Grassroots News U Can Use

Dedicated to Mayor Cluck and the City Council - Can't you See it's Acid Rainin'?

Published on 2010-07-31 21:37:00

Kim Feil - July 31, 2010Can't You See It's Acid Raining Added by Kim Triolo Feil (videos) Song by Jack Johnson with words "tweeked a little bit" by Kim Triolo FeilEnvironmental plea for City Councils all across America to be patient until air and water studies are complete and unbiased regarding the safty of natural gas drilling using toxic chemicals in the hydraulic fracturing process. The loopholes on regulations that allow free emissions and exemptions on this fast growing industry needs to b

Roy LaVerne Brooks stays on ballot in Tarrant County

Published on 2010-02-25 09:29:00

By Faith Chatham - Feb. 25, 2010Former Texas State Democratic Vice Chair Roy LaVerne Brooks wins second round of strategic legal assault by financier Dick Abrams. Unable to get County Chair Steve Maxwell to remove Ms. Brooks from the Tarrant County Democratic Primary Ballot so that he could run unopposed for Justice of the Peace, Pct. 6, Democratic donor and bundler, Dick Abrams brought suit in District Court. Abrams' suit against Roy LaVerne Brooks and Tarrant County Democratic Chair Steve Maxw

Candidate intimidation tactics in Fort Worth Texas JP Race

Published on 2010-02-09 05:24:00

By Faith Chatham - Feb. 12, 2010The right to compete and let the voters decide has been skewed by influence money. Now in Tarrant County, an independently wealthy candidate is using his ability to out-sue, out litigate, out spend on attorney's fees to chase his opponents out of the primary and/or drain-dry the resources of opponents.Richard (Dick) N. Abrams filed for Justice of the Peace, Pct.6 in South Fort Worth against two other Democratic opponents. He challenged the petitions of his opponen

Citizens Right to Run for Public Office Challenged by Bank C.E.O.'s Lawsuit

Published on 2010-02-08 17:16:00

Click on IMAGE for larger view.Roy LaVerne Brooks, former Vice Chair of the Texas Democratic Party, is a candidate for Justice of the Peace, Pct. 6 in Tarrant County. Roy's vision is to partner with the community to help prevent some of the situations which bring people into the JP Court. One of her opponents, a billionaire and C.E.O. of Surety Bank, filed a challenge on all of his opponents seeking to get their names removed from the ballot. Abrams alleges that they did not have enough valid si

Food Stamp Plight Highlights Perry’s Failure To Lead, Gilbert Says

Published on 2009-10-07 00:44:00

Food Stamp Plight Highlights Perry’s Failure To Lead, Gilbert SaysPosted using ShareThis

Parker County Rally features Senatorial and Governatorial Candidates

Published on 2009-10-02 12:42:00

By Deb Cascino - Oct. 2, 2009Cooks Political Report has said Texas is a toss-up as to whether we will have a Democrat or Republican U.S. Senator after Kay Bay Hutchison finally resigns. You have the opportunity to listen to BOTH the Democratic US Senator hopefuls, among others, at our rally tomorrow, Sat. Oct. 3, from 11:30 - 4, Hall Middle School, 902 Charles Street, Weatherford, TX 76086. (see John Sharp: www.johnsharp.com and Bill White: http://www.billwhitefortexas.com/ John Sharp spea

Natural Gas Development Brings "Amazing" Levels of Carcinogens to DISH, Texas

Published on 2009-09-25 21:35:00

The chemicals found in the DISH, Texas Study can be found in any area of the Barnett Shale were natural gas development occurs.Natural Gas Development Brings "Amazing" Levels of Carcinogens to DISH, TexasEvaluation of Town of DISH, Texas Ambient Air Monitoring Analysis

Slater: Matt Latimer recalls Kay Bailey Hutchison 'purse boys' in new book 'Speechless'

Published on 2009-09-19 12:28:00

By Slater, Dallas Morning News - Friday, September 18, 2009AUSTIN — Former George W. Bush speechwriter Matt Latimer admits being enamored of Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison when he arrived as young staffer on Capitol Hill some years ago."I thought a tough-talking Texas woman would be an ideal Republican presidential candidate someday," he writes in his new book, Speechless, which goes on sale next week.Then he met her.In his book, Latimer gives an account of the day he suddenly found himself face to

