Short version, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce picked 10 U.S. cities to host a health forum through the C of C's national Better Health through Economic Opportunity campaign.
The Star-Telegram took this being one of ten towns and being a great honor, opining that...
"We love it when Fort Worth is in the Top 10."
Yeah, that happens a lot.
I can not remember Fort Worth being in the Top 10 list of any legit list about anything. Even on Top 10 Most Obese City lists Fort Worth manages to be too skinny for the honor.
However, this Fort Worth setting the bar article does make mention of Fort Worth's obesity problem....
According to FitWorth, 30 percent of the Fort Worth population — and 50 percent of Fort Worth ISD students — are considered overweight, with estimated annual cost of obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease at $190.2 billion.
The setting the bar article also includes this doozy....
Third we have an inspiring public figure who champions this issue and walks the talk — or should I say “pedals the point” — on a daily basis. Mayor Betsy Price’s passionate enthusiasm for the well-being of all our residents is contagious here and has not gone unnoticed in Washington, D.C.
Really? Fort Worth's mayor pedaling a bike has not gone unnoticed in the nation's capitol?
What has gone unnoticed in Fort Worth is Betsy Price initiating much of anything in the public interest.
Betsy Price walks the talk?
How about talking the walks?
As in Fort Worth's pitiful lack of sidewalks on many of the town's streets, streets where walking residents have worn dirt paths were paved sidewalks should be.
Seattle just passed a huge public transit measure, part of which included miles upon miles of new and improved sidewalks. This in a town already well served by pedestrian amenities.
Have you heard Betsy Price advocating any such thing?
No, she loans her voice to goofy things like that bizarre vote to approve a new arena in the Fort Worth Stock Show zone, with the public part of that vote being asked to approve three propositions, which each proposition being the likes of which one would never see on the ballot of a town wearing its big boy pants.
Like one proposition asking voters to approve charging a buck to rent a livestock stall.
You living in modern, progressive, democratic, well-educated parts of America, I am not making this up.
Has ground been broken on that arena yet? I think it is well over a year since the voters approved those three goofy propositions.
Anyway, methinks holding Betsy Price up as any sort of inspiring paragon is just, well, sort of embarrassing.
However, I will give Betsy props for being a biking advocate. I would give her bigger props if she advocated building more bike trails.
And sidewalks.....
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