Dallas Fort Worth Media

Please stop reporting on kids being transported at the Stock Show in strollers (duh) and if the Cowboys are still America's team.  Please report on things that affect those you should be serving and things that are going on right under your noses. 

WHAT will the local "news" say when some big city slicker news outfit rolls into town and starts asking WHY no one has reported on these issues?  We can't wait to hear. 

Neither can Durango.

I still have not seen any mention made in the Star-Telegram of the fact that the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's flood control project's first completed project, the Cowtown Wakepark, was severely damaged in the first flood of the Trinity River since its completion.

Of course it's not just our local media making a mockery out of themselves, national media was just put in its place by none other than Miss Piggy.  Here's hoping she also comes to see us in Cowtown soon. 

Anyway, during a news conference last week for the U.K. premiere of "The Muppets," Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy were asked about a December segment on Eric Bolling's "Follow the Money" that posed the question, "Are Liberals Trying to Brainwash Your Kids Against Capitalism?" One guest on the segment blasted the Muppets movie, which makes an oil executive (played by Chris Cooper) its villain.

Piggy said of the segment: "It's almost as laughable as accusing Fox News as, you know, being news."

Occupy Wood Shed 6%

If you want to see what YOUR tax dollars paid for, you're invited to come out to the Woodshed Wednesday afternoon.  We hear there will be a big group taking a look before the boycott starts Thursday.  We're also told they'll be going to eat bar-b-que at Pappa's on the Trinity River after they occupy.  So, no tent needed to make a statement.

DFW.com just did an article on the repeatedly delayed opening.  Wonder why they didn't do one of the flooded Wakeboard park? 

Love and the Trinity River Vision Authority have taken some heat because the TRVA signed a 10-year lease with Love without open bidding. But Love says he hopes the restaurant, located just west of University Drive not far from Hoffbrau Steaks, will help open the door for other restaurants along the river.

"I've gotten beat up a little bit in the last couple of months," he continues. "But I'm trying to make [the river area] better. When I did the lease, I said, 'I want to do something for the river.' Somehow that backfired on me. I thought people would be excited about the fact that they could come here and drink a beer and 6 percent of it goes back to the [district]. I mean, that's pretty cool."

Name that Tune - Part 2

A column in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has a familiar ring to it.

See if you can name the economic development boondoggle being discussed.  Don't they all start to sound the same?

Add this to the list: the failure of ________.

That was the proposal for a ____-billion dollar development between ________ and _____. Since the _____ was built in the early 1990s, ______ and city leaders dreamed of a town center with shopping, entertainment, hotels and high-rise condos -- an upscale money generator to justify the taxpayer subsidies that went into the ______.

That fantastic notion turned out to be a fantasy, at least for the first two decades. But the proposals also sucked all the retail oxygen out of north _____. In spring 2008, ____ -- a development pushed by former _______ -- was officially scrapped, and not long after, downtown began to emerge with a style all its own just a mile-and-a-half away.

Everybody's talkin' about

WATER.

YOU might want to listen.

The WFAA video that TXSharon posted shows some of what is coming from an injection well site to a creek in Johnson County.  It ain't pig blood, but it ain't good.  And where does this unnamed creek end up?  In Joe Pool Lake.  A source of drinking water for many Texans. 

The FW Weekly tells you about the water battle taking place all over the United States, the battle between THE PEOPLE and the industry.  What happens when it's YOUR drinking water supply?  WHO will save YOU?

And the Star-Telegram tells you the latest on the Range Resources lawsuit mentioned in the part of the Weekly article below.

Did three "news" sources in Fort Worth all report on water issues?  What is the world coming to?

"The gas companies own the Railroad Commission," Lipsky said in reference to Range and other natural gas producers.

Lipsky said of Range, "They own the system ... they know they got away with it (water well contamination) and they're laughing about it. ... God help us all."

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/01/28/3694982/judge-parker-county-not-the-place.html#storylink=cpy

_____________________________________

From FWW:
The area was quickly designated an EPA Superfund site, meaning that it has been found to be contaminated with hazardous chemicals and that the EPA will try to determine who is responsible so that they can be legally forced to clean up the mess.

The EPA’s findings, released as a draft last month, clearly lay the blame at the feet of the gas industry and in particular, Encana Corporation, the gas field owner around Pavillion.

The agency found that natural gas and dangerous chemicals were migrating through local aquifers. More importantly the EPA discovered, via its own monitoring wells, that man-made chemicals used exclusively for hydraulic fracturing are showing up in the water.

In other words, these chemicals couldn’t have come from some sort of natural source or even another man-made source, but only from gas drilling. It was the first time that a direct scientific link has been made between gas drilling and groundwater contamination.

Not surprisingly, Encana and the industry are fighting back, arguing that the EPA’s findings are flawed on several grounds. The impact on their industry — and the worldwide natural gas supply situation — could be tremendous, if the EPA’s findings are upheld.

At stake are shale plays all around the country that have not been allowed to proceed until the gas industry proves it can drill without contaminating water supplies. Not to mention the blowback in places like Texas, where landowners across the Barnett Shale and other shale areas could conceivably use the EPA’s findings as a basis for damage suits and  actions to prevent or stop drilling activities. The Natural Resources Defense Council has a list of 36 places around the country — including nine in the Barnett Shale —  where landowners believe that gas fracking has contaminated their water wells.

One of those problem areas in North Texas, involving three homeowners in Hill County, stopped being a problem after the drillers, Williams Production–Gulf Coast Co., purchased all of the affected property. A second local case, involving possible contamination by Range Resources of water wells in Parker County is an ongoing legal battle.

She's Back

Mary Kelleher has been through Hell and back.

First, a gas drilling company installed a pipeline (without a permit) and her property flooded.  Of course they denied all wrongdoing.

But in an unusual twist for Fort Worth, their flood plain administrator said the pipeline did change the drainage pattern and cause the flooding.

