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 6/17/00:
| The Story | A contractor hired by the county to paint a 146 foot tower in Decatur causes eight cars to be splattered with excess paint. |
| News worthiness (on a scale of 0 to 5) | *** |
| The Spin | The total fee for the paint job was $1,168 and insurance will not pay for the damage. |
| The Story | Robert Kirkland allegedly gets into an argument with a woman he was living with in Boyd and then, when alone, sets fire to his house. He was also charged with public intoxication. |
| News worthiness | *** |
| The Spin | "I did what?" |
| The Story | New Fairview announces that it will register three domain names (newfairview.com, newfairview.net, newfairview.org) for its official city web site. In an open meeting, council member Raul Vargas said "the first thing we have to do is to register a name because it is becoming a big business just registering names with the idea of selling them back". |
| News worthiness | *** |
| The Spin | A background search by The Spin reveals that the three sites were immediately scooped up by a group called "Coalition for Dis-annexation". |
| The Story | The Wise County Sheriff's Office purchases new "bean bag shells" that are fired out a shotgun "with enough force to slow, stun or knock down a suspect". Trainer Ray Leggett of Denton remarked that "The best place to shoot someone with this weapon is the butt . . . . " |
| News worthiness | ** |
| The Spin | Nothing like shooting a man who is running away. (By the way, WCSO Deputy David Riggs volunteered to be shot with a new bean bag shell in an effort to assist with the training in this use of the new ammunition. The first blast hit him in the bullet proof vest but the second was slightly off target leave a "large, deep red welt" on his chest.) |
| The Story | Alvord ISD adopts a drug testing policy for extracurricular activities which requires students to sign a consent form for future drug testing. |
| News worthiness | *** |
| The Spin | Since a similar policy has been in place for years at Bridgeport, Chico, and Paradise, The Spin wonders whether actual drug testing ever occurs. Is this just a publicity maneuver where the students sign the consent form but are never asked for a urinalysis? |
| The Story | A garage sale was held to raise money to send Miss Wise County, Bridget Booth, to the Miss Texas Pageant. |
| News worthiness | ** |
| The Spin | One slightly bent crown: $2.00; Vaseline for your teeth: $1.15; one broken ventriloquist dummy: $4.25; one tear stained evening gown from the Miss Wise County Pageant: priceless. |