Gail Joyce Gibbs sent me a more than kind e-mail last night that also included more information about how the Plano VFW was named the Casey Joyce All-America VFW Post 4380. Here's what she had to say:

Editor's Note: This is Part 3 of Lt. Carter Cheek's story. To read the longer story about him visiting the Plano VFW, see the post, "Soldier has tearful meeting with Ranger's mother," at the Plano Noteworthy homepage.

Our wonderful contributing photographer, Becky McKinney, who is the mother of Kelly Piland, a friend of Cheek, sent us these photos from the soldier's final day in Dallas today. He is on a plane right now heading back to Afghanistan.

McKinney also had this to say:

Editor's note: This story is Part 2 of 3. The final news and photos will come from Lt. Cheek's departure at the airport today for Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Lt. Carter Cheek came face-to-face Wednesday with the mother whose son’s name adorns the bracelet the soldier wears on his wrist as he prepared to head back to his unit in Afghanistan today.

The tearful meeting occurred at the Plano VFW named in honor of the soldier also named on the bracelet, an Army Ranger from Plano who fell in combat in 1993.

Look for my story about Lt. Carter Cheek meeting at the Plano VFW last night to appear here with photos as soon as I receive word from contributor Becky McKinney, who is one of a group of friends and family saying farewell to Cheek today at the airport.

I can say now that last night was an emotionally-charged celebration. Carter was so appreciative of the VFW and Gail Joyce Gibbs, who is the mother of the fallen soldier.

See the original Feb. 20 Plano neighborsgo print edition story here. 

Plano Senior High, Plano East and Plano West high schools all will compete at the state Academic Decathlon tournament Friday through Sunday in Houston.

Plano Senior High won the regional Academic Decathlon competition for the sixth consecutive year, taking home 37 individual medals and 27 team medals. 

Plano East placed second at the regionals. 

Three teams from John Paul II High School in Plano have been highly successful at area competitions.

Academic Decathlon students, Cardinal Belles drill team and the Latin Junior Classical League were top winners during February events.

Perla Sarabia Johnson, author of the science fiction thriller Global Warning, lives in northeast Richardson with her husband, Paul Jr., and youngest son Justin.

She dedicated her book to Justin, a seventh-grader at Murphy Middle School who enjoys writing and reading. Her oldest son is 18-year-old Paul III, a 2008 Plano East graduate who now is a freshman at Baylor.

Johnson wrote her first published book to inspire others to make immediate changes in their lifestyles to have a healthier, cleaner planet for future generations.

A soldier on leave from Afghanistan arrived at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Feb. 10 to a grand welcome from family and friends.

His story is similar to countless men and women who have served the country. But what makes Lt. Carter Cheek unique is the bracelet he’s worn since 2002 – a remembrance of an Army Ranger from Plano who died in Somalia in 1993.