Thousands of people came out to enjoy Rowlett's Festival of Freedom at Pecan Grove Park this weekend. With carnival rides spinning, country artist Kevin Fowler and pop legend Eddie Money performing live on stage, and fireworks bursting to patriotic tunes over our heads, there was no doubt that this weekend-long celebration was BIG FAMILY FUN -- even after a scare at Wet Zone on Friday night, when at least 19 people became sick after a chlorinating pump malfunctioned at the water park.

Seven people were treated by ambulance for chlorine exposure, which caused watery eyes and vomiting, according to Donna Huerta, public information officer for the City of Rowlett. A water chlorinating pump shut down, tripping a breaker; when it kicked back on, the pump shot an excessive amount of chlorine into the pool water. About 80 people were at the water park at about 9:30, when the incident happened. Dallas Fire-Rescue sent a haz-mat unit, and Garland, Richardson and Sachse rescue personnel responded.

School Resource Officer Dee Livingston, named the City of Heath’s Employee of the Year for 2007, considers working with the students at Maurine Cain Middle School the biggest reward of all. Officer Livingston is featured in assistant editor Aly Fleet's latest installment of our "Know Your Neighbor" video series.

Officer Livingston also graced the cover of our Neighborsgo print edition recently; read the full story here.

American Idol Jason Castro is not the only famous Aggie around here. Apparently, Sam the goose is an Aggie, too.

Rowlett artist Laurieann Dygowski contacted Neighborsgo today with a tale that’ll stop you in your tracks, since she herself may be “Mother Goose.”

But let’s get our ducks in a row, first, shall we?

If you’re not familiar with Keeley Elementary’s web-footed crossing guard, you’ll want to dive into this neighborsgo story before reading any further. You’ll also want to take a gander at this neighborsgo video.

Laurieann Dygowski, aka "Mother Goose," stopped by to visit Sam at the Waterview pond yesterday. The Rowlett artist was excited about reuniting with her long lost goose - the one she called Aggie, who waddled away from home some fifteen years ago during a thunderstorm.

Laurieann was happy to share her happy tale with a Dallas Morning News Metro reporter who was there that day to to do a follow-up on our original Neighorsgo video and story, which recorded the web-footed crossing guard in action at the Princeton and Liberty Grove intersection near Keeley Elementary School. 

Sam the web-footed crossing guard has achieved national fame as CBS news crews showed up to film the goose helping Keeley Elementary students cross the street this morning. Unfortunately, Sam didn't want to cross for the live TV cameras, but he sure did a lot of HONKING!

Check out the CBS news clip.

And here's Sam in action on our neighborsgo video.

Video: Cricket winning regionals 2008 

Cricket, the pint-size pooch from Rowlett who captured second place in PETCO's 2007 and 2005 search for America's Fastest Chihuahua, has qualified once again for national competition!

Cricket finished faster than 180 other four-legged regional racers this past weekend, drawing cheers from a crowd of 700 spectators at the fourth annual PETCO Unleased Regionals. The 5-year-old speedster earned plenty of hugs, a blue ribbon, and a doggie bag from owner Brooke Stanfield (a student at Rowlett High School). Cricket blazed down the 1/18th furlong (35-foot) race track in 1.7 seconds, making this his third regional win, and his third opportunity to dog the national competition and be named "America's Fastest Chihuahua." 

The Marshall Tucker Band and other headline entertainment rocked the concert stage in historic downtown Rockwall recently, as part of the City's annual Founder's Day celebration. This video shows what you missed if you didn't make it to Rockwall's 154th birthday party. (See if you still rock like this at 154.) 

then bring Hawaii to Dad.

That's what our 11-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son decided to do for Dad on Father's Day.

The kids surprised Richard with a free, first class ticket on Redig Airlines, departing from our Rockwall home immediately after church on Sunday, flying him away for a day in Honolulu (our backyard). Dylan piloted the plane with a joy stick from his computer game, while Samantha and I - dressed in grass skirts and coconut tops - awaited their arrival on the back patio. We welcomed Richard with leis and kisses, and a poolside brunch that consisted of pineapple juice and fresh fruit kabobs, Macademia nuts and of course - malted milk balls (which have nothing to do with Hawaii, but happen to be one of Richard's favorite snacks). This was accompanied by a medley of Hawaiian love songs which played continuously on my daughter's jam box.