This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Park Cities News.
“I am honored to be a part of this historic year of the Park Cities News,” said Publisher Marj Waters.
The Park Cities News was first published in 1938, but can trace its roots back to 1925, when its predecessor was the Highland-University Park News.
There have been several owners and publishers since its inception. Marj Waters became owner and publisher in 1976.
The Park Cities community was not new to Ms. Waters.
She was raised in Oak Park, Illinois and was a Pi Phi at Southern Methodist University, where she met her husband, a Highland Park High School graduate.
She raised three sons in Highland Park while being very active in many charity organizations. “I learned a lot about business working with these organizations. I suppose that was preparing me for my own business,” she said.
In 1974, Ms. Waters divorced and entered the real estate business and started an interior design company. During those times she was still involved in her charity work.
“In 1976, I was at a charity event, which was being covered by Jewel Morris, who was then the publisher and owner of the Park Cities News. We struck up a conversation and I mentioned that my brothers owned daily newspapers,” Ms. Waters said.
Ms. Morris said that she had decided to sell the newspaper and wondered if my brothers might be interested.
Ms. Waters asked what her price was and after a few minutes of negotiating, she took out her checkbook and wrote Ms. Morris a check and became the owner and publisher of the Park Cities News.
“I met Ms. Morris at the newspaper office the next day to take over,” she said.
“I called my older brother and told him that I had just purchased a newspaper. There was a very long pause on the phone and he said, ‘you did what?’ Again I told him that I purchased a newspaper,” she said.
Ms. Waters said he asked if there was a subscription list and she said, “Sure, it’s in a shoe box with index cards of each subscri
For the complete version of this story
see the current issueo f The Park Cities News.
Inside the renovated Highland Park Library
By Peter Waters
The renovation of the Highland Park Harvey R. “Bum” Bright Library is finished and the generous gift from the late Mr. Bright’s children allowed the library to totally renovate with all cherry book shelves, much improved lighting, restored double-hung windows and the Spanish-Moorish tiles on the floors, star risers and all three fireplaces.
The renovation allowed the library to keep the warm, Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style.
The circulation desk at the entrance of the library was custom-designed and is constructed of the same cherry wood that is used for the bookshelves and all of the furniture.
On the granite countertop is a decorative wrought iron edge made by Richard Potter of Potter Art Metal Studios. Ironically, his grandfather, Henry Potter, made the wrought iron decorative doors for the library and the wrought iron balcony railing in 1930.
The library also has the latest in energy-efficient lighting and improved direct and indirect lighting.
The children’s room includes a mural around all four walls showing familiar Highland Park scenes include the gazebo in Versailles Park, the famous Pecan Tree and the parks and stone bridges. The mural starts with the beginning of the day and ends with the dusk of the day.
There is also a puppet theater resembling the 1924 Lang and Witchell Town Hall including the tower and red clay tile roof. The children have sized cherry wood chairs and tables are the same style as the adult size chairs and tables.
“The company the manufactured the adult size chairs and tables did not have a children’s size. They custom made them for us. They liked them so much that they may put them in their regular line of furniture,” said Librarian Bonnie Case.
The library also has three fireplaces with gas logs and comfortable wingback chairs providing cozy places to read.
Placing one color at a time on the tile and then firing it created the Spanish Moorish tiles in the entrance and stair risers had. Each tile had to be fir
For the complete version of this story see the current issue of
The Park Cities News.
Dr. Paul Pepe honored
By Robert Collins
The American College of Emergency Physicians has recognized Park Cities resident Dr. Paul Pepe as a Hero of Emergency Medicine. The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) recognizes emergency physicians how have made significant contributions to emergency medicine, their community and their patients.
Dr. Pepe is the chair of emergency medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Parkland Memorial Hospital.
“Emergency physicians are on the front lines of America’s health care system, providing the essential community service of emergency care,” says ACEP President Linda L. Lawrence, MD. “The dedication, passion and commitment Dr. Pepe has shown embodies the vision of ACEP’s founders and the ideals of our specialty.”
Dr. Pepe, who is also director of the City of Dallas Medical Emergency Services for Public Health, Public Safety and Homeland Security, is a global lecturer and author of hundreds of pace-setting scientific papers, including landmark studies in multiple disciplines. Often featured in network news and prime-time broadcasts such as ABC News Nightline, McNeil-Lehrer and Larry King Live, he has been called a “mentor to millions” and an “advocate for the injured.”
Dr. Pepe is known as a world leader and innovator in CPR, trauma, emergency ventilation and disaster care, he serves as emergency medicine trauma consultant for many notable entities, including the NIH, White House Medical Unit, U.S. Secret Service and NBA trainers.
Dr. Pepe has won numerous health policy, community service, academic and professional society awards, including formal recognition for courage and lifetime public service in the U.S. Congressional Record.
He received the 2005 “National ACEP Emergency Medical Services Award” and founded ACEP’s Advanced EMS Medical Directors Course and Workshop. He was also the first nationally elected president of the National Association of EMS Physicians.
ACEP is a national medical specialty society representing
For the complete version of this story see the current issue of
The Park Cities News.
