Star Telegraph

What else is in the Trinity River?

2012-02-02T04:52:00.000-08:00

And then I saw the source of the flood.

Water shooting out of a Fort Worth Sanitary Sewer manhole.

That explained the malodorousness.

Apparently this manhole has been spewing sewer water for over a week, flowing into Tandy Creek, and then the Trinity River.

Now, it is well known that untreated sewer water flowing into the Trinity River is no big deal in this part of the planet. Come summer, many of the locals think nothing of going inner tubing in the Trinity River's untreated sewer water.

Safety at Neighborhood intersections; disposal well meeting Thursday

2012-02-02T04:48:00.000-08:00

The Fort Worth City Council is considering lifting its 10 year long moratorium on wastewater disposal wells (known also as saltwater disposal wells) which are used by the natural gas drilling industry to dispose of wastewater from the drilling and fracking process. The Council is considering restricting wastewater disposal wells to zoning classifications J and K, industrial zoning.

Thursday, February 2
Lost Creek Country Club
4101 Lost Creek Blvd.
Aledo, TX 76008
817.244.3312

WHAT?!

2012-02-01T19:53:00.000-08:00

It doesn't matter which side of the aisle you sit on or which side of this particular fight you are on - If this doesn't outrage you, you might be more like "them" then you think.

From the Huffington Post:

In a stunning break with First Amendment policy, House Republicans directed Capitol Hill police to detain a highly regarded documentary crew that was attempting to film a Wednesday hearing on a controversial natural gas procurement practice.

Josh Fox, director of the Academy Award-nominated documentary "Gasland" was taken into custody by Capitol Hill police this morning, along with his crew, after Republicans objected to their presence, according to Democratic sources present at the hearing.

"It's an outrageous violation of the First Amendment," Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) told HuffPost. "Here we've got an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, and it's an important subject and the subject that he did his prior film on for HBO. And they put him in handcuffs and hauled him out of there. This is stunning."

"I found it ironic that there was not a flood of cameras there," noted Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.). "There was the one camera and then before that, the ABC camera ... if you have a camera there to bring the issue home to the public, that's a good thing."

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) told HuffPost, “I have served in the House of Representatives since 1992, and I had the privilege of chairing the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. In all that time, I cannot recall a chair of any committee or subcommittee having ever ordered the removal of a person who was filming a committee proceeding and not being disruptive, whether or not that person was accredited. It is a matter of routine that all sorts of people photograph and record our proceedings. Most of them are not accredited. I cannot recall anyone questioning their right to be there."

Arthur Spitzer, legal director of the ACLU in Washington, explained that "congressional committees routinely allow professional journalists to record hearings even when they don't have official press credentials, and excluding a journalist because he doesn't share the political views of the committee chair is outrageous. The Supreme Court has explained many times that censorship based on viewpoint is the clearest kind of First Amendment violation, and that seems to be what happened here."

Read the developing story and Josh Fox's response on the Huffington Post. What was the charge? Unlawful Entry. To a public meeting?? How's that?

Occupy Wood Shed today!

2012-02-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

What would you say if you're elected leaders said they were going to spend a million of your dollars to build a restaurant?

That's why they dont tell you.

Come see us today! Free shirts! Not purchased with your taxes!

And check out what the UnHinged Homestead had to say today about Occupying the Woodshed.

Dallas Fort Worth Media

2012-01-31T05:32:00.000-08:00

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%

2012-01-30T17:20:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-29T07:52:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-28T19:44:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-27T15:00:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-27T06:12:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-26T06:03:00.000-08:00

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...

2012-01-25T21:08:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-25T18:43:00.000-08:00

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?

2012-01-25T17:09:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-25T07:32:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-24T08:38:00.000-08:00

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!

2012-01-24T08:31:00.001-08:00

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

2012-01-24T08:31:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

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 !!!

2012-01-22T16:16:00.000-08:00

"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."

2012-01-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-21T21:41:00.000-08:00

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?

2012-01-20T21:40:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-20T13:38:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-18T18:11:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-18T06:29:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-17T18:28:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-16T17:10:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-16T14:49:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-16T10:51:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-16T07:35:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-16T07:34:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-15T15:33:00.000-08:00

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?

2012-01-15T14:35:00.000-08:00

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 -

2012-01-15T11:43:00.000-08:00

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?

2012-01-14T11:41:00.000-08:00

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?

2012-01-13T08:06:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-12T20:01:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-11T20:10:00.000-08:00

What is Dublin without Dr. Pepper?

Read about the Dublin Plant on the Dallas Observer.

Water Defense

2012-01-10T19:46:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-10T12:59:00.000-08:00

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

"Did not return call for comment"

2012-01-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

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?

2012-01-08T15:25:00.000-08:00

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

2012-01-08T14:36:00.000-08:00

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?

2012-01-06T07:19:00.000-08:00

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.

Silence!

2012-01-05T17:57:00.000-08:00

Is what Mayor Cluck would like in Arlington. It came to light in June during several packed council meetings when citizens were denied the right to speak.

The editorial in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram seems to have a lot of holes. THE PEOPLE making comments noticed. They point out the Texas Open Meetings Act law and the right citizens have to speak. (Are speaker time limits not outlined in City Charters? )

People usually end up addressing council in person, when their phone calls and emails go unanswered. I can personally attest to this, along with several others, as well.

TOMA (Texas Open Meeting Act) treats public hearings differently from regular agenda items. State law basically says the public must be given the opportunity to speak at a public hearing. 0 minutes is NOT an opportunity to speak. 10 seconds, as the last speaker was allocated after 19 min and 50 sec of other speakers, is NOT an opportunity to speak. TOMA has been violated.
It ain't Cluck's town. It belongs to the citizens. The "leaders" may want to listen.

But his responsibility does not end there. His decisions can't be arbitrary, and of course he should not use the power of the chair to steer the outcome of the debate.

Cluck is open to criticism because his decision to limit speakers' time seems to have evolved in an ad hoc manner during the past year. The tipping point came in June during public hearings on the Hike and Bike Master Plan and Thoroughfare Development Plan.

The discussion was heated, there were large crowds and council members appeared to be eager to get the issue behind them. Cluck limited public comments to a total of 20 minutes from each side. With the large crowd heavily tilted against the plans, some of the opponents didn't get their chance at the microphone.

Cluck can also be criticized for lack of consistency. Sometimes people get two minutes, sometimes three. It is unreasonable to expect any speaker to plan an effective presentation without knowing beforehand exactly how much time will be available.

Welcome to Frackville

2012-01-05T06:35:00.000-08:00

This time we're not talking about Cowtown.

Frackville is just a hop, skip and a jump from another town in PA, which has been taken by eminent domain (yes, the whole town) because the under world is on fire, literally.

Check it out on Durango.

Road closed

2012-01-05T05:40:00.000-08:00

Why?

Durango knows. YOU should too.

WHO's News?

2012-01-04T18:18:00.000-08:00

We usually don't comment on too many National stories, they seem to serve as a distraction from the local issues that concern all of us and our families. However, we couldn't pass this up. Is it sad that it comes from UK? They have The Guardian, we have "mainstream media"...

The almost complete failure of the mainstream media to cover this issue is shocking.

President Barack Obama rang in the New Year by signing the NDAA law with its provision allowing him to indefinitely detain citizens. It was a symbolic moment, to say the least. With Americans distracted with drinking and celebrating, Obama signed one of the greatest rollbacks of civil liberties in the history of our country … and citizens partied in unwitting bliss into the New Year.

