QUESTION: I live in the Ray Creek edition on McClendon. A developer started a subdivision behind my house and then quit. I'd like to know if it's still going to be built.
ANSWER: Yes, it is, and you should already be seeing activity there. The developer of Ray Creek Estates, which is in its third phase, is MORMC Development in Plano. Conaway Homes is building houses there. Brent Conaway, one of the partners in Conaway Homes, said the contractor that was originally hired to build the infrastructure there pulled out of the job, and MORMC had to find someone else. That new contractor was supposed to have started moving equipment in there about a week ago. Good weather provided, it should take about four weeks for construction to finish. Then, Conaway Homes can start selling houses.
Also, just as a note, Kevin Cummings, the city's development services director told me there are no city penalties for someone who doesn't complete a construction project. Depending on the situation, the city might be able to collect on a letter of credit to complete water and sewer service and roads. Also, the building permit might expire, and the people who complete the job might have to pay to reinstate the permit.
"The real world 'penalties' of losing time, effort and investment dollars typically keep projects viable once they begin the construction phase, although financing can hit hiccups during economic downturns," he said in an e-mail.
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Q: The traffic signals at U.S. 259 and Loop 281 and at Hawkins and Airline need work. When traveling east on Hawkins at the new light, you have to stop, but westbound travelers can still go. There is no traffic coming into the eastbound lane as there is no road there.
On U.S. 259 and the loop, I have had to stop at both new lights. Sometimes there is no one turning left or going across the loop at all, yet cars from both directions have to stop.
A: The city's public works manager, Kirk Houser, said his office could not reproduce the problem you mentioned at U.S. 259 and Loop 281.
As for the Airline/Hawkins situation, I'm going to add a little side note before I get to Houser's explanation. The new light is on Hawkins at Airline, near the bus driveway to Longview High School. Remember, though, that Airline is split. It continues at the eastern edge of Longview High School, between Hawkins and Loop 281. There's also a traffic signal there.
Houser said the new signal is working as designed:
"When the westbound side is green, the westbound traffic is getting a left turn arrow to turn south onto Airline (at the signal at the eastern edge of Longview High School)," Houser said in an e-mail. "The eastbound side is held red at the western signal. When a driver waits eastbound, they are waiting for the turning traffic at the top of the hill (at the signal near the bus driveway). If Hawkins had dedicated turn lanes it would not have to be set up this way."
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Q: I have several back issues of "Leatherneck Magazine" that were subscribed to by a family member during the Vietnam War. I am willing to donate them to a veterans group if any of them are interested. How do I do this? I do not want them sold, but thought someone might like to read them.
A: I think I've found the perfect spot for your magazines. Ken Jones, the commandant for the Longview Detachment of the Marine Corps League, said his group "would be more than happy to have the Leatherneck Magazines."
"We have five display cabinets that we display our Marine Corps memorabilia," he told me in an e-mail, with a good selection of souvenirs already on display. "Nothing will be sold. We have several Vietnam Vets in our group, and this will be of particular interest to them."
Call him at (903) 757-8762. If there's no answer, be sure to leave a message, and he said he would call you back promptly.
E-mail questions to answerline@longview-news.com, leave a message at (903) 232-7208 or write to P.O. Box 1792, Longview, TX 75606.
