A Beautiful Veteran's Day In Skagit County Got Me Thinking About Being A Texas Tourist

Spencer Jack's dad, my favorite nephew Jason, emailed me the above picture a few minutes ago, with the subject line "Beautiful Veteran's Day in Skagit County."

It is a beautiful Veteran's Day in Tarrant County, too. But not quite as scenically beautiful as Skagit County.

I just used my computer based temperature monitoring device to learn that Mount Vernon is currently being chilled 3 degrees cooler than Fort Worth is being cooled at 49 degrees.

Before I got distracted by the temperature I mentioned that Skagit County is a bit more scenically beautiful than Tarrant County, but got distracted before adding, just like Mount Vernon is more scenically beautiful than Fort Worth.

Mount Vernon has a beautiful, clean, clear, big river running through town, Fort Worth has a modified river which looks sort of like a big ditch as it passes by downtown Fort Worth.

Mount Vernon has an actual mountain in town, called Little Mountain. Little Mountain would be considered a big mountain in Fort Worth. You can hang glide from the top of Little Mountain. There is nothing to hang glide from in Fort Worth. You can go wakeboarding though, in a dirty lake with a cable to drag you around the lake. No such contraption exists in Mount Vernon.

Mount Vernon has a Skagit River Vision you can actually see, while Fort Worth has a Trinity River Vision where today we learned we will soon be able to witness three bridges magically rising vertically from the ground.

Mount Vernon has a couple grocery stores in its downtown, one of which I greatly miss, that being the Skagit Valley Co-Op. Fort Worth has no grocery stores in its downtown, and nothing exists in the entire Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex like the Skagit Valley Co-Op.

Mount Vernon is served by a mass transit system which takes you all over Skagit County. Fort Worth has a mass transit system which takes you to some locations in Fort Worth, but not all over Tarrant County.

What got me off tangent from my original  intent to comment on the picture my favorite nephew Jason sent me?

Back to that picture. What we are looking at in the foreground is known as the Skagit Flats, one of the most fertile, productive agricultural areas in the world, growing all sorts of fruits and vegetables and flowers. Before diking made the Skagit River behave itself after it left the mountains, the Skagit Flats would get flooded when the river was in flood mode.

In the middle of the picture is something you can not find in Texas. A volcano. The Mount Baker volcano is that white spot sticking up above foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Mount Baker is an active volcano, which means you can see steam spewing from its crater at times.

Mount Vernon would be to the right in this picture, the town I grew up in, Burlington, would be in the middle, I think, maybe more to the left than the middle. As you can see one does not live far from the mountains when one lives in Western Washington. One also does not live far from saltwater. If we went left in this picture, heading west a few miles, we'd run into saltwater, maybe Swinomish Channel which runs past the tourist town of La Conner. Or Padilla Bay.

Having lived a long time in an actual area which actually attracts a lot of actual tourists and has actual  tourist towns, like La Conner, is one of the reasons my eyes roll when I read something ridiculous, such as downtown Fort Worth gets over 10 millions visitors a year. I wonder if those 10 million visitors are the same 10 million a year which were supposed to make the Fort Worth Cabela's the #1 Tourist Attraction in Texas?

Maybe in Texas visitor and tourist don't mean the same thing.

But, the thing is, when you live in an actual tourist destination and then live in an area which is not an actual tourist destination you can tell the difference. One big tell is the number of out of state license plates one sees. In a tourist zone at times it seems like every other vehicle is from out of state. Or Canada.

The only location in Fort Worth which seems like an actual tourist attraction, due to the number of foreigners and out of staters one runs into there, is the Fort Worth Stockyards. In Dallas, Dealey Plaza seems like an actual tourist attraction, albeit a sad one. I don't think many non-Texans head to Arlington to Six Flags Over Texas, not like which heads to Anaheim to go to Disneyland.

I have not headed to Anaheim to go to Disneyland for over two decades, Christmas of 1993. It has been two years since I've been a tourist anywhere, well, I have been to downtown Fort Worth during that time frame and apparently that is counted as a tourist.....

A Big Boom Begins Boondoggle Bridge Construction Three Months Late

This morning I saw a headline on the front page of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's online version regarding yesterday groundbreaking for the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Three Bridges Over Nothing.