Gilbert announces Dem bid for governor

Published on 2009-08-26 17:37:00

By R.G. RATCLIFFE - Houston Chronicle AUSTIN BUREAU - Aug. 26, 2009AUSTIN – The top vote-getting Democrat from the 2006 elections — agriculture commissioner nominee Hank Gilbert — said today he plans to join the fight for his party's gubernatorial nomination.Gilbert, 49, a Tyler-area rancher, received 42 percent of the vote in his race against Republican Todd Staples for agriculture commissioner.In the current governor's race, Gilbert said he can bridge the gap between Democrats and modera

Draft Ronnie Earle for Governor of Texas

Published on 2009-07-03 13:00:00

Help encourage Ronnie Earle to run for Governor.Take the poll on Capitol InsideRead more about the Draft Ronnie Earle for Governor movement:Reclaiming the Texas Turf

Jim Hightower | The Fourth of July Is a Celebration of Agitation

Published on 2009-07-02 20:01:00

Jim Hightower | The Fourth of July Is a Celebration of AgitationShared via AddThis

Gov. Perry Signs Eminent Domain Bil

Published on 2009-06-15 22:27:00

By KERA News & Wire Services (2009-06-15) DALLAS, TX (KERA) - Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill today that asks voters to amend the state constitution by limiting government's ability to take private property using eminent domain authority. If approved in November, the constitutional amendment would prohibit government officials from taking property and giving it to a private developer to boost the tax base

US Senate Votes to Restrict Abusive Credit Card Practices

Published on 2009-05-19 19:29:00

By DAVID STOUT - The New York Times - May 19, 2009WASHINGTON — The Senate voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to put new restrictions on the credit card industry, passing a bill whose backers say will make card-issuers spell out their terms in fewer words, using plain English, and treat customers more fairlyThe 90-to-5 vote, following a 357-to-70 vote in the House on April 30, made it likely that President Obama will have a measure on his desk before the Memorial Day recess. The differences betwee

Sen. West in homestretch on passage of his UNT Dallas Law School

Published on 2009-05-15 11:18:00

By Faith Chatham - DFWRCC - May 15, 2009Senator West has been working for multiple legislative sessions to get passage of a bill to authorize and fund establishment of a Law School in his district. Last session it was voted down but this time it made it through the Senate and was passed by the house with one minor admendment (change of name). It has gone back to the Senate where it should see easy passage. Will be interesting to see if Gov. Perry signs it, vetoes it, or leaves it languishing on

News 33 Dallas on Local Option and Gas Tax

Published on 2009-05-14 14:18:00

TO PARTICIPATE IN POLL:The gas tax has not been indexed for inflation in Texas since the 1960ies. Financing transportation with an increase in the gas tax will cost most taxpayers 1/10 of what it will cost them to travel on toll roads if they commute to work 5 days a week.

Council woman Lana Wolff's family finances and husband's indictment on insurance fraud are issues in Place 5 City Council Race.

Published on 2009-05-09 00:55:00

By Faith Chatham - DFWRCC - May 9, 2009Arlington City Council Woman, Lana Wolff's family finances hit the news this year.Despite her husband, Jimmy Wolff's multiple indictments for Insurance Fraud, racketeering, and filing false financial statements, the Arlington Police Association endorsed Council woman Wolff for re-election in today's election. The Arlington Police Association did not respond to our inquiries about the reasons for their endorsement.Ms. Wolff stated on her League of Women Vote

Keeping the Polls Open - Why a key part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act should survive.

