Great city key to developing Fort Worth tourism

Building a city that will attract tourists starts with building a city that will attract residents.

This idea on how to have successful tourism and urban growth was one of many remarks from the mayor of Charleston, S.C., Joseph P. Riley, who was the keynote speaker at Downtown Fort Worth Inc.’s annual meeting March 26.

Riley, who currently is serving his ninth term as mayor of Charleston, explained his work in revitalizing downtown Charleston at the meeting, and offered tips on how Fort Worth can continue to build its downtown and tourism industry.

Full Story

Southlake Real Estate Homes for Sale

Stocks jump on bank plan, rise in home sales

By TIM PARADIS, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK – Wall Street is getting the good news it wants on the economy's biggest problems: banks and housing.

Investors reignited a two-week rally Monday after hearing the government's plan to help banks remove as much as $1 trillion in bad assets from their books and home sales showed a surprise increase. Major stock indexes jumped as much as 4 percent, including the Dow Jones industrial average, which rose nearly 300 points.

The Treasury Department said its plan would rely on the government's $700 billion financial rescue fund, the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., as well as private investors.

Full Story March 23, 2009

February existing home sales rise by 5.1 percent

March 23, 2009
By ALAN ZIBEL, AP Real Estate Writer

WASHINGTON – Sales of previously occupied homes jumped unexpectedly in February by the largest amount in nearly six years as first-time buyers took advantage of deep discounts on foreclosures and other distressed properties.

Economists said sales, while still at levels not seen since 1997, may finally be coming back to life after declining sharply following the stock market plunge last autumn.

Read Full Story

Fort Worth Southlake Texas Homes For Sale

In Tarrant courts, new electronic system should speed felony docket

By MARTHA DELLER Mar. 09, 2009
FORT WORTH — On any given Thursday morning, about 40 defendants fill all but two rows in Criminal District Court No. 4. Another 20 wait in holding cells for their turn on Judge Mike Thomas’ weekly docket.

Some defendants wait hours to consult with their attorneys, sign paperwork, be sworn by the court clerk, be sentenced by Thomas, and meet with a probation officer, if necessary.

Full Story

Tarrant County toll road project to get $250 million in stimulus funds

By MICHAEL A. LINDENBERGER / The Dallas Morning News 3/6/09

State transportation officials voted Thursday to spend $250 million in stimulus funds to advance a major toll project in Tarrant County.

In all, the Texas Transportation Commission awarded some $1.2 billion for projects throughout Texas even as it has endured criticism from lawmakers who wanted a greater role in deciding which projects would be funded.

"Today's vote reflects four months of hard work by TxDOT staff and community leaders," commission chairwoman Deirdre Delisi said in a written statement. "Now, it's time to put Texas to work."

The North Texas work will be done on the DFW Connector, a $917 million project that mixes free and toll lanes near Grapevine and D/FW Airport.

Full Story

Weigh in on how stimulus money is spent in Tarrant County

By GORDON DICKSON
Mar. 10, 2009

The public will finally get an opportunity to speak about federal stimulus funding.

A state legislative committee will conduct a field hearing Saturday morning in Arlington to take public testimony about the American Recovery and Investment Act. In Texas cities and counties, some officials see the federal funds as a jump-start for long-overdue purchases, but others worry that the one-time of use of federal funds will create unforeseen expenses down the road.

Full Story

Can Police Help You Save Money?

3/03/09
DALLAS, Texas – Some homeowners are keeping their home insurance costs down by calling their local police department.

Most consumers are unaware security home inspection can save you money on your homeowner’s insurance.

"They're going to look for an open door, they're going to look for an open window. They're easy access in, they're easy access out," said Mike Bedrich of the Southlake, Texas Police Department.

The free home security inspection can save some hundreds of dollars on homeowner’s insurance.

Full Story

Chesapeake, city, homeowners, spar over well drilled beneath unleased property

By Jim Fuquay
Feb. 25, 2009

Texas Railroad Commission examiners say Chesapeake Energy should temporarily plug the portion of a well the company knowingly drilled too close to unleased property in east Fort Worth, a move that observers said could prove costly for the company.

Chesapeake was granted a drilling permit by the commission to drill a natural gas well southwest of the intersection of Meadowbrook Drive and Cooks Lane. The horizontal portion, or lateral, of the well eventually extended nearly twice as far as the permit allowed, and 15 unleased lots fell less than 330 feet from the well bore, the minimum distance allowed in the Barnett Shale without a special exception from the Railroad Commission.

The unleased properties include Fort Worth’s Eastbrook Park.

Full Story

Choice Homes suspends operations

By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
February 25, 2009

One of North Texas' largest homebuilders is suspending operations because of the tight credit markets.

Choice Homes, which has been in business for 21 years, is the latest in a string of local builders forced to shut down because of the lack of lending.

The Irving-based high production builder constructed more than 580 houses in the Dallas-Fort Worth area last year.

Full Story

You Can't Drive 65 on 121 in Fort Worth

NBCDFW.com

Speeders along Highway 121 -- consider this fair warning, and take your foot off the gas.

The speed limit on a portion of the state highway in Fort Worth will soon be lowered. The stretch of road between Sylvania Avenue and Interstate 35W in Fort Worth will drop from a brisk 65 mph to a lazy 55 mph.

So far, there are no plans to drop the speed limits on other roadways.

Full Story

Police: Mystery object tears through Dallas roof

DALLAS (AP) — Police say an unidentified falling object dropped out of the sky with enough velocity to tear a hole through the roof and the second floor of a Dallas home. Senior Cpl. Kevin Janse said Wednesday the six-pound piece of metal with two drill holes in it fell Tuesday evening when the person who reported the incident wasn't home. Janse said there were no injuries.

