They don't read

Apparently the only thing those in Washington, D.C. read is this blog.

Therefore, we thought we'd share what some are saying about the latest Trinity River Vision Boondoogle funding scheme.

Read the comments in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  Some people are paying attention. 

Where's that "Tea Party" when you need them?

That's codespeak for "we'll keep Kay and Son, along with others who will benefit from eminent domain, nepotism, and sweetheart deals in the loop"

Great project for Fort Worth, funded by state and FEDERAL money.  Gee, deep in the heart of Tea Party land where "no more federal spending" is the cry, comes the federal government to help the good folks in Cowtown improve our infrastructure.  Anyone care to complain?

More pork for the Trinity Drainage Ditch Vision and Kay and her boy.

The reasons will be many but the prime responsibility will lie at the feet of Kay Granger.

Comment from gmsherry1953...

The only time we seem to get bipartisanship any more -- in this case, an almost nauseating unanimity, among politicians and the press -- is in support of conspiracies to abuse the public.  Mommy Granger, Republican, gets the money from Ray LaHood, Republican serving for a Democratic administration, for Sonny Granger to spend in his nepotism job that should be illegal, or at least should create a conflict of interest that would bar his Mommy from even voting on bills that appropriate money for the Trinity Mud Puddle, much less taking the lead role in fetching the cash.   Money we do NOT HAVE, money that will increase deficit spending.  We are borrowing money from the Communist Chinese to build a bridge.  Not a NEEDED bridge, but a bridge that is part of a completely unnecessary boondoggle of an "economic development" program whose faulty premise is that downtown Fort Worth NEEDS to be twice as big as it is, with further faulty sub-premises that the confluence of the Trinity can be improved, and that anyone will want to be near the newly expanded waterfront of stinky green water.  All of this siphons money away from infrastructure additions and improvements that we actually NEED, for the sake of a pie in the sky scheme that, even if it succeeds, will enrich only developers.  I am still so mad about this whole deal that I could spit.  And the Star-T remains out front, cheerleading this travesty all the way.

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What do ya know?

You are next.

Blue Mound is having to boil their water.

Wasn't Blue Mound the same town that feared losing businesses due to the water rate increases last year? 

Pay attention.  YOU can't afford not to, and YOU could be next.

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Corrupt Money and politics...

In Tarrant County?  You don't say.

The letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says it all.

Reading Linda Campbell's column on Bill Bradley took me back to my 2000 race for Congress against Kay Granger. (See: "Can't Obama and Romney talk solutions?" Thursday) Young and idealistic then, I was all about political campaign reform and envisioned myself viable in a year featuring mavericky reformer John McCain (R) against fellow reformer and policy wonk Bradley (D).

Clearly, I wasn't adept at reading political tea leaves, but I still believe this is the most serious issue facing the nation, particularly following the dreadful Citizens United Supreme Court decision.

Respect for Congress and government in general are at all-time lows, and much of this well-earned disdain is attributable to the public perception that our governmental and political processes are rotten to the core, corrupted perhaps irreparably by vast sums of money injected by wealthy individuals and corporate interests.

I am particularly discouraged that the Democratic Party, which claims to represent America's working families, has not made this a paramount issue of this election cycle. I can only believe that money corrupts, and massive money corrupts massively.

Please join me in letting candidates from all parties know that we will no longer tolerate this unacceptable state of affairs.

-- Mark Greene, Fort Worth

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/07/20/4114551/money-corrupts-the-us-political.html#storylink=cpy

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Made us laugh

A Jeer in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Bait and switch is right on the money, ma'am.

Jeers: To the city of Fort Worth and the Trinity River "Vision" Project for taking what is normally an extraordinary fireworks show and turning it into whatever that was July 4. Thirty tickets purchased for the Cats game = bait and switch. Won't make that mistake again.

-- Alicia C. Miller, Arlington

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Are YOU next?

What happens when it's YOUR water?

WHO owns YOUR water? 

In a-round-about way (some of you will get that) the Tarrant Regional Water District owns your water.  What have they been up to lately?

All things TRV. 

Read about those in Fort Worth with no water.  And "no recourse". 

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Pay attention

They are all playing the same game.  Guess WHO pays?

TTC eminent domain abuse continues

And the eminent domain abuse doesn't stop with pipeline companies. TxDOT just released a Request for Information, June 22, seeking assistance from developers to build ancillary facilities inside the SH 130 tollway in Travis County, including a gas station, garage, store, hotel, restaurant, railroad tracks, utilities, and telecommunications facilities and equipment.

In fact, the deadline for interested developers is this Wednesday, July 23. Though the Legislature thought it took care of this by removing the Trans Texas Corridor from statute last year, Section 228.053 lives on and grants TxDOT the same ability to lease out the public's right-of-way for a private, commercial use.
The naturally occurring economic development alongside our interstate freeways will disappear if the state gets away with picking the winners and losers and monopolizes all the economic development by containing it within public rights-of-way on tollways rather than among private landowners. This also has impacts to local governments who will lose their potential commercial tax base alongside our highways.

Read more on TURF.  You better protect yours.

