(Nathan Hunsinger/The Dallas Morning News)

Last week, Donald Renfort (left) and Mackendy Francois (right) prepared for the World Cup Amputee Football tournament during a team practice at Toyota Stadium's practice field in Frisco.

UPDATE 12/5/2014: Haiti has been knocked out of the amputee World Cup after losing to Turkey in the quarter finals. Fred Sorrells tells us it was a 1-0 game most of the match but eventually the team lost 3-0. Tomorrow Haiti plays a consolation game against Uzbekistan, the three-time amputee World Cup champion.

“We are so proud of Haiti’s historic run. Making the quarter finals for the very first time,” Sorrells said in a text message update.

Here’s a short video clip from yesterday’s win over Italy.

After a winning in a penalty shootout Thursday, the Haitian soccer team with deep ties to North Texas advances to the third round of the amputee World Cup.

On Friday the team takes on Turkey at a 10:30 a.m. game in Culiacán, Mexico. The team is posting updates on its Facebook page.

This is Haiti’s first time advancing in the amputee World Cup and only the team’s second appearance at the tournament, which began about 30 years ago. The team did not win any games at its first showing in 2010.

In preparing for this year’s cup, the Haitian team spent much of November in North Texas. Players worked with area soccer coaches to help improve their tactical skills. They practiced at Toyota Stadium in Frisco and with area schools. Local doctors also donated resources and services to help them.

So far, Haiti beat Germany 2-0 on Sunday and but then lost to Russia 6-1 on Tuesday. Haiti advanced to the second round to face Italy.

Fred Sorrells, of the Arlington-based International Institute of Sport who helped create the team, reports that the game was tied 1-1 and went into overtime. Mackendy Francois, pictured above, scored the game-winning penalty kick.

Francois, like many of his teammates, lost his leg during the deadly 2010 earthquake that devastated Haiti. The team was formed in the wake of that disaster, which players said is helping to change the way Haiti treats at the disabled.

The amputee World Cup concludes on Sunday.

Elevate Life Church will present its annual Christmas production, Once Upon a Christmas, on Dec. 23 and 24. Admission is free. The musical is the story of two toys that come alive on Christmas Eve and includes performances by professional ballroom dancers, an aerialist, a New Orleans-style band and over-the-top singing. iLuminate, the group of glow-suit dancers from “America’s Got Talent” who also their own Broadway show, will also perform. Showtimes are at 2, 4 and 7 p.m. Dec. 23 and at 2 and 4 p.m. Dec. 24. Click here to learn more.

The Holiday Lights at Frisco Fire Safety Town will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 12 and 13. Admission is free. The mini town will be decked out in holiday lights. Santa will also be available to visit with kids. Click here to learn more.

Donations are still being accepted for the Frisco Police Toy Drive. New, unwrapped gifts will be given to Frisco Family Services to distribute to families in need. Police are inviting the public to help fill their police cars this weekend. Officers will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Fieldhouse USA, 6155 Sports Village, and Walmart, 8555 Preston Road. Next Saturday, Dec. 13, they will be out from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Target, 4885 Eldorado Parkway, and Walmart, 12220 FM423. Click here for other dropoff locations and more information.

Registration is available for Frisco’s annual Frosty 5K & Merry Mile, which will be Dec. 13 at Simpson Plaza in Frisco Square, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd. The Merry Mile starts at 8 a.m., and the 5K starts at 8:30 a.m. Click here to register.

Tickets are still available for the third annual NTXMA Military Ball, which will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 17 at the Frisco Embassy Suites Hotel. The keynote speaker is Terry Burgess, whose son was killed while serving in Afghanistan in 2011. Burgess has spent the last year touring the country with The Hornet’s Nest, a feature film that includes footage of his son’s final tour of duty. The evening also features a painting performance by Lance Brown and music by Brian Reilly. Click here to learn more.

A ribbon cutting is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Friday for Rocket Fizz Frisco, which is located at 6009 W. Main St. in Frisco Square. The new location has a large selection of soda pop and candy. Click here to learn more.