What is the NDAA law?

Do believe the hype, says Professor Turley: the NDAA, signed into law by President Obama on 31 December, authorises the US military to detain citizens indefinitely without trial.

WHO in Texas voted for this? YOU know WHO. WHO did YOU vote for?
Please don't do it again.

"People deserve to know that kind of stuff."

2012-01-01T17:59:00.000-08:00

Almost three years ago, we started this blog due to the lack of news we were seeing on the "news".

(There are several stories taking place in Tarrant County right now, that none of the "news" stations have reported on. WHY?)

So due to lack of "news" we decided to do something, so did Grant Stinchfield. Here's an article on WHY Grant left "news" reporting to run for office.

There are still reporters left in the county. They just don't work for the "news".

Kudos, Grant!

Here is an excerpt of what Stinchfield had to say regarding a tip he started investigating about government spending: “When Cowboys Stadium was being built….General Motors, getting bailed out by the federal government, wants to buy a suite at Cowboys stadium….a million $ plus for that suite. I make a call, and as a good conversative I say GM shouldn’t be buying a suite with taxpayer dollars. 20 minutes later I get hauled into the general manager’s office telling me, you will not make another call on that story. ” Stinchfield says the general manager didn’t want to “rock the boat” with automotive advertisers, even though it meant not reporting on what Stinchfield felt was the inappropriate spending of taxpayer dollars.

People in 2011

2011-12-31T12:36:00.000-08:00

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram put out it's 2011 DFW Newsmakers.

We'd like to salute the citizens that ended up on the list. THE PEOPLE who ended up there by standing up for what they believe in and protecting their neighbors. A firefighter, a veteran, an urban gas drilling opponent and a man teaching our youth a better way of life. These real people make a difference in our world. Kudos to them all. As for the rest of the list...we applaud Wendy Davis for again, standing up for THE PEOPLE. Too bad there aren't more like her.

The meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service, Bill Bunting, also made the list. His "standard line" on North Texas weather -

"Episodes of drought punctuated by periods of catastrophic flooding."

Wonder WHO and what 2012 will bring...

Coming soon to a sewer near YOU

2011-12-28T17:56:00.000-08:00

If you didn't see the History Channel show, America's Crumbling Infrastructure, you should.

You should also read the article on Yahoo.com, US Cities struggle to control sewer overflows.

And remember it next time appointed and elected officials want you to Tube the Trinity River. Thousands of these overflows happen yearly. When you neglect the infrastructure that is at least a century old and was built for the population of that time, WHAT did you think would happen?

At least some of the rubbish had drifted across Lake Michigan from Milwaukee, a vivid reminder that many cities still flush nasty stuff into streams and lakes during heavy storms, fouling the waters with bacteria and viruses that can make people seriously ill.

Costs are reaching hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars.

She was shocked to learn that federal law lets cities discharge untreated sewage when their plants and storage facilities are flooded.

"It was maddening that they had permission to do this and we had to live with the consequences," Rodwell said.

The ultimate goal is zero overflows, but officials don't expect to get there until about 2035 because it will require being able to handle the kind of flooding that previously happened rarely but is becoming more common.

One partial solution gaining popularity with cities is "green infrastructure" — natural and man-made features that enable more water to soak into the ground instead of washing into storm drains and creeks. Stoner and Giles of EPA instructed field staff last year to incorporate green features into storm water and sewer permits as much as possible.

"Cities have had decades to deal with this problem," Welch said. "We need firm deadlines and we need strong enforcement so it can finally be solved."

Good Question

2011-12-28T12:38:00.000-08:00

Possibly the best question we have ever seen in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. We're still waiting on the answer.

It's in a column about the Fort Worth retirees and their pension, but it applies to all things Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Way. The sheep have been asking this question for years, if the fox is guarding the hen house...

If most retirement fund board members are beneficiaries of the fund and the fund's executive director is writing guest columns defending their lucrative packages, who the heck is watching out for the taxpayers?

Again, we've been waiting on that answer for years.

With the recent article about the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, this partial comment on the retiree article seems both relevant and timely.

The biggest opponent to Fort Worth city employees is the FW Chamber of Commerce. The city can't give away tax breaks to lure businesses when they have to pay retirees and future retirees a decent retirement.

The problem isn't the pension. The problem is upper-crust individuals who are "looking out for the taxpayer" want to spend taxpayer money on pork, at the expense of the city employee.

Speaking of living outside of Tarrant County.... Look at Dallas TAD website and you'll find one of the great opponents of the pension, Mitch Schnurman, lives in Coppell in a $340k house.

Another Tarrant County "Study"

2011-12-28T12:00:00.000-08:00

Funny thing about "studies", they usually produce the outcome those hired to produce it are looking for. It's what you call a win/win. Unless, of course, you're the one paying for it.

This one was done by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce. Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

It claims property taxes are part of the benefit to all the abatement's Fort Worth handed out this year. How can that be when the TIF's in the area are struggling to meet their promises due to declining property taxes? Remember, there were studies for those TIF's too. What are they basing these numbers on? Apparently, whatever they could.

The overall economic impact includes company investments, salaries and what workers will spend.

It also considers salaries created or supported in new or existing firms, such as maintenance companies and service firms, and spending at stores and restaurants.

There were a couple of key sentences in the article:

In its efforts, the chamber's economic development division received and spent about $1 million from private and public sources in 2011.

The chamber's economic development division works closely with the city's economic development department.

As usual the best part were the comments from THE PEOPLE:

It's a great place to do business if you're looking for a tax handout, but Fort Sprawl is not a great place to live anymore.

Roads are in terrible condition, crime is up and police response times are lousy. City services are poor and getting worse. Those that still exist, anyway. Price lives in her shielded world and is not in touch with the average citizen.

The only ones who are happy with all this are the stinking corporations and developers and corrupt politicians (current and past mayors & council included) who are benefiting at citizens' expense. If you've got enough money to buy a politician or two, you can pretty much get whatever you want. That's exactly what happened with the Trinity Drainage Ditch Vision and many other pet projects... reward the developers/politicians... screw the citizens.

3 LLC's and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

2011-12-28T11:20:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year, the Fort Worth Weekly had an article on the dealings of the Haltom City Economic Development Corporation and the LLC it created. It was smartly titled, A High Priced Can of Worms.

Today, on Reuters.com there is another telling article about an LLC, this one a Chesapeake affair.
Seems when the folks in Michigan wanted to collect their signing bonuses they were promised, they couldn't find out WHO to collect from. WHY?

In fact, the company issuing the rejections wasn't much of a business at all. It was a shell company - a paper-only firm with no real operations - called Northern Michigan Exploration LLC.
Northern has voided hundreds of land deals, and was indeed a facade - a shell company created so that one of America's largest energy companies could conceal its role in the leasing spree, a Reuters investigation has found. Oklahoma-based Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK.N), the nation's second-largest gas driller, was behind the entire operation.

Chesapeake had created one shell company that set up another, Northern Michigan Exploration.

So, WHO will step up to the plate and protect the taxpayers from the newly formed Trinity Vision Partners LLC that just purchased the Fort Worth Cats? Wouldn't you love to know WHO all is involved in that shell game?

Ask.

WHY is that?

2011-12-26T13:59:00.000-08:00

The last sentence in on an ABCNEWS.com article caught our attention.

Perry is the only candidate, other than President Obama, whose security is funded by taxpayers.

