90,000-plus Lights, $100,000 for Local Schools?

More than three weeks of preparation and effort from family and friends went into the Christmas display at the Felix family’s home. The Dallas residence is one of 24 finalists in Patch’s Deck the House contest.

Joey Felix may trace the origins of his family’s annual Christmas light display to his childhood, but luckily for him, he doesn’t have to work on it alone. “I have been decorating for Christmas since I was a child. I think I developed a love for the holidays from my grandmother and mother,” Felix said. “As a little boy I would help them decorate and every Christmas Eve we would outline my grandmother’s entire driveway and sidewalk with luminaries. “When my wife and I met, I started decorating her house—[this was] about 11 years ago. We did not make the jump to computer animation until 2006, [and] we get bigger every year.” Fast-forward to Christmas 2011 and the decorations Felix installed have moved far beyond the luminaries along the …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (5)

Year in Review, Crime News, $100,000 for Schools?

As a new week begins, take a few minutes to recap our top headlines from last week, Dec. 25-31.

One big story that came at the end of 2011 could become one of our biggest stories of 2012. The Felix family home was named Dallas-Hiram Patch's nominee for Patch’s nationwide Deck the House contest, and then became one of the contest’s 24 nationwide finalists, which means Paulding County Schools could receive $100,000 if it receives the most votes from you, the Patch users. Head here to find out how to vote for the local home and help Paulding County win the grand prize. Thursday marked the first birthday of Dallas-Hiram Patch. Learn how you can make Patch an even better community resource in 2012. On Friday, we brought you a review of stories that were big in 2011 and that could have a significant impact on 2012 and beyond. See our list …

• Photos (1)

Felix Home is Dallas-Hiram’s ‘Deck the House’ Winner

We’ll learn Friday if the local home was named one of the 24 nationwide finalists, bringing Paulding County Schools one step closer to winning $100,000.

A local family is one step closer to winning $500 for their electric bill—and perhaps even $100,000 for Paulding County Schools. The Felix family’s light display took the most votes out of Dallas-Hiram Patch's three entries, becoming the local nominee for Patch.com’s nationwide Deck the House contest. We’re now awaiting the decision of a national Patch judge, who will select 24 finalists out of the local winners from Patch sites across the country. Once the finalists are named on Friday, you’ll have until Jan. 8 to vote for the Best Decked House in all of Patch, with grand prize winner’s school district receiving $100,000. Check back with Dallas-Hiram Patch on Friday to see if the Felix family was named a finalist. In the meantime, you can…

• Photos (1)

Murder Arrests, Christmas for Kids, Business Headlines

As a new week begins, take a few minutes to recap our top headlines from last week, Dec 18-25.

On Tuesday, we learned that a mother and daughter had been charged with felony murder in connection to a death of a man in May. We also had some more positive news during the week. One such item was our video feature on Dec. 17’s Cops for Kids event, while another video feature focused on other project happening that day—Spokes for Little Folks. We learned late last week that Paulding County’s unemployment dropped from 9.9 percent in October to 9.1 percent in November. Learn more about the county’s job numbers. In other business news, the strike against a Marietta-based credit union with a Paulding presence ended last week following a vote by union members. Lastly in business, a Hiram bakery, Flour Child Cakery, was featured in our latest …

• Photos (1)

PatchCast

PatchCast: Kids Get Wheels; Christmas in Cobb

Get a video roundup of some of the region's top headlines in tonight's PatchCast.

    3,300 More Working in Cobb (Acworth Patch) Video: Project Gives Bikes, Trikes to Needy Kids (Dallas-Hiram Patch) Waiting for Santa in the Square (Marietta Patch) Christmas Services in East Cobb (East Cobb Patch)

• Videos (1)

PatchCast: Kids with Cocaine; 200 Layoffs

Get a video roundup of some of the region's top headlines in tonight's PatchCast.

Click on the links below for more on the stories featured in today's PatchCast: Cocaine Arrest at Daniell Middle School (Northeast Cobb Patch) Vulcan to Make 200 Layoffs (Kennesaw Patch) Woodstock Lights Giant Menorah (Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch) Christmas with 22 (Canton-Sixes Patch)

• Videos (1)

PatchCast

PatchCast: Armed Robbery; Embezzlement; Hanukkah in Cobb

Get a video roundup of some of the region's top headlines in tonight's PatchCast.

Click on the links below for more on the stories featured in today's PatchCast: Treasurer Charged with Embezzlement (Cartersville Patch) Police Seek Help with Armed Robbery (Woodstock Patch) Cops Give 250 Kids a Christmas (Dallas-Hiram Patch) Hanukkah Events in East Cobb (East Cobb Patch)

• Videos (1)