What's Mary up to now?

A huge sinkhole. Due to a 50 year old sewer line collapsing in the storms this week.

We've asked this before - how old are the sewer lines in YOUR neighborhood?  How much run off can they hold?  How much were they built to hold?

You might want to ASK.

Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Behind the Woodshed

It's opening, again.  Or so they say, again.

The taxpayer funded restaurant in a flood plain is set to open in February.  If you're one of those that think it's cool to go eat at a restaurant you paid to build for a "celebrity", you might want to go before the next storm comes.  You saw what happened to the other "flood control" attraction you paid to build.

It's all just a matter of time.

Disposal Wells Needed

That's what the note from the Fort Worth Planning Department says.  Due to truck traffic.  What about all that truck traffic to frack a well?  Or do they only damage the roads when they are leaving?

One of THE PEOPLE wrote a letter to the Mayor and Council, any takers betting on an actual response?

Fort Worth City Council and Mayor & others

I have been sent a copy of a flyer being put out by the the City of Fort Worth that I object it's use. 

I strongly object to the City sending out flyers endorsing any increased gas drilling related activities.  This is especially true when the flyer is endorsed showing biased intentions.  In this case, "Gas drilling has increased the need for saltwater disposal wells."  The truth is, there needs to be more recycling, and not more injection wells.  By recycling, I mean reusing the water that is now being wasted, like when using injection wells.  This does not include the evaporation of the toxic waste water into the air that some companies try to pass off as recycling.

At a time when there is no doubt injection wells have caused or contributed to increased earthquakes near injection wells, why would City leaders even consider putting the citizens at risk?.  The DFW international airport allowed an injection well on the airport property several years ago, using this same logic the City is using now.  Shortly after it went into operation, there was an earthquake at DFW International that most experts agree was caused by that injection well.  Even the owner of that injection well ceased operation because they knew what caused the earthquake.  Even though many earthquakes are classified as small, they still cause damage such as bricks walls falling, cracked patios, damaged streets and overpasses, if it was your house, you would not consider it small.  Major damage is only reported as such when there are buildings literally destroyed.  Why would the City consider bringing them into a populated area like Fort Worth?  You have to wonder?

The industry told us many times there is no danger from injection wells, now they only say they are regulated.  Unfortunately, they are regulated by those who have heavy ties to the industry.

"Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me."   How stupid have we become?

Someplace along the way it appears Fort Worth has lost sight of what happens to the people.

Too much to tell...

happening in Arlington.  Packed council chambers, the Rush Creek Drill site vote, the issue of high density apartments, the list goes on.

We can't keep up, but Arlingtonvoice.com can.

When it rains, Haltom City floods

The article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says "Fossil Creek" six times.  It never specifies WHICH Fossil Creek, but you get the hint.

About 6:30 a.m., Haltom City shut down one side of the crossing over Fossil Creek, where Fred Napp, deputy fire chief and fire marshal, said high-water problems are common.

Even before they were finished there, the rescuers were called to another Fossil Creek crossing, Napp said.

“While we were there, we were dispatched to a second incident on Minnis Drive just south of Airport Freeway,” he said. “It was where Fossil Creek got out of its banks again. There were three vehicles involved.”

Napp said that Fossil Creek looked more like a river Wednesday morning.

“The channel got to between 40 and 50 feet deep where they’ve done some flood-control work,” he said. “It was all the way up to the rim of the channel and above where we were.”

Glenview Drive over Fossil Creek is the No. 1 spot for flooding in Haltom City, Napp said.

Lots of stuff under water in Haltom City, including gas drilling equipment in the park next to the 820 construction.

Seems like it has flooded there before......

Wanna Wakeboard?

The Cowtown Wakeboard park, part of the Trinity River Vision "flood" control project in Fort Worth, failed to save anyone from flooding today.  Apparently, it couldn't even save itself.

The Trinity River took back the wakeboard park.  And left a sign of just how clean the river is.  Remember that when they invite you to Tube the Trinity during the Rockin' the River events brought to you by the Trinity River Vision Authority and the Tarrant Regional Water District.

With all the flooding footage today, WHY did you not see any of the wakeboard park?  Ask.

While you're at it, ask what it cost YOU and what it's going to cost YOU to repair it.  After all, it's YOUR money.

Fort Worth Flooding

And Haltom City, and Saginaw, Keller, Watauga, Dallas…the list goes on.

The phones have been ringing off the hook around here.

What happens when nothing is ever done?  It just gets worse.

Ignoring the problem doesn’t make it go away.  The rains always come back.

Here’s hoping the Trinity River Vision saves you.

In Haltom City, a swift water rescue is reportedly under way for two individuals in the 5900 block of Midway Road.


At least five cars are stalled out at Trinity Boulevard and Precinct Line Road in Fort Worth. Water was reported to be knee-deep.


Earlier this morning, a woman's car was swept away at Cromwell Marine Creek Road in Fort Worth

And this just in –

Breaking News – We’re told Cowtown Wakeboard Park is under water.

How’s that flood control working out for ya?

Trinity River Vision in action.  Inaction?

Name that Tune

This is from the Associated Press, see if you can tell WHICH city and WHICH project they are referring to -

An ___story skyscraper under construction at _________ will have to stop at seven stories unless the developer can line up more tenants, planners said Monday, adding to problems that have plagued the $___ billion _______ project.

________ Inc. said it is still looking for tenants to fill the first 10 floors of _______, the third-highest building in the planned office complex. Without those leases, the _________ and _______ will not guarantee the financing that _________ needs to finish the building.

Many companies in _______ are reluctant to invest in new offices because of the poor economy, and dozens are negotiating lower rents as five-year leases signed before the housing crash begin to expire. But both _________ and ________ said they are confident the developer can get enough tenants lined up.

"We are currently speaking with a number of potential tenants and remain fully optimistic that we will sign a lease in time to complete the tower as scheduled in 20___," ________, the company's chief executive, said in a written statement.

