Politex

Nothing like a good parking story to rile up the readers...

Today's Star-Telegram story on folks around TCU's Amon Carter Stadium selling space in their yards during Frogs football games has reached No. 2 on today's most-read list at star-telegram.com.

Interesting reader comments on the online story:

From GDaddy: "Bet that Tech fan felt like had just been Barney Fifed."

From gmaint: "Be careful of what you wish for. They will find a way to tax you for this."

From 01010202: "...poor poor planning on TCU's part."

Here at the Star-Telegram, we've received only one call from a reader today who disputes the city contention that only one ticket for a yard parking violation was written during the Texas Tech game. A caller says he paid $25 to park in someone's yard south of the stadium and was written a ticket, but it was miscategorized as another violation.

PARKING OPTIONS

If you're going to the TCU-Oklahoma game Saturday and you don't have a TCU season pass, options are limited. The T is running buses every 15 minutes from the Intermodal Transportation Center and T&P Station downtown to Amon Carter, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Here are the largest parking lots around the stadium for those not holding TCU season coupons:

University Baptist Church
2720 Wabash Ave., enter McPherson at Wabash
Gates open: 8 a.m. Saturday
Fee: $30
Supports: Youth ministry

University Christian Church
2720 S. University Drive, enter University or Rogers
Gates open: 8 a.m. Saturday
Fee: $30
Supports: Youth ministry, youth music ministry

Alice Carlson Applied Learning Center
3320 W. Cantey St., enter McPherson at Shirley
Gates open: 8 a.m. Saturday
Fee: Season pass only, no single game spaces available
Supports: School and PTA

Trinity Episcopal Church
3401 Bellaire Drive S., enter Stadium Drive
Gates open: 8 a.m.
Fee: $30
Supports: Youth group

Paschal High School
3001 Forest Park Blvd.
RV parking: Opens 6 p.m. Friday, enter at Gordon Street. No reservation required.
Game day car parking: Opens 8 a.m. Saturday, Forest Park, Townsend, Frazier entrances, all lots available.
Fee: $120 two-night RV parking for an 18-by-36-foot space, $10 game day auto. Prices include free TCU shuttle to and from stadium.
Supports: Paschal groups
Paschal/Fort Worth Schools Professional Development Center
3150 McCart Ave.
Gates open: 8 a.m. Saturday
Fee: $10. Includes free TCU shuttle to and from stadium
Supports: Paschal groups

McKinney Memorial Bible Church
4805 Arborlawn Drive, off South Hulen Street
Gates open: 9 a.m. Saturday
Fee: Free, including TCU shuttle to and from stadium

- Scott Nishimura, Star-Telegram Fort Worth City Hall reporter

Snowball Express tribute to families of fallen soldiers rolls into Fort Worth Sunday

Here's our web story today on the Snowball Express, the DFW charity that runs an annual weekend fete for families of military men and women killed in duty. A 42-bus motorcade comes into downtown Fort Worth at 10 a.m. Sunday, and will follow a route up Commerce and North Main streets into the Stockyards, where the families will debark and walk down Exchange to a ceremony in front of the old Swift Armour building.

- Scott Nishimura, Star-Telegram Fort Worth City Hall reporter

Star-Telegram Fort Worth City Hall coverage archive

Here's an archive of recent Star-Telegram City Hall coverage:

ANIMAL CONTROL

"Fort Worth no longer allows owners to surrender pets in many circumstances," Sept. 15, 2012

ARTS FUNDING

"Task force wants gas money to go to arts," March 25, 2013

BOND

"Deferred parks projects vie for bond issue funding," March 19, 2013

"Increased fees possible as city looks for money," Jan. 7, 2013

BUDGET

"Fort Worth council passes budget," Sept. 19, 2012

"City plans to raise water rates, fees, for recreation," Aug. 10, 2012

"Cutbacks mark city budget plan," Aug. 8, 2012

ELECTIONS

"Fort Worth's District 8 council race red hot," May 1, 2013

"Two challengers aim to unseat veteran in Fort Worth's Disrrict 5," April 27, 2013

"Race in Fort Worth Council District 4 pits incumbent against newcomer," April 26, 2013

"Sal Espino, Jim Lane jostle for position in City Council District 2 race," April 24, 2013