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What's wrong with Tarrant County?

This.

When a young man who happens to be a Wedgewood Church shooting survivor, an Afghan veteran, a current police officer, a TCU graduate, a devoted husband and father, that wants to serve his county as constable can be sued by a sore loser. 

Read about the lawsuit against Glen Bucy below. Then please go vote.  And tell your friends.  Don't let another Tarrant County election be bought.  Remember, it's YOU who pays.  Early voting is taking place NOW!

Frivolous Lawsuit Filed by Former Constable Candidate Tim Hotchkin Against Glen Bucy For the amount of $322,000

             Glen Bucy, survivor of the Wedgwood Baptist Church Shooting, U.S. Army - Afghanistan Combat Veteran , and Candidate for Constable Precinct 6 was served paperwork pertaining to a lawsuit filed by Tim Hotchkin (former Candidate for Constable). The lawsuit stated "During the campaign, Glen Bucy distributed by hand and U.S. mail a push card flyer comparing himself to his opponents." The suit alleges that the Push card included a number of false statements and omissions. The lawsuit also falsely alleges that Bucy created a fictitious FaceBook account in order to post the aforementioned "Push Card" material.

           Bucy said "Look at the timing of this Lawsuit, it is nothing more than a direct attack on my character. Early voting will start in less than a week and I believe this is a coordinated attack in order to demean my moral and ethical character to win an election to political office. Mr. Hotchkin is a known supporter of Jon Siegel and has given his full support and endorsement to him as well. I did in-fact distribute a comparative mailer before the primary election, however, all information pertaining to that mailer derived directly from the appropriate sources which include: Voting history provided by Tarrant County Elections, Hours of Police Training provided by TCLEOSE,  and Employment history directly from the Constable that fired Mr. Hotchkin." The fact that the card states  Mr. Hotchkin is a Private Security Officer Vs. Private Security Investigator is irrelevant and to my knowledge there isn't a difference between the two. However, in the same paragraph on the mailer I mention that he is a Reserve Officer with 8 years experience. "

          In the race for Constable of Precinct 6, Glen Bucy is the only candidate who is actually a full-time Police Officer. The fact that the lawsuit calls for damages exceeding $322,000 is based on the assumption that Mr. Hotchkins would have won the election if this mailer would not have been distributed. That fact is that the mailer in question was actually delivered the day after the election due to unseen delays having the piece mailed. There is no basis for damages as all information was factual and voters received the piece after Mr. Hotchkin had already lost the election having received only 17.38% of the vote. The lawsuit therefore is nothing more than a smear tactic used late in the election in an attempt to discredit Mr. Bucy.

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Tubing in Tarrant County

Is that the Love Shack flooding?  What's next, the Woodshed?

Maybe next year instead of Tubing the Trinity, you can Tube the Stockyards.  Hopefully someone will test that water.  This tubing location is courtesy of a broken water main in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards.  The picture is courtesy of one of the many folks on the ground around town reporting real news.

Durango asked about the Tarrant Regional Water District testing the water in the Trinity River, as they said they would last year.  Anyone seen the results of that test?  We're told one of our contributors asked WFAA about a follow up story.  No response.  No surprise.

How's that flood control working out for ya, Fort Worth?  No worries, the Trinity River Vision will save you.

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Fort Worth gets "modern" transportation

That's what the Fort Worth Star-Telegram calls the $787 million in grants Fort Worth is getting from the U.S. Transportation Department.  WHERE do you think they get that money?  WHO's do you think it is?

Maybe they could give that money to TXDot, we hear they need more land.  In the meantime, could we get a freeway that works around here?  Any of them.  Any one?

WHY are the getting it?  That may be the kicker.

It was one of 255 projects that the U.S. Transportation Department announced funding for Monday as part of $787 million in grants that were distributed nationwide, all aimed at modernizing and repairing transit systems throughout the nation.

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Feces, Alligators and Zebra Mussels

Oh my!

The dreaded Zebra mussels have made their way to the Trinity River basin.

It's quoted as being a very bad thing for the environment and the economy.

What will they find in the river system next?

Hopefully they find it before the next Trinity River Vision Rocking on the River / Floating with Feces event.

Read more on NBC5, not about the feces float, you'llnever read about that in the local 'news'. 

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Daughter of Texas Fights For Her Land Against TransCanada

A daughter of Texas is standing up to a foreign corporation that has come to take her land by force.

Julia Trigg Crawford manages the farm her grandfather bought in 1948 near Direct, TX south of the Red River. Last year a Canadian pipeline company called TransCanada told Julia Trigg and her family that a portion of their land would be taken by eminent domain so that the Keystone XL pipeline could be built across it.

Join us at a hearing in Austin on Monday July 23rd and demand that Texas legislators protect private property. (For more details email contact@wetexans.com)

You have the power to stand with Julia Trigg and to tell elected officials that private foreign corporations should NOT be able to take private property from its rightful owner.

Julia Trigg will face off with TransCanada in court next month. But right now the Land & Resource Management Committee of the Texas House of Representatives is getting ready to meet and discuss what steps our legislature should take to protect landowners.

