Amendment. (Tim Isbell/Biloxi Sun Herald/MCT)

California’s voter-mandated ban on gay marriage was struck down on Tuesday by a federal appeals court, but did not go as far as to say that other states or the federal government were required to recognize same sex marriage.

In a 2-1 vote, a panel of this Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of appeals said California’s 2008 law, known as proposition 8, violated the 14^th amendment’s equal protection clause. It was decided that the law violated the cause by stigmatizing a minority group without a legitimate reason.

The decision paves the way for the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on gay marriage next year, and stands to increase the weight of the social issue in the next presidential election.

Judge Stephen Reinhardt said the following in the majority opinon: “”Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples.”

While crowds of people gathered across California to celebrate the decision, others, such as presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, issued opposing statements. The Washington Post has his statement as follows:

Today, unelected judges cast aside the will of the people of California who voted to protect traditional marriage. This decision does not end this fight, and I expect it to go to the Supreme Court. That prospect underscores the vital importance of this election and the movement to preserve our values. I believe marriage is between a man and a woman and, as president, I will protect traditional marriage and appoint judges who interpret the Constitution as it is written and not according to their own politics and prejudices,” Romney said.

Coppell has been the ideal location for many families looking for a safe, friendly and well developed city. Because of the exemplary school rankings, Coppell has also proven as an iconic hot spot for those with high academic expectations. However, the last couple of years have brought up concerns, not only for families, but the police department.

First with Kathleen Garza’s murder back in 2009, then mayor, Jayne Peters and her daughter’s murder-suicide in 2010 and recent rape incident, the Coppell Police Department had tightened it’s reigns.

Their efforts have been noticed and recognized in the local paper, The Coppell Gazette.

A yearly crime report for 2010-11, has revealed studies that still label the city as a safe community.

Seven offenses were tracked throughout the year: murder/manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, assault, burglary, theft and motor vehicle theft. The city has seen a  drop in almost all categories aside from assault, which increased from 12.1 percent to 14. 86 percent.

“We are very pleased with our numbers and we hope they continue to go down every year,” Moore said to the Gazette. “We are going to keep trying to do what we can to make Coppell a safe community.”

To read more about the report click here.

Marsha Tunnell, Coppell’s Mayor Pro Tem, filled in for Mayor Doug Stover on Feb. 3 to deliver the state of the city address at the Coppell Senior Center. Tunnell spoke of the various accomplishments of Coppell as well as multiple plans the city will be launching for the future.

She started by saying that the city of Coppell has 45,000 people working in the city everyday – higher than the actual population.

She spoke of multiple construction projects, most notable the rec center, Deforest Road, Old Town Coppell and Kid Country. She said that Old Town is looking to become a main attraction in Coppell, with businesses, restaurants, the farmer’s market and a new pavilion. Tunnell also spoke of Kid Country, and explained that the goal was to begin construction in the fall and that fundraising for the park will continue.

Tunnell sad the rec center will be open this spring. The city has added more than 11,000 square feet to the facility and has renovated 23,000 square feet. In addition, the pools are being renovated to add a new slide.