HEALTH INSURANCE

"Fort Worth acts to rein in costs," Aug. 26, 2012

JAIL

"Fort Worth weighs jail options," Nov. 7, 2012

PENSION

"City reduces pension benefits," Oct. 29, 2012

"City employees seek delay in pension vote," Oct. 21, 2012

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

"Council moving to replace most of T's board," Feb. 3, 2013

TCU FOOTBALL PARKING

"Homeowners wrangle over TCU game parking in yards," Nov. 31, 2012

USS FORT WORTH

"The city's name will be carried around the world by one the "most advanced ships at sea," Sept. 23, 2012

"Ship is up to the challenge, Navy says", Sept. 22, 2012

"A ship awash in pride," Sept. 21, 2012

"Contest winners get trip to Galveston," Sept. 20, 2012

"USS Fort Worth crew arrives in Western style," Sept. 19, 2012

 

 Scott Nishimura, Star-Telegram Fort Worth City Hall reporter

LaRouche PAC organizers like Hurst

A pair of organizers for LaRouche PAC said Hurst is fertile ground for their message.
“This is one of the best sites in the area for receptability,” said John Jambor. “It’s blue-collar, and that’s the people who are hurting.”
Jambor, who said he’s been working for the political action committee for 37 years, was hanging out Monday and Tuesday with fellow LaRouche PAC employee Ian Overton at the Tarrant County sub courthouse on Grapevine Highway. Amid posters bearing photos of President Obama with a Hitler mustache and accusing him of crimes from cover-ups to murder, the two implored passersby to join them in a campaign to impeach the president.
There was no petition to sign, but Overton and Jambor offered folks a chance to get regular updates through a form that also allowed them to donate money.
Several people entering or leaving the sub courthouse stopped to talk with the men, who said they were returning to Houston Tuesday evening.
Many of those who stopped were eager to oust Obama. But most weren’t enthusiastic about being associated with LaRouche, the 90-year-old perennial presidential candidate (eight times and counting) who served time in prison for tax code violations and conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
A few people were outright enraged by what they saw, said Deputy Constable Peter Donnelly.
“There have been a few upset people we’ve had to calm down,” he said. “A Marine veteran demanded they be arrested and I had to explain that we could not. He was mad about the picture of Obama with the Hitler mustache and thought it was disrespectful of the Commander in Chief. That’s a common complaint among vets.”
But there are at least five Supreme Court decisions saying that such things are protected by the First Amendment, Donnelly said.
“As long as they don’t attach anything to the building and they don’t block access, they’re within their rights,” he said.

In the photo above, John Jambor, left, tells Hurst resident Barbara Murray about Lyndon LaRouche's plan to impeach President Obama.

Story and photo by Terry Evans

Fort Worth hosting big residential recycling drop-off event Saturday

Fort Worth is hosting its "biggest drop-off event ever" for residential recycling Saturday at LaGrave Field, allowing Fort Worth residents to drop off documents for shredding, tires, batteries, light bulbs, and electronics.

The free event, held in conjunction with America Recycles Day, will be 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Proof of residence, such as a driver’s license or water bill, is required. No business waste will be accepted.

Bridgestone Firestone, Goodwill Industries, and Greenstar, a recycling company, are hosting the event with the city.

In past years, the Fort Worth event has taken only documents for shredding. This year, the co-hosts are expanding the event to accept other recyclables.

A recent city audit found nearly 30 percent of trash taken to the city landfill is material that the city allows in the residential blue recycling carts, said Kim Mote, the city’s assistant code compliance director.

"Simply stated, we’re tossing far too many recyclable materials into the brown garbage carts that end up being buried in the landfill forever," he said.

Last year, more than 1,000 cars passed through the document-shredding event and dropped off 60,000 pounds of paper.

At this year’s event, residents can drop off up to five boxes of documents, at a maximum 40 pounds per box. Greenstar will issue a "certificate of destruction" for the paper and recycle it.

Bridgestone Firestone will collect up to four passenger tires per household.

All residential bulbs and batteries are being accepted.

Goodwill is accepting working and non-working electronics, small appliances, household items, furniture and clothing.

- Scott Nishimura, Star-Telegram Fort Worth City Hall reporter

Fort Worth parks board endorses 2013 gas-well revenue plan

Fort Worth’s Parks and Community Services Advisory Board last week endorsed a city staff recommendation for $3.27 million in fiscal 2013 projects from gas well revenue and related matching funds, bonuses and other money.

The City Council will vote on the plan in December.

It includes $1.57 million in gas-related revenue, $589,000 in matching funds, and $1.12 million in bonus and other money.