No, it's not the Trinity River Vision, it's actually the World Trade Center.  The big difference between New York and Texas?  The developers are paying in New York, their Mayor said the city would "not extend any aid to keep it going".  What a novel concept.  What a Mayor.  HOW do we get one of those?

Another difference, when the Port Authority raised its tolls to raise its credit rating, their governors raised the right to look at the "Authority's" finances.  WHO is looking at the Authority's finances here? Remember, it's YOUR money.

Coming Soon!

Wow.

Greedy Lying Bastards.  The movie. 

YOU can't afford to miss it.

It was filmed in several countries by a US filmmaker.  Why are we reading about it in news from another country? Hats off to the Guardian, again.

Salt Water Disposal Well Meetings

Fort Worth residents will have the opportunity to learn about saltwater disposal wells and give their opinion on the practice.

Five public meetings are planned between Jan. 19 and Feb. 23. Each meeting will include a presentation by city staff on saltwater disposal, comments by a panel made up of industry members and residents, and a moderated discussion between the panel and the audience.

Following the public meetings, the City Council will be briefed on the results, and a public hearing is scheduled for March 6, 2012, at a City Council meeting.

A moratorium against saltwater disposal wells is in place until April 30, 2012. Without these wells, gas drilling companies must truck millions of gallons of water outside the city as a byproduct of the hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, process. Heavy truck traffic causes wear on city streets.

Here are the times and locations for the public meetings:

Jan. 19, Tarrant County College Corporate Training Center, 13600 Heritage Parkway, Suite 100

Jan. 26, Tarrant County College South Campus, Student Center, Room SSTU2105, 5301 Campus Dr

Feb. 2, Lost Creek Country Club, 4101 Lost Creek Blvd., Aledo

Feb. 9, TCC Opportunity Center, 5901 Fitzhugh Ave

Feb. 23, City Council Chambers, 1000 Throckmorton St

All meetings are 7-9 p.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 817-392-2851

Fort Worth Vision

Or lack thereof. 

Which do you think would make the "news" in Fort Worth?

Durango watched a mother struggle with a stroller and no sidewalks and reported on it, and then tells you about the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporting on people pushing strollers at the Stock Show. 

THAT is news? Really?

Fort Worth does not have what most city's in America have, that being a major newspaper of record that acts as the community's watchdog.

What Fort Worth has is this pseudo newspaper that calls itself the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, but should more accurately be called the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Pravda-Like Star-Telegram.

How can a city be so blind that it can have a vision wasting millions of dollars to build a river diversion channel that is not needed, a little lake that will cause giggles, non-signature bridges to nowhere and whatever else it is that is currently being seen by the myopic Trinity River Vision Boondoggle, when its city sidewalks, or lack of, are something one might expect to see in a town in a Third World country?

Where is the vision for the rest of Fort Worth? The part not seen by the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle?

When you're about to lose an election....POSTPONE IT !!!

"A politician thinks of the next election.  A statesman, of the next generation".  James Freeman Clarke

Seems we're not the only ones paying attention.  Check out the Whited Sepulchre concerning the Tarrant Regional Water District voting to extend their terms in office.  WHO does that?  And WHY?

Was the TRWD worried the Trinity River Improvement Partnership had the candidates to send them packing?  Maybe they should worry that TRIP has another year to inform voters.  

Had this happened to any reasonably alert group of voters, the hardware stores would already be sold out of pitchforks and torches.  Good Lord in heaven.  When are we going to wake up ????

"On the other hand, sometimes well-intentioned, government-initiated projects do not go as planned."

 The Fort Worth Star-Telegram got a tip from THE PEOPLE - one at City Hall, about the $50,000 the city is spending to add showers so workers can bike to work.  The tipster is bothered with the cutting of employees and  forced furlough days while adding showers for the few that ride. 

WHAT is the "funding source"? WHAT "designation" is the city seeking?

"I have nothing against riding a bike to work," the tipster wrote. "What I do take issue with is the city, in such dire straits, on a dead run to spend money to build showers so that folks can ride bicycles to work at City Hall.

Funding source: "The scheduled replacement of an air-conditioning system at the Animal Care and Control Center will be deferred until next fiscal year to allow this shower facility to be constructed now," a spokesman said.

Did the city do a survey on need?
No. Mayor Betsy Price, an avid cyclist, told The Watchdog: "Then we would have had to spend money on surveys. ..".

Downtown bike racks are mostly empty, and the lanes are not filled with bicyclists.

City officials say they hope to attain the designation Bicycle Friendly Community through the League of American Bicyclists.

On the other hand, sometimes well-intentioned, government-initiated projects do not go as planned.

Example: North Richland Hills used part of a $2 million federal grant awarded in 1999 to develop its Walker's Creek Park trail. That included money to install lockers under a large canopy near the water park for bicycle commuters to stow their belongings.

In 2009, the lockers were removed because officials feared they could be vandalized or someone could get locked inside. Those lockers remain in storage today.

The Pirates are Coming

Oh wait, they're already here.  They are throwing the Party in Fort Worth this year. They even put a rig with their flag on the invitation. 

The Fort Worth Promotion and Development Fund throws this party every year with a theme and a sponsor.  Radio Shack hosted the River of Dreams back in 2006, highlighting the Trinity River. Mayor Moncrief asked Chesapeake to sponsor 2012 before his reign was over. 

The purpose of this group is basically to "promote" Fort Worth to national media. Where is the group promoting the citizens?  Those who should be will be at the party.

The Fort Worth City Council will be Honorary chairs.  At up to $25,000 a table (that level does come with parking, there are other options in the thousands that do not) WHAT is that costing us?

We noticed many familiar names on the "list".  The circle of Fort Worth.

We noticed an unofficial list too, looks like Durango will be in attendance, maybe it will be THE Party in Fort Worth after all.