Rick Perry’s security costs have risen since he entered the presidential campaign in August, costing Texas taxpayers as much as $400,000 a month, according to a report by the Texas Tribune.

So our Senator spends more on travel than any others and our Governor is the only other man in America that we're paying for his security...

WHY is that?

ASK.

WTH is going on in Trophy Club?!

2011-12-26T11:27:00.000-08:00

Good thing for the citizens that THE PEOPLE are following the trail. Too bad the "news" isn't. As with most things in Tarrant County, it leads back to water and money.

Here's the latest incoming from Trophy Club concerning their water, MUD, SLAPP, corruption and lack of "news" coverage.

We know we've asked this before, but is there a reporter in the county? Anyone? Hello...

Trophy Club's Wastewater Woes Worsen

Trophy Club Municipal Utility District(MUD) officials showed little Christmas cheer on Tuesday December 20th as they reviewed the findings of a local wastewater treatment consultant hired to review MUD 1 operations after repeated violations of the plant's permitted limits for Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). The MUD District Manager and newly hired wastewater treatment superintendent briefed the 5 directors on the report and detailed the problems that contributed to the previous superintendent's resignation just last month.

The report addressing chronic violations of BOD limits was a 180 degree deviation from the previous administration's handling of the matter. As late as 2010, MUD director Jim Budarf had claimed in writing that the wastewater treatment plant had, “...never been in noncompliance.”

According to the report, the MUD wastewater treatment equipment was designed to meet a BOD permit limit of 10 parts per million (ppm) by the engineering firm CDM when it was installed. The current MUD permit limit however is 5 ppm(one half the equipment's capability).

The MUD was required to install approximately 3 million dollars in equipment in 2003 as a part of an agreed enforcement order by the Environmental Protection Agency. The enforcement order came after multiple permit limit violations of BOD and other pollutants.

Details about the wastewater treatment equipment had been requested repeatedly by the group Citizens for MUD Accountability. Ironically, MUD attorney Pam Liston, who had stated that there were no records responsive to those requests in 2009, presided over Tuesday's discussion.

Kevin Carr, who was the subject of a formal ethics complaint by Citizens for MUD Accountability in 2009 over the environmental violations, was also present. Mr. Carr, who had been quoted in 2009 as saying that he was “insulted” by the ethics complaint, stated for the record that the report was not related to drinking water. He did not clarify why he thought the discharge into Grapevine Lake (a source of drinking water for millions) had no impact on drinking water.

The Title of this article pays homage to the editorial travesty published by the Star-Telegram Times Register on Nov. 18, 2009 titled “Water Woes Wrapped Up” . According to that article,“Trophy Club resolved its wastewater violations months ago and no longer has issues needing correction...”

Unfortunately for the Trophy Club MUD, the Star Telegram holds little sway with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality who issued the permit this year with the 5 ppm limit. According to Trophy Club's most recent notice from that agency penalties can be subject to fines of $32,500 per violation per day with the possibility of imprisonment for knowing violations.

How's that TIF workin out for ya? NRH

2011-12-26T10:52:00.000-08:00

This one in North Richland Hills. WHY is the TIF not working out? Declining property values.

Read about the latest TIF tiff in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

The city must scale back a project that is part of redevelopment efforts along Boulevard 26 south of Northeast Loop 820 because revenues from a special tax district have fallen short.

With a $9 million drop in property values in the area since 2008, the city wouldn't have enough revenue to meet the debt service for the $3.5 million project plan. Instead, city officials estimate that $2.5 million in funding is available.

The city has sold $1 million in bonds and, based on revenue projections, says that $1.5 million in additional debt could be issued.

The issue is focused on a Tax Increment Financing district, created in 2008 to use property tax revenues for redevelopment. The city had an existing TIF zone, created in 1999, but expanded it to include all commercial properties in the Boulevard 26 corridor south of Loop 820, except North Hills Hospital and the Calloway Creek area.

"Staff has had several meetings with TxDOT trying to reach a compromise, but has not had a great deal of success. TxDOT has made it very clear that only TxDOT approved roadway striping and colors can be used in the corridor within their rights-of-way," Curtis wrote in Nov. 14 memo to the North Richland Hills City Council.

Everything is right,

2011-12-25T08:31:00.000-08:00

The Lone Star's shining bright,
It's a Texas Christmas tonight.

Merry Christmas to all our friends, supporters, and contributors.
A special Merry Christmas to our troops serving both near and far.

YOU are all stars.

May the New Year bring you all many blessings and an end to the Culture of Corruption.

Anything is possible, if YOU believe.

Peace,
Texas Lone Star

WHO's involved?

2011-12-23T00:22:00.000-08:00

WHO bought the Fort Worth Cats?

WHO do you think?

Trinity Vision Partners Llc.

WHO are THEY??

Read the article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. And check out what the Dallas Observer had to say. Yeah, Dallas is watching too.

We 'll hold off on saying, we told you so.

Owner Carl Bell has agreed to sell the baseball team to a group led by John Bryant and Byron Pierce, co-founders of United League Baseball.

The Cats will be the fifth independent team owned by Bryant and Pierce. Former Texas Rangers President Mike Stone is also part of the ownership group, Trinity Vision Partners Llc., and will be the team's chairman.

Financial terms were not disclosed, although Bell said he did not profit from the sale. The costs of independent teams vary depending on financial conditions, attendance and other factors.LaGrave Reconstruction Co., which Bell runs, still owns LaGrave Field and the surrounding 131/2 acres.

Bell felt that the proper business decision was to split the two entities. Most professional teams are tenants of the stadiums they play in, and the Cats have a 20-year lease at LaGrave.

Observer:

That said, "I really don't care who our landlord is," Stone says. "We have a 20-year lease. We bought the Cats, the property, the right to do business as the Cats, and that's what crucial to us." When it comes to the land, he explains, "It's a complicated process, a complicated transaction. The Tarrant Regional Water District is involved. Carl is involved. Amegy Bank is involved. We're involved. The bottom line is we end up owning the Cats and the right to play ball as the Cats."

Owner rl Bell has agreed to sell the baseball team to a group led by John Bryant and Byron Pierce, co-founders of United League Baseball. The Cats will be the fifth independent team owned by Bryant and Pierce.Former Texas Rangers President Mike Stone is also part of the ownership group, Trinity Vision Partners Llc., and will be the team's chairman.Financial terms were not disclosed, although Bell said he did not profit from the sale. The costs of independent teams vary depending on financial conditions, attendance and other factors.LaGrave Reconstruction Co., which Bell runs, still owns LaGrave Field and the surrounding 131/2 acres.Bell felt that the proper business decision was to split the two entities. Most professional teams are tenants of the stadiums they play in, and the Cats have a 20-year lease at LaGrave.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/12/21/3611839/fort-worth-cats-sold-will-play.html#storylink=omni_popular#storylink=cpy

WHO controls YOUR water?

2011-12-22T07:16:00.000-08:00

It's a tricky question. For a reason. There are many water districts in Texas. Nine times out of ten, they are above the law, as in they don't have to follow any.

There's been a lot of talk about the Tarrant Regional Water District lately, but it hasn't been due to water. It's all been about the J.D. Granger and Tim Love Woodshed restaurant sweetheart deal on the Trinity River. A million dollar (give or take a few, again, it's just YOUR money) deal. Don't you wish YOU could go into business for with no start up cost and if it bombs, you lose nothing? YOU bet you do, cause you've already lost another million. And counting. It's a small price to pay for the billion dollar boondoggle known as the Trinity River Vision.

