Time Stamped 05-30-01 @ 11:18PM

You guys are the biggest sore losers I've ever seen.  Your devious and underhanded tactics and inuendos typify the scumbags you are.

Jim Staab
Colleyville

Time Stamped 05-30-01 @ 10:07PM

Great Work......Keep it up. Hope to see more of this.

Shawn Roach
Colleyville Resident

Time Stamped 05-24-01 @ 10:11AM
(Received in response to Joe Duepree's Editorial, see Editorial Task Force)

Joe,(Duepree)

For those of us new to this community (6 years now), your perspective is very valuable.  I have been researching tax expenditure and revenue, location analysis principles, etc. for my response to this same issue.  I think you beat me to the punch with great examples of what it takes to drive retail business!  Thanks for your insights.

Best Regards,

Lee Skaalrud
Colleyville

Time Stamped 05-16-01 @ 9:34 PM

Dear Editor,

Congratulations on joining the LocalNewsOnly staff!  It will be very gratifying to read news and opinions from a former Councilwoman whose level head and ethical standards have always been held in high esteem by residents of Colleyville.

A newspaper must inform, occasionally entertain, but it is very imperative
that it get people to thinking for themselves based on first hand accounts and actual documentation.  This forum provides unlimited opportunity for citizens to provide their own reasoning to other residents across the political Great Divide of our city right now.  

William Cowper Brann was editor of a newspaper in Waco around the end of the 19th century called The Iconoclast.  Brann is revered to this day as a writer without peer, and his crusades against small-mindedness, bigotry, and hypocrisy have never been equaled.  Freedom of speech is something that has not been encouraged by the Council majority this past election-residents have reported to me that they were instructed not to log onto the LNO site.  I urge you to invoke the spirit of The Iconoclast and continue to freely offer the facts and opinions of everyone and absolutely draw the sword against those who would deny First Amendment rights to anyone in Our Town.

Linda Baker
Colleyville


Time Stamped 05-15-01 @ 10:18 AM

Editor,

The debate over the mayor and the city council photographs points out one of the real problems with Colleyville.  People are more concerned about the facade presented by the subjects than they are about their substance.

Although I applaud your open door policy and commitment to freedom of speech, toleration of such silliness is sometimes the cost exacted for such noble principles.

Frank Carroll
Colleyville

As an additional thought to the comments of the Editor below, LNO found the following photo of Mayor Arp's  recent opponent, Mike Taylor, as it appeared in the Saturday, March 31, 2001 edition of the Dallas Morning News. If one accepts the premise of "malice by photo" is this unflattering photo of Taylor (versus the one on the city web site for example), an example by the DMN?  

The left is from the S-T and the right from the city web site.

The left is as posted on the LNO's Council member site and the right from the city's web site (photo over 2 years old). We rest our case in the malice by photo caper.

Publisher

Time Stamped 05-12-01 @ 11:53 AM

Editor,

This is in rebuttal to your andswer to my previous letter concerning the city council's picture on your website. I did not say the Mayor's picture was taken without her knowledge, just without warning. She obviously spotted someone aiming a camera in her direction in time to smile nicely, but in any photo that I've seen of her in the newspapers has her sans glasses.

I stand by my criticism of the remaining pictures of Tigue, Feldman and Marlin. They are not looking at the camera and you have chosen most unflattering pictures-- eyes closed, unsmiling, looking away.

I struggled to come up with the right word for the management of this site. Members is not the right word, I guess staff is what I mean. The editor is someone who was defeated by a wide margin in last year's electionand obviously has an axe to grind. If you want to have a website where only one veiwpoint rants obout perceived injustices, so be it. If you truly want to be a place where citizens can get unbiased local news, then you have to be careful about the slant you put on things.

Jill Van Over

Please review your facts, the Editor of the Colleyville Edition (see About Us)  was not defeated in last year's election,  has never run for office, nor intends to.  You must be referring to the Publisher, and I assure you he is too busy, with working plans to bring on other city editions,  to grind an axe in the smallest city covered by our agency.