What's in the Trinity River?

Toxins, PCB's, amoebas, fecal matter, contaminated run off, and pig blood.

How did the pig blood get into the Trinity River?  By way of a sewer pipe and a creek.  One of the many tributaries of the river.

If you think the Columbia Pig people are the only corporation dumping in the river, think again. Think they are the only corporation with illegal pipes running to the river?  Think again. 

If you think you want to tube the Trinity River with the Tarrant Regional Water District and the Trinity River Vision, think again.  Don't be sheep.  Think.

Notice this story started with THE PEOPLE.  Thanks to those eyes in the sky another problem with the Trinity River was brought to THE PEOPLE.  Seems some had been complaining about the dumping for years.  Too bad no one was listening.  Kudos to the air team.  We need more up there.  Any volunteers?

See the video on WFAA.com.

OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF COMMON GROUND AMERICA

On Saturday, January 21, 2012, you are invited to be a part of the official launch of Common Ground America, a new nationwide political organization committed to preserving and restoring the American Republic.  Our current political system is broken.  Gridlock in Washington DC threatens the economic security of the nation.  Irresponsible politicians play parlor games while America teeters on the edge.  Foreign and domestic enemies eagerly push America closer and closer to the brink.

Common Ground America reaches back to the lessons of America’s founding to provide a blueprint for renewal.  Don’t miss this timely and important event.  You’ll learn the context, the mechanisms and the organizational structure which will provide a fix to what is broken and return government to where it belongs: with the people.  There’s no cost to attend.  Just bring your love of America and your determination to put this nation back on a course of freedom and prosperity.

The future belongs to the bold.  If you’re concerned about the direction America is heading and want to be a part of a movement to restore our Constitutional Republic, join us on January 21st and learn the important role you can play.

Address:
Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Dorothea Leonhardt Lecture Hall
3220 Botanic Bl.
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Launch commences at 2:00 pm.

Water Boarding continued

WHY did the Tarrant Regional Water District vote to extend their terms in office?

 Fort Worth Star-Telegram says -

 Sparks, who intended to run again, said he expects to have an opponent because of the high-profile issues the district encompasses, including the Trinity River Vision project.

 Section 490.103 of the water code states that elections should be held on the uniform election date in even-numbered years "to elect the appropriate number of directors."

YOU are invited

NCTCA invites you to hear about the State of the Shale.  If you live here, YOU can't afford to miss it.

"WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE ARE WE GOING?”

Meeting Moderator: Mr. Gary Hogan, Vice President
Hogangaryfwtx@aol.com

**With special presentations from others who have had an enormous impact on our communities**

When: Thursday, January 19, 2012
Where: HOTEL TRINITY INN SUITES
Located in the "Skyline Room" with a
beautiful view of downtown Fort Worth
2000 Beach Street and IH30
Fort Worth, Texas 76103
Networking @ 6:30 pm
Meeting @ 7:00—9:15 pm

* "THOSE WHO SAY IT CANNOT BE DONE SHOULD GET OUT OF THE WAY OF THOSE WHO ARE DOING IT!" *

*Our Champion: Former Mayor Calvin Tillman*

Texas Vs. Oklahoma

Politex quoted an Associated Press article concerning the Tarrant Regional Water District and their lawsuit against Oklahoma to take their water.

The same Tarrant Regional Water District that is committing you to a billion dollar economic development project and just voted to give themselves another year in office.

Seems THE PEOPLE in Oklahoma may get to vote on what their state does with their water.  What a concept.

And what do you know?  The Fort Worth Way doesn't work across state lines.

Ellis, who is based in water-rich Southeastern Oklahoma has been one of the most vocal opponents of water sales to Texas and said the future of Oklahoma water should not be decided in private meetings between politicians and Texans.

Read more here: http://blogs.star-telegram.com/politex/2012/01/bill-would-give-oklahomans-the-right-to-vote-on-any-texas-water-sale.html#storylink=cpy

Water Boarding 3-2

Earlier we told you the Tarrant Regional Water District held a vote to give them themselves another year in office.

Wouldn't it be a conflict of interest for someone to vote on extending their own term?  You know, even in Fort Worth?

Kudos to Jim Lane and Hal Sparks for possibly making history on a TRWD vote.  Even the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noticed.

But the water board, which historically has been known for casting unanimous votes, was split on the issue.

Sparks said he felt like he made an agreement with voters to serve four years when he was elected and voted his conscience on the issue.

Does that mean the other board members don't have one?

Water Boarding

Word on the street is, the Tarrant Regional Water District has decided to extend their terms on the board until 2013.

What's that going to cost YOU?

We're betting they'll say it's about saving money on the election, NOW their worried about saving money?

Maybe they need it for future restaurant endeavors.

Rumors

As they usually do in Fort Worth, the rumors concerning parking at Montgomery Plaza this weekend turned out to be true.  Yes, the same Plaza with foreclosed units and money problems.

Customers were being towed left and right. If you visited an establishment and your car was towed, would you return?

The Fort Worth Weekly has the scoop.  It ain't pretty.  And it ain't the first time for parking troubles on West 7th.  WHAT company was doing the towing?  WHO initiated the "spotter" and the towing?  How did the "spotter" know WHO was visiting WHAT establishment?  Inquiring minds want to know. 

On Friday and Saturday nights, sources say, more than 100 cars were towed from Montgomery Plaza’s parking lot for illegal parking.

Keely witnessed most of the action on Friday and nearly all of the action on Saturday. A “spotter,” Keely said, was patrolling the plaza’s parking lot, stealthily watching for violators and photographing their vehicles’ license plate numbers. A fleet of about a half-dozen tow-trucks, Keely estimated, was at the spotter’s call. The wreckers, said Eric Tschetter, owner of The Pour House on West 7th Street, “would pull [illegally parked] cars two wheels up, drive a block away, and then put them up on the truck. I mean, people had their parking breaks on. Cars were screeching all the way down the street. It was not a pretty sight.”