Officers couldn't determine the source of the debris. Janse said radioactive tests on the metal were negative. Several state agencies were notified of the incident, but Janse said none offered a theory about what happened.

Janse said there were no reports of similar incidents in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Full Story

Texas highway officials support plans to divide stimulus money among Fort Worth-area projects

By MICHAEL A. LINDENBERGER / The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN – Texas highway officials, carving up federal stimulus money, are endorsing projects that range from a big toll road in Fort Worth to road improvements across North Texas.

Among the ideas:

•$250 million for the DFW Connector toll road project, which would expand State Highways 121 and 114 near Grapevine in Tarrant County.

•$60 million to repair dozens of existing highways in Dallas, Collin, Tarrant and nine other nearby counties.

•$144 million for a new interchange at Interstate 20 and State Highway 121 in Tarrant County.

Full Story

Comedian Lily Tomlin brings her tour to Fort Worth's Bass Hall

By JOY TIPPING / The Dallas Morning News

Is 69 the new 39?

"In my case it certainly is," says 69-year-old Lily Tomlin with a laugh. "I've got the same energy as when I was 39, but with a lot more experience.

"A lot." Tomlin, in a recent phone interview, says she has "never stopped touring, never. I've always had an act. I do 40 or 50 dates in a year; I fit them in between whatever else I have going on." She'll bring the current tour to Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth tonight.

Although her career has ranged from stand-up comedy to television and Tony Award-winning theater to Oscar-nominated film work, she says she needs to stay in touch with her fans, and comedy's the best way to do that. "They're like a big family to me, and I have to keep my hand in. Plus, I love to work on the stage more than anything else."

Full Story

Live local Fort Worth music for Feb. 27-March 5

FRIDAY

GLASS CACTUS (Grapevine) Covers: Texas Unlimited Band. 9 p.m. $10. 817-778-2800.

KIRBY'S PRIME STEAKHOUSE (Southlake) Blues, swing: Glennda Hill group. 7 p.m. Free. www.kirbyssteakhouse.com.

SATURDAY

GLASS CACTUS (Grapevine) Disco covers: Le Freak. 9 p.m. $10. 817-778-2800.

KIRBY'S PRIME STEAKHOUSE (Southlake) Jazz: John Adams Trio. 7 p.m. Free. www.kirbyssteakhouse.com.

More

Koi turn up dead in Fort Worth Japanese Garden after accidental chlorination

Feb. 25th, 2009

More than 100 Koi fish were discovered dead today in the Japanese Garden pond after the water was accidentally chlorinated overnight.

The garden’s three ponds normally contain about 800 of the brightly colored orange fish that range in size from about six inches to three feet in length.

The accidental chlorination occurred during normal pond cleaning that is carried out every other year.

The procedure involves lowering the water level in the pond and placing two 55-gallon stock tanks filled with raw water in the pool to contain the fish. The tanks are filled with a water line that normally carries raw water, but due to a maintenance procedure at the nearby South Holly Water Treatment Plant, the line also was being injected with tap water. Tap water contains levels of chlorine that are safe for human consumption, but are harmful to Koi fish.

The Japanese Garden is closed to the public today.

Source

Dallas-Fort Worth home prices slide, but not as bad as nationally

Feb. 24th 2009

By Andrea Jares

North Texas home values dropped 4.3 percent between December and a year ago, according to figures released Tuesday morning from the S&P Case-Shiller Price Indices.

The price drop is the second-least severe of all 20 metro areas surveyed. Denver had a 4 percent drop.

Dallas-Fort Worth is also faring better than the national average, which saw an 18.2 percent drop between December 2007 and December 2008.

Full Story

Dallas-Fort Worth area to have new warning guidelines for storm emergencies

Feb. 24th 2009

By BLANCA CANTÚ / The Dallas Morning News

North Texas emergency officials announced new guidelines on Monday for outdoor warning systems to establish a standard for notifying residents of severe weather and other potentially catastrophic events across the region.

The North Central Texas Council of Governments formally unveiled the recommendations to kick off severe weather awareness week. Outdoor warning systems are typically referred to as tornado sirens but can be activated for other reasons.

Full Story

Wife of ex-Detroit mayor enjoys new life in Southlake

By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News

Swanky suburban Southlake is about as far as Carlita Kilpatrick can get from the Motor City.

Former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick plans to join wife Carlita and their three boys in Southlake, but would require court approval first. A hearing is set for Tuesday to determine whether he can travel to Dallas for job training.

That suits her just fine.

Detroit's former first lady is seeking refuge for her family after suffering her darkest days: the public humiliation when Detroit and the nation learned that her husband, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, cheated on her and lied about it under oath.

"I'm ready to start anew," Carlita Kilpatrick told The Dallas Morning News in her first extensive interview since moving to Texas.

Full Story

Tarrant County Freshman sworn in

By AMAN BATHEJA

Freshmen from Tarrant County are sworn in as Texas Legislature convenes.

AUSTIN — As Wendy Davis prepared to become the newest state senator from Fort Worth, she allowed herself a moment to consider how far she had come.

She thought about growing up poor, about being young and raising a daughter while balancing college and two jobs, and about everything that has happened since.

Full story

Tarrant County OKs federal stimulus 'wish list'

By ANTHONY SPANGLER and GORDON DICKSON

FORT WORTH — A wish list of building and road construction projects totaling more than $270 million was approved Tuesday by Tarrant County commissioners for possible inclusion in the proposed federal economic stimulus package.

County leaders are joining thousands of other local governments across the country in making their case for funds from the federal stimulus, which could reach $800 billion. Tarrant County’s list includes projects in the 2006 bond program, ranging from a new civil courts building to 21 transportation projects.

Full Story