Guest Reviews Wanted!

I need your help... Now Accepting Guest Posts and Reviews.

Read more ...

2016 Republican Party Primary Election Ballot Tarrant County

Last Day of Early Voting	Friday, February 26, 2016

• Election Dates

I figured I should do little research to see how the most conservative candidates are, in some cases there was only one option. I'm looking for candidates who want smaller government, less regulation, less government spending, more privatized industry. Those where only once choice exists (no challenger), are in non numbered bullet.

If you couldn't tell from my about page, I'm a CONSERVATIVE. I'm bordering on libertarian in my beliefs about limited government. On my points I'm more libertarian than "GOP".

Here's the the things. This is (and is not) a job interview. At work in the hiring process, we look for two things, Qualifications and Temperament, both equally. In the case of elections, I'm looking for these in a different way. I want to know that you know something about the field to which you are applying (asking for my vote), but I care as much (or more) that you hold my values.

I don't want to send a well qualified person who will stomp all over my rights, over a less qualified person who will preserve them. So your credentials mean something, but they mean less than your messaging, historical decision making, and affiliations. I'm a BIG fan of David Barton and Wallbuilders, so that gives you credit in my book to start.

So here we go...


Research:

• Oil and Gas Lawyer Blog 
• Texas GOP Vote (RR)
• Texas GOP Vote 2016
• Green vs Green
• Propositions Research
• Meet the Candidates  - RR 
• Texas Supreme Court (Currently)
• Judges - Compare
• Texas judicial elections, 2016
• National Review, Retired Lawyer and Blogger weighs in on Supreme Court Races.

March 01, 2016 - Precinct 3043 Tarrant County - Ballot

Republican Party Primary Election

Preference for Presidential Nominee

You may vote for one presidential candidate
whose name appears on the ballot or as
uncommitted. Make only ONE choice.

1. Ted Cruz, my number one guy. 
2. Ben Carson, was my number one, but I'd love to see him as VP or on the Presidential Cabinet for Health and Human Services.



United States Representative, District 12

• Kay Granger

Railroad Commissioner


Lance N. Christian -None of the candidates except Lance Christian has special expertise in oil and gas regulation and none has served on a state regulatory agency board. - Geoscientist at Railroad Commission. I can't even find a website for this guy, I guess he doesn't want to be found, no go.

Wayne Christian - Wayne Christian Authored 5 Legislative Bills that Would Increase Regulations and Provide Solyndra-like Subsidies for Renewable Energy (Texas GOP Vote), that alone would take him off my list, no matter how conservative his website looks. - Financial planner; former member of Texas House of Representatives. ChristianforTexas.com, Wayne says: I have had the honor of serving our state for over a decade, fighting for limited government, fiscal responsibility, and a strong state economy in the Texas Legislature. - Only Candidate That Has Had Direct Oversight Of The Railroad Commission. Only Candidate With Experience Standing Up To Obama’s Epa. Only Candidate With A Record Of Standing Up For Private Property Rights. Only Candidate With A 15 Year Record Of Fighting To Slash Taxes And Regulations

1. Weston Martinez - Texas Real Estate Commission public member; Career in oil and gas business development; Political commentator; worked against voter fraud in south Texas.  - We need to work hard to keep the EPA out of Texas! WestonforTexas.com - Weston's story : involved in organizing Hispanics for Ted Cruz for president. In addition to his conservative grassroots work on behalf of Texans. - Weston is also the only candidate in the race with oil and gas experience.  As a small business owner, Weston has actually built a business that services oil and gas companies in Texas.

Ron Hale - Worked across multiple industries, from security to engineering; licensed engineer who specializes in anti-terrorism consulting for the Oil and Gas industry. RonHaleforTexas.com, (sorry, but your website sucks. If you can't get a decent website, I don't trust you to do anything else well either).

John Greytok - Austin attorney and lobbyist. JohnGreytok.com -  John's story: I believe in limited government.  As a conservative I believe you know how to run your own life far better than any bureaucrat or so called “expert.”

Gary Gates - Real estate investor; Master’s degree in tax law; Army veteran. GaryGatesforTexas.com, says all the right stuff, just didn't grab my attention. I still don't know who you are.

Doug Jeffrey - U.S. Air Force veteran; founder of a venture capital business, and commercial real estate developer. DougJeffrey4Texas.com, your opening page asks me for my email and my donation, but says little to nothing about your story... You lost me at hello.



Justice, Supreme Court, Place 3


Comparing these two (Compare here) I can't find any reason to pick one over the other. They are both conservative, but Debra's already in the role, probably built relationships. But an endoresment from David Barton is enough to put me over the 51% mark.