The Star-Telegram wanted me to pay 99 cents to read the article. I did not want to give the Star-Telegram 99 cents, so I did not read the article at that point in time.

An hour later Elsie Hotpepper, having used her underworld connections, sent me a link to the article, which allowed me to read it.

Below I share with you the entire article, plus the YouTube video that came with the article. The article also had a couple photos I found interesting, but I think they may need to be in a subsequent blogging because this one is already going to run long.

Reading the article several things caught my attention. Like in the first paragraph we are told a symbolic explosion of fire kicked off construction. Huh? What did this explosion of fire symbolize? A bad plan going up in smoke?

Then there's Mayor Betsy Price sounding defensive about the bridges being bridges to nowhere, with Betsy claiming they are "digging this over dry land because it is half the cost of building it over the channel." Really? I'd like to see the cost analysis on that. So, if The Boondoggle currently had the money they would not be in the process of building the urgently un-needed flood diversion channel? But would still wait on that for four years, while three bridges get built?

Again I read the Boondoggle's lake is to be 33 acres. Several years ago it shrank to about 12 acres. I must have missed the news that the lake changed size again. Maybe due to the ridicule the 12 acre proposed pond received? The 1.5 mile long channel will create an 800 acre island where waterfront development is planned? Surrounding a chunk of land with a ditch does not an island make. Nor does it create what most sane people consider to be waterfront.

You reading this in non-Fort Worth America, this article informs us that The Boondoggle still needs Congress to fund roughly half of the $910 million needed. Congresswoman Kay Granger, says that "without a doubt," she will secure the funds.

Apparently Kay Granger is not at all surprised at the length of time it is taking to secure those federal dollars, because she knew it was going to take a long time because “It’s the largest urban water project in North America. It’s huge.”

Really?

The only other urban water project currently underway in North America, which I am aware of, is Seattle's re-do of its waterfront seawall, along with replacing a section of waterfront elevated highway with a big tunnel, to the tune of several billion dollars. Already fully funded, with no unseemly begging, and a project timeline currently thrown off by a stuck Big Bertha tunnel boring machine.

I really like one of the J.D. Granger quotes.

“The two big things you’ll see over the next year are the three bridges coming out of the ground showing vertical construction — in addition to that, a lot of people have been speculative buying of property waiting for the first sign,” J.D. Granger said.

Does that part of that J.D. sentence that comes after the dash make sense to anyone? I think I know what he was trying to say.

Bridges magically coming out of the ground, showing vertical construction. What? As opposed to horizontal construction? As for the part of the sentence after the dash --- I think J.D. meant to say a lot of people have been waiting for a sign to do some speculative buying of property. I  think that has already been happening, resulting in things like 30 day evictions to hapless souls booted from their apartments. Speculative buying? I wonder how much of that amounts to a Fort Worth version of insider trading?

Anyway, below is the Star-Telegram article in its entirety. Don't miss the YouTube video at the end, where you'll get to see the symbolic explosion of fire and hear from J.D. and his mama.....

With a fiery explosion, construction begins on Panther Island bridges

BY BILL HANNA
billhanna@star-telegram.com

FORT WORTH — With a symbolic explosion of fire, officials kicked off construction for the three Panther Island bridges, signaling the next phase in the massive Trinity River Vision Project.

Between now and 2018, the three bridges along Henderson Street, North Main Street and White Settlement Road will be built over dry land with the eventual goal of creating an urban waterfront neighborhood on the near-northside across from downtown Fort Worth.

It does not effect existing bridges over the Trinity River.

Instead, the spans will be the first phase of Panther Island, which will eventually include digging a new 1.5-mile-long channel for the Trinity River, creating a 33-acre lake and an 800-acre island where waterfront development is planned.

“This is not a bridge to nowhere,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “We’re digging this over dry land because it’s half the cost of building it over the channel.”

The $65.5 million Texas Department of Transportation project was awarded to Texas Sterling Construction in May and is a joint project among the Trinity River Vision Authority, the city of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, the Army Corps of Engineers and the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

The three V-pier bridges will include access for pedestrians and cyclists along with lighting and landscaping. The North Main bridge will also have enough space for streetcars if the city ever decides to go that route.