While this is a positive step, the pipeline industry will be working to convince members of the committee and other legislators they should be given broad powers to take land from private citizens.

Legislators need to hear from you – let them know that pipeline companies have been abusing eminent domain for far too long and Texans aren’t going to stand for it any longer.

Did you know that until last year pipeline companies in Texas could take private property without ANY oversight whatsoever? If a pipeline company claimed it had the right to use eminent domain there was nothing a landowner could do except wait for the land to be taken and then file a lawsuit. Very few property owners have the resources to fight a legal battle with major pipeline companies, so the pipelines almost always won out-of-court settlements that allowed them to take the land.

But in 2011 the Texas Supreme Court struck down this abusive practice in the landmark Texas Rice Land Partners v. Denbury Green Pipelines decision. The court seemed appalled that this was going on, saying “Private property cannot be imperiled with such nonchalance, via an irrefutable presumption created by checking a certain box on a one-page government form. Our Constitution demands far more.”

Join us in Austin, make your voices heard, and let’s give power back to property owners! (Again, for more details email contact@wetexans.com)

As always, thank you for your support!
Calvin Tillman
Former Mayor, DISH, TX
(940) 453-3640

"Those who say it can not be done, should get out of the way of those that are doing it"

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Another Tarrant County Example

Or more Montgomery Plaza drama...

Not only could they not sell all the condos (as they stated they could), some were foreclosed on. 

Now, the tenants have found out how much the developers are making off the tax assessment alone.  They're pretty pissed.  Wonder how pissed they'll be when they figure out the rest of the story?

Montgomery Plaza has a long history with the Trinity River Vision. Someone should look into that. Especially if they live in the sights of Trinity River Vision.  Or in the heart of its TIF boundary. 

Wake up.  You're next.

Read about the TAD fiasco in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  YOU can't afford to miss it. 

The fight erupted after condo owners learned a secret: Similar-size condos are getting much different tax appraisals.

In Tarrant County??!  You don't say. 

Condos owned by the project's developer, 2600 Montgomery Llc., are assessed at much lower values than homeowners' units -- sometimes half as much. It's a sweetheart deal, some condo owners say, and it means a hit of thousands of dollars in property taxes for those shut out of it.

There's those 3 letters again, "Llc".  The "developers" own almost half of the condos.  Some would say those boys should be taken behind the Woodshed.  In Tarrant County, that has a whole different meaning.

"How that comes across as equitable and fair or uniform is frankly a mystery to me," husband David Ekstrom said.

You'll see why this important line is buried down later in the story in the paper.

TAD not only had the values wrong, Ekstrom told the appraisal review board, but also had the sizes of some homes wrong. Some condo owners, for example, bought two condos but are being appraised for one, she said.

Another governmental agency had their "values" wrong?  And it took another average citizen taxpayer to point it out.  Kudos, ma'am.

Under state law, TAD is required to set assessed values that are fair, equitable and uniform.

See above statement from Mr. Citizen Taxpayer.

The tax dispute is another example of injustice, Slattery said. "It was grossly unfair," he said.

And don't miss this from the comment section, lookthisway knows what's up and WHO pays. 

You live in Texas the home of the big business give away. How do you think Ft. Worth can continue to give away tax money if they can't get it...not from business but from the middle class. Texas is in for a financial meltdown within the next 5 years. Too much borrowing and spending by the Republicans in Austin, Ft. Worth and Tarrant county. Someone is going to have to pay and it won't be the wealthy or business.

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Trust us...

We "protect" YOUR water.

We don't know which is worse, that Fort Worth said it, the paper quoted it, or that some people buy it.

Fort Worth says water might be stinky, but it's safe

"Customers should notice some improvement by Saturday, but taste and odor issues may persist for another couple of months," the department said.

Customers may improve their water's taste by refrigerating it in an open container and adding a slice of lemon or lime, the department said.

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Faux Flood Control in Fort Worth

It appears the latest Trinity River Vision Update has shown Durango a few new things, like the Trinity River Vision's Interior Water Feature.

Below is part of a long Durango post about the Trinity River Vision Update:

When the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle was first hoisted on Fort Worth, about the biggest element touted, before the much needed flood control was added, was that there would be this big Town Lake, covering over 30 acres, giving downtown Fort Worth a water feature that would make other towns in America green with envy.

As the TRV Vision began its slow fade into Boondoggle land, the Town Lake started to shrink. Eventually it became a fraction of its original size, with the locals now referring to it as Pond Granger. Or the Kay Puddle.

Well, this graphic in this latest TRV Boondoggle Update does not refer to the former Town Lake, there is now no mention of a lake, pond or puddle.

The Town Lake Pond Puddle is now called the "Interior Water Feature."

George Orwell would be proud.

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Speaking of roads...

People come here every day looking for information on Texas Toll Roads.  If you want information and want to know WHO is behind the Texas Toll Road fiasco, look no further.

Texas Turf has it all.

Educate yourself.  Your children will thank you.

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Ain't all it's cracked up to be...

Not only does the drilling industry no longer own the 4th of July, they rolled through here and tore up the roads.