It is telling that the PAC associated with Texans for Lawsuit Reform, a nonpartisan group that advocates civil justice reform, endorsed Lehrmann when she ran in 2010, but has endorsed Massengale in the upcoming March 2016 election. In order to figure out why, I looked into Lehrmann’s record on the Texas Supreme Court and read some of her decisions. It turns out that since 2010 Lehrmann has dissented more often — over 40 times — than any other member of the Court (all of whom are Republicans). Many of her dissents were in cases applying the landmark Texas Medical Liability Act (TMLA), a comprehensive-reform statute passed by the legislature in 2003 (with the support of TLR) in response to a medical-malpractice crisis that jeopardized the availability of health care in Texas. Lehrmann has consistently — even doggedly — advanced positions that would restrict the application of TMLA by, for example, allowing the assertion of claims that are time-barred under the plain terms of TMLA. In one case, Tenet Hospitals Ltd. v. Rivera (2014), Lehrmann cast the sole dissenting vote in an 8-1 decision enforcing a 10-year “statute of repose” to bar the assertion of a claim filed 15 years after the date of the medical treatment at issue. Lehrmann reasoned that the statute of repose violated the state constitution (a common tactic of activist judges), asserting that “Statutes of repose present harsh barriers to the administration of justice,” and that a 10-year limit is not “a reasonable use of the police power.” In another case, Molinet v. Kimbrell (2011), Lehrmann wrote a dissent finding an “ambiguity” in a two-year statute of limitations, which she then resolved in favor of allowing a claim, based on “legislative history” consisting of an isolated colloquy between two legislators. In a controversial case involving the recognition of same-sex divorces in Texas prior to Obergefell, Lehrmann recused herself without explanation. This is just a sample from her reported decisions. These characteristics — frequent, sometimes lone dissents; resort to unreliable legislative history to defeat the clear text of a statute; questioning the wisdom of the legislature’s policy judgments; consistent plaintiff-orientation; dogmatic and unpersuasive reasoning — are often, based on my experience, indicia of an activist judge. Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/426850/texas-judicial-election

Debra Lehrmann, Incumbent/currently in role. judgedebralehrmann.com says: Respects the Constitution and never legislates from the bench, Strictly interprets the law, Twenty-eight years on the bench. May be a non-conservative activist judge.

1. Michael Massengale - michaelmassengale.com says: was appointed to the First Court of Appeals by Governor Rick Perry on June 15, 2009. He was elected in 2010 and re-elected to a full term in 2012. He also curates a blog on the history of the Texas Constitution, at www.texconst.wordpress.com. He's endorsed by a lot of conservatives, including David Barton - President – Wallbuilders*

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 5

Comparing these two (compare here) Paul Green has the experience in the court system hands down. Paul Green is probably doing a decent job, and has all the right endorsements.

But the supreme court isn't about the court system, it's about the Constitution (state and federal). We do need a watchdog with unwaivering passion for our history.

Rick Green has no prior judicial experience, and scant elevant legal experience. He styles himself a “constitutionalist,” but the bulk of the Texas Supreme Court’s docket concerns mundane — albeit important — matters of state law. His judicial temperament is questionable. According to press reports (e.g., here and here), his brief tenure in Texas’s part-time legislature (which meets for 140 days every other year) was marred by ethical controversies involving his promotion of the dietary supplements Metabolife and FocusFactor. After he left the legislature, he reportedly decked the opponent who defeated him, Patrick Rose. Rick Green ran for an open seat on the Texas Supreme Court in 2010 and narrowly lost to Debra Lehrmann in the Republican primary runoff. Afterwards, in Trump-like fashion, he sued his critics, including former Chief Justice Tom Phillips, contending that their campaign against him was libelous. Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/428859/texas-judicial-elections-green-vs-green

1. Paul Green - texansforjusticepaulgreen.com, says: By comparison to my background and my record, my opponent doesn't practice law, he’s never tried a case, he’s never appealed a case. And I think that the people of Texas deserve somebody that actually knows what they’re doing if they want to go to the highest civil court in the state. Unfortunately, an endorsement from Rick Perry is a down step in my book, Rick's not a true conservative, he's not bad, but not great.

 

Rick Green - Justice Green has an opponent, Rick Green, that is very comfortable, and happy as a radio host and traveling for Wallbuilders (David Barton's Group), but has decided that the Supreme Court needs a ‘Constitutional Watchdog’. YES it does!! - rickgreen4texas.com says: "Rick strongly believes that a parent's right to direct the education and up brining of their children is a fundamental right protected under the constitution." Tim Lambert, Chairman of Texas Home School Coalition PAC. This

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 9

The Comparison (here) doesn't give Joe Pool much to go on. He's got credentials, just less than hers. However, his website (here) makes some startling allegations, and supports removing Eva Guzman. Anyone that takes an action to support Planned Parenthood is a traitor and an enemy of the state. Eva Guzman must go. However, the National Review says that this allegation was false and Joe Pool is not a conservative, she is. He is a democrat in republican's clothing.

