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Large Crowd On Hand For Grand Opening Of Cabela’S New Store In Allen, Texas
Customers streamed into the store for more than 30 minutes following the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Large Crowd, Grand Opening, Cabelas, New Store, Allen, Texas

Cabelas.com

ALLEN, Texas --(Ammoland.com)- Cabela’s employees cheered and applauded as the first customers flooded through the front doors of Cabela’s new store in Allen, Texas, just after noon today.

Thousands of people were in line outside the store before the doors opened following the official ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Cabela’s Chief Executive Officer Tommy Millner, Allen Mayor Steve Terrell and Dallas Cowboys legend Jay Novacek. Customers streamed into the store for more than 30 minutes after the doors were open.

“We owe a lot of thanks to our customers,” Millner said. “Fifty years ago Cabela’s started as a mail-order business run from a kitchen table in tiny Nebraska town, and if it wasn’t for our loyal fans, we wouldn’t be here opening our third Texas store today.”

Some customers lined up at the front of the store as early as 10:00 p.m. Wednesday. And those who showed up by mid-morning today were treated to snacks, soft drinks and two hours of live music by country band Southbound, which created a festival-like atmosphere among the customers eager to be the initial shoppers in the store.

Preston Lewis and Carson Thompson, both of Allen, were the first people in line. In the early morning hours, Cabela’s employees gave them hats, T-shirts and refreshments. But, according to Lewis, the greatest prize was being the first one to walk through the doors.

“I just wanted to be the first one to do something so great,” he said.

The 100,000-square-foot store, which is located at the Stacy Road exit off U.S. Highway 75, is Cabela’s third retail store in Texas, joining the Fort Worth and Buda locations. Around 300 people have been hired as outfitters at the Allen store.

Millner and Terrell were joined on stage by Cabela’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Michael Copeland – a Texas native – and Allen Economic Development Corporation President Tim Wood, both of whom touted the city as the ideal location for another Cabela’s store in the Lone Star State.

“I was an Allen resident until about four years ago,” Copeland said. “And I’m so proud to come home to open this store to such a great crowd.”

About Cabela’s Incorporated
Cabela’s Incorporated, headquartered in Sidney, Nebraska, is a leading specialty retailer, and the world’s largest direct marketer, of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor merchandise. Since the Company’s founding in 1961, Cabela’s has grown to become one of the most well-known outdoor recreation brands in the world, and has long been recognized as the World’s Foremost Outfitter. Through Cabela’s growing number of retail stores and its well-established direct business, it offers a wide and distinctive selection of high-quality outdoor products at competitive prices while providing superior customer service. Cabela’s also issues the Cabela’s CLUB Visa credit card, which serves as its primary customer loyalty rewards program. Cabela’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CAB”.

Filed under: Shooting Industry News by Ammoland No Comments »

Texas Senators, Lucio & Gallegos Do Not Keep Their Word on Campus Carry

Texas State Rifle Association

Houston, Tx --(Ammoland.com)- Rumors include the Brady Campaign funneling money into Texas to kill CHL on Campus!

Background:
SB 354by Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) would allow adult students, faculty, and staff with a concealed handgun license to carry in buildings located on college campuses currently prohibited by Texas law. SB 354 would also stop colleges and universities from creating administrative rules which serve to expel a student or terminate an employee for simply having their licensed handgun in their personal vehicle.

You might be interested in knowing that every college and university in the state of Texas has such administrative rules on the books. That’s what local control buys you: zip, nada, nothing!

Update and Status:
SB 354 became eligible to be debated on the Senate floor last week. TSRA worked to help Senator Wentworth count the required votes to reach the two-thirds rule. The Texas House uses a Calendars Committee which prioritizes and sets the House Calendar; the Senate requires 2/3s of the total senators present to agree to bring a bill up for discussion. There are 31 senators and the required number is 21. The final vote is an up or down simple majority.

It’s a gentlemen’s agreement. I’ll hear your bill even though I might ultimately vote against it, and you’ll hear mine. It also gives power to the minority party and in the case of SB 354, a great deal of power. Two Senators have taken SB 354 hostage, two with help from their “friends”.

Senator Wentworth had counted his votes and turned in his list to the Lt. Governor and we were good-to-go with 22 votes, counting Senator Wentworth.

Governor Dewhurst recognized Senator Wentworth who made the required motion to suspend the rules and consider SB 354.

A debate followed.