We think we heard that at a meeting (or a hundred), citizens asking WHO was going to pay for it, all the while knowing the answer.

Guess WHO rolled out of town?  Now what?

Read the article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 

The Texas Department of Transportation told industry representatives and elected officials Monday that repairing roads damaged by drilling activity to bring them up to standard would "conservatively" cost $1 billion for farm-to-market roads and another $1 billion for local roads. And that doesn't include the costs of maintaining interstate and state highways.

The task force -- made up of county judges, state legislators, state highway and public safety officials, and industry representatives -- plans to forge legislative recommendations this fall to address what has become a statewide infrastructure problem caused by five big energy plays, he said.

Now that drilling activity has slowed significantly, the big operators are gone and small subcontractors are hauling salt water and drilling mud, often making it difficult to get anyone to cover road maintenance costs, said Rick Bailey, Johnson County Precinct 1 commissioner.

"We'd be better off if they hauled the legal limit," Bailey said of truckers who often carry 10 to 35 percent over their legal capacity.

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Slacking

When we posted the 4th of July poster for the Mid-cities, we thought for sure someone would notice.

Chesapeake doesn't own the 4th of July anymore. 

We've noticed they don't sponsor much of anything they used to since the lawsuits started piling up all over the country. 

Remember back in the day when they owned everyone?  They even told you WHO to vote for.  How'd that work out for ya?

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Wouldn't you think...

That those in "Washington, District of Columbia" have more important things to do than look at a blog out of Fort Worth, Texas, every day?

What are we saying?  It is Washington, after all.

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Well, the politicians aren't complaining...

And the businesses didn't know.

That's why they weren't complaining.  As for the politicians...

Read the article AND the comments in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the nightmare that 820 has become.  The article states Fort Worth, though it seems Haltom City is taking a big hit. 

The article even states they'll make the road will run all the way to Cabela's (in a hundred years or so..), we have a feeling Durango would have a field day with that.

Other business owners were infuriated to learn that the North Tarrant Express developer plans to permanently close the eastbound 820 exit to North Beach in about two months. They said they were under the impression that the exit would close temporarily but reopen by 2015 or sooner.

"I understand they have to do this project, but do they have to shut down everything at the same time?" asked Pete Jones, owner of Penguin Promo screen-printing shop. Jones said he recently moved from the Park Glen area to an apartment across North Beach from his store, partly because he got tired of the grinding commute home each evening -- three miles that regularly took 30 minutes or more.

He said he had not heard much backlash about the closing from business owners or elected officials in area cities. But he also acknowledged that the impending closure hadn't been publicized and might not be widely known.

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Feel that?

Lots of earthquake activity in Burleson this weekend.  Y'all got gas wells out there?

The U.S. Geological Survey says a 3.5 magnitude quake occurred at 12:46 p.m. Sunday four miles northeast of Keene and 21 miles south of Fort Worth.

The U.S. Geological Survey has received dozens of reports from people who felt the quake.

There were also reports of windows broken and items being knocked over.

Earlier Sunday, a 3.4 magnitude quake happened at 3:55 a.m. at Tilden in South Texas. That town is about 40 miles west of Beeville and south of San Antonio.

On Saturday morning, there was a 2.1 magnitude quake just before 1 a.m. in North Texas, near Keene.

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Wanted - Newspaper in Fort Worth

Durango got an email that had him blogging a post titled France's Millau Viaduct vs. Fort Worth's Phyllis Tilley Bridge that made the case that the reason so many things go badly awry in Fort Worth is because Fort Worth lacks a real newspaper doing what a real newspaper does, as in investigative journalism and being the voice of the people speaking to power.

Below is a short excerpt....

If Fort Worth had a real newspaper, something like the Cowtown Wakepark, Santa Fe Rail Market, Cabela's tax breaks and the Trinity River Vision would never get off the ground, because an informed public would not put up with the foolishness. 

With no real newspaper, most of the Fort Worth public is oblivious to the foolishness.

Oblivious to the foolishness, while Rome burns, I mean, the Trinity River Vision parties. In private. And in inner tubes floating on the polluted Trinity River.

Which is another thing. What did you think of that investigative reporting the Star-Telegram did into how safe it is to float in the Trinity River? 

I'm sure that report is coming soon....

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The Family 4th Fireworks Show

Wednesday, July 4th at 9:30 PM.

The Family 4th Fireworks Show.

Free Parking.

The Hills Shopping Center at 6351 Boulevard 26, North Richland Hills & W.G. Thomas Coliseum at 6108 Broadway, Haltom City.

No personal fireworks or outdoor grilling allowed.

This is a litter-free, alcohol-free family celebration.

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Ironic?

Seems there's a band called, The Dirty River Boys.

We looked all over the Tarrant Regional Water District Trinity River Vision Authority website and couldn't find when the Dirty River Boys were playing the Rockin' the River tubing on the Trinity events. 

Must have been overlooked.  Or maybe since we have our own?

We hear they have a song called, Boomtown. 

Oh, the irony.

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Two Town's Flood Tales

Durango makes some interesting comparisons between the flood control projects in his old hometown and his new hometown. And asks some interesting questions.