The board endorsed the staff recommendation to move $161,515 to the conversion of North Z Boaz Park from a golf course to a park from City View Park. Other parks to benefit: Rodeo Park, $425,828; Far Northside Park, $44,944; Gateway Park, $130,943; Sylvania Park, $142,555; Eastover Park, $47,250; Sandy Lane Park, $738,046; Creekside Park, $57,230; Hallmark Park, $231,937; Botanic Garden, $427,945; Cobb Park, $463,482; Stratford Park, $82,153; Tandy Hills Park, $75,799; Fire Station Park, $45,809; and Jefferson Davis Park, $200,561.

- Scott Nishimura, Star-Telegram Fort Worth City Hall reporter

Radler Foundation paying two thirds of Forest Park Pool repair, city says

Update: This source of city funds has been corrected from a previous blog post.

The Radler Foundation has agreed to pay two thirds of the repair costs for Fort Worth's historic Forest Park Pool, city staff told the Parks and Community Services Advisory Board. The city will pay one third.

The board endorsed the staff recommendation that the city enter into an agreement for a grant from Radler. The City Council is to vote on the agreement Dec. 11.

Parks director Richard Zavala told the parks board that the total cost of the project hasn't been estimated yet, but that it would be ready for the council vote

The city announced in July that Radler, a Fort Worth foundation, had agreed to help repair the pool, which has been closed since 2010 and is set to re-open in May.

The city said then that its share of the repairs would range as high as $200,000, to be paid for from capital improvement funds.

- Scott Nishimura, Star-Telegram Fort Worth City Hall reporter

Cornyn looking good for Whip

Sen. John Cornyn, still reeling from an under-performing election for the GOP, is nonetheless looking a little better to be Senate Minority Whip. His presumed rival, Sen. John Thume, R-S.D., said today, according to Roll Call, that he's going to re-up for another run to be GOP conference chairman.

 Cornyn, the Senate GOP campaign chief, came in for some muttering after the GOP lost Senate seats in the election: the Senate will now have 55 Democrats, a net gain of 2 seats, after having to defend 23 seats.

-- Maria Recio

KBH blame game: Republicans said "stupid things"

Retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison let loose this a.m. on CNN on what happened to the GOP Election Day: "We had Republican candidates who got very high profile and said some very stupid things. I think that really tainted the party," she said on CNN's "Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien."

She pointed the finger at Mo. Senate candidate Todd Akin who talked about "legitimate rape" and said that women who were raped had ways to prevent becoming pregnant. Hutchison said that although Republicans immediately ostracized him, Democrats were relentless in bringing up Akin's comments as a wedge againt the GOP.

Ind. GOP candidate Richard Mourdock followed up in his race saying that a woman getting pregnant as a result of rape was "what God intended." To all this, KBH said, according to CNN, that the party must "stop acting like the woman is a throw-away."

Both Akin and Mourdock lost their races.

"People have personal beliefs, and what we need to do is fashion a party around the economics and the long-term viability of the economy of our country," said KBH. "When people start trying to go into such personal issues and then try to form a party around it, it's very difficult."

 

-- Maria Recio

 

Texas sales tax revenue up 8.2 percent in October

Texas' sales tax revenue in October was $2.03 billion, up 8.2 percent from the same month a year ago, the Texas Comptroller said.

"The state's growth in sales tax revenue continued to be led by collections from the oil and natural gas-related sectors," Comptroller Susan Combs said Wednesday in a release. "We also saw strong consumer spending drive gains in retail trade and the restaurant sector as well."

Combs' office said it's sending $611.5 million in November local sales tax allocations to cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts, up 5.4 percent compared to November 2011.

- Scott Nishimura, Star-Telegram Fort Worth City Hall reporter, Twitter @JScottNishimura

Local sales tax payments
Here’s are some Tarrant County cities’ local sales tax payments from the state comptroller for November.
City	November payment	% chg.	Fiscal YTD payments	% chg.
Arlington	$8,540,259	2.06	$82,145,887	3.6
Dallas	$21,093,020	-0.48	$213,591,836	6.7
Fort Worth	$10,667,141	1.06	$103,403,944	5.66
Grand Prairie	$4,148,454	11.4	$37,334,063	8.37
Grapevine	$2,794,096	-16.37	$32,799,747	3.52
Hurst	$1,324,035	-0.31	$13,627,009	2.29
Southlake	$1,463,655	7.08	$14,381,577	8.55
Source: Texas Comptroller

Your city not listed here? Click here to view a complete list on the Texas Comptroller's web site.