The TRWD and the Trinity River Vision Authority, under the leadership of JD Granger, Congresswoman Kay Granger's son, heavily promoted Tubing on Trinity or Rocking on the River this summer to the citizens and taxpayers of Tarrant County. WHY didn't they test the water? WHY did the citizens have to pay to have it tested?

The project was touted as flood control, so it would receive federal money. YOU hear that rest of the country? YOU'RE paying for this too, so there. We have to ask again, what does a BBQ shack on the river, a wakeboard park and bridges over dry land do for flood control? YOU should ask. After all YOU paid for it.

The TRWD should be reaching out to real water planners of the world and getting their act together before Fort Worth runs out of water. Instead their reaching out and suing our neighbor, Oklahoma for their water. The same state those gas drillers using all our water hail from. The same fellas that made our water district rich. Hey, here's a thought, why don't you make them bring their own water and take their waste back with them? Ever wondered why many drill sites are close to the river and the tributaries? Remember, it flows both ways. Water, too.

If all that weren't enough, then there's fracing. Even if you don't believe it could ever possibly happen, let's just say, what IF just ONE time it does? Remember the coast? What IF the Trinity aquifer is contaminated? How do YOU fix it? What happens then? WHO is responsible?

If all that isn't enough, we came across the article below. Which brings us back to the original question, WHO controls YOUR water?

I am in Parker County at a hearing where Range Resources has filed a plea to jurisdiction in the water contamination case where EPA had to step in. If the judge grants this motion, it means the Texas Railroad Commission is the final authority in fracking water contamination cases. It means you can’t sue for damages if the Big Gas Mafia fracks up your water. It would be a disaster for all Texas water drinkers.

Read the rest here.

Pulitzers and Pickets

2011-12-21T11:51:00.000-08:00

Incoming from a local taxpayer concerning the JD Granger, Tim Love, Trinity River Vision, Tarrant Regional Water District, Woodshed Boondoggle...

I'm boycotting....I hope it fails HUGE...The Business Press should get a Pulitzer for this cover up....
Not only am I boycotting, I'm looking forward to picketing, too. Every restaurant owner in town should be out there in force. Businesses in Fort Worth need to get a clue. Don't they know they are next?

The Quiet Advocate

2011-12-21T06:45:00.000-08:00

A message from one of our readers....

Dear Active Activist,

We hope you are enjoying a Happy Holiday season. We have written before thanking you for your efforts to expose the real workings of our North Texas political-monetary system of cronyism. Our belief and support remain unabated. We remain loyal readers even though at times your reports leave us somewhat depressed.

When it comes to the giant money machines overrunning your hometown values, we would prefer to turn a blind-eye, even knowing full well doing so will only cause things to get worse. We hope that our kids will be as apathetic as we are and therefore not lay the blame directly ( and rightfully so ) at our feet. Your efforts, and those of your like minded activist, painfully remind us of our failure to protect our own real interest in favor of comfortable voyeurism .

Having once been on the front lines of activism we know full well the oft felt frustration of trying to inform the ignorant, motivate the listless and bring the freedom of self empowerment to slaves of the almighty dollar. We know too, how the giddy rush of the occasional victory wipes away the painful memories of failed campaigns. It is those victories, no matter how small, that ignite the flame of progress. Few can be activist leaders, fewer still last beyond a single issue or two. However, all of us in this country are blessed to participate as quite activist for a better world. We owe that participation not just to our children, but to our species.

Thank you again for all you do.

The Quiet Advocate

Remember when

2011-12-21T06:32:00.000-08:00

We said Place your bets on WHO will end up with LaGrave field?

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, your bet is about to pay off. Notice there is always a "but". The taxpayers will then own a restaurant and a ball field.

J.D. Granger, executive director of the Trinity River Vision Authority, reiterated that the authority and the water district have no interest in running a team or owning a stadium. But he said the agencies might consider buying the property if it is auctioned on the courthouse steps.

That wasn't even in the article about the Cats and LaGrave field. That was in the article about the contaminated site clean up.

The environmental director for the TRWD talks about long term health risks. Is this the same one WHO forgot to test the water in the Trinity River before promoting to the citizens to float with filth?

How much was budgeted for environmental clean up, again?

As part of a "dig and haul" project, crews are loading heavy metals buried years ago at the site of the former American Cyanamid chemical plant and trucking them to a landfill in the Hill County town of Itasca.

For the Tarrant Regional Water District and its political subdivision, the Trinity River Vision Authority, this is the first of at least 15 environmental projects that are expected to be completed within five years to make room for the $909 million flood control and economic development project.

"If you want to have residential use, then you need to clean it up to higher level so that long-term risk at the site is minimized," said Woody Frossard, the water district's environmental director.

J.D. Granger, executive director of the Trinity River Vision Authority, reiterated that the authority and the water district have no interest in running a team or owning a stadium. But he said the agencies might consider buying the property if it is auctioned on the courthouse steps.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/12/05/3573053/contaminated-soil-being-removed.html#storylink=cpy

Don't worry

2011-12-21T05:25:00.000-08:00

If you missed the presentation on the NCTCOG this week. It's coming soon to everywhere near YOU.

Apparently many people are interested in WHO they are and WHAT they do. For a stormy night, less than a week before Santa arrives, the house was packed! And more people were visiting that post than you could shake a stick at.

We'll keep you posted.

The RINO's are coming

2011-12-20T17:13:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday, the Republican Precinct chairs voted for the Interim Party Chair for Tarrant County. The vote was somewhat of a cluster. It came down to Bob McGrath, Jen Hall and Adrian Murray.

McGrath insulted Mr. Murray while he still had the floor, so Mr. Murray asked his supporters to vote for Jen Hall.

They did. Jen Hall won. Congratulations to a local grassroots community activist! And to THE PEOPLE for being people, not sheep. (Well, there were sheep there but they were outnumbered).

Word on the street is that McGrath has Charlie Geren and Byran Eppstien on speed dial. Watch out, you know what the old guard gets you in Cowtown.

Another day, another NTTA...

2011-12-20T08:55:00.000-08:00

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram it seems the NTTA doesn't want to conduct a national search to find a director.

WHY would they? They run off those WHO don't believe in giving contracts to the same firms for as far back as anyone can remember. And when you have those that will tow the line, no further search needed apparently. Only "Yes" men need apply.

Carrigan arrived at the tollway authority in 2008. As assistant executive director of project delivery, he has guided the authority's engineering efforts on several major projects and has dealt with contractors and vendors. Before working at the authority, he worked briefly at HNTB Corp., the consultant that does much of the authority's engineering work.
Carrigan said he would be interested in serving as executive director."Basically, I'm there to serve the board in whatever way the board wants," he said after a recent board meeting in Plano.

"Egomaniacs running amok"

2011-12-19T20:27:00.000-08:00

In Tarrant County...well, duh. Where have you been, under a rock?!

While it's a quote a local columnist used to describe our Constables, (which he refers to as "tin-horn sheriffs") we say if the shoe fits...

Ego continues throughout the 60+ comment string on Facebook, as well as insults.

Maybe YOU should check out some of the local boys running for Constable. Several of them have served in one way or another and have spent much of their time protecting THE PEOPLE. What is it that columnist do for THE PEOPLE?

WHO were THEY talking about today?

Glen Bucy.

WTH?

