Joe Brannon, originally from Jonesboro, Arkansas, moved to Texas to attend Baylor University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He then obtained his MBA in finance from Baylor. His first job out of Baylor was at Dallas Semiconductor where he worked in the finance department. He spent most of his career working for high-tech, start-up companies specializing in initial public offerings. He has previously worked for Mark Cuban at Broadcast.com and also Yahoo! He is currently VP of Finance at Multiview. Kim was born in Chicago but moved to Plano, Texas, and attended the University of Texas in Austin where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History. During a summer writing internship at Dallas Semiconductor, she met Joe and the rest, as they say, is history. “We got to know each other from across the office using a very rudimentary, pre-internet, computer messaging system,” explained Kim. “We used it to quiz each other on trivia from the show M.A.S.H. Our first date was me going to watch Joe coach a Little League baseball game and then going to Gators in the West End where we ended up seeing the new Cowboys quarterback, Troy Aikman!” Joe and Kim married three years later at University Park United Methodist Church. Kim worked in corporate communications for 10 years before staying home with their children, Andrew and Abigail. Andrew is 23 years old and graduated from Highland Park High School in 2016. With a love for science, he worked as a self employed tutor during high school. His hobbies included golf and going on adventures with friends. Andrew graduated from the University of Georgia in 2020 with a biology/pre-vet degree and was the president of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. He is currently working with a veterinary practice and lives in Austin, Texas, but he is still a Georgia football fan. Abigail, 20 years old, also graduated from Highland Park High School, class of 2019, where she enjoyed playing JV volleyball. She was also active in church youth leadership and National Charity League as well as medical missions and internships. She is a junior at Auburn University and is majoring in Health Services Administration with a minor in Spanish. Abigail will be a 2022 Dallas Symphony Debutante in February 2022. The Brannon family has always enjoyed traveling. “We have wonderful memories of our travel – both with the kids and without the kids,” shared Kim. “Pre-kids, we honeymooned in Maine and backpacked through Europe. Some of our regular trips during our marriage have been to New York City, San Francisco, Jackson Hole, Orange Beach, London, Munich Oktoberfest, the Masters in Augusta, and Maui”. When at home, they enjoy cooking and dining out at Sachet, Shinsei, Homewood, and Desperados and golfing at Royal Oaks Country Club. Joe is a Baylor Bears football season ticket holder and enjoys golf and college football and basketball. In addition, the Brannons attend University Park United Methodist Church. Both Joe and Kim have a heart for volunteer work and have served with many organizations. Joe has been the Finance and Trustees Chair at University Park United Meth-odist Church, as well as the Board Finance Chair at Dallas Bethlehem Center. He has also served as Gallery Guard at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, since 2010. Kim is currently the Lay Leader of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. She served as President of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra League, Chair of the Highland Park High School Science Festival, and Board Chair of Project Transformation, a summer camp and after-school program for at-risk children. She is a Sustaining Member of the Junior League of Dallas and is the President and Founder of Beulah Voigt Memorial Scholarship, Inc. The Brannons have lived in Caruth Hills for the last 20 years and enjoy the neighborhood. “We moved right after September 11, 2001, and it seemed like such a scary time to make a big move, especially with two babies,” explained Kim. “We had decided to stay put across town when we went to church one Sunday and our minister preached, ‘Live boldly – as if all of your trust is in God’. We ended up buying our home and raised our children in the best neighborhood ever! It was nice to be in a neighborhood where the kids could walk to see friends, ride bikes, and play on playgrounds.” During the pandemic, Joe and Kim spent many mornings and evenings walking through the neighborhood. “We would ‘get our steps in’ and meet neighbors,” Kim said. “It has allowed us to slow down and appreciate the beauty and community of the Park Cities. We love to walk everywhere and see new streets and houses on our route each time. We walk for exercise, walk to the grocery store, and walk to get coffee.” Joe and Kim are currently in the process of renovating their house and plan to stay for a very long time, continuing to enjoy their University Park community.

On Friday, December 3, 2021, SMU broke ground on the new Frances Anne Moody Hall, named for Frances Anne Moody-Dalberg ’92, SMU trustee and executive director of the Moody Foundation. Moody Hall will house SMU’s eighth degree-granting school, the Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies. Backed by a $100 million gift from the Moody Foundation – the largest gift in SMU’s history – the Moody School began operations in fall 2020. This gift is already transforming graduate education at SMU. https://www.smu.edu/ignited/news/gifts/moody-hall-groundbreaking-dec-2021

A dispute between the Town of HP and a resident on Beverly Drive over how many statues, potted plants, and general yard art that you are allowed to have could potentially go to trial.  Check the before and after photos above…if you were the judge, which side do you pick?

Reprinted from The New York Times 12/27/2021

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday (12/27) shortened by half the isolation period for people who contract the coronavirus, saying that those without symptoms could safely resume mixing with others just five days after their positive test results.

That replaced previous guidance from the agency that infected patients isolate for 10 days.

The new guidance was announced as the highly transmissible Omicron variant is sending daily caseloads soaring, worsening a labor shortage and forcing airlines to cancel thousands of flights.

“The Omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the C.D.C., said. The new recommendations “balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses. These updates ensure people can safely continue their daily lives.”

Some places are reporting their worst caseloads of pandemic. Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Puerto Rico have reported more coronavirus cases in the past week than in any other seven-day period, data show.