The Saudi man accused of plotting to blow up George W. Bush’s Preston Hollow home has been found mentally competent for trial, a U.S. District Court judge determined this morning.

Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to build a weapon of mass destruction. U.S. District Judge Sam Cummings found Aldawsari able to understand the charges against him and able to assist his attorneys in his defense.

His trial is set to begin April 30, in Lubbock.

The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal has been following this case for awhile; they’ll probably be the best source for news on this.

Spring 2011 marked the beginning of construction for the LBJ Freeway, and today at a press conference in the Westin Galleria, the LBJ Express team and Dallas Chamber of Commerce representatives discussed the year in review, a new LBJ Express Marketplace rollout, and what 2012 has in store for the major highway.

“We’ve been very pleased with how the construction has progressed so far,” said Andy Rittler, spokesperson for the LBJ Infrastructure Group. “LBJ traffic has decreased almost 10% last year despite construction. We are keeping traffic moving effectively.”

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Dallas Chamber Music will host  the former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice in a piano performance with honorary chair and former first lady Laura Bush on Sunday Feb. 12.

When asked where the performace will be, Dallas Chamber Music said it will be at an undisclosed location for security reasons, but that ticketholders will be made aware of the venue prior to the event.

Proceeds will benefit the Dallas Chamber Music, and ticket packages begin at $1,000. For single tickets and sponsorship packages, call 972-393-3267

Preston Hollow resident Julie Hersh, the author of Struck by Living: From Depression to Hope, will be a guest on tomorrow’s episode of The Dr. Oz Show, which airs at 4 p.m. on Channel 8. The topic is electroconvulsive therapy.

If you’d prefer to watch the episode in a group setting, Hersh will appear at a watching party at the Dallas Children’s Theater tomorrow evening. Mimosas and appetizers will be served at 6:30, the episode will be shown at 7, and the evening will be capped by a Q&A with three experts from UT-Southwestern. To reserve a seat, email Diane Feffer at diane@dianemarketing.com.

This may have been on my mind because of the Craig James meme, or it may have been due to a recent Ticket segment in which the hosts typed their names into a Google window to see which terms the search engine automatically filled in. Either way, I wondered what would automatically get filled in if I typed “Preston Hollow.” The top 10 options are after the jump. How many can you guess before you see the list?

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Dallas’s Office of Emergency Management released word that they will give you an automated call if there is an emergency in your precise location. Residents and businesses are already registered in the system, but cell phones are not. So if you want to receive notifications on you cell, register here. It only takes a second, and it could help you be in the know in case, oh say, another minor earthquake were to strike the neighborhood.

If you have a smart phone, getting around Preston Hollow just got easier. Here is my review of apps to help you through our Hollow.

Dallas Cowboys Football Live ($2.99)

Cowboys news, roster, schedules, scores, and twitter messages

• Pros: Perfect if you are away from the television during a big game
• Con: It’s $3, but you could probably ask the guy sitting next to you for the details.
• Verdict: A necessity for tried-and-true fans who cannot go without the latest updates

Dallas Morning News App (free)

Local and global news, sports updates (Mavericks, Cowboys, Rangers, Stars), weather, traffic, reviews, and lifestyle

• Pros: Quick and easy access to Dallas Morning News stories
• Cons: While the app is free, almost all articles require you to pay and subscribe.
• Verdict: Great source of mobile news, but do not think you can get away without paying.

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Today is my first day on staff at People Newspapers, and I am pleased to introduce myself as the new Preston Hollow People reporter. Despite the weather taking a turn for the worst, it has been a great first day.

You will be seeing my stories appear in the upcoming issue of Preston Hollow People, but before they are published I want you to know who I am.

I consider myself somewhat of a Texas authority. I grew up in Houston, went to high school in San Antonio, college in Austin and now work in Dallas. I’m happy to report the city of big hair and bling is my favorite.

I recently graduated from the University of Texas with a government and journalism degree. At UT, I worked for The Daily Texan as the senior political reporter, senior fashion writer and associate news editor. Before starting with the Texan, I worked at KVRX and TSTV, UT’ s radio and television station. Once I started with the paper I learned that print was my passion, which is why I’m here today.

In town, you’ll find me volunteering at the Dallas Museum of Art, writing or sketching at a coffee shop on Knox/ Henderson, or grabbing a drink in my neighborhood, uptown. Of course, I will be loitering in Preston Hollow everyday, getting the scoop on everything the beautiful community has to offer.

For story ideas or suggestions, email me at William.gerlich@peoplenewspapers.com. I look forward to getting well acquainted with you, your family and community.

Here’s a little Christmas present to all of the businesses looking to make an impression on our lovely readers in 2012. For the next 24 hours, we’re discounting our advertising rates for the Jan. 6 edition by 50 percent. To take advantage of this offer, you must call me at 214-523-5242 by noon on Friday. Don’t miss out on this chance to take advantage of our holiday spirit!

We got an email about a missing (and much loved) dog today, so now’s as good a time as any, I think, to circle back and remind you of our Good Neighbor page.

Barring ads and story pitches — which we also like to see! — know this is a free, easy forum for the same calls-to-action you’d find on a local bulletin board.

Pretend examples:

“Bureau Free to Anyone Who’ll Haul it Away”

“Don’t Miss This Block Party.”

“Did You See The Kids Who Whacked my Mailbox?”

“Missing Chinchilla; Answers to ‘Reginald’”

And so on. Now don’t be shy.