2011-12-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

The gas drilling industry swears fracking and drilling doesn't cause earthquakes.

Seismic definition:

pertaining to, of the nature of, or caused by an earthquake or vibration of the earth, whether due to natural or artificial causes.

If the "artificial causes" such as gas drilling doesn't cause earthquakes, WHY is the city of North Richland Hills covered in seismic detecting equipment by the gas drilling industry?

WHO's responsible if your home is damaged by it?

Ask Fort Worth.

WHO pays WHO?

2011-12-19T07:19:00.000-08:00

Alex Mills is the President of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. We're not really sure what that is, but if we had to guess we'd say that was an organization similar to those like the Trinity River Vision Authority, NTTA, the NCTCOG...you get the picture. Created, appointed and paid for by local politicians and the Tarrant Regional Water District, or in this case, the gas drilling industry.

He also writes frequently in the Business Press about gas drilling. Not so much writing, as defending. In small print at the bottom it tells you his title, and that "the opinions expressed are solely of the author".

So, if the gas drillers pay him to defend them and he writes his "Opinion" for the Business Press, WHO is paying WHO? Are the drillers paying for a half a page in the paper or is the paper paying Mr. Mills to write for THEM too?

What's it costing YOU?

WHO do you Love?

2011-12-18T19:37:00.000-08:00

The Fort Worth Business Press has a follow up article on the Tim Love Woodshed on the Trinity River. We've added our own questions. YOU should too.

Calls to David Hall and Randal Harwood at the Fort Worth planning and development department requesting information about the code compliance issues were not returned. Love also did not return calls.

WHY is that? Hello...? Anyone there?

The Woodshed was scheduled to open on Labor Day, then in October, and then last week, but Love told questioners on Twitter that the opening is several weeks away and that the outdoor deck “might” be opened in mid-January to attract visitors to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.

“He’s a world-class chef; he’s famous,” Lane said. “This was a business proposition, trying to stimulate interest in the river and in Fort Worth. Sit and watch, there’ll be money made for the regional water district.”

Was Lane elected to promote famous people or protect those WHO elected him? WHEN did the Tarrant Regional Water District change its mission to "make money"?

That might answer a few questions about why a water district – without competitive bidding or a vote by its board of directors – would spend nearly $1 million to build a restaurant and sign a 10-year contract with Tim Love to manage it.

Information about the deal was made public after Texas Public Information Act requests by the Fort Worth Business Press and was featured in a story in the Dec. 5 edition.

WHY would that be? Wonder WHAT else could be learned from more requests? Ask YOUR local media.

The Woodshed restaurant is located at 3201 Riverfront Drive, near the Fort Worth Zoo and University Park Village shopping center, on land the water district owns. Instead of paying rent on the building, Love will pay a percentage of the restaurant’s total sales to the Trinity River Vision, a subsidiary of the TRWD. Love also is responsible for utilities, maintenance and upkeep of the building.

A taxpayer purchased, risk free restaurant in a floodplain, next to the contaminated Trinity River, on land owned by the Tarrant Regional Water District...WHAT could possibly go wrong with that?

He was recruited for the deal by J.D. Granger, executive director of the Trinity River Vision Authority and the son of U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth), a proponent for the TRV development and flood-control project along the river.

Proponent made us laugh. The following says it all:

“Whether it’s an abatement, TIF, public/private partnership, getting favorable changes in the law to reduce private risk – it never stops,” Picht said. “TRV is in a class by itself for getting so much public money from so many sources while having no transparency, no hope of keeping within budget, no competent management, and no hope of producing the product that was advertised in the original concept plan.” he said.

Water district officials say the criticism is unwarranted. The idea behind the TRV always has been to reintegrate the Trinity River back into the city and make it a centerpiece of economic development, they say.

Funny, we thought the plan was always "flood control". Oops.

Taxpayers aren’t footing the bill for the restaurant, Oliver said. “The project was paid for with oil and gas revenues so it didn’t impact the portion of our budget funded by taxpayers,” he said.

Those revenues, however, come from gas wells located on public land owned by the water district.

Duh.

Article or comments...

2011-12-18T17:46:00.000-08:00

Read them both in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. As usual, YOU can't afford not to.

The new Precinct 4 Northwest Subcourthouse, which opened in March and includes the office of longtime Commissioner J.D. Johnson, is a monument to government. At 57,000 square feet and a $16.9 million cost, it's an example of government grandeur built by a Republican administration when governments everywhere are trying to cut back.

Tarrant County, which has frozen employee salaries in the past and reduced services, isn't done building. The county is in the midst of a massive construction spree, with some of the projects not needing voter approval.

County officials brag that with some projects they are using a pay-as-you-go formula in which money is taken out of annual operating budgets without causing a tax increase. But one former commissioner said that philosophy appears to be borrowed from Tarrant County College officials who embarked on a similar construction spree that didn't require voter approval, either.

Either way, officials emphasize that the county tax rate stays the same. They don't mention that the rate could fall if the county spent less.

Hampton, who served as a commissioner for 12 years until 1996, told me that without direct voter approval on construction projects, "the only way you know this is happening is to see a building go up or go to every working budget session that the Commissioners Court has and watch the court approve the details.

"Somebody like the media or whomever is interested would have to be there, and who could spend that much time? So it behooves our fearless leaders to put that out in some form or fashion and say, 'Look what we're doing.'"

Don't miss the comments from THE PEOPLE.

The public can't know what the Star-Telegram can't afford to cover.
This started ten years ago as a healthy local newspaper became a journalistic skeleton. If the descending spiral of local government coverage continues; building like this will last as long as contractors kickbacks (read legit "fundraisers") keep coming.

Earlier this year at the Northwest Sub-Courthouse, I asked one of the clerks, "If smoking is prohibited, why does the building reek of cigarette smoke?"

The reply and ensuing conversation:

"Commissioner Johnson smokes a lot in his office."
"How is that? There are no-smoking signs all over the place."
"Well, it's his building, so I guess he can smoke if he wants to."
"Well, it's not his building, is it?"
"Oh, yes, it is."

That attitude explains a lot. It's J.D. Johnson's domain, and woe betide anyone who fails to recognize that fact.

Fort Worth has a new owner

2011-12-17T07:52:00.000-08:00

"Time to get to Fort Worth. Tim Love owns this town. It’s a great honky-tonk town."

So. In the world of celebrity chefs, apparently, it is known that Tim Love owns Fort Worth.

This is the best explanation yet as to how it was Tim Love got his sweetheart restaurant deal for his new Woodshed restaurant, courtesy of the generosity of his drinking buddy. J.D. Granger, the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle and the Tarrant Regional Water District.

Read all about it on Durango.

Well?

2011-12-16T21:42:00.000-08:00

Read the Letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Campaign contract

What we need is a law that says elected officials are legally bound by their campaign promises, and if they break them, they can be sued for breach of contract. If they are found guilty, they would be immediately removed from office and never eligible to run for elected office again. I don't want to be "governed," I want to be "represented," but how can I vote for the right candidate if they are all allowed to lie with impunity during the election and then do whatever they want to once they're elected?

-- Ben Bruce, Arlington

What do THEY do, again?

2011-12-16T06:49:00.000-08:00

WHO appoints them? WHO pays their salary? (YOU guessed it).

Want to know more about THE COG? (The North Central Texas Council of Governments)

Then don't miss this meeting. YOU can't afford to miss it. Neither can your local "news".