Read it all in A Tale of Two Town's Flood Control Projects: Fort Worth & Mount Vernon.

Below is a blurb....

Now, how is it that Fort Worth and its bizarro Trinity River Vision Boondoggle has gotten millions of federal dollars for an un-needed flood control project that will build a likely ridiculous looking, un-needed flood diversion channel, so that the levees that have stopped flooding for decades can be removed?

Meanwhile, Mount Vernon, which has an actual, real, flood problem, that has caused problems for decades, scrambles to find the money to build a permanent fix.

Is this a function of the fact that the congressperson who represents the district in which Mount Vernon is located is not a corrupt politician willing to finagle shady deals to channel federal money Mount Vernon's way, whilst Fort Worth is represented by a corrupt congresswoman who stands to make financial gains from the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle which she has helped to fund, which, in addition to providing her financial gain, also provided her son, J.D. Granger, the job of running the project, a job for which J.D. Granger has absolutely zero qualifications?

The installing her son to run the TRV Boondoggle is sufficient cause to attach the "corrupt" label to this corrupt politician, let alone all the other reasons.

Why do not more people find the TRV Boondoggle's wastefulness and lack of need to be perplexing, particularly when there are locations in America where money could be spent to fix an actual flooding problem?

Places like Haltom City and Mount Vernon.

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What say you?

If you want to opt out of the "mandatory" smart meters you have until Monday to speak up.

You need to send 16, yes we said 16 copies.

Get the scoop on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  Thank them for the late notice.

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Would YOU get in the Trinity River?

Would Congress?

Durango asks some interesting questions about last night's first Trinity River Vision Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Float of the year.

One edited excerpt...

"Rockin' the River perplexes me for many reasons. I know the Trinity River Vision Authority is not a public agency, and so laws about transparency do not apply. But, I can not help but wonder how much these Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats cost. And will J.D. Granger and his mama be floating with the feces, garfish, snakes, turtles, alligators and litter tonight....?"

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Bite you in the…

The judge who bragged in campaign material about fighting the EPA is no longer the judge of the Range Resources lawsuit.  He also lost his election.

Like no one saw that coming.

A Loftin campaign flier said, "Obama's EPA backed down only after Judge Trey Loftin ruled that the evidence was 'deceptive.'"

Read about it in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

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Can’t they all get along?

The answer is no. Apparently unity is an issue at the Republican Convention in Fort Worth.  From booing Perry to shouting “Oust Straus”, it’s clear the RINO’s days are numbered.

WHO’s next on the list?  We can’t wait to find out.

Even Bud Kennedy is noticing.

By the way, WHERE is Mitt?

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Weather Warning

Per Durango.

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Interference

A letter to the editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram shows that THE PEOPLE are catching on.

Butt out.  And remember, YOU could be next.

Political interference 

I received a robocall from U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (who is not my representative) endorsing incumbent Vicki Truitt for the Texas House 98 seat. I didn't appreciate Burgess' inserting himself into my state House race. Grassroots conservatives have been working hard to replace Truitt. Adding insult to injury, when I went online to Burgess' office contact form, it asked for my ZIP Code, and then the auto mail response said that since I wasn't a constituent, I should contact my own congressman! 

I called Burgess' office, gave my comment and said I bet next time his conservative constituents may want to find a true conservative to replace him like we are doing in HD 98 with Giovanni Capriglione. 

-- Ellen Lopez, Colleyville 

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Rookie vs. Old Guard

Seems Bud has a problem with the way Tarrant County voters voted.

Seems voters had something to say about that.  Read the comments, and leave one.

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I'm an Armendariz

This Wednesday at 10 EST, Dr. Al Armendariz will be facing off with Smokey Joe Barton in Washington at a hearing of a subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Some of us have decided to try and put up a new website by the time Dr. Al begins to testify that will both show we stand behind him and try to build a larger base of support for him and his work. The site is IMANARMENDARIZ.COM and it's name comes from this quote by Senator Inhofe (R-Oil and Gas) after he learned that Dr. Al resigned:

"It's not just Armendariz. 
There are lots of other Armendarizes around." 

To prove how right the Senator is, we're collecting pics from citizens who are proudly willing to stand behind a sign that says  "I am an Armendariz" - that they too are for prosecuting environmental criminals instead of coddling them, and support Al as he faces another round of needless harassment in order to advance the House's radical anti-EPA agenda. We'll put these "I am an Armendariz" pics up online a the new website. If you want to contribute, please send your pics to...

imanarmendariz@gmail.com

Also - if you as an individual or your group would like to be listed as a supporter of Dr. Al, please let me know by e-mailing me or using the imanarmendariz@gmail.com  address.

Attached is a quick flyer put together for the purpose of graphically illustrating the concept and being able to forward the campaign to others. Please send it along with this e-mail to others you think might be interested in pushing back on behalf of a guy who tried to look out for us. We're looking forward to receiving everyone's contributions.

Thanks for your consideration.
Jim Schermbeck
Downwinders at Risk
806-787-6567

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Welcome to Grangerville

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Either we’re getting better at this...

