Council honor librarians, dispatchers
Members of the Cleburne City Council paid tribute to the city's librarians and dispatchers during their Tuesday meeting.
"I encourage all our residents to visit our library to explore its resources," Mayor Scott Cain said. "This reminds me of my first experience, when the library was still at the Layland Building, of getting my library card and being able to spend my summer reading books. I didn't have any idea then that it was going to lead to a lifetime of continued learning, and I still read every day and love every moment of it."
The Cleburne Public Library received two mentions during Tuesday's meeting, the first being recognition of having received the 2024 Achievement of Excellence in Libraries Award from the Texas Municipal Library Directors Association.
Cleburne librarians are no strangers to the award having now won it four years in a row.
To be considered for the award, a library must support standards of excellence in 10 categories.
"Those include serving the underprivileged, digital literacy and other benchmarks," Library Manager Tina Dunham said.
Dunham thanked the council and city administration for their support of the library.
"But especially our staff," she said. "They are hard working and go over and above to serve the community and make it a better place."
Cain referenced the fact that the library and Cleburne Police Department have shared the same building for decades and both have outgrown that facility.
"I look forward to the day we can give you all the resources you need," Cain said. "I can't imagine what you guys can do with state-of-the-art facilities. We look forward to being able to get that for you one day, hopefully in the near future."
Cain also proclaimed Sunday through Saturday as National Library Week in Cleburne.
"Libraries spark creativity, fuel imagination and inspire lifelong learning," Cain said. "They offer a space where individuals of all ages can explore new ideas and be drawn to new possibilities."
Cain, joined by Police Chief Rob Severance and CPD dispatchers, proclaimed Sunday through April 19 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in Cleburne.
"They are the vital link for police and firefighters through monitoring their activities by radio and providing them quality and accurate information to ensure their safety," Cain said. "Through their diligence and professionalism they keep our residents and our city safe."
Cain called the dispatcher's ability to remain compassionate and calm under pressure absolutely amazing.
"I think back to the tornadoes that came through in 2013 and all the chaos that went on because of that," Cain said. "These women humbly handled all the 911 calls coming in from the get go. They remained professional and understanding in helping our first responders and helping everyone stay calm."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Yahoo
Tri-Cities Burger King worker trapped in freezer calls 911 after man breaks in
A 34-year-old man was arrested early Tuesday when he reportedly freaked out and began running into traffic at a busy Kennewick intersection and then broke into a closed Burger King. His alarming behavior scared a female employee who was alone inside the restaurant, forcing her to flee into a freezer to call 911, said police. The suspect, Stephen Zimmerle, however, already had called 911 himself. Kennewick Officer Zachary Cain told the Tri-City Herald that Zimmerle called for help about 6 a.m., telling emergency dispatchers that someone was trying to kill him and he was being chased near the Fairchild Cinemas at Southgate. He reportedly ran into traffic at the corner of 27th Avenue and South Quillan Street near the Wal-Mart, jumped on the back of a pickup truck and took off his shoes before climbing out. Witnesses told police Zimmerle allegedly ran in front of other passing cars and tried opening their doors. When he couldn't get inside one, he went to the nearby Burger King and smashed the window next to the front entrance and climbed in, said Cain. The restaurant hadn't opened for the day, but an employee was working inside. When the woman saw Zimmerle coming into the store, she ran into the walk-in freezer inside a refrigerator and called for help. When officers arrived they found Zimmerle inside the refrigerator trying to disassemble a ventilation fan by pulling out wires, said Cain. Officers used a Taser to shock him when he wouldn't follow their orders to surrender. As he was being arrested, he allegedly kicked an officer. Zimmerle was checked at Trios Southridge Hospital before being booked into the Benton County jail on suspicion of commercial burglary, felony harassment, unlawful imprisonment, malicious mischief, third-degree assault, obstruction, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and vehicle prowling. Cain said there is no sign of anyone actually chasing Zimmerle.