Monday, December 19, 2011
6:00 pm Social Hour
7:00 General Meeting FW 9-12
Elks Lodge
3233 White Settlement Road
Fort Worth, TX

Come join us and meet our Speaker, ZACK MAXWELL....you will be amazed at the information he has to share....

"I will draw back the curtains on the biggest scheme our country has seen since the Federal Reserve. This system has been in the making for over 40 years and has spread rapidly across our nation like a cancer. You will be amazed at the how the majority of your locally elected officials are working day after day to radically alter the American Dream and your future.

This network is so intricately woven into the fabric of our government's operations that if America was to collapse tomorrow, I'm convinced there would be a fully-functional system ready to replace our current government."

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS [NCTCOG]

THE People want more

2011-12-15T18:21:00.000-08:00

Many were looking forward to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram becoming YOUR paper.

Some still are.

Read the following Letter to the Editor.

More letters, please

Has anyone besides me noticed that, since the Star-Telegram implemented its latest reformatting of the paper, the letters section has been dramatically reduced in size? Editorials and guest columnists seem to get more space than all the letters combined. Several times since the reformatting, I have totally missed the letters section when going through the paper and had to thumb back through to find it.

This seems a shame for what I once looked forward to as a good cross-section of views and commentary from readers.

We need more space for letters from readers and less space devoted to editorials and guest columnists, in my opinion.

-- Michael A. Jones, Fort Worth

Hush Money?

2011-12-15T05:07:00.000-08:00

More than a few readers have noted the glaring differences in the news coverage of the Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) in Trophy Club. This follow-up article should provide some clarity on how two news sources can publish such radically different stories about the same event.

By way of history, this story was broken by the Star Telegraph on November 12th and 27th of this year. The Star Telegram article was not published until weeks later on Dec. 13th.

The Star Telegraph Article cites the relevant court case and provides details about all the participants. The Star Telegram article only provides details about former Town Councilwoman Kathleen Wilson's defamation claims and her Pyrrhic judgment obtained against former citizen of the year Steven Kohs.

Most importantly, the Star Telegraph article identifies the lawsuit by definition as a SLAPP action. As previously noted, the Star Telegram article focuses solely on the former Town Councilwoman's claims and completely omits that the actions instigating this lawsuit occurred on a political website during a local election campaign.

The reason for these glaring differences can be summed up in one word. That word is money.

The Star Telegraph receives no income from the Town of Trophy Club. By contrast, the Town's online check register indicates that Trophy Club paid the Star Telegram $1,363.76 in the last 30 days alone.

Shame on Trophy Club's elected officials for suing the people they represent and covering it up with newspaper hush money. But above all, shame on the Star Telegram for taking the money and pretending to be an unbiased source of news.

THEY bought Santa!

2011-12-14T09:58:00.000-08:00

We received the following from a local Cowtown resident....

Dear Lone Star,

I haven’t written before but I couldn’t pass this up.

Last night I was listening to 95.9 The Ranch on my way home from work. They had a commercial about Chesapeake and the Cowtown Santa program. Knowing what we know about Chesapeake, I had to shake my head – they are slick with their PR, I mean what bad things can you say about people giving a toy drive? Then when I heard it was on their campus, I shook my head again, distract the people from the truth with shiny light displays, parades and fireworks.

Here’s where it really gets interesting…the very next commercial was another one for Cowboy Santa in Fort Worth with Chesapeake. This one done by a male radio announcer. The first by a female. Back to back commercials for the same thing, really?

There’s more. The following commercial was to drive tanker trucks for another gas drilling company.

On the heels of that there was a commercial about the long history of the Fort Worth Cowboy Santa’s.

Thankfully, it didn’t mention their new sponsor or their distractions.

I realize radio stations sell ads to make money but seriously, did these guys not learn anything with the long rambling TRV Rocking the River (contaminated with feces) commercials?? Apparently everything is for sale, and as Lone Star says – WHO ultimately pays??

We do.

Merry Christmas y’all!

Leading by example

2011-12-13T06:45:00.000-08:00

How much of that $46,000 per child is due to Texas projects asked for by the same Texas Senator asking about fairness?

Remember this?

In a year when U.S. House Republicans have taken a pledge against earmarks, Senator John Cornyn is stepping forward to request $10 million in federal money for Fort Worth's Trinity Vision plan.

The Trinity Vision project is funded entirely with public money and most government bodies are struggling.

The same Senator WHO has the highest travel expenditures.

Sound fair to YOU? Ironic, even?

Cornyn Asks: Are Trillions In Debt “Fair” For Future Generations?

“What’s not fair is that because of his reckless spend-now, pay-later agenda, every child born in America today comes into this world owing $46,000.”

Dec 06 2011

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, today issued the following statement in advance of President Obama’s speech in Osawatomie, Kansas on economic fairness:

"It's ironic the President would give a major lecture to the American people today on ‘economic fairness.’ What’s not fair is that because of his reckless spend-now, pay-later agenda, every child born in America today comes into this world owing $46,000.

“Rather than give us a lecture on fairness, the President should lead by example and start working with us to create a stronger, better America that lives up to its commitments and doesn’t pass the buck to the next generation.”

Senator Cornyn serves on the Finance, Judiciary, Armed Services and Budget Committees. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Refugees and Border Security subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.

Kids vs. Industry

2011-12-12T20:20:00.000-08:00

We've said it before, if your kids can't get an education...they won't learn to stop buying the BS.

WHO should get YOUR taxes? Schools or refineries?

"With Texas schools already facing cuts of more than $5 billion over the next two years, we cannot afford to allow political maneuvering to bleed even more resources from our children's classrooms," state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, said last week. "Favors to political cronies should never be allowed, particularly where they trump the interests of Texas' schoolchildren."

Read the article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. YOUR children will thank you.

"We understand what is at stake for the school districts and our children's education," Valero Chairman and CEO Bill Klesse said in September. "Our children's education is extremely important, but it is also important to have a fair property appraisal. Even after our exemption is granted, Valero will remain one of the largest taxpayers -- if not the largest taxpayer -- in all the areas where we have refineries."

Valero's exemption request was initially rejected by the commission's staff, which reported that hydrotreaters don't reduce pollution at the refinery, but rather when consumers use fuel from refineries.

"The environmental benefit of these projects occurs when the consumer uses the low sulfur content fuels," commission staffer Ronald Hatlett wrote in 2007. "These projects do not provide an environmental benefit at the site."

WHO's news??

2011-12-12T18:29:00.000-08:00

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram recently claimed they were YOUR paper.

Funny, we received an email from an active Fort Worth citizen that tells a much different story. What happens when the officials and industry are your only customers?

The Fort Worth Startlegram has blocked me from making online comments on their stories because of my prolific responses to stories about bad air quality and the negative impacts of gas drilling on ground water sources. Also, I would imagine their censorship is because I will not back down from the real jerks who post on the ST site! Sad...truly sad that if it were not for the Associated Press and the New York Times, the ST would not even report on any of this crap we are having to deal with because of corrupt elected officials and an industry that cares not for any of us. I guess advertising dollars are more important to the ST than we are!

HE has a way with words

2011-12-12T13:40:00.000-08:00

THEY have a way with your money.

A Letter to the Editor of the Fort Worth Business Press....

The Woodshed

News flash! Earmarks are back! Alive and well! No matter that our country is in financial rigor mortis with Chinese undertakers feeling our pulse while tenderly asking what more can we do for their country.