...Or Tarrant County voters are catching on.  We’ll hope for the latter.

All of our election picks won their race, except for Glen Bucy.  He’s in a runoff and will win in July.  Help him out.  It’s in YOUR best interest.

Ask WHO is interested in his opponent winning.  His opponent received approximately $80,000 from his family, for a constable race.  Really?  Is that WHO YOU want in office?

Congratulations to Lon Burnam, Jonathan Strickland, Giovonni Capriglione, Matt Krause, David Woodruff and Glen Bucy.

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And the winner is...

We don't know yet, but if you didn't vote, don't...well, you know the rest.

Now, we wait.

By the way, WHO's counting the votes?

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Word to the Wise, "Follow the Money"

The primary is Tuesday May 29th.  It seems that Friday May 25th before noon is too late to let my opinion be known in the Fort Worth Star Telegram Letters to the Editor. Their loss.

 

I hope you will share these thoughts with your readers....

Word to the wise, “Follow the money”

Texans pay too much for insurance, every type of insurance. We pay more than the National average for auto, home and employee health insurance. Is it possible that the storms are tougher here than in Kansas, Iowa or Missouri ? Are we worse drivers than New Yorkers? Are we less healthy ? No, we are not.

Texans pay more because our of State Legislators.

The BIG INSURANCE company lobbyists and PACs are strongly supporting one of their own to continue the fleecing. The Texas Ethics Commission Candidate finance report web site shows District 91 State Representative candidate Ken Sapp has received check after check after check from the lobbyist and Political Action Committees representing the Insurance industry. Can we really expect this lifelong insurance company executive to suddenly see the errors of his ways after taking the oath of office? No, we can’t. More words to the wise, “Don’t send a fox to guard the hen house“.

Tuesday, May 29^th a handful of Republican Primary voters will decide who will represent 175,000 of us in North East Tarrant County. Your vote is at a premium.

 

Haltom City

 

End of letter to the Editor

 

Want to know who is "supporting" your candidates? Stop by the Texas Ethics Commission's site, http://www.ethics.state.tx.us/php/cesearchSimple.html, from there you can search using different methods.  I found that using the Treasurer's name worked the best.  John Lewis is the Treasurer for Ken Sapp. You may be surprised to learn that your candidate has more than one "account" raising money for him/her. 

 

Another item regarding Tuesday's election. Voter turn out is abysmally low, less than 4 percent.  In the case of the House of Representatives District 91 race which includes  Haltom City, North Richland Hills, Richland Hills and a bit of Watauga there is NO DEMOCRATIC Party candidate.  That means our Representative will in fact be one of the four people on the Republican ballot, Ken Sapp, Lady Thombs, Stephanie Klick, Charles Scoma. 

 

P.S. the Star Telegram Editors Endorsed Ken Sapp, without meeting all the candidates.

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Today is Prairie Fest x3 with Movie Night on the Prairie

Today on the Tandy Hills at the Park on View Street,
Part 3 of Prairie Fest x3

Wildflower-Prairie Hikes for all ages
Solar-powered Live Music 
Food and Brews 
Movie Night on the Prairie

NEW for May 26 . . . 

• Movie Night on the Prairie debuts featuring,The General, starring Buster Keaton
• Plein air painters will be setting up easels and painting the prairie
• NEW Science-based Hikes for kids and families (see website for details)
• LIVE Musical performances (see below)
• Sponsor Info Booths including, Whole Foods Market, Electronic Waste Disposal, Greenling, Arlington Conservation Council, Tarrant County Green Party, Prairie Keepers and Texas Bluebird Society.

Event Hours
4 pm - Dusk
Movie Night starts at 8:45 pm  (Film running time: 78 minutes)
All FREE and open to the public

Stage  Schedule
4 pm: Sunshine Emery
5 pm: Fontanelle featuring, Jeff Prince & James Michael Taylor
6 pm: Rabbit's Got the Gun
7 pm: Pablo & the Hemphill 7
8:45 pm: Movie Night on the Prairie sponsored by, The Citizen Theater

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Vote in District 12

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Election Season

Is a busy time around these parts.

For those who keep asking, here are some of our picks that we know we will be voting for. 

Be sure and VOTE.  Otherwise, YOU are part of the problem. 

Check out the following. 

State Rep District 90 - Lon Burnam
State Rep District 92 - Jonathan Strickland
State Rep District 93 - Matt Krause
State Rep District 98 - Giovonni Capriglione
Constable Precinct 2 - David Woodruff
Constable Precinct 6 - Glen Bucy

VOTE!

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Fort Worth goes to the dogs

Last week over 500 animals were brought to the Animal Shelter in Fort Worth.  The capacity of the shelter is 400. 

The math is not on their side, if you know what we mean.

So for the rest of the month, all animal adoptions are half price. 

If you've been thinking about a pet.  NOW is the time. 

Help save Fort Worth, any part of it you can.

See the story on NBCDFW.com.

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Fort Worth Voter Fraud

No, we're not talking about YOU, yet.

Though the Fort Worth Star-Telegram article is just the tip of the iceberg.