“Those are important steps along the way,” said U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth. “It is the bypass channel that we have got to have funding for.”

To complete the project, Trinity River Vision still needs Congress to fund roughly half of the $910 million to complete the economic development and flood control project. The front end of the project was frontloaded with local dollars from the Tarrant Regional Water District, the city of Fort Worth and Tarrant County.

When Congress set a ban on earmarks, which have historically been used by politicians to push projects forward, it made funding more challenging.

But Granger said “without a doubt,” she will secure the funds.

“You don’t start something that you can’t finish,” Granger said. “....That is my commitment.”

Granger said Trinity River Vision, which is a political subdivision of the Tarrant Regional Water Distrit, will apply for grants from several U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funds to keep the dollars flowing until the bypass channel is fully funded.

She is not surprised by the time it has taken to secure dollars.

“I knew how long it was going to take,” Granger said. “It’s the largest urban water project in North America. It’s huge.”

Texas Transportation Commissioner Victor Vandergriff of Arlington said it is Granger’s oversight that convinces him the federal dollars will be available to finish the project.

“I put my faith in Congresswoman Granger to do that,” Vandergriff said. “It is a little bit of a leap of faith to build bridges over dry land and not be certain that the extra funding is coming but I understand the Corps of Engineers can only fund on a budgetary cycle. They can’t promise a 20 or 30-year funding commitment and I trust in Congresswoman Granger to be able to continue to guide this process along.”

Granger’s son, J.D. Granger, is executive director of Trinity River Vision. With the beginning of bridge construction, he said Panther Island will become more visible to residents.

“The two big things you’ll see over the next year are the three bridges coming out of the ground showing vertical construction — in addition to that, a lot of people have been speculative buying of property waiting for the first sign,” J.D. Granger said. “I expect to hear a lot about economic development opportunities during the next year.”

Yet since the project began, there have been critics who worried that local taxpayers could end up footing the bill for the entire project.

TRWD board member Mary Kelleher, who has battled with her fellow board members over a variety of issues, did not attend Monday’s ceremony but said in statement that she worries about the project’s future.

“I do not want to go down in history as being present for the groundbreaking of what many anticipate, myself included, will be referred to one day as the biggest boondoggle in the history of Fort Worth,” Kelleher said. “I'm disappointed in the decision to move ahead with building bridges over dry land without funding certainty.”

Happy Birthday To Spencer Jack's Uncle: My Favorite Nephew Joey

Today is my Favorite Nephew Joey's 33rd birthday. With today being Joey's birthday, upon checking in on Facebook, I am seeing multiple Happy Birthday Joey wishes, along with multiple Happy Birthday Joey pictures, such as the one you see here, from Joey's mom's little sister, his Aunt Dorothy.

That is Joey on the right. With his cousin Kevin, who is Joey's Aunt Dorothy's son.

This afternoon it has made me feel very melancholy seeing pictures of little Joey and realizing little Joey is now 33 years old.

I last saw my Favorite Nephew Joey on Saturday, August 9, 2008, at Bay View State Park. That was the same day I was to meet Spencer Jack for the first time.

In March of 2012 I saw Spencer Jack again, at his Aunt Jackie's in Chandler, Arizona. Joey's cousin Kevin was also there that day, as was Kevin's mom, Dorothy and dad Randy. But no Joey.

When Joey and his big brother, my Favorite Nephew Jason, were kids I used to have myself a mighty fine time taking them places, like Seattle, or Eastern Washington. I remember one memorable time it was just Joey and me, ending up on the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier, which was docked at its base in Everett and having an open house. Being on an aircraft carrier was a jaw dropping experience. I had no clue they were so big.

After touring the carrier, Joey and I continued on. Joey was 15 at the time and had his learner's permit. So, I let Joey drive. Joey was already a good driver and at one point in the driving I realized I should be paying closer attention. Eventually that day we ended up at a Marysville Mexican food restaurant with a large group which included Joey's cousins, those being my Favorite Nephew Christopher and Favorite Nephew Jeremy.