At one point, Keely confronted a wrecker. “I told him, ‘You’re raping people for three-hundred bucks,’ ” Keely said. “He said, ‘No, it’s actually $293.30.’ ”

Jimmy Moore, owner of the 7th Haven on West 7th Street, witnessed a tow-truck driver employing a “Slim Jim” to break into a car to release the parking break. “I called him out, and he said it was perfectly legal,” Moore recalled. “The car turned out to belong to the mom of Girl Scouts selling cookies on my back deck.”

Even Montgomery Plaza customers weren’t safe. Keely said that a couple of his customers who had visited establishments located in the plaza earlier in the evening were victimized by the tow-trucks later.

UPDATES :  Thanks to THE PEOPLE, the Fort Worth Weekly now has pictures of the wrecker drivers on their site.
And Facebook now has a boycott Montgomery Plaza page. 

Different city, same story

A recent Letter to the Editor says it all.  Too bad YOUR city can't read.

The citizens keep putting it together.  Good thing THE PEOPLE are paying attention.  That's about all they can afford to pay anymore.

Arlington apartments
At the Jan. 3 Arlington City Council meeting, presenters for the Center Court Redevelopment project said it is not aimed at students then used students in explaining why it did not need the correct number of parking spaces. All but one council member drooled over the project even after the council was blindsided by the developer talking about tax incentives.

This project is way too big for the property, and yet the council approved the zoning. Only one council member voted no, and I thank Sheri Capehart for her common sense. The rest of the council could not hear what those closest to the project site could hear -- the stretching of truth. Those who spoke in support do not live in this area, which shows the council does not care about the people in our neighborhood. What a slap in the face.

-- Sandra K DenBraber, Arlington

Putting the Cat Back in the Bag

When you cannot depend on those who are paid to protect you, you must protect yourself and your family.

A letter from former DISH Mayor, Calvin Tillman. Protector of THE PEOPLE.

YOU can't afford to miss it. Unless of course you have no skin in the game....

For those really smart people who think that everything is fine in Gasland, please let me know...I bet I could find you a great deal on a house with a compressor station in your back yard, because it is very easy to say things are fine, when you don't have any skin in the game.

Since the town of DISH released the results of the ambient air study in 2009, the oil and gas industry has worked overtime to put that cat back into the bag. They first attacked the consultant that conducted our study, and then came after me personally with numerous threats and frivolous public information requests. They also spent a tremendous amount of resources to find any angle to put a cloud of doubt around the study, although the lab results clearly showed a problem, and subsequent studies show similar results including those studies perform by the oil and gas industry themselves. This rhetoric did not stop at the industry public relations departments, but also went to the highest levels of government in the State of Texas. Our state wide elected Railroad Commissioners can be heard on public record regurgitating the same vile comments that the industry groups were spewing, all working in collusion to make this little problem go away.

Once the Town of DISH started to get attention worldwide from this air study, the industry worked even harder to cloud the truth. Through my research it is apparent that the oil and gas industry will dispute any and all actions that cost the industry money, even likely spending more money to dispute the facts than accept responsibility and correcting the problem. Although, if they would show even one ounce of responsibility, it would pay huge dividends to their public image. One example of this propaganda is the AskChesapeake (CHK) website. Before the town of DISH air study was made public, there was a section of this website that admitted to the release of many of the chemicals found in DISH, and other areas, including the carcinogen benzene. The site indicated that these chemicals were tightly regulated by numerous state and federal agencies. When the DISH study was released, it became apparent that these sites weren't quite as regulated as Chesapeake (CHK) had indicated. Therefore, shortly after the release of the DISH air study, which had Chesapeake's (CHK) name all over it, that section of their website disappeared, and was replaced with a page that basically said " a little benzene exposure is ok".

The industry also likes to deflect blame from themselves by pointing out other industries that pollute. They act as though bad behavior by others makes it alright for them to do it. I have heard that there have been idle threats aimed at municipalities from Chesapeake, stating that if air testing was accomplished at any of their facilities, they would hire a firm to test the air around some of the area's largest employers. Hmmm, didn't see that advertised on AskChesapeake.

Now when traveling to make presentations around the country, I carry a library of air studies, and numerous photos from around the country. I explain these studies and photos during my presentation, because I know by now that someone will accuse me of dramatizing these issues. The industry would much rather show a photo of a little deer running in front of a drilling rig, than an aerial view of DISH, or better yet, the satellite images that show thousands of large well pad sites. That makes it a little difficult for them to say that there will only be a few wells here and there, and the land will be returned to its original condition. Therefore, the group of paid liars, show up and video my presentation, trying to find something to take out of context and use against me. They then write some hack piece on their websites that are only read by those looking to get paid by the industry, and that makes the band of thugs applaud.

Another issue that follows the same pattern is the small community of Dimock, PA. A private water well actually exploded and yet now the claim is that everything is fine, again trying to put the cat back in the bag. Anyone who has visited the affected people in Dimock, know that everything is not fine, but rather still quite a mess. But the state agency designed to protect the people of Pennsylvania are also working in collusion with the oil and gas industry. This agency has allowed the industry to stop delivering fresh water to those whose water wells are tainted by the irresponsible activities of others. With these sort of actions, does anyone wonder why people are moving out of Gasland? When you cannot depend on those who are paid to protect you, you must protect yourself and your family. None of us are in this position because of our own doing, or because we want to be.