Published on 2009-04-30 20:00:00

The Washington Post - Wednesday, April 29, 2009 WITH AN African American president, does the nation still need its decades-old voting rights laws?This is one of the questions likely to animate oral arguments this morning in a Supreme Court case that could determine how far the federal government may go in policing states with histories of racial discrimination.At issue is Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which mandates that 16 states, mostly Southern, obtain approval from the Justice

Glimmers through the darkness

Published on 2009-04-27 11:05:00

By Faith Chatham - DFWRCC - April 27, 2009I find watching Austin antics and regional "planners" this legislative session is a continuing saga of self-serving depression of previous disastrous Texas legislative sessions. I wonder if we could improve government by forbidding elected officials from crossing into the city of Austin. Through the dark haze of this disenchanted political junkie, two glimmers of hope elate me. One is a tidbit from the Austin Statesman picked up by Capitol Annex The word

Food for Thought - Food Safety

Published on 2009-03-23 09:37:00

By Faith Chatham - DFWRCC - March 23, 2009In the 2006 Texas Agriculture Commissioner's race, Hank Gilbert warned eveyone who would listen that lax inspections (responsiblity of the Texas Agriculture Commission) endangered the nation's foodchain. The US has stricter rules regarding pesticides and food production than do other countries who import food through the US/Texas border. Little has improved in the Texas Agriculture Commission since Todd Staples became Agriculture Commissioner in 2007. In

Federal Inspectors Often Difficult to Reach, Group Says

Published on 2009-03-23 09:30:00

By Ed O'Keefe - Washington Post Staff Writer - March 23, 2009Federal inspectors general too often ignore or discount the complaints of whistleblowers, and concerned citizens attempting to report government waste or mismanagement may face difficulty making even basic contact with the offices via telephone or the Internet, according to a new report from a government watchdog group.The report, released late last week by the independent Project on Government Oversight (POGO), revealed vast inconsist

Macquarie Public Infrastructure model bleeding red ink on US Toll projects

Published on 2009-03-02 19:42:00

Brisbane Times - Feb. 27, 2009 http://business.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/battered-n-bruised-20090227-8kbl.html Battered 'n' bruised While no one is game enough to predict Macquarie's demise, the global economic downturn is forcing the group to rethink its famed business model, writes Lisa Murray.Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels basked in the applause as he entered a room full of state officials and reporters to officially announce the close of the state's $US3.8 billion toll road privatisation

Immigration Priorities Questioned Report Says Focus on Deporting Criminals Apparently Shifted

Published on 2009-02-05 10:00:00

By Spencer S. Hsu - Washington Post Staff Writer - Thursday, February 5, 2009As the Obama administration vows to re-engineer immigration policy to target criminals, a new report says that in recent years, a high-profile federal program shifted its focus away from catching the most dangerous illegal immigrants who were evading deportation orders.Between 2003 and 2008, 27 percent of the more than 96,000 illegal immigrants arrested under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's National Fugitive

How would you like to have this pipeline in your yard?

Published on 2009-02-04 08:40:00

A 10 inch pipeline ruptured in Franklin County, MO yesterday. The pipelines running through front yards in Fort Worth are 16 inch gas gathering lines carrying raw, wet natural gas at about 200 psi..KTVI FoxPart of Highway 100 reopened this morning after a propane pipeline breaks. Families evacuated can move back into their homes today The gas leak started yesterday afternoon along Highway 100 between Pacific and Washington. Here is a list of a few pipeline explosions.There are many, many example

Target of Immigrant Raids Shifted

Published on 2009-02-04 08:29:00

By NINA BERNSTEIN - New York Times - February 3, 2009The raids on homes around the country were billed as carefully planned hunts for dangerous immigrant fugitives, and given catchy names like Operation Return to Sender. And they garnered bigger increases in money and staff from Congress than any other program run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, even as complaints grew that teams of armed agents were entering homes indiscriminately.But in fact, beginning in 2006, the program was no longe

A Warm and Fuzzy Day in Austin

Published on 2009-01-14 08:07:00

By Faith Chatham - DFWRCC - Jan. 14, 2009Yesterday was a rare day in Texas History. The opening day of the 81st Texas Legislaturerare day of amiability in the Texas Legislature was exceptionally warm and fuzzy as Democrat after Democrat seconded the nomination of Rep. Joe Strauss of Bexar County for Speaker of the Texas House. Voted Speaker by Acclaimation, Strauss, a two-term representative (R) is heralded as the conciliator, listener, get things done for the people guy for the job. His electio