Does anyone remember what happened 100 years ago involving an iceberg?

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What he said...

A letter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram speaks volumes.  So if YOU don't vote...don't speak.

YOU know there is an election taking place, right?  VOTE!

Based on the election returns Saturday, less than 6 percent of the residents of Hurst bothered to vote. Shame on you!

I've lived here for 33 years and have seen a lot of change. Some I liked, some I didn't, but, all in all, Hurst is a good place to live.

I voted early in the city elections. Two of the people I voted for won; two lost. I voted for the new Law Center, and it passed. I didn't get everything I wanted, but I took the time to let my voice be heard, and I'll live with the results of the voters' choice.

What I don't understand is why so many of the residents just don't care enough to vote.

Please, don't tell me "I didn't have time" or some other hollow excuse.

People get the representation and taxes they deserve. Deserve is based on willingness to participate.

When your taxes go up a bit next year to fund the new Law Center and you don't like it, but you didn't vote, please sit down and be quiet.

-- Dave Waldrop, Hurst

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Rockin on the River

Wonder if they will they be serving gator this year?

The alligator was found by game wardens in the Trinity River at a location between Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Worth.

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Based on WHAT?

As we read the usual endorsements from the 'news'paper and while we agreed with only a couple, we had to wonder WHAT these endorsements were based on.

The letter we received from 'Ms. Led' which leads us to believe, we ain't the only ones.

I was disappointed to see the Star Telegram's endorsement for District 91 State Representative.

How is it that an Institution as respected and influential as a major city newspaper can use their bully pulpit with callous disregard for fairness? The Star Telegram's readers, like all citizens of Tarrant County should know that their Editorial Board has chosen to make their recommendation without the common decency to interview all the candidates for an office. Without an across the board, fair and impartial visit with each and every candidate the Star telegram's endorsements are meaningless and deceitful. The Editorial Board's endorsement should come with a caveat: Endorsement based on incomplete information.

Ms. Led

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Fort Worth APB

UPDATE: Olive the Prairie Dog has been returned home!

An All Points Bulletin has been issued for Olive the Tandy Hills Prairie Dog. 

Please help find her.  Her family are contributors to our blog and our city. 

Durango has the scoop.

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You must not be from around here...

But if you're still looking for info on floating on the Trinity River with the Trinity River Vision and the Tarrant Regional Water District, Durango's got the 411.

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No Swimming Allowed

Durango's been talking about the Trinity River lately, and when we received a link to the article from Oklahoma below, well, it makes you wonder if floating (and Wakeboarding) on the Trinity River is really such a good idea. If you still can't decide, think about this.

First, from Durango -

Yesterday after I mentioned that I had considered kayaking among the floaters in J.D. Granger's upcoming Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats on the feces infested Trinity River someone named Anonymous commented....

"Looks like the stage is up on the river's edge again for the J.D. & Friends Poop O'Matic Float A'Thon."

I did not know the name of the river floating event had been changed to Poop O'Matic Float A'Thon. I guess it's a more fitting name.

And this from the OUDaily

Seems a whole bunch of people got sick from e coli, etc. in the water. 

It says swimming is "not usually allowed in the Oklahoma River, or any Oklahoma City lake or river."

Now WHY would OK City ("usually") not allow people to get in the dirty water and back here in Fort Worth, Texas they are duped in to doing so?   Kind of challanges a rumor we've heard all these years about Texans being smarter than Oklahoma.

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Dallas Morning News

All these years, and they are still reporting news. 

They are interested in what's happening with Tarrant County water.  WHERE is YOUR paper?

We noticed some familiar names in the article.  Do YOU? 

The article mentions the Tarrant Regional Water District supplies water to 1.7 million.  With all the Trinity River Vision distractions, we thought they might have forgot.

Which would you rather have, a water supply or more development?

Arlington vote on permanent water restrictions on hold, at least for now

A top official at the Tarrant Regional Water District said consumption has to go down among its largest customers.

“We do need everyone to come up to that conservation level [so] that we can delay construction of a new project,” said Linda Christie, the water district’s community and government relations director. “They’ll have to come up with a way to reach the conservation level that’s necessary.”

Christie wouldn’t speculate about how the water district might react if Arlington couldn’t or wouldn’t reduce its demand. She only said she was confident that the city — which uses about 18 percent of the district’s water — would find ways to conserve. The district supplies about 1.7 million people with water.

“We haven’t reached that bridge yet,” she said. “If we have to make a decision, we will.”

The goal, they said, was to delay the expensive and inevitable expansion of the water supply for a growing region.

Christie said the delay allows water suppliers to pay down their debt before having to spend millions or even billions for new pipelines and reservoirs.The city of Irving and the Tarrant water district have also faced major legal setbacks in their efforts to acquire new water supplies from Oklahoma.

“Even though we’re up here talking about it, it might not work,” Cluck said, summarizing the mayors’ consensus. “There could be a city council or two or three that would not support it.”

He said he was unaware there was significant opposition on the council until it was too late.

“I didn’t really pick up on that until the day of the meeting,” he said. “I was shocked, however, when we had a motion to approve it and couldn’t get a second.”

