Fort Worth's Corrupt Conflicts Of Interest From Yesterday & Today On My Blog & In Fort Worth Weekly

Yesterday I got a blog comment from someone named Anonymous to a blog post from over 3 years ago; January 4, 2009, to be precise.

The blog post commented on was titled "Corrupt Conflicts Of Interest Taking Over Fort Worth."

The comment seemed to allege an erroneous allegation about someone named David Lunsford.

About David Lunsford the January 4, 2009 post said...

And in yet one more example of a conflict of interest, this morning I learned that Lead Gas Drilling Inspector, David Lunsford, now works for a pipeline company. Lunsford has been quoted as saying he rarely received complaints. Lunsford was known to dismiss gas drilling concerns out of hand. One can not help but wonder how much effort Lunsford put into protecting the public, when he had a cushy pipeline job waiting for him.

I do not remember who was sending me info about these conflicts of interest and David Lunsford, now, over 3 years later, though I sort of have a slight inkling as to who it was.

I referred to this individual as "Deep Throat." Very original.

I hit the publish button on the comment, yesterday, and thought no more about it.

Until today when I was reading the latest edition of Fort Worth Weekly.

The comment from Anonymous, to my blog post from over 3 years ago, was......

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Corrupt Conflicts Of Interest Taking Over Fort Worth": 

From Check your facts - David Lunsford had no cushy pipeline job to go to. He left because of the illegal corruption brought about by the new city manager. In fact because of his high standards and not wanting involvement in the city's illegal actions he quit. SO before you go throwing blame around you need to check your facts. 

And then, just a few minutes ago I'm reading this week's FW Weekly's Static column titled "Smart Career Move", to read the following two paragraphs....

Remember Fort Worth Mayor Ken Barr? He helped draft the city’s first gas well ordinance in 2001 and then stepped down as mayor. Barr’s departure allowed the oil-rich ex-Sen. Mike Moncrief to become mayor and provide protection for the industry in those early years before anyone knew to ask questions about pipelines, water usage, toxic emissions, infrastructure damage, decreased property values, etc.

What happened to Barr? He went to work for Chesapeake. So did Brian Boerner, Fort Worth’s former environmental manager. The gas industry also hired David Lunsford, who was Fort Worth’s lead gas inspector in those early years and never met a drill rig he didn’t love. Meanwhile, little known (and ethically challenged) Eastside resident Danny Scarth served on the city’s gas drilling task force in 2006 and was so friendly to drillers that they financed his campaign for city council, where he remains.

Methinks maybe it is this guy or gal named Anonymous who needs to do him or herself some fact checking.

This Morning I Heard From A Relative Of Geronimo About Jesse James

I get a lot of comments to my various blogs. They are often interesting. Or amusing. Or both.

But it is not my blogs that usually get the best of the comments, it is my Eyes on Texas website that usually gets the best of the comments, only on that website, I call the comments "Feedback."

Years ago, after a local bit of nonsense sprung up in Granbury about Jesse James, I added "The Truth About Jesse Jame" to my Eyes on Texas website.

This morning I got "Feedback" from a relative of Geronimo, asking me about Jesse James.....

The man known as deacon reminds me of some of the Jennings. They were in Kansas City, Missouri at that time, left in 1869. Albert A. Jennings, who is a cousin of the James Brother, as well and the Youngers, he was there in Missouri for while since he left Reddish River North Carolina after his marriage to his wife Mary Pollanna Muse. 1853, the son of John Thomas Jennings and Nancy I. Irving or Irvin, one of the founding people probably founded the place between Fort Worth and Dallas. I suspect Albert A. Jennings was a member of the James gang. For some reason he changed his last name from Jennings to Gennings or Gennins, like he was on the lam.

Also have you heard the story were Jesse James sold the rifles and ammo to the Lakota Sioux that ended in the destruction of another cousin, General George Armstrong Custer, even though he really deserved what he had did to my red brothers.