There have been numerous university studies that have attempted to validate the industry's stories. Whether it deals with health impacts, or economic impacts, if they are funded by the industry, they always paint a rosy picture. While typically those who perform studies that are not funded by the industry, typically tell a different story, and if the story is not rosy, it is attacked. In the industries eyes only the studies they fund are valid, and not too many studies show a rosy picture if they are not industry funded. There have been numerous air studies accomplished throughout the Barnett Shale. First there was the DISH Study, that was followed up by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality testing, then the industry performed a study, and lastly the City of Fort Worth perform a study. If looking at only the lab results, all of the studies have very similar findings. There were the same chemicals detected and at levels above the Effects Screening Levels, including benzene that was detected in all of the studies. Frankly, some of the benzene levels found in the other areas were much worse than those found in DISH. However, the study in DISH indicated that there might be a problem with being exposed to benzene, while the other studies indicated that being exposed to a little benzene was ok, and when the levels were very high, they stated that they were being corrected. Although the lab results showed problem, the press release said everything was rosy. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality actually lied to the public about their test results, and had a subsequent internal ethics investigation that showed how this organization intentionally misled the public when they stated that they had not detected benzene in eight air samples, when results showed that half of the samples had elevated benzene levels. No one was ever held accountable for this intentional misleading of the public.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) even came to DISH to take blood and urine samples. This showed several elevated chemicals in the blood and urine of over half of the households, and most of those chemicals had been found to be produced by the compressor station; however, the TDSHS said things like household chemicals and smoking caused the elevated levels, when only four of the twenty seven people tested actually smoked. I was one of the ones who gave samples for the test, and along with 2/3 of those tested, I had toluene in my system. The TDSHS blamed this exposure on my commute, which I had not accomplished in 72 hours, and the half life for toluene is said to be 4 hours. During the meeting where they presented this information, there were several questions posed that the TDSHS could not answer, such as what the number of men vs women that were tested, were there different results in men vs women, how far did each person live from a well or compressor site, did those who lived closer to wells or compressors have higher exposure than those living further away. After it became apparent that the person responsible did not do an effective study, she admitted that this was not a scientific study, and that it should not be looked at as such (you can find the presentation on youtube). However, it has been treated and touted as the smoking gun that things are fine...nothing to see here . There have even been those in academia who have supported this study after it was admittedly flawed, while both the university professors, and the TDSHS are both paid by the State of Texas, where negative talk about the oil and gas industry is not tolerated. Consequently, the governor, who has never had a real job, made a run for President of the United States due to his support from the oil and gas industry, although that is not working out to well for him.

I do not have PhD that follows my name, nor am any kind of scientist, doctor,or lawyer. I admittedly do not understand things like climate change or global warming, but I do believe that I have a little common sense, and I have a lot of smart people that consult me. Therefore, when the benzene level goes up, so does the risk of someone getting cancer, and my children waking up to massive nosebleeds is not normal. Since moving from DISH 9 months ago my children have not suffered one nosebleed in the middle of the night. So although I am not a scientist, and can't explain why my children were getting nosebleeds, or why the noxious odors gave me a headache and a sore throat, I know I feel better now, have a lot more energy, and that moving out of Gasland was a smart move for me and my family. For those really smart people who think that everything is fine in Gasland, please let me know...I bet I could find you a great deal on a house with a compressor station in your back yard, because it is very easy to say things are fine, when you don't have any skin in the game.

Calvin Tillman
Former Mayor, DISH, TX

Muzzle the Dictators

Another letter writer takes issue with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial board and their "opinion" on the Arlington City Council debate. 

Read the letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Dictating to the people

The Star-Telegram Editorial Board could use a lesson in how dictatorships work. (See: "Arlington: Time limits aren't a muzzle to public debate," Jan. 3)

I found this quote troubling: "No, the job of the mayor and council is to make often-difficult decisions about city issues and put policies in place to improve life in Arlington. That purpose is not served by people who believe they can browbeat council members into seeing things in a particular way."

Really? So the Arlington City Council is an all-powerful government who should do what it feels is "right" for the city, its constituents be darned? Are the people who voice their concerns just a nuisance whose "purpose is not served by people who believe they can browbeat council members into seeing things in a particular way?" The Editorial Board seems to favor "big government" that is all-powerful and all-knowing, and works for the collective good.

What the editorial fails to realize is that Stalin and Mao thought the same thing. Look how that worked out for the Russians and Chinese.

-- David Blair, Fort Worth

More Culture of Corruption

From the Tarrant County breeding ground.  Via Watchdog Nation.

And in the Watchdog's column in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth retirees double dipping is described as "common".  Well, these folks learn from the best. 

UPDATE: In January 2012, federal prosecutors announced that Spencer Barasch, formerly chief enforcement officer in the Fort Worth, Texas office of the Securities and Exchange Commission, had agreed to pay $50,000 to settle charges that he violated federal conflict-of-interest standards by providing representation for financier R. Allen Stanford, the Associated Press reported.

Barasch is now a partner with the Dallas law firm, Andres Kurth LLP.

Malcolm Bales, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, said the fine, the maximum amount allowed under law, shows that the government is serious about cracking down on former federal officials who attempt to us their influence in the private sector, the AP reported.

Bales said, “There should be zero tolerance for people who serve the public and then go into the private sector and use [that service] for personal benefit,” he said, according to the AP.

Tarrant County Crumbling

Texas bridges are falling apart.  But don't you worry your pretty little head, they "found" money for the Trinity River Vision bridges.  It was in your pocket all along.

Read the Fort Worth Star Telegram article on the state of the bridges in our state.  How long will they last? WHY are most of them in Fort Worth?  WHY are we spending almost as much on new bridges?  Shouldn't we fix the ones that are broke instead of building new unneeded ones over unneeded nonexistent river channels?  Is anyone awake out there?

A prime example is the West Seventh Street bridge near downtown Fort Worth, where signs of decay are plain as day. On the underbelly of the 99-year-old structure, metal rods that were once protected by concrete are now poking through the eroded surface -- a problem that, if not addressed, will eventually make the bridge unsafe for motorists. It is scheduled to be demolished and replaced in 2013.

Meanwhile, more than 12,000 vehicles per day cross it despite a poor score on its most recent inspection.

