Below are headlines and links to stories posted this week by contributors for and about the Plano and Murphy areas.

Leadership Plano names Lisa Sams executive director

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37771

Norman Brinker honored with Methodist Health System Folsom award

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37759

Steps to take after storm damage

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37732

Heard NaturalScienceMuseum summer programs

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37665

DukeUniversity recognizes six Westwood students

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37653

McKinney Summer Musicals presents ‘The King and I’

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37622

Levine eighth-graders collect, distribute more than $20,000 to charities

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37647

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37629

LevineAcademy class of 2009 graduates

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37634

Contest for the next Best in Texas commercial

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37976

FranklinCountyArt Museum buys a Plano artists’ painting

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37972

Plano East student wins JROTC scholarship

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37953

U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson to honor military bound students in Plano

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37924

MessiahLutheranChurch installed a new Director of Christian Education

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37867

Plano Symphony Orchestra elected new officers

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37845

THINGS TO DO

June 20: North Texas Cat Rescue adoption at Petsmart in McKinney

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37898

June 27: Schleroderma Walk-a-thon at Collin Creek Mall

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37656

July 3: Hot Dog Dinner Fundraiser in Murphy

http://neighborsgo.com/event-detail/11385/1

July 4: Freedom Fest at WillowBendChurch

http://neighborsgo.com/stories/37644

On Saturday, I took the 3-minute trip to my Plano polling location to vote in the election. The total time, from driving to casting my ballot, was no more than 20 minutes – barely a blink in my busy day.

And yet, during the time I was at the polls, I was the only one voting, and I didn’t see anyone arrive as I was leaving.

In what I believe was an important election that determines a new mayor and the fate of about $130 million in bond projects, I was surprised when the final voting numbers came in this week. A sad 6.5 percent of registered voters turned out at the polls.

Within the last month, I’ve seen several contributors while I’ve been out and about around town.

Last Saturday, I went to Asiafest in downtown Plano’s Haggard Park and ran into Graciela Katzer, whom I first met at our March community meet-and-greet. She was giving out information about the Plano International Festival coming up in October at Haggard Park. I also said a quick hello to Cara Mendelsohn, president of the Plano ISD Council of PTAs. Cara must have been busy last weekend because along with Asiafest, she also attended the PTAs RoughRiders Day, which drew more than 850 PTA members and families.