Guess I would classify myself part Indian, for interest sake, i am married to the great great great granddaughter of Geronimo, through his second wife and daughter Tosey, who married Jose Ramirez. Of course my wife was born in a place called Idabel, Oklahoma.

On your page you should have the photo of Jesse James when he was there, took with some sheriff or somebody of that time.

On The Dried Out Tandy Hills Looking At The Upgraded Tarrant County Courthouse & Bass Family Damage To Downtown Fort Worth

Close Up Look At Beautiful Downtown Fort Worth

I decided to go with my sunny optimistic nature and go to the Tandy Hills today assuming that sufficient time had passed since Sunday's deluge to dry the trails sufficiently to allow mud-free hiking.

My sunny optimistic nature was not disappointed.

But, I would have been happy to have Mother Nature dial back on the humidity a bit.

In the picture I zoomed in, as best I could, on the Tarrant County Courthouse. That is the pointy structure to the right of that short skyscraper that looks like it is not completed yet.

Downtown Fort Worth does not have any, for want of a better way to say it, interestingly designed skyscrapers. I assume there has never been enough money in the downtown Fort Worth skyscraper budget to build a memorable one.

The twin towers to the south of the courthouse, the eastern one of which you see in the picture, are particularly odd. It's like some C-Student architect thought it clever to have cut-outs and indents that give the appearance that the building gave up being completed. And no one thought to tell the C-Student architect that that particular design looks tacky. And so it was built.

I am not sure, but I think these particular twin skyscrapers are buildings that the Bass Family helped bring about. The Bass Family really is responsible for a lot of what ain't right about downtown Fort Worth.

Or so it seems to me.

I know there are those in Fort Worth who are beholden to the wonders that the Bass Family allegedly has brought downtown Fort Worth, but methinks Fort Worth would be a lot better off if the town put on its big boy pants and did not rely on one family's demonstrably bad taste to dictate how the town looks.

Anyway, after a multi-million dollar remodel the Tarrant County Courthouse's clock tower lost the scaffolding that has covered it for a long time. I believe there is still work to be done.

How is the plan to take down the Tarrant County Courthouse Annex coming, you know, that building with the fake covering that looks like yet one more bad downtown Fort Worth building designed by a C-Student architect?

At least that particular eyesore is not called the Bass Tarrant County Courthouse Annex, unlike way too many other eyesores in the downtown Fort Worth zone, that have the Bass name, in various iterations, attached to them.

The 2nd Wednesday Of April Dawns In Texas After A Night With The Searchers

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell on this second Wednesday of April it would appear that this particular day in Texas is starting off with a clear blue sky, despite the weather predictor's prediction of rain and thunder for today.

Currently, at my location, it is 31 degrees above freezing, heading to the weather predictor's predicted high of 80.

Changing the subject from my favorite one to something else.

Last night I watched the John Ford/John Wayne movie, The Searchers.

I've been wanting to watch this movie ever since I read that it was loosely based on the Cynthia Ann Parker story.

Very very very loosely based would have been far more accurate. The movie started off with a caption letting it be known that what you were watching was in Texas. But, near as I could tell, the majority of the movie was filmed in the Monument Valley of Arizona and Utah.

I don't know why John Ford could not have used some of the classic Western scenery that exists where the West begins.

I am sure if someone tried real hard some classic Western scenery could be found in Texas.

I think the sun has brightened up the outer world sufficiently that I can go swimming now and enjoy the classic Texas scenery that surrounds the swimming pool.

Pedaling Past Huffines Veridian In Arlington's River Legacy Park With A Lot Of Other People

Bike Resting At The River Legacy Park 7 Mile Marker

I had intended to ride my bike with the Indian Ghosts at Village Creek Natural Historical Area today. But, that park was closed due to flooding.

So, I headed to River Legacy Park, instead.

I pedaled all the way to the end of the paved trail, to the 7 mile marker, at the far northeast side of River Legacy Park.

When I decided to give up bike riding, well over a year ago, I really thought I would never see this location again.