Of the 29 poorly scoring bridges in Tarrant County, 21 are considered structurally deficient, meaning they have problems with the deck, superstructure or substructure.

In Fort Worth, where 16 of the substandard Tarrant County bridges are located, city officials say that they're three years into an aggressive renovation and replacement program and that residents will soon begin to see results. The city plans to spend $25.7 million on bridges through 2015 -- $15.5 million on capital improvements to older bridges and $10.2 million for new bridges along the Trinity River Vision development north of downtown -- said George Behmanesh, assistant director of transportation and public works.

Oil and Gas Fraud?

Say it isn't so.

The list keeps growing.

WHO's next?

Check it out on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Crime Time blog.

Another Texas oil and gas executive pleads guilty to fraud

To whom it may concern -

A letter and a video from a Fort Worth citizen.

Mayor and City Council

Gas wells are being drilled on regular basis in the City of Fort Worth. The Fort Worth Gas Drilling Ordinance requires the gas drilling companies to provide an emergency response plan with each well permit request.  In reviewing the information provided by Chesapeake Energy for the Rutherford 1H Gas Well, their emergency response was a Xerox copy of the area with a line drawn from the fire station to the well site location and nothing else.  There was nothing provided about what their plans were or what procedures were in place to inform the nearby apartment residences or businesses in case of an emergency.  There was nothing provided that would protect the public or what actions they should take to protect themselves or even if there was anything in place about who should call the fire department.

I find this rather frightening considering many of the apartments nearby (less than 600 feet) house elderly and children as well as the adult human beings that rely on the City offering some sort of protection.  I know I do.  As we know, or you should know, the City Fire Department is not equipped to respond and take action in the event of any sort of gas well site emergency.  There sole responsibility is to cordon off the area and keep spectators at a safe distance.  They do not fight the fire or even go on the gas property.

Fires and other tragedies occur as a result of gas drilling, it is a high risk industrial operation.  A few days ago there was such a fire at a gas drilling rig in Oklahoma and was expected to burn for several days.  I assume they had some sort of plan in place for a gas fire or emergency.  What ever plan that was in place did not work and they were apparently not prepared.

In watching this fire burn, several things were apparent, the crews were off to the side doing nothing and there was a great deal of smoke, heat and toxic fumes being sent into the air.  The crews were obviously more than 200 or 300 feet from the site and probably more than a 1000 feet.  I assume the crews were trained about what to do in the event of an emergency.  Local citizens and children, like in Fort worth are not trained and this could lead to disastrous results.  

The Gas Well Ordinance requires there to a setback of 300 feet, except in the case of grandfathering which is 200 feet, which the Council seems to still improperly allow.  The setback is to the protected use or the house.  Most houses in my neighborhood have trees or bushes in their yard and in that event, the distance now becomes much closer, in the event there are no trees, dried grass will do.  The fire and the heat from the well fire would catch the trees or grass on fire and eventually lead to the nearby houses being destroyed also.  This possibility is more likely than not at some time and will happen in Fort Worth.  I think this is irresponsible on the City's part.  The citizens have a right to reasonable safety in their own home or where they work.  The citizens currently do not have that.

Please note the safety provided by the drilling company, Chesapeake Energy, for the well fire.  It consists of ONE rather small stream of water in the lower left hand side of the video. lol  That is their safety procedure.

These gas well fires are not unique.  There were two in Oklahoma within a matter of a few months.  I have included a video link to the well fire on January 6, 2012.

Another gas well caught fire in Oklahoma on September 20, 2011.  

WHO owns YOUR town?

WHAT would you say if a foreign government did?

If they owned the water and the roads and the right to eminent domain.

What was Betsy Price doing in China?

Catch up on TURF.  YOU need to protect yours.  No one else will.

Seeking to defuse fears that it might use its massive USD 3.2 trillion in foreign reserves as a "political weapon", China today said it is willing to turn some of its holdings of US debt into investment in America to improve its infrastructure. 
 
It seems like foreign governments and corporations are craving U.S. public assets like toll roads, electrical grids and railways. In the case of our largest creditor, the Chinese government, they don’t want any more U.S. Treasuries, but they do want to own the hard assets that comprise our nation’s infrastructure.

It’s a good stance for our President to encourage foreign investment. But is it such a great idea for foreign firms to own our most vital infrastructure? In 2006 an enormous controversy rocked Washington when a private firm from Dubai was negotiating a deal simply to operate 22 U.S. ports. A bipartisan opposition centering on national security eventually emerged and killed the arrangement.

If the Chinese government wants to invest in U.S. infrastructure, the best place for them to do so is the municipal or corporate bond market where they can buy bonds in water and sewer systems, among other infrastructure assets. Direct ownership, even through public/private partnerships, shouldn’t be allowed. Again, national security concerns must be paramount when it comes to our infrastructure.

Well?

That is the question.  Will the Fort Worth gas drilling disposal well moratorium expire?  WHY should you care?  WHEN is the next meeting?

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram actually tells you some reasons YOU should care.

Should the natural gas drillers who have blanketed the city with wells be allowed to discard their millions of gallons of wastewater by forcing it back underground through disposal wells within Fort Worth's boundaries?

Does it matter? Probably not a whole lot, really -- unless a disposal well ends up near your home.

Then you might worry about things like how near it will be, how noisy it will be, what kind of traffic impact it will have and whether it will foul the air in your neighborhood.

Even if none are near your home, you might worry about that much water going to waste when North Texas and the rest of the state are suffering from such a terrible drought.

Or maybe earthquakes worry you. Some people say there's reason to believe these deep disposal wells might be behind increased seismic activity in North Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and other states.

They've been trucking their waste, the leftovers from the 3 million to 5 million gallons of water used on each well to fracture the deep Barnett Shale rock and free up the trapped gas, to disposal wells outside the city.

There are 10 such wells in Tarrant County and 14 in surrounding counties.

