Mold Remediation in Mckinney, TX

Touching story behind couple's massive lights display

It's been an annual tradition in McKinney for nearly a decade. A couple decks out their house in a massive Christmas display. And while it certainly wows people from all over the community who come by to take a look, it’s intended to raise awareness about heart disease.

MCKINNEY, Texas - It's been an annual tradition in McKinney for nearly a decade.

A couple decks out their house in a massive Christmas display.

And while it certainly wows people from all over the community who come by to take a look, it’s intended to raise awareness about heart disease.

From Thanksgiving to the start of the new year, Palermo Way in McKinney becomes Christmas Way.

Mark Cornetti and Nasheel Joules are the ones behind the magic.

"We just buy a few more things each year," Joules said. "We love looking at Christmas lights."

It’s something they would do together every year until Joules was diagnosed with a rare autoinflammatory disease called CAPS. Her symptoms are triggered by cold temperatures.

"So a lot of the things that people go out and enjoy during Christmas, I can’t really enjoy because it makes me miserable," she said.

The disease started to affect Joule’s heart, and she developed stage three heart failure.

Since Joules couldn’t go out to enjoy the Christmas activities, the couple decided to bring Christmas home.

"When we saw what it does for people that come and see it, now the smiles, the laughter, and it really became more about doing it for them and not doing it for us so much," she said.

Jarvis and Blaire Jones made the trip with their family from Allen to see the lights.

"Such an amazing display. All the work and the effort that went into it is really impressive," Jarvis said.

"It’s super special just to see, their joy and all the smiles that all of this creates," Blaire said.

The couple says the display is their way of bringing joy through the gift of lights.

"This display is a way of reminding people of the reason for the season," Joules said.

"That’s a joy to me. Here we are. We have this," Cornetti said. "And the reason that you’re here is because we wanted to bring Christmas to us."

The couple partners with the American Heart Association to raise awareness for Joules’ condition.

There’s a QR code and donation box at the display along with a prayer box that Cornetti says is filled up every night.

The display will stay up until Jan. 1.

The Source

MCKINNEY — A major decision by the McKinney City Council Tuesday night paved the way for the expansion of terminals and infrastructure needed to support airlines to compete with Love Field and DFW Airport.

It's been alluded to, promised and talked about for years.

The mayor said by the end of 2026, you will be able to purchase tickets and fly on airlines operating in McKinney.

The zoning changes will allow the construction of an approximate 30,000-square-foot passenger terminal as well as a 1,500-space parking garage and room for large jet fuel tanks.

The changes will also allow for a water and sewage system on the east side of the airport which is undeveloped.

The city previously tried to pass a bond package to help pay for the $300 million cost, but voters rejected it last year. Mayor George Fuller said the city can find the money to pay for changes through grants and economic development groups without more in taxes.

"It is a huge thing," said Fuller. "Our airport has been a tremendously successful asset, not just for this community, but for the region. And we are, in essence, completely built out on the west side of the airport. So the only way to continue taking advantage of the asset that we have is to develop the east side. So we needed to have that property zoned."

This expansion plan would give the city of McKinney a huge regional boost.

Construction is scheduled to begin next year on the terminal. Runway expansion work is already underway.

The mayor won't say which airlines have committed to the five gates that would be operating but we could know the answer to that question early next year.

J.D. Miles

J.D. Miles is an award-winning reporter who has been covering North Texas for CBS 11 since 1996.

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MCKINNEY — It's an eye-popping Christmas display around a home in McKinney, but as big and bright as it is there's a heartwarming story behind it that shines even brighter.

"The joy of everybody's out and people are happy and people are giving," said Nasheel Joules.

Whether it's trips to see ice sculptures, weekend visits to snowy places, or holiday parties, nothing brings more joy to Nasheel Joules and her husband Mark Cornetti than the season of Christmas. However, a failing heart and immunity issues have limited her ability to walk only short distances.

"So a lot of those usual Christmas things that people do, I can't do," Joules said. "So we wanted to bring Christmas to us."

That's why Christmas is all around the couple's McKinney home on Palermo Way. Over the last nine years, it's grown into a must-see attraction for families with kids who marvel at the 150 decorations that started with a husband bringing the magic of Christmas home to his wife.

"My heart's desire was to see her desires come to fruition," said Cornetti.

Seventy-five-holiday inflatables and more than a million lights. There might be bigger displays out there but none with more meaning behind them.