I am not sure what about the fact these members could send in their own updated photo that you don't understand. Just as this site posted your letter unedited above, the photos would be included on the member page unedited.

It is not this site's ability or obligation to change the appearance of council members.  If these photos had been "doctored" in any manner,  you might have a legitimate complaint.  However, if in our efforts to report in-depth local news fairly, the biggest complaint we have is that we don't make council members better looking than their own real life photos, then we have achieved a lofty goal not obtained by virtually any other news media in America.

Finally, while we have been very liberal in posting e-mails to the Editor, this particular silly argument has grown stale and is not serving our viewers.  Please re-read carefully the obvious options to resolve your concerns.

Editor

Letters Posted On May 12 2001

Time Stamped 05-12-01 @ 11:58 AM

Editor,

I take exception to your page featuring council members. There seems to be a discrepancy in the photos' quality. Only former councilmens Taylor and Short appear to be posed. Mayor Arp's is acceptable, but it is clear it was taken at a city council meeting with no warning, as Mayor Arp always removes her glasses for pictures. Councilperson Feldman, Tigue and Marlin's pictures were clearly taken with no warning. They are shown in the most unflattering way.

I am aware that members of your website are not politically simpatico with the current council, but you must strive to have a completely neutral coverage of local news, if you expect this website to prosper or even survive.

These differences in depictions of councilpeople smacks of malice and I urge you to correct it when you take picture of the new members recently elected.

Jill Van Over 
Colleyville

As always you are entitled to your interpretation of this site.  However there were no photos taken without warning, all members were clearly aware photos were being taken.  I believe anyone looking objectively at the Mayor's photo will agree she knows her picture is being taken.  There were a number of photos taken, for example the one below of Councilman Tigue.  

 In addition, Councilpersons Marlin and Feldman DID NOT have their photos on the City site, after a full year in office, therefore the ONLY source was LNO photos. 

By the way, we do not have "members" of our site, but free subscribers representing all types of views and positions. Further, although we are striving to be fair in our coverage, media sources have obviously flourished for years without being "completely neutral"; ask anyone if they feel the national media or Star-Telegram (for example) is "completely neutral".

All members of council have the option to e-mail this site a digital photograph to be used on the council members page.  However, this site can not reflect the views or comments of those that do not respond, neither can it post photos that never arrive.

Otherwise, the site utilizes photos in its own archives. As with all the council members Councilman Tigue was obviously aware her photo was being taken, however LNO elected not to use this shot on the members page.  However opted for a more current shot than the approximately four year old photo from the outdated City Web Site.

Editor

Which photo is better of Councilman Tigue?

Letters Posted On May 11 2001

Time Stamped 05-11-01 @ 8:44 AM

Publisher

Congratulations on the development of a most useful web site. I pledge to regular use and to pass the address to my neighbors and friends. Thanks for giving our community a place to obtain news not otherwise found from any other source.

Dennis Johnson
Colleyville

Time Stamped 05-10-01 @ 4:54 PM

Publisher 

You should send your editor out more often!  Really enjoyed:  Dateline: May 10, 2001  11:33 The Perils of Colleyville Small Town Politics or "Maybe Dave Lieber Got it Right This Time!.a column by Nelson Thibodeaux, Publisher.  Nicely done and good luck with Local News Only.

Best Regards,

Lee Skaalrud
Colleyville 

Time Stamped 05-05-01 @ 9:30 PM

To: Nelson Thibodeaux, publisher
      Local News Only.com

Dear Mr. Thibodeaux,

Regarding your email about our story on the city of Colleyville investigating modular buildings for possible mold, I disagree with your assertions that a copyright infringement occurred.

As for professional courtesy, while we did read your site, we took many other actions including filing for city documents as per the Freedom of Information Act and conducting numerous interviews. Therefore, we feel that the story is our own.