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A ceremony to dedicate the new Walk of Honor at the Veterans Memorial at Frisco Commons is at 1 p.m. Sunday. (Photos by Valerie Wigglesworth/DMN)

Plaques within the Walk of Honor memorialize those killed in action.

Crews are putting the final touches this week on the new Walk of Honor at the Veterans Memorial in Frisco in advance of the dedication ceremony on Sunday, which is also Pearl Harbor Day.

The ceremony starts at 1 p.m. at Frisco Commons Park, 8000 McKinney Road.

Talks first began for a Walk of Honor in 2007. Construction began earlier this year. It includes engraved memorial bricks with the names of veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, plaques honoring those killed in action and pillars detailing each of the U.S. military campaigns since 1902, when Frisco became a city.

Lee Myrben

Lee Myrben, chairman of the Frisco Veterans Advisory Committee, was out at the site this week checking on last-minute details. He said he’s pleased to see everything finally coming together.

“Most veterans feel it’s hallowed ground,” he said. “It’s a place to honor all our veterans anytime.”

The Walk of Honor is a collaborative effort among the committee, VFW Post 8273, the Frisco Garden Club, the Frisco Community Development Corp. and the city of Frisco’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Sunday’s ceremony will include Frisco American Legion Post 178 and Frisco VFW Post 8273 presenting the colors. Boy Scout Troop 298 will present service flags. And U.S. Rep. Sam Johnson is scheduled to lead the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Myrben is serving as the master of ceremonies. Mayor Maher Maso and Gary Carley, president of the Frisco Community Development Corporation, will share some remarks.

Memorial bricks like this one pave the Walk of Honor.

The keynote speaker is Collin County Judge Keith Self, who graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served for 25 years as an Army officer, ranger, Green Beret and master parachutist infantry officer.

Memorial bricks will be added each year to the Walk of Honor. For information on purchasing a brick, visit www.vetbrick.com.

Guests on Sunday are invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating.

A view of the new Walk of Honor with pillars detailing the U.S. military campaigns.

Matthew Jarmon

A Frisco man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to one count of attempted enticement of a minor, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

Matthew Jarmon, 25, faces a sentence of between 10 years and life in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 9.

According to court documents, Jarmon knowingly attempted to persuade, induce and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity during several sexually explicit conversations online with an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old boy. Jarmon sent an obscene picture and arranged to meet with “the boy” to have sex, the documents state. He was arrested June 18 by Garland police when he showed up at the prearranged meeting spot.

Jarmon was released on bond. But according to an August detention order, investigators learned after Jarmon’s release that he had engaged in similar activity with three other boys. “At the time of his federal arrest on July 31, 2014, agents could see from his telephone that he had more than a thousand emails in a short period of time,” the document states. Jarmon has been in custody since then.

A packed crowd turned out at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, the majority to voice their opposition to construction of a Wal-Mart Supercenter. The council voted 3-1 to approve a rezoning request for 27.9 acres that paves the way for the big-box retail development at the southeast corner of FM423 and Stonebrook Parkway. The 190,000-square-foot store will sit on about 18.1 acres. The remaining 9.8 acres will be developed as open space with improvements to the existing lake and turned over to the city for a park. Click here for the news story.

City leaders got a better look Tuesday at the designs for the retail and entertainment district that will serve as the gateway to the Dallas Cowboys’ new world headquarters. Click here for the story, which includes the latest renderings and a video of the area.

A Frisco man is in custody after being accused of a stealing a car with two children still inside Monday afternoon, writes DMN’s Naheed Rajwani. Click here for her story.

The Frisco Improv Players will hold auditions for new talent for the troupe from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday at the Frisco Discovery Center, 8004 Dallas Parkway. The group will perform at 8 p.m. Friday in the Black Box Theatre at the Frisco Discovery Center. Tickets are $12. Click here to learn more.