Another solo time with Joey we headed over to Eastern Washington, eventually ending up in Yakima picking apples, then continuing east to the edge of the Hanford Nuclear Zone, then around midnight finding ourselves in Leavenworth during Oktoberfest. We got home very late that night.

The last extended time I spent with Joey and his brother was the August before I moved to Texas. Joey and his brother flew me to Las Vegas for four days of fun including being stuck for hours at the top of the Stratosphere Tower.

I made a webpage of the trip to Vegas titled The Durango Nephews take their Fabulous Uncle to Fabulous Las Vegas. This is an antique webpage, made long ago, in the previous century. Back then, due to bandwidth issues, picture quality was compromised, which explains the poor photo quality.

Anyway, Happy Birthday Joey, can't believe you're 33. Time goes by so fast. In another 33 years you'll be older than me....

Today I Heard Betsy Price Talk About A Non-Existent Island & A Bridge Over Dry Land Before Walking Around The Fosdick Sea

What a beautiful day in North Texas, blue sky, 77 degrees, with me having a mighty fine time walking around Fosdick Lake in Fort Worth's Oakland Lake Park, this last day before the incoming icy Arctic Polar Bomb.

This morning I heard Fort Worth's Mayor, Betsy Price, on the radio, touting today's ground breaking ceremony for the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Three Bridges Over Nothing.

I wish I could remember exactly what Mayor Betsy said, due to its unfortunate goofiness, but it was something like "today we are having the ground breaking for a bridge over dry land which will one day connect to Panther Island, our 800 acre development that one day will generate a billion dollars in tax revenue."

The reference to "a bridge" as in one bridge, struck me as odd. Is the cash strapped Boondoggle, at this point in time, only able to start building one of its Three Bridges Over Nothing?

This constant referring to a non-existent island as "Panther Island" bugs me.

Why do the powers that be in Fort Worth constantly have to hyperbolize? Calling this chunk of land Panther Island is just going to confuse Fort Worth's few tourists, just like calling its downtown Sundance Square, where there was no square til one was finally built, after decades of there being no square in Sundance Square.

Anyway, after having heard Mayor Betsy refer to the non-existent island I was soon walking around  Fosdick Lake. This had me pondering, what with the Fort Worth penchant for hyperbolizing, why not rename this little body of water as the Fosdick Sea?

Would Jesus Be Arrested For Feeding Homeless People In Fort Lauderdale?

On the left you are looking at Floridian, Arnold Abbott, once again getting fingerprinted after once again getting arrested for committing the horrific crime of feeding food to hungry homeless people starving in Fort Lauderdale.

I do not know if Arnold Abbott is Texas Governor elect, Greg Abbott's father, grandfather or uncle.

I suspect not.

The mayor of Fort Lauderdale apparently is a moron, judging from what he said justifying arresting a 90 year old Good Samaritan for feeding the homeless, that being that "homeless people should have to interact with the government to get food."

If only America were a nation based on Christian beliefs, following the example of Jesus, he being the original Christian, a Son of God who found himself surrounded by hungry people who Jesus then fed by conjuring up loaves of bread, fish and by turning copious amounts of water into wine.

Can you imagine the additional trouble Arnold Abbott would be in if he also served wine with his dinners?

Arnold Abbott and his Sanctuary Church began delivering hundreds of homeless people meals a week, in the Fort Lauderdale zone, starting back in 1990. And then his cruel, heartless, clueless town passed an ordinance making feeding the homeless illegal.

Has Fort Lauderdale also passed an ordinance banning binge beach drinking during Spring Break?

Does Fort Lauderdale not realize how badly they are embarrassing themselves in the eyes of the world?

Arresting a 90 year old good deed doer for feeding homeless people.

Only in America......

Congratulations To Chris & Sheila: Washington's Newest Newlyweds

On the left you are looking at something you are not allowed to see happening in Texas.

No. I am not talking about the forest of what look like giant Christmas trees.

If such a forest existed in Texas you would be allowed to see it.

What you are looking at is the wedding party of a wedding which took place yesterday, that being the second Saturday of November.

There is only one thing I can state as absolute fact that is in this picture that you are not allowed to see in Texas.

