"The Fire Department is full of dedicated, hard-working individuals who are committed to providing for the safety of our citizens. We are confident our Fire Department will thrive under Chief Dow's leadership as we conduct a national search for a Fire Chief," said McKinney City Manager Paul Grimes.

Chief Dow served as the Fire Chief for the City of Albuquerque, New Mexico, from 2018 to 2021. In addition to his leadership roles, he worked as an instructor at Collin College in McKinney and Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque. Chief Dow holds a bachelor's degree in Fire Administration from Columbia Southern University and is a designated Chief Fire Officer from the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

"It is an honor to serve with the men and women of this outstanding fire department. We have a very bright future ahead of us," said Interim Fire Chief Paul Dow.

Chief Dow will work as Interim Fire Chief until a permanent Fire Chief is named. Current Fire Chief Danny Kistner, who has been with the city since 2011, announced his retirement in December.

Collin College offers fast track classes

Collin College is offering a FastTrack session this spring, providing students with the opportunity to start classes during various dates in February and March.

Students can select classes ranging from art to speech and move one step closer to their associate degrees and/or transfer the credits to area universities. Students taking these classes will still have a spring break in March. These classes include all the regular student services, including access to libraries and math and writing centers.

Registration for spring FastTrack classes is now open for current students. New students should begin by applying for admission at www.collin.edu/gettingstarted/admissions/. For additional information, including a class listing, visit www.collin.edu/academics/fasttrack/. For questions about the program, email studentsuccess@collin.edu.

Collin College serves more than 57,000 credit and continuing education students annually and offers more than 100 degrees and certificates, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), a Bachelor of Applied Technology (BAT) in Cybersecurity, and a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Construction Management. The only public college based in Collin County, Collin College is a partner to business, government, and industry, providing customized training and workforce development. For more information, visit www.collin.edu.

McKinney highlights Blue Star Flag Program

The City of McKinney has a special program to honor residents who are waiting for a loved one to return home from defending the nation’s freedom. Family members of servicemen and women who are currently deployed overseas in combat areas are invited to receive a Blue Star Flag to hang in their homes as a symbol of support from the entire city for their service.

McKinney residents who are parent(s) or spouses of servicemen or women who meet the deployment criteria are eligible to receive a Blue Star Flag. The Blue Star Flag will be presented to the family during a McKinney City Council meeting, which take place the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 222 N. Tennessee St.

The application is available at McKinneyTexas.org/BlueStar