Sincerely,

Liz Zavala
Assistant Metro Editor, Bureau Chief
Northeast Tarrant County
The Dallas Morning News

Hey, we didn't say an infringement occurred, we said it might have occurred.  We do appreciate the Dallas Morning News checking with LNO for the latest in-depth news for the area. I think you will find we already had the documents on our site, could have saved yourself some time!

Publisher

Time Stamped 05-04-01 @ 3:46 PM

Editor

I received in the mail yesterday from the Committee to Re-elect Arp (CRARP) two "letters" to Councilman Mike Taylor from Councilmen Marlin and Tigue.  In addition to attacking Councilman Taylor, the CRARP mailing also attacked me.  The letters were of course reminiscent of the notorious "liar flyer" that supported both authors in their election campaign last year. 

Evidencing their usual astuteness both seem to have forgotten that I am not a candidate this year, or even last year when they also attacked me.

However, as to me, I think the best response is either that of the charm-school trained Southern lady - "isn't that nice" or my sainted mother's admonition "just consider the source."

As to the rest, one might first ask why such "private"
correspondence would be distributed by CRARP.  Could these "letters" have been written, not as an honest expression of disagreement with a fellow councilman, but as a political attack piece by the CRARP followers?  Does it also strike anyone as odd that the "letters" are on continuous pages and unsigned?

But surely they would not mislead us.

One might also ask why the unseemly and vicious attack by Marlin and Tigue against Councilman Taylor as well as former council members and why they denigrate the fact that 70% of the people who have served with the Mayor and many other public servants, do not support her election?  They fail to disclose that Mayors Whitmire, Newton and Baker, Mayors Pro-Tem Linda Newton, Vanover and Grace, as well as Councilmen Styles, McKain, Butler and Helling have endorsed Mike Taylor.

But surely they would not mislead us.

These kind of attacks by the authors on behalf of CRARP are similar to the tactics employed by Clinton and Gore in their election campaigns.

While they stood above the fray and tried to look "presidential" Ted Kennedy, Dick Gephardt, Jesse Jackson and others of their ilk repeatedly attacked George Bush and Bob Dole.  Colleyville citizens are regrettably  being Clinton/Gored again.

Of course anyone who has followed or watched the Colleyville City Council for the last year will not be surprised by these "letters."  The authors have long played Mortimer Snerd and Charles McCarthy to the Mayor's Edgar Bergen.

They also blame Mike Taylor for the treatment of the elderly pioneer Couch family and the leasing of their duress - acquired property for $10 to the Village Developer in a lease signed by the Mayor.  Fortunately, the  truth of the Couch matter has already been told by Local News Only.Com.

But again, surely they would not mislead us.

And of course there is always Hall-Johnson.  We should never forget that Tigue was the author of the resolution to go ahead with the improvements to Hall-Johnson but cover most of the road with dirt and plant flowers on it.  That resolution was supported by the Mayor and Marlin.  Our city is still the butt of jokes all over the state for that little stunt.  Of course Mike Taylor voted against it.

But again, surely they would not mislead us.

And finally who was it that rejected the development at
Cheek-Sprager and Highway 26, again financially injuring long-time and  elderly homeowners after it had been unanimously approved 7-0 by the  Planning and Zoning Commission, with the sounds of "we don't  want people like that" coming to our town?  Was this embarrassment Mike Taylor's fault?

But yet again, surely they would not mislead us.

These shenanigans and numerous others (moving City Hall at a cost of  $200,000, selling bonds a year before the funds are needed in a falling interest market and at a cost of an extra $1 million, etc.) would be hilarious if the consequences to our City were not so financially dire.  But the public has the choice - they can turn out and vote for a man who has the best interest of his city at heart or they can listen and buy into CRARP.

I do think, however, that the City Manager might want to revise our 3-legged horse logo if CRARP's slate wins to reflect the new Colleyville. In the background, perhaps we could have a Taj Mahal - $7.5 million public funds Village complex with the Couch's sitting on the steps holding a bed roll.  In the foreground we could have Clarabell wearing a St. John suit, driving a Porsche and holding a sign that says "only PLU's allowed" (people like us) and "just go around Colleyville."