It has now been several years since the River Legacy Park paved trail has terminated at this northeast location. When this trail was opened I remember reading that the trail would soon be extended to the east, to eventually connect with the Dallas paved trails along the Trinity River.

But, that particular river vision has not happened.

I was very surprised at the number of people I saw biking, blading, walking and pushing baby strollers at River Legacy Park today. Such a change from when I first visited this park soon upon my arrival in Texas.

There seems to be an uptick in visitors in all the parks I visit.

Methinks Texans are getting more active and this is why Texas is not ranking as high as it once did in various obesity level rankings. This is not a sad state of affairs in a state which claims everything is bigger in Texas. This is one area where I think Texas does not want to be bigger.

I am looking forward to biking at River Legacy Park on a Saturday or Sunday when the weather is good. It should be very busy, seeings how it was so busy today, on a Tuesday.

The Huffines development, that abuts the north side of River Legacy Park on the east side of Collins Street, that was sort of mothballed after the 2008 economic meltdown, continues to have work done.

New Trail To Huffines Veridian Development

I saw a large sign being constructed near where the River Legacy trail goes under Collins Street. The sign looked like V's. If my memory is serving me correctly, the Huffines development is called Veridian, hence the V's.

Paved trails are being constructed from the River Legacy Park paved trail to the Huffines development. That was a bit of a surprising development. Seems like such a trail would be developed after the development got developed.

Pedaling around 12 miles on the River Legacy Park paved trails sort of indicated to me that I have been missing this type of exercise. I don't think I was pedaling at as fast a pace as I used to.

The 2nd Monday Of April Dawns Blue & Fog-Free In Texas

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the outer world, on this 10th morning of April, there appears to be a blue glow phenomenon occurring.

I did not hear any of the predicted thunderstorming last night and it does not appear that any of the predicted rain fell on my location.

And this morning the predicted fog has not fogged up the view, unlike yesterday's foggiest day I've ever seen in Texas.

When this second Tuesday of April ends a third of April will already passed in to history.

Today I am hoping, if Sunday's rain have not left the park closed, to go biking with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington.

Before I do that I think I will go swimming before it gets any hotter than the current 30 degrees above freezing.

Walking Around Calm Fosdic Lake Getting Bit By Fire Ants

The Fosdic Lake Mirror

Going to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake was my walking choice today.

Walking in addition to, this morning, putting in a lot of walking miles, or so it seemed, at Academy Sports, Wal-Mart Supercenter and Super Target.

Driving in a dense fog in North Texas was very strange today. It seemed like I should have been hearing foghorns and big waves crashing.

Walking around Oakland Lake Park today I saw a lot of evidence of brightly colored eggs being destroyed.

As you can see in the picture, Fosdic Lake was very calm today, even though water was falling over Fosdic Falls. The lake was acting like a perfect mirror, reflecting the line of trees that line the western shore.

There were a lot of people enjoying the calm after the storm, and before the next one, today around Fosdic Lake.

The grass in Oakland Lake Park is in dire need of mowing, or harvesting into hay bales.

Today I sat down for a bit, my feet buried in the tall grass. After a couple minutes of sitting I realized I had fire ants visiting my shoes. I go out of this relatively unscathed, with just a few fire ant bites, unlike the last fire ant attack incident, when I was on the ground to take a picture and stood up to find I had a lot of fire ants on me.

I had myself a fine swim early this morning. Right now I'm thinking that cool pool water might make fire ant bites feel better.

The 2nd Monday Morning Of April Is Very Foggy In Texas

The Monday morning view from all my viewing portals on the outer world is the foggiest I ever remember seeing from this location.

It is a thick fog that feels like drizzle when you step outside.

Apparently the weather predictors have now decided to predict rain and more thunder from now through Wednesday.

I do not know where I will be getting any bi-pedal endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation today.

Of late I have managed to make the swimming a bit more strenuous and perhaps a bit more aerobic. But I don't know if that aerobic-ness has reached an endorphin inducing level.

I went to Miss Puerto Rico's yesterday late in the afternoon for the first time in a long time. I did not stay long. We need not discuss why.