1. Eva Guzman, evaguzman.com says: Eva Guzman joined the Supreme Court of Texas in 2009, making history as the first Latina to sit on the state’s highest civil court. The next year, the people of Texas elected her to a full term. And Eva Guzman became the first Hispanic woman elected to statewide office in Texas. A proud Texan, Eva Guzman strives for excellence in her work on our state’s highest civil court. Justice Guzman believes “a judge’s highest duty is to uphold the Constitution.” TLRPAC also endorses her as the conservative.

Joe Pool, joepooljr.com says: His argument won my vote.

• WHAT IF JUSTICES WORE THEIR SPONSORS ON THEIR ROBES LIKE NASCAR DRIVERS?
• As a Christian Constitutional Conservative, Joe believes that in recent years the Texas Supreme Court has taken a turn that should be impermissible to “We the People.” 
• Jury verdicts from lower courts are being overturned a staggering 74% of the time and the vast majority of Justices are initially appointed. Joe pledges to only rule in accordance with the Constitution and his conscience. 
• Joe will ensure that the freedoms and rights of his fellow Texans to live according to our Christian values will not be infringed.

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 2

Compared (here) , not much stood out, other than the quotes at the end. Ray didn't have one. In campaigns, messaging matters. Mary and Ray can duke it out with each other, Chris gives me the right vibes.


Mary Lou Keel - maryloukeel.com,  To pursue justice one case at a time based on the evidence in the case and the applicable law. Her site says: Mary Lou Keel has two rivals in the Republican primary, both men. By any relevant, objective criteria, they are both under-qualified for the job they seek. -- There is one area where Rival 1 manages to outdo Keel:  bad rulings. He has a habit of wrongly throwing out physical evidence of crime, suppressing confessions and dismissing charges in cases as serious as child molestation and online solicitation of a minor. He claims that he refuses to follow the law if he disagrees with it, and he takes pride in being known as a "contrarian" and a "different kind of judge." --- She says: My husband is a Democrat, but he is also my single greatest supporter.  I would never have run for the 232nd District Court in 1994 but for his encouragement. -- Sorry, but that may be a deal breaker too, divided house. I also notice how much she points to the number of cases she's presided over, but says nothing of substance on her website about her support for conservative constitutional values. Some of the buzz words are there, but this website screams moderate to me.


Ray Wheless (Mary refers to as Rival 1)- judgeraywheless.com, Endorsed by Texas Homeschool PAC. Our forefathers made it very clear that the paramount goal of government is to establish Justice.  Without Justice, there can be no right to life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness. There is no greater calling for a Judge than that of protector of these God given rights. If I am elected to this Court, I will uphold the plain language of the Texas Constitution and the United States Constitution as intended by our forefathers.


1. Chris Oldner -  chrisoldner.com, It’s important we have honest and ethical judges who fairly apply the law – to everyone.  During my 15 years on the bench, I've always stood by these principles to protect the integrity of our judicial system.  To maintain law and order in Texas, I will always strictly apply the law, protect the constitution, and push back against special interest groups who seek to corrupt our courts for personal and political gain. - “I’m a Republican by choice, not by convenience, and am proud to promote conservative causes; like preserving the constitution constitution, limited government, the rule of law, and a judiciary which applies the law, but doesn't make it.”

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 5

Compared (here), Scott Walker is missing from this page, and Steve Smith didn't get a picture or website linked. Hmm...

Scott Walker (( What an unfortunate name for this election cycle, to have the same name as a person running for president, you are buried in the Google Hits for your name.)) scottwalkerforjudge.com says, he's the father of a public school teacher (will he support home schoolers?) Scott Walker is a lifelong Texan. Scott Walker and his wife both descend from a long line of conservatives, and both have been conservative Republicans all of their adult lives. They have been married for 42 years. Scott and his wife are evangelical Christians and are active members in their Dallas area church. The website is weak on make up and content, I'm not sure how much he wanted this.

1. Brent Webster -  websterforjudge.com says ,  Endorsed by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility / Texas Home School Coalition -- As a lifelong conservative, our common sense values inform every aspect of my life. I believe in individual liberty and a government that does not intrude on the lives of its citizens. I hold dear the rights of the unborn and will always fight to ensure their protection.

Sid Harle - electsidharle.com says, his video is compelling. He is a caring and honest person, who stands for family values and doing what's right. He shows compassion.  -- I would be honored to have your vote in the upcoming Republican Primary Election. My track record has shown I will serve the citizens of Texas with the utmost character, experience and integrity.