Players from the Texas Legends team will be at the InTouch Credit Union World Cup Branch in Frisco on Saturday to meet with fans as part of the credit union’s Bank to Achieve youth financial literacy program. Players will be signing autographs and posing for photos as youths participate in activities. Admission is free. The event is from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the credit union at 5858 Main St., Suite 101, in Frisco. Click here for the news release. The team’s next home game is at 7 p.m. Friday at Dr Pepper Arena. Click here for ticket information.

Christmas in the Square makes the DMN’s list of top 10 places to see holiday lights in Dallas-Fort Worth. The holiday lights choreographed to music are from 6 to 10 p.m. daily through Jan. 3. Click here for the top 10 list. Click here to learn more about Christmas in the Square.

The city of Frisco’s annual Breakfast with Santa is this Saturday at the Frisco Senior Center. Santa, Frosty and Rudolph will be on hand for a breakfast of cinnamon rolls, eggs and more. Three different sessions are available. Click here for tickets.

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Frisco Automotive owner Charles Haley surprises Alesia Seraile of Frisco with a 2002 Toyota Rav4 on Tuesday. (Photos by Valerie Wigglesworth/DMN)

Frisco Mayor Maher Maso met with the Seraile family after they received their new SUV from Frisco Automotive owner Charles Haley.

Frisco Automotive owner Charles Haley surprised a single mom and her two children on Tuesday with a Toyota Rav4 after hard times left the family without a vehicle for several months.

“It’s amazing,” Alesia Seraile said, thanking the small crowd that had gathered at the repair shop on Main Street in Frisco for the presentation.

Seraile had been in and out of the hospital for weeks because of illness. She had exhausted all of her paid time off and still couldn’t return to her job at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. So she had no income coming in. Medical bills mounted. Then her childcare assistance ended for her 6-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son. She made the decision in September to give up her car to save money.

“Calling around for rides is rough,” said Seraile, who has now been back at work for about a week and a half.

The presentation came on what’s been dubbed Giving Tuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back.

Frisco Automotive also paid for car insurance for Seraile and will provide a year’s worth of oil changes and maintenance on the SUV.

“It’s just really so heartwarming to know we can help people,” said Haley, who has given away a car to a family in need for the past three years. Haley and his employees donated their time to making the repairs on the SUV that Haley purchased earlier this year.

Nicole Bursey, executive director of Frisco Family Services, also gave the family gift cards donated by various businesses to help make their holidays a little brighter. Bursey said Seraile sought help from the nonprofit, which in turn recommended her for Haley’s car giveaway.

“After hearing her story and all she had been through, it was not a difficult decision at all,” Bursey said. “She represents someone needing a little bit of support to get over the hump. She has the opportunity to regain her self-sufficiency.”

Yesterday the school board held a special workshop to discuss zoning options to accommodate the new Reedy High.

Reedy will open in August with freshmen and sophomores, most of whom are currently zoned for Frisco High.

But families who live in The Trails and Meadow Creek oppose the plan that temporarily zones the neighborhoods from Wakeland to Reedy for one year. In 2016, other students from those areas — even siblings — would be zoned back to Wakeland.

Trustees are exploring some tweaks to this Option 1. They include:

*whether enough families want to volunteer to transfer out of Wakeland to attend another school so that 19 families who would be impacted three or more years can keep their children together at Wakeland.

*if it is feasible to move Village Creek and Park Place estates into Reedy without that campus getting too overcrowded down the line. Officials said it is likely those families would have to move back to Frisco High because of growth, but some trustees wanted to see if it was possible for those subdivisions to move to Reedy until the growth arrives.

(Frisco ISD)

Frisco ISD officials indicated this week that Option 1 seemed to be the best solution for the long haul.

