Of late I have referred to the Texas town I used to live in, Fort Worth, as Sick City.
Sick City, to me, seems to be a much more apropos, modern nickname, for this town than its last century nickname.
Cowtown.
Recently, well, yesterday, someone named Anonymous asked me why Fort Worth is Sick City....
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "
Downtown Fort Worth Construction Frenzy Hits Imaginary New High":
Since you have moved out of town you seem to have gotten even more pointed with your critiques of Fort Worth. Sick City is catchy. But why are you now referring to the former Cowtown as Sick City?
__________________
Well.
It is multiple things I never saw in a city til I moved to Fort Worth which led me to conclude Fort Worth is a Sick City.
Eminent domain abuse is one. Both Fort Worth and its surrounding county of Tarrant are guilty of this sick trait.
Fort Worth used eminent domain abuse to remove hundreds of people from the Ripley Arnold complex so that Radio Shack could build a corporate headquarters which soon failed. America's Biggest Boondoggle and it myopic Trinity River Vision have taken multiple businesses by eminent domain, in an abusive way, which has not left the victims whole.
Sick City.
Another disgusting property abuse example came when 133 Fort Worth apartment units and three homes were given 30 day eviction notices due to the criminal machinations of a Dallas developer who was speculating that the land the Parkview Village Apartments sat on would greatly increase in value if America's Biggest Boondoggle ever came to actual fruition. I do not know by what means these 30 day eviction notices were generated. But, I do know that Fort Worth and Tarrant County has a totally corrupt justice of the peace court, which acts as a Kangaroo Court, issuing evictions, at property owner's behest, no matter what property owner illegality evidence a tenant victim might show the pseudo judge who rules in this corrupt Kangaroo Court.
We blogged about this in
Betsy Price's Tarnished Golden Rule of Pseudo Compassionate Service and
Fort Worth Shrugs Its Shoulders While Hundreds Of Citizens Are Given 30 Day Eviction Notices and
Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price Has No Comment About 30 Day Evictions Of 100s In Her Town.
Sick City.
A Fort Worth neighborhood is terrorized by a golf course's collapsing wall. Despite plea after plea after plea after plea the city and its mayor turn a deaf ear to the plight of these Fort Worth residents. This was blogged about in
Why Is Fort Worth's Best Public Servant Ignoring The Pulte Wall Of Shame?
Sick City.
It was discovered natural gas could be extracted from the Barnett Shale using a new method called fracking. Fort Worth's city government formed a corrupt partnership with Chesapeake Energy and others, allowing thousands of holes to be poked in Fort Worth's ground, then fracked, disrupting the peace of neighborhoods and the health of residents. No other of America's a big cities allowed such a calamity in such a large scale as what was done to Fort Worth.
Sick City.
Over and over again Fort Worth grants concessions of various sorts to various entities who indicate they will come to town if Fort Worth grants them that which they ask for. So, Cabela's gets all sorts of breaks, tells Fort Worth Cabela's will be the biggest tourist attraction in Texas. Fort Worth falls for the con job, unlike other towns elsewhere. Cabela's gets built, does not live up to its promises, builds more Cabela's in Texas. While Fort Worth, once again, ends up with metaphoric egg on its face.
Sick City.
Fort Worth and Tarrant County have corrupt judges and corrupt court rooms. Probate courts steal the wealth of hapless elderly residents. No overseeing government entity intervenes. The cowed people of Fort Worth don't demand something be done. Fort Worth Weekly prints exposes exposing the corruption. The Star-Telegram stays silent. Eventually one elderly victim got some of her money back.
Sick City.
Steve Doeung fights Chesapeake Energy over the plan to lay a non-odorized natural gas pipeline under the street he lives on named Carter Avenue. The cases ends up in court in front of a judge named Sprinkle, with Steve Doeung up against two Chesapeake lawyers. The judge ruled in a way which baffled and outraged the packed courtroom. Like I said, corrupt judges and corrupt court rooms.
Sick City.
Around the turn of the century a bizarre, supposed combo economic development flood prevention plan, gets foisted on the Fort Worth public, without a public vote approving this project, which, if implemented, would have a great impact on the city of Fort Worth. Yet the people were not allowed to vote on this project. The project dawdled along. After a few years, in order to hopefully secure federal earmark money, Congresswoman Kay Granger's totally unqualified son, J.D., was put in charge of this project, which eventually became known as America's Biggest Boondoggle, as the years passed and little was accomplished in building this supposedly vitally needed economic development flood prevention project. Which would seem to indicate the plan was not all that vital. And, if it were actually vitally needed, would you put someone like J.D. Granger in charge of it?
Sick City.
J.D. Granger deserves two Sick City entries. So, with the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island Vision, aka, America's Biggest Boondoggle, boondoggling along in slow motion, due to the lack of funds, perpetual Frat Boy, J.D., helped foist on Fort Worth events like Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats in the polluted Trinity River. The old Tandy Subway maintenance building was turned into a Beer Hall called The Shack. A small stage was built, which was then monickered Panther Island Pavilion. Polluted floating events held at this location are said to take place at Panther Island Pavilion at Panther Island. Where there is no island and no actual pavilion.
Sick City.
For decades Fort Worth confused its few out of town downtown visitors with signs pointing to Sundance Square, when there was no square in downtown Fort Worth. Most tourists who asked where Sundance Square was were pointed to the parking lots adjacent to a big mural representing the Chisholm Trail. A couple years ago an actual square was built on those parking lots. A small square, which in the tradition of Fort Worth parks, has no modern public restroom facilities, unlike squares in other downtowns across the planet. And this square was goofily named Sundance Square Plaza.
Sick City.
And speaking of Fort Worth parks. It deserves a separate mention that the majority of Fort Worth city parks have no running water and no modern restroom facilities. But, plenty of outhouses.
Sick City.
Downtown Fort Worth has nice wide sidewalks. Leave downtown Fort Worth and drive around the town's eastern, northern and southeastern neighborhoods and eventually you will be treated to the sight of a mom trying to push a stroller up a hill where a dirt path has been worn, where a sidewalk should be available. Most Fort Worth streets have no sidewalks. You reading this in modern towns in America may find this hard to believe, but it is true, appalling and true.
Sick City.
Most cities in America indulge in this thing called urban planning. You know, looking forward to where development is expected, building infrastructure, like roads and drainage ahead of building shopping centers and housing developments. Fort Worth does it backwards. Drive to north Fort Worth and witness the mess of traffic woes around the newly opened Buc-ee's. Did this development just drop out of the sky on Fort Worth with no warning? Other towns pay the price for Fort Worth's slaphazzard way off growing. Towns like Haltom City, downstream from Fort Worth sprawl. Sprawl which sprawled without taking into account controlling drainage. So, killer flash floods now flush out residents downstream. Much needed flood control is ignored, while America's Biggest Boondoggle's bogus flood control project boondoggles along.
Sick City.
I could go on and on. And usually do. But, I think I've given you a good idea as to why I think Fort Worth's nickname for the 21st century should be....
SICK CITY