In Washington it is perfectly legal for any loving couple to get married, fully recognized by the state as being as legally legitimate as any wedding taking place in Texas.

The other thing that could be going on in this picture, that is perfectly legal in Washington, but could get you arrested in Texas, is everyone in the wedding party could have been smoking marijuana before the picture was taken, because doing such a thing is perfectly legal in freedom loving Washington, a progressive, not repressive state.

The wedding party being stone cold potted could explain why they all look so happy, but I suspect the reason for that is that this was a very happy wedding celebration. The reports I have received have mentioned a lot of music and dancing.

The last party I went to with the newlyweds was way back in November of 2005. That was a fun party with a lot of people. A bartender was behind a bar making tasty libations. For the first time ever I had myself a Long Island Iced Tea.

That party lasted til well after midnight. I don't know if I've stayed up so late at any point in time since.

The names of the newlyweds are Chris & Sheila. Months ago I told Chris she'd look real good in a wedding dress. Or any dress. The photo documentation confirms I was correct.

Congratulations Chris & Sheila.

Now that this is out of the way it is time to find a new puppy.....

All Aboard For The Fort Worth Bridge Boondoggle Ground Breaking Boycott

This morning I was thinking about yesterday's blogging about Mary Kelleher boycotting tomorrow's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's ground breaking ceremony for its Three Bridges Over Nothing.

Thinking about the Three Bridges Over Nothing led to me once again wondering why no one but me seems to be baffled as to why The Boondoggle's construction of these bridges is scheduled to take four years.

Four years when bridges far more ambitious have been built over water in less than four years.

The only explanation my limited imagination can come up with for the four year project timeline is the bridges are being built in slow motion in the hope that by the time four years pass The Boondoggle may have found the money to build the ditch under the bridges to be filled with water, finally creating a pseudo island, which is currently called Panther Island, even though there is no island.

The bridge to my next thoughts led to thinking about Fort Worth's newly re-built West 7th Bridge. To my eyes this is a good looking bridge.

The Boondoggle claims its Three Bridges Over Nothing are signature bridges which will become iconic images representing the entry to the vaunted imaginary Panther Island.

Why did The Boondoggle not mirror the look of the West 7th Bridge for its Three Bridges Over Nothing? The West 7th Bridge is visually interesting. The artist's renderings I have seen of the Three Bridges Over Nothing indicate those bridges are not going to be even remotely visually interesting.

As I did all this bridge thinking I decided to blog about it. That had me looking for a picture of the West 7th Bridge. That led me to a Dallas Observer article, part of which is screencapped above, with the title Sorry, Fort Worth, But Your New "Signature" Bridge Is Pathetic.

Now that seems a bit rude. I've not heard the West 7th Bridge referred to as a "Signature" bridge. I certainly don't think the bridge is pathetic.

The first three paragraphs in the Dallas Observer article amused me, with the amusement due to the fact that that which is being written about happened way back in October of 2013, but could also describe what is happening, bridge-wise, in Fort Worth tomorrow...

This afternoon in Fort Worth, a "parade of dignitaries" will mark the opening of the new West 7th Street, and good for them. It's a fully competent work of civil engineering and a pleasant enough way to get to downtown Fort Worth, if get to downtown Fort Worth you must.

It's just that the level of excitement -- and remember that we say this as a friend and neighbor -- has grown unseemly. People are dropping adjectives like "signature" and "one-of-a-kind" as if no one's ever built a bridge before.

We urge the people of Fort Worth put down their celebratory bottles of Andre, pause for a moment, and cast their gaze eastward. There on the horizon, if their eyes can penetrate 35 miles through the smog, they'll notice a majestic -- nay, heavenly -- glow. Closer inspection will reveal the source as a span that truly deserves superlatives, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge.

I vaguely remember reading and possibly blogging about this Dallas Observer article back when it was published. If you read the entire article you will find that the writer does have some fun making fun of Fort Worth, but, the writer is also having fun making fun of Dallas and its "Signature" bridge. And by the end of the article the writer sort of back handedly compliments Fort Worth, advising Fort Worthers to stop embarrassing themselves giddily parading down their mediocre bridge, but to instead slink back into their "vibrant downtown and human-scale developments and bikeable neighborhoods and think long and hard about what truly makes a great city."