 Kelly Canon, an Arlington Tea Party activist who helped organize opposition Tuesday, said the mayors had already decided on these rules and held their news conference before consulting with their councils or the public. She said conservatives in Arlington have been fighting against efforts to “shove” smart meters, hike and bike trails and other projects “down our throats.”

Acknowledging that the water supply is a critical issue, Canon said she would favor an expanded tier system that would charge more for larger water users. She said that would raise more money to expand supply, while giving customers an incentive to save water.

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Grapevine puts the brakes on Chesapeake

Seems no one told the City Council that the seismic trucks would be rolling through town.  Seems Grapevine is the only town around that you can't just roll over. 

More power to them. 

Read about it on the Grapevine Courier. 

By the way, did the rest of you know you could tell the seismic testers not to look at your info?  And if you do that, "it is never seen".  How many of you buy that?

Neither the testing company, Dawson Geophysical Co. of Midland, nor Chesapeake gave the City Council advance notice of their plans. The council members and the mayor were unhappy they were not informed.

The only parts of the county not yet completed were small sections of North Richland Hills and Euless, and all of Grapevine, according to officials.

After Chesapeake announced it would postpone the testing, Tate said the company was having trouble getting people to give permission for the geophone placements.

"Part of that was a lack of information on what it was," he said. "And second there is a concern about drilling."

However, Tate was not happy that Chesapeake had not informed the city earlier, and questioned why the company did not need a permit to do the testing. He expressed concern that the buggy convoys would add more frustration to drivers already frustrated with streets and roads blocked by construction.

"I'm sure citizens will be thrilled with more traffic at this time," Tate said at the meeting. "They're fed up now. Your timing is not very good."

Tate suggested Chesapeake postpone the seismic testing until the fall when the DFW Connector is expected to be 85 percent completed, or later when it is done. "With gas at a dollar, I don't know what the urgency is," he said.

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District 8 Gate

The Fort Worth Weekly looked at a council candidate for District 8.  YOU won't beleive it.  Well, then again, it is Fort Worth. 

Read the story here.  Things like this are why YOU should vote.

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House of Cards

Since the news broke of the biggest fracker getting fracked, things have been unraveling at a rapid pace. 

Chesepeake's stock is taking a hit, shareholders are suing Aubrey McClendon, and finally, Feds are investigating.  We hear the trickle down has already started to hit home.  How many elected officials throughout the shale own stock?  How many campaigns will be impacted by the losses?

In addition to all that, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports, Wyoming governor got EPA chief to stall announcement on fracking, groundwater contamination.  WHY?  "....show that Wyoming officials took advantage of the postponement to "take a hard line" and coordinate an "all-out press" against the EPA in the weeks leading up to the announcement Dec. 8."

Seems Al Armendariz isn't quite the news story they thought he'd be.  In today's paper, he was called, "the best".  Thanks, Al!

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WHO YOU voting for?

We hear a lot of complaints coming out of Haltom City - we say, if YOU want something different, elect someone other than the incumbent. 

Our crew in HC unanimously agreed on WHO they were voting for out there. 

Bob Watkins & Mary Haltom.

"Haltom" is pretty self explanatory, well that and none of our folks have ever seen her opponent. 

Watkins is a longtime resident and local business owner.  He serves on a city board and volunteers all over town, he's been doing both for decades. 

Sounds like just the kind of council member Haltom City needs. 

VOTE!!

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Gas Leak

No, we don't mean Chesapeake stock. 

We have incoming reports of a gas leak and possible evacuation on Rufe Snow in North Richland Hills. 

If we hear more, before the "news", we'll let you know.

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Texas Water Restrictions

What restrictions?

Apparently they only apply to YOU.

So do vehicle registrations, headlights and license plates...

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Bazinga

WHAT happens when reporters start asking questions? 

Read it in the Rolling Stone.  Fracker Aubrey McClendon Booted From Chesapeake Board

The facts of the loan itself were bad enough, but the way the Chesapeake’s PR dweebs handled it – at first they said the board was "fully aware" of the loan and approved it, then the next day reversed themselves – just made the whole deal more rancid. Chesapeake is a publicly-held company, with a market cap of about $12 billion.
 
The company’s stock tanked by 10 percent or so, vaporizing more than a billion dollars of shareholder value. The Internal Revenue Service is investigating the loan, as is the Security and Exchange Commission. No less than three shareholders filed lawsuits. You just know Chesapeake’s lawyers are going to be dealing with fallout from this for years. And who knows what other sweet nuggets of impropriety investigators might unearth along the way?

As I learned a few months ago while reporting for Rolling Stone, the Chesapeake is really a land-acquisition company disguised as a natural gas producer, and one that is leveraged up the wazoo.

If I were a Chesapeake shareholder, I’d have lots of questions – like, if the company is playing games with financial disclosure, what kind of foolery are they up to with disclosure about, say, the chemicals they are pumping underground during fracking operations, or what they are doing with the hundreds of millions of gallons of toxic flowback water they dispose of every year?

Enron with drilling rigs.

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