I got back to my abode looking forward to watching The Amazing Race to find that once again some sports thing running on too long had delayed the start of the race. I have no idea what sports thing did the damage last night. I'm fairly certain it was not football. That would seem to leave baseball, basketball or golf as the likely culprit.

I think I will walk out into the super dense fog and go swimming now before it gets any foggier or lightning starts striking.

Dry Tandy Hills Hiking Before Rain Ruined Easter Picnics & Arlington Disaster Area Credential Concerns

Wildflowers Atop Mount Tandy

When I arrived at the top of Mount Tandy today a few big plops of raindrops hit my windshield. When I exited my vehicle I could hear thunder rumbling to the north of me.

I momentarily considered aborting the hill hiking, but then decided to risk getting wet and struck by a lightning bolt.

The rain did not go into downpour mode until I had re-ascended Mount Tandy and was back in my dry vehicle.

In the picture you are looking at part of the prairie on top of Mount Tandy. This is the largest open field of wildflowers in the Tandy Hills zone. Much larger than the open fields of wildflowers drivers-by see from View Street.

I don't believe many people know how to venture to the top of Mount Tandy to see the big open field of wildflowers.

Simply drive Oakland Boulevard til you come to Barnett Street, head west on Barnett, past Martel Avenue, past the entry to the NBC broadcast center, then take a left on the barely paved road you'll see as the road bends. Drive towards the Fort Worth Space Needle and you'll find yourself surrounded by a big open prairie covered with wildflowers.

Trail In To The Tandy Jungle

The Tandy Jungle was being particularly rain forest-like today. Next time I think I need to bring a machete with me to hack my way through

I got in my hour of salubrious endorphin inducing aerobic hill hiking and then headed to Wal-Mart to get a Razzleberry Pie. And some other stuff.

The route to Wal-Mart took me by Oakland Lake Park where I saw a lot of people had set up elaborate Easter picnic parties, hauling in chairs, tables and big BBQs. I think a lot of people had their Easter picnics rudely interrupted by the severe Thunderstorm that has been banging and dripping for a couple hours now.

The route to Wal-Mart also took me by one of those freeway message signs that seem all too often to have goofy messages, like "Click-it or Ticket" or "Texas Motor Speedway Congestion."

Today the message was something like "Arlington Disaster Area Credentials Required For Entry."

I don't know where the Arlington Disaster Area is. I guess the intention of the sign was to let people heading to the Arlington Disaster Area know they would not get into the disaster area without the proper credentials.

What about all those hapless people without credentials heading to the Arlington Disaster Area via roads, other than the freeway, roads that don't have these important message boards?

It must come as a shock to those hapless people to get to the Arlington Disaster Area to find that they are denied entry due to not being properly credentialed.

The storming seems to finally be letting up. I think I might grab my credentials and go see if I can find the Arlington Disaster Area.

I Slept In Missing My Easter Sunrise Service

The sun has risen before me two mornings in a row. This is unprecedented.

As you can see via looking at one of my favorite views of the outer world, the ground appears to be dry. I do not believe any of the predicted rain dropped to the ground at my location.

Looking skyward the sky appears to be cloudy and thus not sunny on this 2nd Sunday of April.

Speaking of the sun rising, today is the day known as Easter, celebrating the day when the alleged Son of God rose from the dead and journeyed to North America to spread the Word of God to the Indians, and eventually Joesph Smith, so he could begun the Mormon religion.

I've never understood how the Mormons are able to believe Jesus ministered to the Indians when there is not even the slightest evidence that any of the Native American tribes became Christians until the Spanish arrived and begin brutalizing the natives to save their heathen souls.

America is such a religiously tolerant country. I believe the majority of Americans consider themselves Christian. Even so, we may elect a president who is Mormon and who believes Jesus preached to the North American Indians after rising from the dead in Jerusalem.

I don't believe we've yet had a Jewish president. Or a Scientology president. But we may get ourselves a Mormon president. Like I said, America is such a religiously tolerant country.

Happy Easter!