"Our light display, our love in this light display, towards my wife and her towards me that has touched many people," said Cornetti.

Their prayer is simply another Christmas together so they can continue to share with their neighbors, the gift of light.

"I think I'm gonna start crying because because I don't know where I'd be without him," Joules said. "Because he's been with me through everything."

The couple collects donations to the American Heart Association as well as prayer requests.

"It makes me smile," Jouels said. "[If] I'm having a bad day it makes me smile. And just knowing that our love really is what keeps this going and keeps it together ... You know, sometimes I feel like giving up, I don't feel good, but he keeps me going."

J.D. Miles

J.D. Miles is an award-winning reporter who has been covering North Texas for CBS 11 since 1996.

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McKinney approves plans for 3rd N. Texas airport

McKinney City Council approved a zoning change on 280 acres to make way to build a third commercial airport in North Texas.

The Brief

McKINNEY, Texas - The city of McKinney is moving forward with plans for North Texas’ third commercial airport.

The city council unanimously approved a zoning change for 280 acres of land next to McKinney National Airport.

Plans call for the space to be occupied by a 45,000-square-foot passenger terminal with five gates, parking areas, a taxiway, and other runway equipment.

McKinney’s goal is to expand the existing airport from general aviation to commercial air traffic.

The mayor said the city is working with two airlines on commitments. He wasn’t ready to name those airlines because of nondisclosure agreements.

"We are in the process of designing an infrastructure right now. We will begin construction on that in early ’25. We do expect that we will have commercial passenger service flights leaving in 2026," Mayor George Fuller said.

The project has been in the works for many years.

The original plan for a $300 million commercial terminal paid for with $200 million in property tax bonds was rejected by voters.

Related

McKinney residents will have the chance to vote on a multi-million-dollar expansion at the McKinney National Airport. The plan could mean commercial flights taking off in Collin County.

The new plan calls for a $60 million terminal built with funding from sales tax bonds the current airport generates. It’s scaled down but will be built with future expansion in mind.

"Although there is certainly a loud minority on social media, the general response I get from my constituents is true excitement. Excitement about the convenience of having flights here in McKinney, excitement about the economic impact," Fuller said.

The mayor said concerns about noise are unfounded because the commercial airlines will not be taking off over the nearby homes, something the FAA regulates.

And as for the traffic, he said it’s far less than the amount of traffic an H-E-B store brings.

"We have 25,000 going to H-E-B on a Saturday in the middle of our town. We are talking about 1,200 people going to the airport on the outskirts of town serviced by three major highways," Fuller said.

The mayor also hinted that there will be another reason McKinney will need an airport.

"Another project I am not at liberty to talk about yet but will be a destination people will fly in from around the country to experience," he said.

The Source

“I believe you will be seeing commercial flights in 2026 flying out of TKI,” said McKinney Mayor George Fuller.

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MCKINNEY, Texas — It had been discussed for years, but Tuesday night it actually happened.

Because no one spoke at a public hearing, it took about one minute for McKinney city staff to recommend approval of a 300-acre rezoning and council members to unanimously vote yes.

Suddenly, an expansion of McKinney National Airport appeared within reach.

“I believe you will be seeing commercial flights in 2026 flying out of TKI,” said Mayor George Fuller.

TKI is the three-letter airport code for McKinney National. Currently, only private planes like corporate jets or recreational pilots use it.

The rezoning of almost 300 acres of city-owned property on the east side of the airport means there is now room for things commercial service requires, like a 1,500-spot parking lot, fuel tanks, a de-icing pad, and—perhaps most importantly—a passenger terminal.

“We've looked at this airport as an economic driver for the region,” said Barry Shelton, McKinney’s assistant city manager.

The city is moving ahead with the expansion even though voters turned it down in 2023. Fuller sees the failure of the bond as a rejection of financing the project, not the project itself.

“I never looked at the bond package as any indictment on the airport itself,” Fuller said. “That vote was, hey, we’re not prepared to spend $300 million with property tax-backed bonds.”

“Everything we’re doing today regarding the airport is absent any sort of property tax-backed bonds.”

Hurdles remain, Fuller admitted. The exact streams of revenue and environmental approvals are still being secured, and a separate council vote will be necessary to begin construction on the passenger terminal.

Fuller expects that to happen in early 2025.

Still, the city is negotiating with “various airlines” about passenger service, Fuller said, and he is confident it will take off soon.