The list of senators agreeing to the two-thirds rule included Senator Lucio (D-Brownsville). Senator Lucio requested language that would address a primary, secondary, and child-care facility on one of his college campuses. Over night the language was hammered out and Senator Lucio’s staff believed the correction would address the school’s concerns, would be acceptable to Senator Lucio, and wasn’t harmful to Senator Wentworth’s bill. Good-to-go…

The next day, last Thursday, as Senator Wentworth laid out and began explaining his bill, Senator Lucio decided that he wanted his college to take the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) to review this language and insisted Senator Wentworth hold off.

Wentworth was ready and anxious to get on with it. He would keep the language but did not want to wait three more days. Lucio removed his name from the list and now we were down to 21 but still Good-to-go.

For quite a while the debate continued among those who opposed the bill. This included Senator Steve Ogden (R-Bryan). Ogden insisted that so few students would have a concealed handgun license, how could this number possibly make a college campus more safe. Senator, this is about personal safety! Not policing a college campus.

After a couple of hours a group of senators gathered around Senator Mario Gallegos’ desk. Gallegos was on the two-thirds list. Senator Gallegos supported a similar bill last session and told me he had no problem supporting it again. However, with some pressure from the opposition, he too took his name off and now we were at 20 and below the required number. The wheels came off!

Senators Lucio and Gallegos signed the sheet and pledged to vote for the two-third rule to bring up SB 354. The pledge sheet was submitted to the Lt. Governor’s desk. Nothing happened to cause these two senators to go back on their commitment, their word to Senator Wentworth and to Texans.

Below is the list of contact information for Texas state senators:

Please pay special attention and email and to call Senators Lucio (D-Brownsville), Gallegos (D-Houston), and Ogden (R-Bryan). It’s not a waste of time, it’s important that everyone hears from you but particularly the “opposition”. If you have children or grandchildren in a Texas college let the Senate know this information too.

Senate Contact Part 1

*Senator Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) (Co-author) u
brian.birdwell@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0122

*Senator John Carona (R-Dallas)
(Co-author)
john.carona@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0116

Senator Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth)
wendy.davis@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0110

*Senator Robert Deuell (R-Greenville) (Co-author)
bob.deuell@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0102

Senator Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock)
robert.duncan@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0128

Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston)
rodney.ellis@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0113

*Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls) (Co-author)
craig.estes@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0130

*Senator Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay) (Co-author)
troy.fraser@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0124

Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr. (D-Houston)
mario.gallegos@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0106

*Senator Chris Harris (R-Arlington) (Co-author)
chris.harris@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0109

*Senator Glenn Hegar, Jr. (R-Katy) (Co-author)
glenn.hegar@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0118

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen)
juan.hinojosa@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0120

Senator Joan Huffman (R-Southside Place)
joan.huffman@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0117

*Senator Mike Jackson (R-La Porte) (Co-author)
mike.jackson@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0111

Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville)
eddie.lucio@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0127

*Senator Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) (Co-author)
jane.nelson@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0112

Senator Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville)
robert.nichols@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0103

Senate Contact Part 2

steve.ogden@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0105

*Senator Dan Patrick (R-Houston)(Co-author)
dan.patrick@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0107

Senator Jose Rodriguez (D-El Paso)
jose.rodriguez@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0129

*Senator Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) (Co-author)
kel.seliger@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0129

Senator Florence Shapiro (R-Plano)
florence.shapiro@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0108

Senator Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio)
carlos.uresti@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0119

Senator Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio)
Leticia.vandeputte@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0126

Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin)
kirk.watson@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0114

**Senator Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) (Bill Author)
jeff.wentworth@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0125

Senator Royce West (D-Dallas)
royce.west@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0123

Senator John Whitmire (D-Houston)
john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0115

*Senator Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands) (Co-author)
tommy.williams@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0104

Senator Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo)
judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0121

SB 354 is a personal safety bill for concealed handgun licensees. What good is protection with outrageous limitations.

Thanks for your help and join, renew, or upgrade your membership at www.tsra.com or call 512-615-4200.

Keep the Faith!

About:
The Mission of the Texas State Rifle Association is to protect and defend the inalienable rights of the individual Texan to acquire, possess, transport, carry, transfer ownership and enjoy the right to lawful use of firearms for self preservation, for the defense of family and property and the common defense of the Republic and the individual liberties of the people. Visit: www.TSRA.com
Legislative Director

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