When it rains, Haltom City floods

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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3 LLC's and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

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.

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Haltom City explodes

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.

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Proposition Reminder

Incoming from Haltom City.

In your recent post regarding Amendments to be voted on there was much discussion of Economic Development and eminent domain.

Besides the TRV here it is in our small town. See the 5000 word article printed earlier this year in the FWW. This would be a good reminder of what happens. 

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WHO to the rescue?

A letter to the editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tells you how things are run in Tarrant County.  Don't be mistaken, it ain't just Richland Hills.

If a Texes hero shows up, they are going to be busy. 

Rescue Richland Hills

Richland Hills has ceased to function as a city, and there's no Superman to rescue us. We have a city charter that is old and outdated but is the current, legal policy voted in by our citizens. It is the law.

Or is it? Various members of the City Council are routinely violating the city charter but there's no way to hold them accountable since they abolished the city's Ethics Review Board. The city manager, who has won numerous awards for management of the city, is under siege by the council. Each week more City Council actions are being hidden in "executive session." Residents loyal to certain councilmen are allowed to misbehave during council and board meetings and are creating a hostile workplace for volunteers and city employees. Councilmen are ordering the replacement of opposing board members without following due process.

Richland Hills has become a Wild West town run by thugs and bullies. We need an intervention! I have contacted various elected officials within Tarrant County and my state representative but so far no one seems able or willing to step in, call this obviously unethical behavior into question and save Richland Hills.

-- Ralph Smith, Richland Hills

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Flood control scams?

White Settlement has a real flood control problem, one where homes actually flood.  They voted to spend money years ago to correct the problem. 

So, what happened?

Congress and the Corp of Engineers, that's what.  Read the excerpt below from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

In the meantime, the cost of the project, which is funded by White Settlement and the Army Corps of Engineers, has increased. After voters approved the $6 million, Congress placed a moratorium on the $7 million in federal funds that wasn't lifted until 2007 because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. During that time, costs increased and the estimated cost for the project was $16.2 million, but now it is more than $18 million.

One of our sources tells us the same thing happened in Haltom City.  WHERE are the cities supposed to come up with the additional money?  If they call it a vision will that help?  If real flooding problems cost more than estimated, what will happen with the Trinity River Vision estimate?

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WHO knows?

WHY was the election judge in Haltom City removed a couple of days in to early voting? 

WHY was another election judge removed in Haltom City previously?

WHY were people that voted in those first days of early voting hanging outside the polling place door on the last day of early voting? 

Small towns...which is worse?  That or the Fort Worth Way?

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What she said was...

One of our friends in Haltom City wrote a Letter to the Editor of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram supporting a candidate for Haltom City Mayor.  She was kind enough to send us a copy.  Then we noticed something, what she said and what was printed, well - read it yourself.  Can you see a difference?  Another example of WHY we started this blog.

Said:
A recent letter stated the Haltom City election was costing $30,000 while the true cost is $14,704. This was just another feeble attempt in misleading the citizens with so called “facts”. It's been going on far too long in our town and it's time for it to end. If you agree, join me in voting for Bob Watkins as the write-in candidate for Mayor. Bob attends most every city function and meeting. He donates time to Paw Pals and Friends of the Library. He is a homeowner and business owner in the city, as well as a long time member of the Zoning Board of Adjustments and the Northeast Tarrant Chamber, and he has never been a member of the Economic Development Corporation. Don’t let your right to vote go to waste, write in Bob Watkins for Mayor!

Paper said:
Join me in voting for Bob Watkins as the write-in candidate for Haltom City mayor. Bob attends most every city function and meeting. He donates time to Paw Pals and Friends of the Library. He is a homeowner and business owner in the city, as well as a longtime member of the Zoning Board of Adjustments and the Northeast Tarrant Chamber -- and he has never been a member of the Economic Development Corporation. Don't let your right to vote go to waste. Write in Bob Watkins for mayor!

Now why would the first portion of the letter be removed?  ASK. Knowing her, she already has. 

Another question would be, HOW many letters are edited and what did they REALLY say?  ASK.

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Did YOU vote yet?

YOU better.  Otherwise, same ol...you know.

DO something, otherwise, keep your mouth shut. 

WHO are we voting for?  You can see our pics here.

Early voting ends today at 7.  Election day is Saturday!

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Open Letter to Fort Worth Candidates

And Haltom City candidates, and North Richland Hills candidates, etc..

This may be our favorite letter we have ever received.  Sounds like we have a new contributor.  Welcome aboard Mr. Haltom City Voter.  The pay sucks, but you'll sleep better at night than the politicians do.

Dear Mysterious Media Moguls of the Star Telegraph,

First, let me thank you for your effort to bring a fresh perceptive of the community news to the people of the Tarrant County. I know it is a challenging effort and you are to be commended for your diligence and vision.

This is of course election season and the media is full of endorsement letters for this candidate and that candidate. Our mail box should be filled with letters telling us the value of each of the people on the ballot. It is not. The web sites of the candidates should give us real insight to the thinking and positions of the candidates on issues of public concern. They do not. Time and again I see the same fluff repackaged.

Candidate A has three children and five grandchildren, goes to the big church on the corner, wants better economic development in the city, and less government. Candidate B has four children, four grandchildren and a dog named Frisky. He is a deacon at big church on the hill. He wants better economic development in the city, and less government. Since I am a dog lover ,I guess I should vote for Candidate B, although I like the look of the church on the corner a lot more. Give me a break!

There should be a law against including inane material in campaigns. I really don’t want to hear about your family, your church and most of the do-nothing organizations which you have blessed with your attendance. Then there is the endorsements, here I will confess to making several myself over the years. The endorsement tells me nothing other than someone thinks this candidate is a kind and gentle soul with good moral character. I can safely say that each candidate for every office will have supporters who can mimic the same lines. Truth is, for the most part, candidates are good moral people, gentle and kind; at least before their first term in office.

To the candidates I say:

I am interested in how you fought for the little guy against an unjust system. I am interested in how you defended the environment against exploitative corporations. I would delight in hearing how you spearheaded the efforts to uncover government waste and corruption. I want to hear that you have a position, any position. It’s okay if we disagree on an issue. At least I can see that you have the will to stand-up for your convictions. I think the candidates should send out a complete list of contributors with each mailing and include the same in their web sites. Don’t make me go looking for it. Be up front. Let me know who you are listening to, who your corporate friends are. The law requires that you tell the public where your campaign funds come from. Be proud of your contributors. Be honest with the voters. Don’t send me a four color portrait of your All-American family , I have one of my own, thank you.

The candidate that gets my vote will be financially supported be the community, not out of town, out of state corporations looking for favors in the coming term.

The candidate that gets my vote will have real drive for a better community with a plan to accomplish it.

Generations of Americas have fought to maintain the privilege of the vote ,at least the candidates can make the effort to earn it!

Haltom City Voter

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