Sounds like good advice to me, good advice that Fort Worth would be very wise to heed.....

Mary Kelleher Will Not Be Attending The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Groundbreaking Ceremony For Three Bridges Over Nothing

Mary Kelleher Likely Not Aboard the
TRWD Helicopter

Whilst away from my computer I got a text message asking me if I'd received  an email from Mary Kelleher. I informed the text messenger I was not in contact with my computer, but would soon be.

When I re-established contact with my computer I quickly learned it was a Press Release from Mary Kelleher that was the issue in the email.

In that Press Release I learned I am not alone in realizing the Trinity River Vision is a Boondoggle time bomb which will likely be an embarrassing sore point in Fort Worth for decades.

I thought the TRV Boondoggle's Three Bridges Over Nothing had begun their laboriously slow four year construction back in August. However, in the Mary Kelleher Press Release I learned that the Fort Worth Boondogglers are having a Ground Breaking Party this coming November 10. I don't think one breaks ground on something which is already under construction, so it would seem we can deduce the Three Bridges Over Nothing Project is already three months behind schedule.

Mary Kelleher's Press Release also refers to the TRV Boondoggle's Town Lake as being 33 acres. I thought years ago that proposed lake had shrunk from 33 acre lake size to 12 acre pond size.

Til the Mary Kelleher Press Release made reference to it I had forgotten that back in 2008  Fort Worth voters got hornswoggled by approving a proposition that purported to be for street improvements, but was instead a scheme to divert tax revenue to the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle. With so much boondoggling hornswoggling going on it is difficult for a person such as myself, with limited memory function, to remember it all.

Anyway, the Mary Kelleher Press Release in its entirety.....

Press Release
November 7, 2014
Mary Kelleher, Director TRWD
Subject:  Groundbreaking-TRV Panther Island Bridges

On Monday, November 10, 2014, many of Fort Worth's elite will attend a groundbreaking ceremony for the TRV (Trinity River Vision) Panther Island Bridges. As a Director of the TRWD (Tarrant Regional Water District), I received an invitation to this event but I will not be in attendance. I do not want to go down in history as being present for the groundbreaking of what many anticipate, myself included, will be referred to one day as the biggest boondoggle in the history of Fort Worth. I'm disappointed in the decision to move ahead with building bridges over dry land without funding certainty.  

Some of you may not know about the TRV project and don’t feel bad because you never actually voted for it.  What you voted for back in 2008 was a proposition which read, “The issuance of public securities for street improvements in the aggregate sum of $150,000,000”.  This proposition passed and has turned into a public/private development scheme using tax revenues to finance a giant waterfront project to attract more people to Fort Worth.  The plan is to divert the Trinity River to create a 33-acre town lake with water-front restaurants, bars, businesses, and condos. 

Sounds great…..but there’s one big problem.  This almost billion dollar water project won’t bring one drop of water to Fort Worth and will place even more strain on the limited water supply we do have. It’s irresponsible to spend hundreds of millions of dollars for an economic development project when we are in a record drought and there are cities in Texas running out of water.

This serious issue was raised and the public/private clique responded with claims that this project is necessary for flood control.  Part of the plan calls for lowering the levees so people can have more access to the Trinity River.  Lowering levees increases flood risks.

The TRV is an unnecessary financial risk to the taxpayers, a financial blow to many of the Fort Worth property owners displaced by the taking of their land for this project, and a financial windfall for the chosen individuals, businesses, developers, contractors, and elected officials who have and will benefit from this project. 

Spencer Jack On Mount Vernon's Skagit River Vision Flood Control Riverwalk & Plaza

That would be Spencer Jack looking happy to be walking on my old home zone's newly finished Skagit River Vision Flood Control and Riverfront Development.

Part of this project provides a long walkway along the river, as in that on which Spencer Jack is waving.

There is also a plaza and other amenities.

Including a flood wall that can be erected quickly should a rampaging Skagit River threaten downtown Mount Vernon, a situation which previously required an army of volunteer sandbaggers to save downtown from a New Orleans in a hurricane type fate.