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Forbes
3 Surprising Habits Of The World's Greatest TED Speakers
The road to public-speaking success on a TED stage is paved with small steps and deliberate practice. When you watch a speaker whose TED Talk has attracted millions of views, it's easy to think the person is a 'natural.' In most cases, the opposite is true. Great speakers make it look effortless because they put a lot of effort into making it great. When I interview TED speakers, especially those who are sought-after business speakers, they acknowledge that their confidence on the big stage came after years of practice on smaller stages. For example, famed astronaut Chris Hadfield gave a TED Talk about 'going blind in space' that attracted tens of millions of views. During a spacewalk, a chemical in his suit forced his eyes shut. Hadfield remained completely calm, discovered the source of the problem, and fixed it. When I asked Hadfield during an interview how he developed extreme confidence on stage, he said mastering public speaking wasn't all that different from learning any other skill—including a spacewalk. It takes time and practice…in small steps. Hadfield reminded me that, as one of the few Canadian astronauts, he was popular on the speaking circuit and had accepted speaking invitations for decades. He honed his craft in lower-pressure situations, from classrooms to business luncheons. The same strategy applies to high-stakes and high-pressure speaking opportunities such as giving a TED talk or delivering a presentation to attract investors or customers. Small steps yield big results. Susan Cain, the bestselling author of Quiet, told me in an interview that public speaking did not come naturally to her. In fact, she was terrified of public speaking for much of her career. Before Cain gave an 18-minute talk on 'The Power of Introverts,' one of the most popular TED Talks of all time, she had spent more than a decade as a lawyer and consultant. During the seven years between the time she started researching her book and appearing on TED, she attended Toastmasters meetings and spoke in front of small groups. 'The way to overcome any fear, but particularly public speaking, is to expose yourself to the fear in very small doses,' Cain told me. 'You can't start out by giving TED Talks. If you're a nervous speaker, your brain is acting like you're staring down a saber-toothed tiger. You need to get enough successful experiences in small bites that you retrain your brain, so it sees the stage as more like a daffodil than a tiger.' Cain still finds it remarkable that she doesn't dread public speaking anymore. In fact, she finds it 'enjoyable.' It might be hard to imagine now, but you can enjoy public speaking, too. The secret is taking tiny, consistent steps to build your confidence. Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor, a Harvard-trained neuroscientist, once told me she rehearsed her TED Talk more than 200 times. 'My Stroke of Insight' has been viewed more than thirty million times, making it one of the most-watched TED Talks ever. Now, you certainly don't need to practice a presentation hundreds of times. I often find that rehearsing a presentation from start to finish at least ten times prepares me to perform my best. But Dr. Jill's experience reinforces the lesson that speakers who look effortless have put in many more reps than you might think. Great speakers don't just practice more than the average person. They practice deliberately by simulating real-world conditions. For example, if your next presentation requires that you stand up in front of a group with a PowerPoint presentation on display behind you, then rehearse like it's the real thing. Don't simply flip through the slides silently to yourself. Instead, stand up, put a clicker in your hand, and speak out loud. If you mess up or forget to make a point, keep going to the end because, in the real setting, you're not going to start over. The more times you can make yourself feel just a little uncomfortable—adding a slight bit of stress to your rehearsals—the more your confidence will grow. When showtime comes along, you'll be ready for it. Public speaking sparks fear in most people because it's a by-product of our evolutionary heritage. It triggers the fight-or-flight response, which makes your palms sweat and your heart beat faster. As Susan Cain said, there's only one proven solution: train your brain to see the audience as a daffodil, not a tiger.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Yahoo
Formal dedication of the Dry Bridge Road Water Treatment Plant is held with ribbon cutting
WESTFIELD — While the Dry Bridge Road Water Treatment Plant has been operational for nearly a year, on Friday, city and state officials joined the representatives of firms that designed and built the plant to formally dedicate what the mayor called a 'state-of-the-art' facility. 'This is state-of-the-art and has been recognized nationally and on the state level as the model for the nation,' Mayor Michael McCabe said before a ribbon-cutting ceremony to dedicate the facility. The treatment plant at 99 Dry Bridge Rd. was built to filter water from Wells 1 and 2 to response to the discovery of PFAS in the groundwater of the Barnes Aquifer. With a capacity of 3.75 million gallons per day, it can treat up to 2,600 gallons per minute to ensure the quality and reliability of the city's drinking water, especially on the city's north side, according to information provided by the city. The plant uses Granular Activated Carbon — 40,000 pounds of it contained in four tanks — to provide disinfection, corrosion control, and pH adjustment needed to meet or exceed all local, state, and federal guidelines for drinking water. The project was funded through the State Revolving Fund loan process administered by the Clean Water Trust, according to the city. During the ceremony, McCabe recognized the city's interim DPW Director Francis Cain for his leadership over the last several years. 'Thank you, Fran,' McCabe said, adding that it was Cain's 'foresight and vision' that made the treatment plant a reality. McCabe also recognized the city's Water Systems Engineer Heather Stayton for her efforts on the project. '[She] also had her hand in it,' McCabe said. Cain said the ceremony was to acknowledge 'all we've accomplished over these many years in trying to solve some of our problems … I think we've done a great job at that,' Cain said. He also recognized the city's Water Commissioners, Ronald Cole, John Niedzielski, and Joseph Popielarczyk, McCabe, state Rep. Kelly Pease, and the City Council. After the ceremony, City Councilor Ralph Figy said the water treatment plant construction projects 'began with the easiest vote I ever took … the $30 million was a no-brainer' He also said that there should never be any 'politicization of a health issue.' Cain also recognized the efforts of the engineering firm Tighe & Bond for designing the facility and Daniel O'Connell's Sons for building it. Tighe & Bond Vice President and Design Manager Christopher Bone spoke briefly during the ceremony. 'The city has been a great partner,' Bone said about the 'hugely important project' and the proximity to its headquarters to the treatment plant. 'We drink the water from these wells,' Bone said. After PFAS was first discovered in 2013, Wells 7 and 8 were closed in late 2015 and early 2016, though they have since reopened when the Owen District Water Treatment Plant became operational in 2020. The Dry Bridge plant uses the same filtration technology. PFAS contamination has only been found in four wells — 1, 2, 7, and 8 — north of the Westfield River, It has not been detected in water supplies south of the river. With the filtration systems in place, Westfield's drinking water is safe, the federal report concluded. Water samples collected in 2019 were within the public health guidelines set by the federal Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Environmental Protection, according to the city. Read the original article on MassLive.
