April 27, 2020
Editorial by LocalNewsOnly Editor..Nelson Thibodeaux
Colleyville Mayor Richard Newton
Biography Mayor Richard Newton
Newton was first elected to mayor in 1992 before his most recent election. He said he ran to protect Colleyville by ensuring low-density and high-quality developments. His goal was to revise the comprehensive master plan, restore open and transparent city processes, and include term limits in the city charter. Newton has a PHD in Electrical Engineering.
Contrast with the antagonist Bud Kennedy below:
Star-Telegram’s Bud Kennedy
“Commentary” entitled ” From Fort Worth Stockyards bars to Colleyville, y’all help.”
“Go honky-tonking in the Stockyards or get a tattoo saying, “Colleyville Forever.”
Make no mistake, the ‘Y’all help” and tattoo” is Kennedy’s attempt to belittle Colleyville, ( although he previously declared it the 10th richest city in the United States).
Kennedy apparently get’s confused trying to frame Colleyville, a high percentage of educated citizens, entrepreneurs and professionals, as well as just strong individualists . He rails against Colleyville’s Mayor Richard Newton. Apparently this Food Critic’s education totally came from working at newspapers and Mayor Newton is a “simpleton” only being a Doctor in Electrical Engineering!
Kennedy wrote in his Sunday critique that “First, Newton said his city is “autonomous” from Tarrant county and doesn’t have to follow county orders,” then proceeds to quote the state’s Emergency law that, “To the extent of a conflict between decisions of the county judge and the mayor, the decision of the county judge prevails. Clear Enough?” Then Kennedy writes that “he” Mayor Newton said it was the same as Gov. Greg Abbott’s order. Kennedy follows by “Only it clearly wasn’t.”
Here Kennedy is apparently falling back on his sport’s writing career that the (Referee) Judge Whitley rules supreme, while forgetting the rule has changed since his writing of football games 50 years ago…now there is the “Replay Booth.” In the case of Colleyville’s Mayor Newton, he told LocalNewsOnly.com this was not his conversation with Kennedy; however, that Mayor Newton had been in touch with the Governor’s office on multiple occasions before issuing his proclamation that restaurants with outdoor eating areas may re-open those areas. Further, that all the rules of social distancing remain in place. Mayor Newton’s Proclamation clearly wasn’t meant to disrupt Judge Whitley’s ongoing efforts to keep businesses closed, but simply a proclamation that was discussed and cleared with Governor Abbott’s office,(whom has spoken to President Trump), and certainly appears to have adequate weight to override a Tarrant County Judge’s mandates! Perhaps the County Commissioner should better explore how to safely open business in his county!
For those few Colleyville citizen critics about the Mayor’s Proclamation…here is some breaking news…you don’t have to leave the safety of your home, if you are concerned you may contact the virus at an open air restaurant; just stay home!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is not an order, not even a suggestion by the Mayor that all would look to embrace. But considering the lines at restaurants with open air services, it appears the overwhelming majority of citizens are ready for a staged opening of the businesses in Texas.
As of today, a number of other cities are either considering doing a staged opening or announced they would do so today! Following Mayor Newton’s carefully limited and thought out plan to begin opening business in Colleyville.
Thank you Mayor Newton for having the courage and conviction to allow Colleyville citizens a touch of normalcy and at least seeking a safe way to help the tremendous financial loss of many of the cities’ terribly hard hit businesses.
Wait, I have an idea, rather that the Star-Telegram, a food critic ( I don’t think Dave Lieber was ever a food critic and a Hell of lot better political beat writer than Kennedy).
Considering the Star-Telegram is virtually begging readers and non-readers to help pay for two new cub reporters that have come onboard, just slash Kennedy’s bloated salary to only being a food critic and pay these two women a fair wage out of what is then available
Nelson Thibodeaux
Comment:
frankcarroll1917@gmail.com  68.248.215.98 |
To give some context to the restaurant critic’s political diatribe about Colleyville, everyone should know that the Star-Telegram is owned by McClatchy Newspapers headquartered in, you guessed it, California. McClatchy Newspapers, hardly surprising, filed for bankruptcy in February of this year 2020.
Of course the ST readership has continued to decline since it is a liberal heavy metal horn playing in a conservative country and western string band. After 22 years of reading ST, I dropped it 2 years ago and never regretted the decision until the past couple of weeks. With the shortage of toilet paper caused by the current Chinese virus crisis, old copies of the ST could certainly now be put to an appropriate and perhaps their highest and best use. Fortunately we have a President, a Governor and a Mayor who are probably unaware of the restaurant critic’s opinion or like me, could care less what Bud Kennedy feels (not thinks-he only feels). We will get through this crisis with the leadership of people like Messrs. Trump, Abbott and Newton. Bud can then go back to reviewing gourmet donut shops and hamburger joints. Frank Carroll |
3 Comments
ellie
Frank, Thank YOU for the laugh —
in describing a perfect use for the ST!
David
Restaurants? I thought Colleyville only had grocery and liquor stores.
wrivers1@yahoo.com
Dropped the ST many years ago. Any publication that believed that Molly Ivins was worthy of being distributed to their readership did not need my financial support.
Gale