According to the winter propaganda screed put out by the Trinity River Vision Authority, the boast is made that Congresswoman Kay Granger has secured another $23 million of Federal funds for two Trinity Uptown bridges. Bulletin! Neither of the bridges is Uptown. Both are bridges to nowhere to be built over a yet to be dug channel. Which comes first? The chicken or the egg?

In addition, the screed bragged that the North Central Texas Council of Governments, led by Michael Morris and the Regional Transportation Commission chaired by Jungus Jordan, was able to secure an additional $15 million through “another Federal source.”

When it comes to picking Federal pockets, these three deft-fingered artists make Dickens’ Artful Dodger look like a ham-handed bumbling amateur. After the bridges are built, will they then find another obscure Federal pocket to pick in order to dig the ditch underneath the bridges to nowhere?

Step by stealthy step the beat goes on. Now comes to light another soft-shoe step made under cover of darkness – $970,000 of local taxpayer money has been spent by J.D. Granger, executive director of the Trinity River Vision, on a sweetheart deal with a restaurateur to build a hamburger eatery called The Woodshed on the north bank of the Clear Fork near Colonial Country Club. What has this surreptitious money laundering to do with flood control and water supply, the primary duties of the Tarrant Regional Water District?

Looks like the taxpayers have been taken to the woodshed. Again. Saints preserve us!

Don Woodard,

Fort Worth

Free parking

2011-12-12T08:36:00.000-08:00

Yeah, right. This is Fort Worth.

Those being affected by the parking fees have come up with alternate plans. We love when the citizens work together.

Now, if the City will listen.

Read about it in the Fort Worth Business Press.

Some Fort Worth merchants have proposed their own parking strategy as city officials contemplate raising rates in one of Cowtown’s busiest tourist districts.

“What we’ve noticed is our patronage has dropped considerably,” said Carlo Capua, general manager of Z’s Cafe, one of several tenants at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center who are alarmed by declining numbers of customers and determined to do something about it.

And that could mean maximum parking rates as high as $8, a prospect that several businesses say would scare away customers who are already reluctant to park in the vicinity due to parking fees. Parking was free in and around the Will Rogers complex until the Western Center parking garage opened. Parking fees were implemented to help pay its debt service.

But at least one private exhibitor remains skeptical.

“The city will see an even further drop in cars dropping into the district for $8, so the plan to pay for the garage will never work,” said Jan Orr-Harter, show director with the Dolly Johnson Antique & Art Show.

WHO's talking - Part 2

2011-12-12T06:45:00.000-08:00

Josh Fox that's WHO.

Read about the EPA and fracking on the Guardian.

The EPA's findings about fracking's contamination of ground water have sent a shockwave through a gas industry in denial

Having investigated fracking myself for three years, I have heard the same story hundreds of times, from residents in gas-drilling areas from Wyoming to Arkansas, from Pennsylvania to Texas. It goes like this: the frackers move in - and all of a sudden your water turns color, or can be lit on fire, or smells like turpentine or leaves burn marks on you after you take a shower. It doesn't take a genius to connect the dots.

WHO's talking

2011-12-11T08:17:00.000-08:00

About Texas air quality?

WHO isn't?

Read the New York Times article. YOU can't afford to miss it.

Don't miss the connections...

Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston are the only Texas cities currently considered in "nonattainment" for ozone, meaning they do not meet Environmental Protection Agency standards. Nonattainment can cause a loss of federal highway money, though this has never happened in Texas.

On Friday the E.P.A., citing emissions from drilling activities among other factors, wrote to Gov. Rick Perry to propose including Hood and Wise Counties in the Dallas-Fort Worth non-attainment area.

New "News"

2011-12-08T20:10:00.000-08:00

From Arlington. THEY get it.

Good luck to the Arlington Voice! Coming soon, to everywhere near YOU!

Here's hoping Fort Worth gets a Voice, too.

Old Tickets?

2011-12-08T10:27:00.000-08:00

Seems lots of folks in Fort Worth are getting notices due to unpaid tickets from, get this, 10 years ago!

Fort Worth doesn't have records on some of it, but their hired guns do. We noticed a couple of things in the Fort Worth Weekly article, like how many people in Fort Worth want to remain "unnamed" (We get it) and someone please tell us WHERE we have heard this law firm's name before?

Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson

Gorman isn’t so sure. He went to the municipal court and asked for a record of the ticket he received, the same ticket that he said was later dismissed by a judge. A clerk told him she couldn’t find it.

“This citation is not in the city’s computer system,” Gorman said. “Fort Worth has no record of any of this. They can’t look me up and say I owe money. Only the law firm collecting for the city of Fort Worth says I owe money.”

Catching on

2011-12-08T05:02:00.000-08:00

The Fort Worth Weekly makes note of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram recent changes. Is it new? Or old? Are they targeting the young? Or old? We can't tell anymore.

Though we like the fact the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is going to expand Cheers and Jeers over many days, since it's the "most popular feature". That says a lot. And as we've always said, if you want to know what's going on in Fort Worth, you go to THE PEOPLE, not the paper. Now, let's hope they quit arguing with the Cheers and Jeers writers and print the darn things.

Editorial Director J.R. Labbe chimed in with her own column, saying the editorial section would run “Cheers & Jeers” four days a week instead of one. After all, it’s one of the paper’s “most popular features.”

(Actually, the “Jeers” are a popular feature. Static’s never met anybody who reads the “Cheers.”)

So: The paper is changing by running more cheers, jeers, and columns written by you, the “readers.” Actually, that makes sense. A newspaper that’s bought out, laid off, fired, or otherwise gotten rid of much of its staff would do well to rely more on guest writers to fill space. Witt nailed it when he ended his column by saying, “This is your newspaper!”

Another Earthquake?

2011-12-07T16:56:00.000-08:00

Another earthquake has been reported. This one in Johnson County. People in Burleson and Venus felt the earthquake right before 6:00 p.m.

We can't find any mention of it anywhere yet. Just from THE PEOPLE so far.

Well said -

2011-12-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

A letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tells you how to fix this mess our politicians have made.

Voting strength

It seems to be the common belief among most citizens that this country is gradually sinking into nothingness. It also seems to be common knowledge that the main reason behind our decline is the arguing and bickering among elected members of our do-nothing Congress.

It seems that the only way to get this country moving again is for all voters to, for once, forget party loyalty and vote out the slackers, regardless of party affiliation, who do nothing but draw their pay check and sign ridiculous pledges.

The way I see it, for us to thrive again and rebuild our recognition as the number-one economy in the world is try our best to rid Washington of all the greed and self-preservation of our selfish representatives. Yes, it can be accomplished at polling places!

-- Ed Huddleston, Fort Worth

Remember...

2011-12-07T08:10:00.000-08:00

Pearl Harbor. Remember our Veterans. Honor them.

Dec 10: NETTP to Particpate in Wreaths Across America

The NE Tarrant Tea Party will join in the efforts of Wreaths Across America to lay wreaths on the grave sites of our veterans. Wreaths Across America’s mission, Remember, Honor, Teach, is carried out by coordinating wreath laying ceremonies on the second Saturday of December at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as veterans’ cemeteries in all 50 states and beyond. We will be participating in the ceremony at Azleland Memorial Park.

When: December 10th, 2011 at 11:00a.m.

Where: Azleland Memorial Park Azle; 850 N. Cardinal Rd; Azle, Texas 76020

The theme for 2011 is “Giving The Christmas They Never Had”. Please watch:

Giving The Christmas They Never Had

On the morning of the event, there will be a short ceremony, then everyone present is invited to take wreaths and place them on veterans’ graves until each wreath has been placed. The entire event lasts about an hour.