But heavy trucks tear up streets and add to local air quality problems. Trucking isn't a good long-term solution.

Now Hillwood Development, the company responsible for the 17,000-acre Alliance industrial, office, retail and residential communities, wants a disposal well for Quicksilver Resources, the company that is drilling for gas on Alliance land.

Maybe the best thing would be if the drillers would recycle or reuse at least some of the water from their wells. But that water is loaded with salt and toxic chemicals. Drilling industry representatives say they've poured a lot of time and money into developing reuse and recycling technologies but with limited success. They haven't come up with one they believe is effective and cost-efficient.

The Wave of the Future

Or not.

Durango has been on a Tarrant County Transportation boondoggle roll. 

WHO pays for all of this?  YOU do.  All of YOU.  The better question is, WHY?

Fort Worth spent $6.4 million on their fleet of eight 80 passenger futuristic buses. This $6.4 million came from people all over America, courtesy of the Federal Recovery Act.

I assume this is part of what is known as The Stimulus.

The buses were initially bought to provide transport to the Super Bowl.

Has there been any sort of investigation by anyone into how much money was wasted by Fort Worth in that particular Boondoggle? Some of the disaster was weather related, courtesy of ice storms and snow. But some of it was hubris related.

Another one bites the dust

What is Dublin without Dr. Pepper?

Read about the Dublin Plant on the Dallas Observer.

Water Defense

What's YOURS?

If not the EPA, then WHO?

Check out the story on the AP, where just 24 hours after the EPA said it would supply water to the town of Dimrock, PA due to "tainting by a natural gas drilling operation", changed their mind.

WHY?

YOU tell us.

Fort Worth Rail

Gets Durango going in full-blown world-class rant mode.

"Did not return call for comment"

That line was used several times in the Denton Record Chronicle article, Into Hostile territory.

It's a good overview on gas drilling PR tactics on "insurgents" and how municipalities are dealing with it, or not.  All those that usually spin the BS, we mean PR, "did not return call for comment".

We mentioned rich bullies buying elections in an early post.  WHAT is it going to end up costing YOU?  Remember, sheep need water and air, too.

She and other Barnett Shale area residents have seen the tactics that blur the line between information and influence in local governance.

When neighbor is pitted against neighbor, it manifests not only in heated shouting matches but also in a long-simmering distrust. As homeowners grow fearful of diminishing values, they try to hang on to their property rights, only to see the mineral rights taken away through a twist of state law. Local governance battles go in remission only to re-emerge with the next concession the industry needs to stay profitable.

Cities frequently revise ordinances with little direct participation of those affected.

However, when area residents have asked for tougher review and regulations of the natural gas industry, industry representatives offer to assist city councils or their appointees to draft such regulations, an offer many city officials seem reticent to refuse.

Denton started work on an ordinance overhaul in 2009 amid public anger over the City Council’s vote to let Range Resources drill inside the Rayzor Ranch development near homes, a city park and a hospital. Some council members said they opposed drilling at the location but feared the company would follow through on a threat to sue if they denied it.

It was Range Resources’ director of corporate communications and public affairs, Matt Pitzarella, who told fellow conferees of his company’s discovery that psy-ops veterans were well-suited for local community work. Pitzarella did not return a call for comment.

City leaders have treaded carefully ever since the legal threat, inviting industry-related representatives to serve alongside city staff and residents on a drilling task force to help write a new code.

“I find it ironic,” Jellison said. “They are the outsiders coming in, going against the local municipality — the established government people are living with. They don’t have any permanent business here. Anyone like that is deemed, by definition, an insurgent.”

Keystone Exploration wrote a letter to its royalty owners endorsing the incumbents in April 2010. The company characterized residents like Vajda and Jellison as anti-drilling activists who would do all they could to limit the industry.

During a Town Council meeting, a sitting council member told them he would run them out of town for their stance on property rights.

WHO owns America?

The answer should be WE, THE PEOPLE.

But reading through emails and articles today, it seems the correct answer is Rich Bullies.

And it doesn't matter what side of the aisle you're on.  It's happening to all of us.  Even those in the middle.  Pay attention to WHO is buying YOU.  Pay attention to WHO is buying the elections in your towns, state and country.  If YOU don't, you'll be sheep.

On the Guardian, you have a head gas industry lobbyist threatening the President over the Keystone Pipeline.

The head of the US's biggest oil and gas lobbying group said on Wednesday that the Obama administration will face serious political consequences if it rejects a Canada-to-Texas oil sands pipeline that has been opposed by environmental groups.

Jack Gerard, the president of the American Petroleum Institute, said TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline would definitely play a role in this year's national elections.

On the AP, you have billionaires trying to buy the President's seat.

As we've said before - those with the most campaign advertising, only means they've spent the most money.  WHAT do you think they'll do with YOUR money once in office?  They have favors to repay, you know.

It perplexes us that THE PEOPLE complain about how their representatives vote and spend.  But those very same representatives spend the most on their campaigns and THE PEOPLE vote for them again.  Does doing the same thing and expecting different results make you sheep?

Come on In

How many times do we have to tell you?  This is Texas.  YOU always shut the gate.

Apparently, these boys don't get it.

Since they didn't, Durango takes us on a tour.

Resolutions?

We were catching up on the incoming emails from the New Year and came across this little gem from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  As usual, a double edged sword.  The brightest gem and the dullest bulb all in the same box.

This comes from a list of resolutions they listed for others.  One made us applaud, one made us scratch our heads.

The Tarrant Regional Water District and the Trinity River Vision Authority resolve to clearly explain how county residents can tell when J.D. Granger is working on behalf of the water district and when he's working in his capacity as executive director of the TRVA, because it's really confusing to keep it straight.

The Fort Worth council resolves to reach a logical decision about injection wells to dispose of natural gas drilling waste. The current method -- trucking the waste away to be buried in somebody else's back yard -- is not logical.