A (sometimes) tongue in cheek
review of the news published this week regarding Wise County.
Normally posted every Sunday
around 6:00 p.m.
For the week ending 4/21/00:
A (sometimes) tongue in cheek
review of the news published this week regarding Wise County.
Normally posted every Sunday
around 6:00 p.m.
For the week ending 4/21/00:
| The Story | The Decatur School Board finally voted on the geographic lines for the two elementary schools. One parent, who served on the boundary committee, stated that the "boundary issue shouldn't divide the community". |
| News worthiness (on a scale of 0 to 5) | **** |
| The Spin | Isn't that exactly what a boundary does: divides and separates? |
| The Story | As Wise and Denton County commissioners try to iron out an agreement regarding regulation of the large Stone Creek mobile home development, Denton County Commissioner Jim Carter refers to trailer parks as “a cancer that is becoming a part of our county”. His main complaint is that the parks are a financial burden on Denton County because of their high density. |
| News worthiness | **** |
| The Spin | Hey Jim, since Denton County is so cash strapped, did you notice the front page article in the Dallas Morning News on Friday regarding the huge commercial construction boom in the southern part of your county? It was noted that the new developments will have an unprecedented $10 billion economic impact over the next fifteen years. "The revenue will mean lower tax rates and more dollars for new streets, services and schools to help handle the growth," the story stated. So tell us again why you can't afford services for this so called "cancer"? |
| The Story | Vincent Berry of Bridgeport had his do-it-yourself home reconstruction project shut down after failing to obtain city building permits. Although the city has the opportunity to fine him $2,500 a day for the violations, they opt instead to "work with him" and even suggested "that a group of volunteers" might help him out. |
| News worthiness | * |
| The Spin | If Mr. Berry had been a public school student, the ever popular and mindless "no tolerance policy" would have had him immediately banished to an Alternative Education Program. |
| The Story | In a letter to the editor, Tommie Read, in apparent support of an English only law, states that "in the early days, settlers coming to America from throughout the world realized they needed to have a common language. English prevailed over German by a single vote". |
| News worthiness | ** |
| The Spin | Always the skeptic, The Spin questions that piece of history. |
| The Story | New Fairview hires a law firm that also represents Keller and Grapevine. |
| News worthiness | * |
| The Spin | As to when the first skirmish will break out in a city council meeting regarding high legal fees, Las Vegas has set the over/under line at four months. |
| The Story | Decatur High School, after four years of being designated as low performing, comes in this year an "exemplary" rating after students achieve a passing rate of 99% in reading, 96% in math, and 97% in writing. |
| News worthiness | *** |
| The Spin | A 99, 96 and a 97!? Think back for a moment to your high school days. Can you envision any legitimate test that could be passed by 99% of the student body? The Spin doesn't question Decatur's grades, The Spin questions the difficulty of the tests. |
| The Story | Pesky engineering/irrigation problems increase the price tag of Decatur ISD's softball field from $250,000 to $290,000. "It's been a nightmare . . . trying to find a solution," Superintendent J.D. Kennedy said. |
| News worthiness | *** |
| The Spin | Hey, you've got a whole high school full of kids who have a 96% passing rate in math. Maybe they could offer some suggestions. |