Yes, unlike another town which comes to mind, the Skagit River Vision actually fixes an actual flood problem.

I believe that is part of the new plaza we are looking at below. It looks to be a nice open area which likely will come in quite handy when the next Skagit Valley Tulip Festival takes place next spring.

Below we get a closer look at Spencer Jack and part of the plaza. I like how giant boulders are incorporated into the design. In the HUGE versions of these photos, which Spencer Jack's dad, my favorite nephew, Jason, sent me last night, you can much more clearly make out details, such as the giant boulders.

That thing sticking up into the air above Spencer Jack is known as the Tulip Tower. Every spring the Skagit Valley has a month long Tulip Festival, with downtown Mount Vernon being one of the festival sites. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival attracts over a million visitors to the valley every spring. These are real actual visitors, not an imaginary 10 million visitors like that which Fort Worth propagandists claim visit Fort Worth's imaginary Sundance Square every year.

Fort Worth's propagandists have used that bogus 10 million visitors to Sundance Square number in falsehood filled submissions to get awards no one has ever heard of so the Fort Worth propagandists can then make embarrassingly absurd claims, such as Fort Worth has the Top Downtown in America.

Those of you reading this who do not know anything about Fort Worth, let alone its downtown, Sundance Square is what the Fort Worth propagandists years ago named a 36 block area of Fort Worth's downtown which was, apparently, in dire need of revitalization. After a couple decades of confusing Fort Worth's few tourists, who thought Sundance Square was the parking lots at the heart of downtown, Fort Worth finally added an actual square on those parking lots, then goofily named the new square Sundance Square Plaza.

Continuing on, a broader view of the picture above, below in the distance you can see the Skagit River bridge which connects downtown Mount Vernon to west Mount Vernon. It is a big bridge, built over water, in less than four years.

The above picture sort of gives you an idea of the size of Mount Vernon's Skagit River Vision. Unlike Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision the Skagit River Vision had a project timeline, a qualified project engineer, was fully funded, was completed on schedule and did not hire the unqualified son of a corrupt local politician in order to try and motivate a corrupt local politician to secure federal pork barrel money to help pay for the project.

Below another look at part of the plaza, the Tulip Tower and the Skagit River Bridge.

Unlike Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision, eminent domain was not abused to take people's property to build the Skagit River Vision. The businesses and buildings which had to be removed were removed after this thing called "negotiating a fair price" took place with the owners, leaving no one feeling abused, unlike what has happened in Fort Worth.

We end this look at Mount Vernon's newest attraction looking southwest across the new plaza, which I doubt has a goofy name, at the sun setting on a Pacific Northwest fall day.

Today I Crossed A Fort Worth Police Line Before Finding Krogers Gutted

A few weeks ago I was rolling my wheels east on Boca Raton Boulevard when a Fort Worth police vehicle in SUV type form which I'd not seen before passed me.

A short time after passing me the police vehicle surprised me by turning left, up and over the sidewalk, heading into an undeveloped area that takes up a large chunk of land at the northwest corner of Boca Raton and Bridgewood Drive.

A year or two ago I walked the path the police vehicle drove, so as to get a look at the backside of my nearest Chesapeake Energy gas pad site.

Today when I took that same walk I was a little surprised to come upon that which you see above, a DO NOT CROSS POLICE LINE yellow tape. There were multiple instances of the yellow tape taped to bushes.

What happened in my neighborhood that warranted a DO NOT CROSS POLICE LINE warning? One would think I would have heard something if something happened which warranted such a warning.

I did not heed the DO NOT CROSS warning since it seemed obvious, due to the tattered nature of the caution tape signage, that this was no longer any sort of active crime scene. Crossing the DO NOT CROSS line did not provide any evidence as to what went on at this location.

About a half hour after being bum puzzled by a crime scene mystery I came upon another neighborhood mystery. As in what is happening to the old Krogers building that has sat abandoned for years? Today I saw that the interior is being gutted, as in the floor, walls and ceiling have been removed.

New grocery store? If so, I hope it is a Sprouts Farmers Market. Or Town Talk is making a big move.