EDUCATION & SCHOOL NEWS
The Temple Independent School District Transportation Department is rolling out another digital tool to help increase safety and communication for bus riders across the district. The district is opening the parent portal of the SMART tag transportation system this week. INSIDE: Updated news from local schools, colleges and school districts.
Black ties and movie music
The Temple High School choir department will present its two show choirs — The Polyfoniks and Encore — in the production of Broadway Nights, a show that features musical numbers from plays and movies such as Waitress, The Greatest Showman, A Chorus Line, Oklahoma and Little Shop of Horrors, to name a few.
THE ART OF ROCK
A Temple man with deep rock ’n’ roll roots has created concert posters for hundreds of bands, including Van Halen, Alice in Chains, Judas Priest, Metallica, Willie Nelson, David Bowie and The Cure, and he will be the featured artist at a new Temple College Visual Arts Gallery exhibit.
UPDATED: ZZ RETURNS
Billy Gibbons discusses ZZ Top’s Raw Whiskey Tour that’s coming to the Bell County Expo Center on Friday, April 21. Tickets for the show go on sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 20 at bellcountyexpo.com.
BEAU KNOWS CONDUCTING
Beau Benson is an distinguished and experienced conductor who will lead the Temple Symphony Orchestra’s Jan. 28 performance. Benson is one of four finalist hoping to replace the retired Thomas Fairlie as TSO’s next conductor and artistic director.
GOING FOR A HAT TRICK
The owner of a Temple-based soccer club is opening a new Downtown sports bar complete with food, drinks and an indoor four-on-four soccer field. Manuel Velasquez, owner of Coyotes FC, a pair of Fort Hood food trucks and a Colombian food delivery service, is opening Hat-Trick Sports Barat 217 N Main in the former L&M Electronics building.
Classic with a twist
Get ready classical music fans: Two big concerts featuring small but talented ensembles are coming to the Cultural Activities Center this month. The Merz Trio — featuring a violinist, a pianist and a cellist — will bring their big sound to the CAC on Saturday, Jan. 21, for a 7:30 p.m. concert. Tickets are $25.
2023 to be big music year
Season tickets to the eight-show Texas Music Series are now on sale at cacarts.org and the Cultural Arts Center, 3011 N 3rd Street in Temple.
Dinner and a Dance
Mo’s Railyard Saloon has expanded and added a Saturday Night Fever-style dance floor and a huge 5×12-foot LED television. But, the biggest change is the addition of a new cafe adjacent to the bar. The Grill at Mo’s features daily Blue Plate specials and traditional bar food.
Paslay coming home in 2023 – twice
Eric Paslay will be performing twice in his hometown of Temple during 2023, and he is already planning his dual homecomings.