It's your town and your choice.

Frank Carroll
Colleyville

Time Stamped 05-03-01 @ 10:40 PM

Dear Editor:

This message is in response to Mr. Sweatt's letter concerning Colleyville Soccer and the Master Plan for the Pleasant Run Practice Complex.  As a member of the Parks Board who voted in favor of the current Master Plan allowing primarily soccer use with a game day football field, I was shocked by the letter sent by the Soccer Association to the residents of the City, particularly when the Master Plan had been reviewed at numerous public meetings.  I don't recall Mr. Sweatt being in attendance the night the plan was unanimously approved by the Parks Board.  If he was in attendance, he witnessed several board members, including Mr. Hendler and myself, grilling the staff with some very tough questions concerning any football use at all and making the point that soccer desperately needed improved practice space and lots of it.  We also specifically directed that the football field area be designed for full soccer use on non-football game days. 

The Parks Board approved a Master Plan that had been through numerous public reviews and was recommended for approval by the city staff.  Never was there any intention by the Board members to shortchange soccer out of practice space.  With two daughters in the program, I know that improved practice fields are a high priority.  The Master Plan approval including game day use for football was, and still is, a logical compromise.  Unfortunately, the Colleyville Soccer Association has allowed itself to be used by Donna Arp as a political tool in her quest for re-election.  It's that simple.

Steven Magee
Member, Colleyville Parks and Recreation Board

Time Stamped 05-03-01 @ 4:59 PM

Editor

Despite all of the election rhetoric, and the inaccuracies and factually-incorrect statements in Mr. Leininger's letter and Mr. Hendler's hand-out in response to the letter from the CSA Board, the bottom line is this:

The Master Plan currently in place for the soccer practice facility on Pleasant Run Road does not make the best use of the land.  The piece of property is very deep and narrow.  There is currently enough room for 6 soccer fields of varying sizes laid out north to south.  In order to make room for a football field and all of the parking necessary to host games, the fields will have to be laid out east to west.  The resulting design has only 3 fields-one football field and two for soccer-and 172 parking spaces. Obviously, you cannot practice on a parking lot.  Soccer will end up with 50% less practice space than it has now.  This is why the CSA Board is against the Master Plan. 

If the piece of property was larger, there would be no problem sharing part of it with football.  But it is not, and soccer, with 130 teams in Colleyville, needs all of the space at this location.

The purpose of the letter from the CSA Board was to educate the parents in CSA, and to inform them of the results of the survey that went to all of the
candidates for office in this election.  CSA did not make an endorsement, it only printed the results from the surveys that were returned.

By the way, those non-residents whose boys and girls play soccer in  Colleyville also shop at our stores and eat at our restaurants.  This benefits us all.  They also pay a $10 non-resident fee per season to the
City.

Tom Sweatt
Colleyville 

Time Stamped 05-03-01 @ 1:52 PM

Just registered. What are your credentials?

Inger Miller
Colleyville

Please Click on About Us.  This is a pioneer effort in local news, credibility with documented facts by our reporters are the ultimate credentials.

Editor  

Time Stamped 05-03-01 @ 11:32 AM

Editor,

The Couch and Chamber articles are very timely.  It is very
fortunate that we now have Local News Only to provide an alternative forum for views that are contrary to those of our local newspapers or unaddressed by the Dallas Morning News four times a week, and very brief treatment, of all of Northeast Tarrant County.

On line news is a wave of the future.  It can respond more quickly and at a lower cost to breaking developments and update its readers on a hourly basis.

Also, it is a great boon to those individuals who do not have the
power, influence, money or special relationships to have their views presented in our ever shrinking and concentrating traditional media.

Congratulations on your significant contribution to providing a
forum for fostering the real meaning of the First Amendment.

Frank Carroll
Colleyville

Time Stamped 05-03-01 @ 8:57 AM

Editor

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