📽️Week of January 27, 2025

Road Closure, Big News from City Council, and Justin’s Spotlight Moment... Interrupted

Author

Amber Hill
January 27, 2025

Good morning, Justin Readers!

Find a warm spot and kick off the week with The Justin Journal. We hope you've been staying warm during these chilly days. With the cold lingering, we’re all wondering—what will the Groundhog predict for Sunday’s temps? Will we get an early spring, or is winter sticking around a bit longer?

THE DIGEST
Road Closures, NISD Reads and Fort Worth Stock Show

Cleveland Gibbs Nightly Closures at SH 114 Starting Jan. 29

Alternating lane closures on Cleveland Gibbs at SH 114 will occur from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly, Jan. 29–31, for barrier work, striping, and traffic switches. Expect new travel patterns once completed. This is part of the $99 million SH 114 improvement project, expected to finish by March 2026. For updates, visit www.DriveTexas.org.

Join NISD for Northwest Reads!

Northwest ISD elementary schools invite you to be a guest reader at Northwest Reads on Wednesday, February 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. This annual event gives community members the chance to inspire a love of reading in young learners. This year’s theme is “Choose Your Own Adventure,” and we’re also introducing the program’s new mascot, Northie! Come share the joy of reading with the students of Northwest ISD!

Fort Worth Stock Show~ Jan. 17-Feb. 8

This Thing is Legendary®—and it's not just a slogan! The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, since 1896, is the ultimate western experience, and it's just a short drive from Justin! For 23 days, enjoy exciting rodeo action, including the Best of the West Ranch Rodeo, PBR's Last Cowboy Standing, and more at Dickies Arena.

There’s also livestock shows, kid-friendly activities, live music, a carnival, shopping, great food, and plenty of competitions to keep everyone entertained. Come see why Fort Worth is the greatest city in Texas—This Thing IS Legendary!

Local Podcasters!

Calling all local podcasters! Want to share your podcast with Justin readers? Email us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured in next week’s newsletter!

LOCAL BUSINESS
City Council Adopts First-Ever Unified Development Code

 On Thursday night, January 23rd, the City Council adopted its first-ever Unified Development Code (UDC), a process that began in late 2023. The UDC rewrites city ordinances to better manage growth and simplify the development process for both residential and commercial property owners. This completes Phase II of the planning process, following the March 2023 approval of the comprehensive plan (Phase I). Phase III, the Old Town Plan, was discussed at the January 9th strategic meeting.

Director of Development Services and Economic Development for the City of Justin provided key insights during the discussion, helping to highlight the importance of these updates in shaping the city's growth.

Key UDC updates:

  • Roof signage is now allowed in Old Town, previously prohibited.

  • Homeowners can now build Accessory Dwelling Units (Mother-in-law suites) under certain conditions.

  • Dark Sky lighting is required for all new developments to maintain a small-town feel.

  • The lighting ordinance has been strengthened beyond just glare and uplighting to include more comprehensive Dark Sky standards.

  • The development process has been streamlined, and ordinances are realigned with state requirements.

City Leaders are Working on Bringing Another Grocery Store in Town

City leaders have heard your voice and are working hard to bring a grocery store to our town. While the location and store details are still being finalized, adding this essential service is a top priority. Two sites are under consideration, and several grocery chains have shown interest.

Our leaders are committed to keeping our small-town charm while meeting community needs, and your voice is making a difference!

In the meantime, Tom Thumb is breaking ground in Harvest, just a few miles away, on Tuesday, January 28th, 2025, from 3-4 PM at 1046 Market Way, Argyle, TX. It’s a great step for our area! Stay tuned for more updates.

Now Hiring:

  • Responsibilities include equipment inspections, operating company vehicles, and ensuring quality control of HDPE pipe fittings.

Dietary Aide, Housekeeper, Unit Manager & More – Longmeadow Healthcare

  • Multiple positions available in a healthcare setting.

Billing Specialist â€“ Harper Electric

  • Position available for a Billing Specialist with a focus on managing billing processes.

Front Office Assistant – Therapedia

  • Looking for an organized and personable front office assistant.

  • Multiple positions available, including sales associate, cashier, and small engine tech roles.

Town Administrator – City of Argyle

  • The city is looking for a new Town Administrator to help lead and manage the community.

Check out the links for more details and to apply!

Nothing in this section is sponsored. Just fun info we wanted to share.

EVENTS
January Happenings

đź“…Wednesday~ Jan. 29

Keenagers 55+ Lunch and Games

  • When: 9:30-12:00

  • Where: 415 N College Ave

  • When: 11:30AM-1PM

  • Where: Higher Grounds

  • When: 8-10PM

  • Where: See Facebook group for location

  • When: 7:00 PM

  • Where: Three Wide Brewing 16230 Three Wide Dr

đź“…Thursday~ Jan. 30

  • When: 11:30AM-12PM

  • Where: 2550 Bobcate Blvd Suite 103

đź“…Friday~ Jan. 31

Breakfast with the Mayor
Join the mayor for small talk and breakfast every Friday morning.

  • When: 6:00 AM-8:00 AM

  • Where: Lonesome Spur Cafe 218 S FM 156, Justin

  • When: 9PM

  • Where: Mule Barn 218 S FM 156

  • When: 6-9PM

  • Where: Hilltop Truck Park

đź“…Saturday~ Feb. 1

  • When: 9AM

  • Where: Local Home Depot

  • When: 11AM-4PM

  • Where: Southlake Town Square

Live Music~ Jason Boland & The Stragglers
Purchase tickets in advance for $15 or at the door if available $20

  • When: Doors open at 6PM, show at 9PM

  • Where: Mule Barn 218 S Hwy 156

đź“…Sunday~ Feb. 2

đź“…Upcoming Events (See our online calendar for more events) 

Jan. 6~ Justin Area Business Assocation Meeting
Feb. 10~ School Board Meeting
Feb. 17~ NISD Student and Staff Holiday
March 29~ Cruisin’ in Justin 
Previous newsletter with Valentine’s Ideas

LOCAL HISTORY
The Big Switch: Justin’s Moment in the Spotlight... Interrupted

Continuing our conversation on the Justin State Bank and its history, let’s jump a couple of months after its first-ever robbery. You’ll remember George Lafoon, the man behind the heist, and how investigative reporter Ellston Brooks cracked the case. Well, their efforts didn’t go unnoticed—The Big Story, a popular TV show at the time, picked up on the drama and decided to tell the tale.

In February 1956, a film crew rolled into Justin to recreate the robbery for a national audience. The show’s reenactment was something special—using the actual bank's cashier, Newton Knox, along with tellers Miss Alta Williams and Frances Jones, to bring the story to life. It was a big deal, and everyone was excited to see Justin’s own faces on television.

Fast forward a month, and the excitement in town was electric. With the show set to air nationally in March, the entire community was buzzing and ready to shut down for their big moment in the spotlight. But just as the show was about to go live, someone decided it was the perfect moment to pull a prank. The power was cut to the entire city, and just like that, the whole town was left in the dark—literally. This moment, as you might guess, became known in Justin folklore as “The Big Switch.”

But all was not lost. Despite the prank, the people of Justin didn’t have to miss out on their moment. A special viewing was arranged at the local cinema on 5th Street, giving the town the chance to finally watch their moment of fame on the big screen—power outage be darned!

Click here to see a NBC-5 news story of the filming of “The Big Story”. There is no audio however you might be able to see some fresh faces of yesterday.

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