Wise County on the Web

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 5/27/00:

The Story	A fire destroys six condominiums in Runaway Bay including the home of Ruth Higgs who lost four pets and her master's thesis paper.
News worthiness (on a scale of 0 to 5)	********
The Spin	So what did we learn about her reaction to the tragedy? She plans to return her damaged Sprint telephone to the company: "You pay them $2 a month and they say they will replace it if anything happens."

The Story	The Boyd school bond issue was rejected by a vote of 493 to 153 prompting school board president Mike Rawlings to say, "[t]he bond issue was defeated by unfounded rumors and misinformation".
News worthiness	********
The Spin	Careful. The bond issue was defeated by 493 people who probably vote in school board elections as well.

The Story	County Commissioners approve minor variances for a 266 acre Canyon Springs subdivision being developed north of Decatur by Hollis Jones and J.K. Miller.
News worthiness	*******
The Spin	The most interesting part of the story was this tidbit: "Canyon Springs will feature homes in the $300,000 to $1 million [range]". Huh? Presently there are just a handful of homes in Wise County that fall within that price range but we're somehow going to have a whole subdivision full of them?

The Story	Darlene Pack, who apparently was accidentally shot by a 17 year old, pens a letter to the editor criticizing the Wise County Sheriff's Office for not informing the boy's parents about the incident.
News worthiness	**
The Spin	"[H]e did not get comfort from his parent's due to the neglect of the sheriff's department". Is it too much to ask for the kid to inform his parents about the incident? Also, knowing the incredible word of mouth grapevine in this county, how is it possible for someone to receive a gunshot wound requiring police and health care involvement without the kid's parents hearing about it on the street?

The Story	The Messenger receives another complaint about Austin American Statesman columnist Dave McNeely whose (normally liberal) work is printed in the "Other Views" section of the newspaper.
News worthiness	*****
The Spin	We lodge our protest but for different reasons. Every week, The Spin painstakingly reviews the paper and feels cheated by the McNeely column. It has nothing to do with Wise County, and, consequently, provides no fodder for the The Spin. We hereby urge that the McNeely column be dumped and be replaced with news of New Fairview or more crazed letters to the editor.

The Story	After a slew of letters to the editor concerning the ban of "cap throwing" at the Decatur High School graduation, 1997 graduate Beth May Fagan checks in by ripping Principal Melinda Reeves who "used to try to control every aspect of our school lives".
News worthiness	*
The Spin	Let it go.

See something in the local papers that struck you funny? Then suggest a topic for The Spin.

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