The city of Frisco’s 24th annual Merry Main Street is from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday in Simpson Plaza. The event includes 27 student choirs performing on three stages, strolling carolers, carriage rides, reindeer, Santa’s Workshop where kids can make holiday crafts, face painting, a hand bell choir and the North Pole Bakery with Mrs. Claus. The Kids Holiday Store is open to children ages 3 to 12. Children interested in the Holiday Store may may pick up a shoopping session bracelet beginning at 4:30 p.m. behind city hall. Bracelets are color-coded to correspond with specific shopping times. Santa Claus arrives on a vintage Frisco Fire truck at 4:55 p.m. to join Frosty, Rudolph and elves. He will then be available to visit with children. The city’s tree-lighting ceremony in the plaza begins at 6:05 p.m. and includes the holiday light show synchronized to music. The event also includes more than 70 vendors, including food concessions. Free parking is available in the municipal garage behind city hall and at Toyota Stadium. Click here to learn more.

Today is Giving Tuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. Every dollar donated today to Frisco Family Services will be matched by another $1 up to $10,000. The nonprofit that helps people in need has set a goal to raise $20,000 today. Click here to learn how you can help.

A Skate with Santa will be held from noon to 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco. The $15 price include admission to the Tis the Season holiday ice show presented by the Dallas Figure Skating Club at 3 p.m. Click here to learn more.

The Republican Women of North Collin County invite the public to its December gathering to meet Cecelia Abbott, the new first lady of Texas. A VIP reception starts at 5:30 p.m. today at Stonebriar Country Club with remarks from Abbott scheduled for 6:15 p.m. The meeting includes the group’s Christmas party and officer installation reception. Click here to learn more.

The city of Frisco’s population is estimated at 144,640 as of Dec. 1. That’s an extra 700 residents in the past month. Click here for more city demographics.

Author Jennifer Mittelstat will be at the Frisco Public Library at 7 p.m. Thursday for a book signing. Mittelstat, who lives in Frisco, is the author of a parenting book called My Kids Are Trying To Kill Me. Click here for details.

Reminder: The Frisco City Council meets for a special session at 4 p.m. today followed by its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Click here for the agendas.

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The Frisco City Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday on a request to rezone 27.9 acres at FM423 and Stonebrook Parkway to make way for a Walmart Supercenter. The Planning & Zoning Commission previously approved the request in a 3-2 vote. A group calling themselves the Frisco Residents Voting Coalition has since formed to stop the city from allowing the retail giant to build at that site as well as at a proposed site at Eldorado and Dallas parkways. The council meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Frisco city hall, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd. Click here for the meeting agenda, which includes background documents on the proposal.

The Frisco City Council will also consider an ordinance that sets new rates for water and sewer service fees and water reuse fees. The increases are needed to maintain the stability of the water and sewer fund, according to a staff memo. The water rates, which are based on usage, would increase an average of 7.5 percent with varying amounts depending on the amount of water for residential and commercial users. The minimum bills for residential, for example, would increase from $15.21 to $16.35. The water reuse system rates are proposed to increase from 75 cents to $1.79 per thousand gallons. The minimum bills for residential sewer service would increase under the proposal from $16.85 to $20.47, and the volume charge would increase 73 cents per thousand gallons for usage over 2,000. The sewer service increases would pay for system expansions to the Stewart Creek Treatment Plant, according to the memo. The new rates are proposed to go into effect with the January billing cycle. Details about the increases, which have already been planned for this year’s budget, are included in the council agenda available online here.

Prior to Tuesday’s regular meeting, the council will hold a special session at 4 p.m. for a presentation and discussion of proposed development plans and a site plan for a portion of the retail/entertainment district that is located south of the multi-use event center and the Dallas Cowboys headquarters. Click here for the agenda.

Other public meetings this week: the Public Art Board meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday; the Citizens Bond Committee meets at 6:30 p.m. Monday; and the Downtown Advisory Board at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The Frisco Police Department has once again earned national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Two assessors with the commission spent several days in Frisco in July evaluating the department, which must meet 483 standards to ensure it is working within the best practices of law enforcement. “This achievement further underscores the professionalism, high standards, best practices, and accountability in the Frisco Police Department when providing public safety services to the City of Frisco,” Police Chief John Bruce said in a statement. The department was recognized on Nov. 22 at the commission’s conference in Albuquerque.

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