There are over 400 service markers in the Azleland Cemetery. Each location only receives as many wreaths as the community donates, so donations for wreaths are greatly appreciated. The wreaths cost $15 a piece and can be ordered for this specific location online here. Please consider donating a wreath today and pass this information on to neighbors and friends. And invite them to the ceremony. This is a public observance.

For generations, they stood and continue to stand for us! Will You Take One Day To Stand For Them?

How's that TIF workin out for ya?

2011-12-07T07:48:00.000-08:00

The Fort Worth Business Press tells you what another one cost YOU.

TIF board agrees to pay hotel developer full reimbursement

Trinity Bluff Development Ltd. will receive a complete $206,864.08 reimbursement related to developing the Marriott TownePlace Suites hotel on East Belknap Street just west of downtown.

According to information compiled by the downtown TIF, Western International sold the hotel to Apple REIT Nine for $18.4 million on July 19, 2010. The value of hotel improvements since construction was completed totaled $15.4 million, the difference between the land sale price and the hotel sale price.

At the Nov. 28 meeting, the TIF board had four options: find Trinity Bluff Development in default in its TIF development agreement and pay it nothing; find that while Trinity failed to meet its commitments, it may be paid a prorated amount on the reimbursement under one of two scenarios; or find that Trinity “met the spirit of the development agreement” and be paid the entire reimbursement amount.

Did that just happen?

2011-12-06T20:45:00.000-08:00

We hear the Fort Worth City Council unanimously voted down the Cheseapeake Compressor Station command center on Randol Mill Road near Mallard Cove.

We also heard talk of letters sent to the residents saying the request for the 15 compressor station site had been pulled, and there was no need to attend the meeting. If the request was pulled, why would the council vote? WHO knows, it's the Wild West.

Kudos to the citizens involved in protecting their neighborhoods. The rest of you could learn a thing or two from these folks.

Haltom City explodes

2011-12-06T20:36:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week a family in Fort Worth was taken to the hospital due to a gas leak in their home. Tonight a gas leak caused an explosion in Haltom City.

Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

An explosion apparently caused by a gas leak rocked a neighborhood Tuesday night, setting a house on fire and injuring one of the occupants, fire officials said.

Neighboring houses in the 4900 block of Orien Street were evacuated, Fire Chief Steve Ross said. Gas had not been restored to those homes as of 9 p.m. while Atmos crews worked to cut off the gas that fueled flames.

Fire Marshal Fred Napp said the explosion blew the front door of the wooden, one-story house almost to the street. One wall of the house blew out and that side of the house was destroyed by fire. The rest of the house was extensively damaged.

Firefighters found that the explosion had sheared off the gas meter at ground level at the home on fire.

Neighbors said they saw flames shoot into the sky. "We heard a loud boom around 7 p.m. It shook our house," Judy Reyes said.

Behind closed doors...

2011-12-06T17:46:00.000-08:00

Is the Fort Worth Way.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram tells you how murky that can be at City Hall.

Today, the council is scheduled to receive a closed-session briefing from city attorneys about how to fill vacancies. The process, as outlined in the charter, is not all that complicated: Except under limited circumstances that don't apply right now, new members must be chosen through elections held in those districts where there are vacancies, either on the next scheduled election day (next May) or on a special date approved by the governor.

But the game of politics is never simple.

Take today's meeting, for example. The council can hold closed meetings only under certain circumstances specified in the Texas Open Meetings Act.

Today's agenda calls for an executive session to get the advice of attorneys about "pending or contemplated litigation or other matters that are exempt from public disclosure" under state bar rules or the open meetings act. There is no such pending or contemplated litigation about council vacancies, and no other reason seems to apply but bar rules that call for unfettered, privileged communication between attorneys and their clients.

All the newspapers...

2011-12-05T17:23:00.000-08:00

Are finally talking about the Tim Love Woodshed deal, part of the Trinity River Vision. (Which means more finger pointing and story changing).

The other restaurant owners in town are wishing the "news" would have done so sooner. (Kind of like the tubers of the Trinity Rockin the River events wish the "news" would have tested the water sooner). What will all the businesses in Fort Worth say when the Trinity River Vision promotes their own over the current, established ones?

Check out the Fort Worth Business Press article. Is it just us or do some of the answers given by J.D. Granger and Jim Lane sound different than the ones they gave in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram just a little over a week ago? Last week, neither J.D. or Love could remember WHO asked whom. Read the latest below. Jim Lane told the S-T that the Tarrant Regional Water District board voted on it...now it's clear, no one voted on it.

Lane compares the Trinity River Vision to Lockheed Martin and Alliance Airport. Apples and oranges.

The Trinity River Vision is all taxpayer funded (that's YOU) and has nothing to do with defense (aside from "news" articles) or planes. Nice try though.

And someone please tell these boys, this ain't San Antonio.

After behind-the-scenes negotiations, without public input or competitive bidding, the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) has spent $970,000 of public money to build a restaurant near a popular trail head along the Trinity River. Along the way, the Water District signed a 10-year lease with celebrity chef Tim Love to run it, without a competitive bidding process.

The lease was drafted and approved by Ken Brummett, the water district’s general counsel, but not voted on by the district’s board.

TRVA Executive Director J.D. Granger, who helped search for a tenant for the restaurant, said Love proposed the profit-sharing lease rather than a standard rent agreement because fixed rents often cause problems for open-air, climate-sensitive venues.

The behind-the-scenes negotiations with Love and the terms of the lease, not to mention the lack of competitive bidding, aren’t doing much to change critics’ views that the water district is more interested in creating an economic windfall for downtown developers via the TRV than it is in doing its real job of finding new sources of water for a rapidly growing population, preserving current resources and managing flood control projects, says Clyde Picht, a former city councilman who ran for the water board opposing the Trinity River Vision plan.

___________________________________________

The Fort Worth Business Journal "Water District takes heat over no-bid lease deal"article also makes note of the Trinity River Improvement Partnership (TRIP) award winning documentary, Up a Creek.

WHO's your daddy?

2011-12-04T19:43:00.000-08:00

As previously mentioned, we keep it in the family in Fort Worth. Literally.

Read about the court connections on PoliTex. And keep in mind, that ain't nothin.

This is Texas, we do it up big.

They’re the latest in a long line of notable offspring to be hired by the Tarrant County district attorney’s office.

Others who have branched out on the district attorney’s family tree include:

--J.D. Granger, son of U.S. Rep. (and former Fort Worth mayor) Kay Granger. J.D. Granger is now executive director of the Trinity River Vision Authority.

Watchdogs everywhere

2011-12-02T22:28:00.000-08:00

The Texas Watchdog is sniffing around the Woodshed too. Wonder what they'll turn up?

More dirt on the dealings of the Tarrant Regional Water District or the Trinity River Vision Authority?

Step right up and place your bets.

Taxpayers foot $970K bill for celebrity chef's smokehouse on Trinity River

Love has competed in Iron Chef and Top Chef Masters. The latter was exposed last month as being part of a pay-to-play scheme, extracting fees from cities in exchange for being used as a Top Chef location.

Earlier this month, Granger was derided for failing to show up at a forum at which he promised to explain the $900 million Trinity River Vision project.

Granger is the son of U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, who has been a supporter of the Trinity River development but has also been subject to nepotism accusations.