Steve Smith -- Google could not find his website, so maybe he dropped out?? I give up trying to find him. Ballotpedia gave information under Steve that helped me understand Sid Harle:: "Smith announced his intention to run for seat 5 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Incumbent Judge Cheryl Johnson (R) announced that she would not seek re-election. The reason Smith cited for declaring his candidacy was that Republican candidate Sid Harle was not conservative enough for the court. He will face three fellow Republican candidates in a primary election.[3][6]"



Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 6

Compared (here), Richard has no picture or website liked, did he drop out? The rest of his information is blank.


1. Michael E. Keasler --  judgekeasler.com (website could use some work, I can barely read it) says, The following quate from texasjudges.org Judicial Philosophy – I believe strongly in judicial restraint, and, like Justice Scalia, I am a textualist.  Appellate courts should look to the plain meaning of a statute rather than attempting to psychoanalyze the legislature to determine some unspoken “legislative intent.”  Judges should not create law in the name of statutory construction. I use logic, common sense, and plain language in crafting judicial opinions.


Richard Davis - Can't find much of anything about this guy, he must have dropped out.


State Senator, District 12

• Jane Nelson

State Representative, District 93

• Matt Krause, for the record, I LOVE this guy!!! 

Justice, 2nd Court of Appeals District, Place 3

Honestly, the first three sound about equal, the last two are no-go's. The only one that stood out with messaging that appealed to me was Elizabeth Kerr.

Dabney Bassel, dabneybasselforjudge.com, “as a justice, i will bring my conservative view of the law to the 2nd court of appeals, i promise to work hard every day, strictly apply the law as it is written, give all parties a prompt and fair resolution of their cases, and never legislate from the bench.”

Mary Colchin Johndroe   maryjohndroe.com, “Grounded by my conservative values, I pledge to you my abiding respect for the law and the Constitution.”

1. Elizabeth Kerr kerrforjustice.com. “We all deal with life’s adversities. How we handle these situations defines us. Justices on the Court of Appeals settle disputes of adversity in the law. Liberal judges try to expand the law; conservative judges apply the law. With no apologies, I will be a conservative judge.”

William Anthony "Andy" Porter, couldn't find an online presence. ballotpedia.org/Andy_Porter

Bill Ray billrayforjustice.com, says: "I have been on the front lines of a political campaign before, having run against Wendy Davis in her Fort Worth City Council Campaign. I am of the Christian Faith and a member of First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth."



Justice, 2nd Court of Appeals District, Place 4 (Unexpired Term)

• Bonnie Sudderth

District Judge, 17th Judicial District

• Melody Wilkinson

District Judge, 48th Judicial District

• David Evans

District Judge, 67th Judicial District

• Don Cosby

District Judge, 96th Judicial District


R.H. Wallace, Jr.  judgewallace.com, (Your website kind of sucks dude, you could use some branding help). A Defender Of Freedom And Justice, he says: "The strength of America is in our Constitution. With this said, Judges should apply the law, not make the law."

1. Traci DeAnne Hutton tracihutton.com, Families divided by divorce, unmarried fathers seeking parental rights, partners forming a business and first-time home buyers at closing have one thing in common: They need experienced legal guidance that gets results. And they need it now. huttonforjudge.com, She has three adult children; a son, Conner who is a U.S. Marine and two daughters, Caitlin and MacKenzie. As a family, the Hutton’s attend Gateway church in Southlake. SOLD!



District Judge, 153rd Judicial District

• Susan McCoy

District Judge, 213th Judicial District

• Louis E. Sturns

District Judge, 342nd Judicial District

• Wade Birdwell

District Judge, 348th Judicial District


Mike Wallach  mikewallachforjudge.com, Susan and I are active members of Bear Valley Community Church. I believe that I can bring my knowledge from my many years as a courtroom lawyer to the Bench and provide correct application of the law in a fair and balanced manner to all participants in the litigation process. I am asking for your vote for the opportunity to serve you as Judge of the 348th District Court. This one kind of bored me.

1. Brooke Allen  brookeallenforjudge.com, Brooke Allen is a true conservative running to serve all of Tarrant County as Judge of the 348th District Court. Her page screams conservative (here)     Allen’s philosophy is simple, Texans deserve conservative judges on the bench who strictly interpret the laws as written, apply the law fairly and equally to all parties before them, and never legislate from the bench. ((She comes across as volunteer oriented. She also gives more about herself than Lumley)) I'd vote for Allen, but it was almost a toss up between her and Lumley.

Lisa Lumley  lisaforjudge.com, Constitutional Conservative, As a lifelong conservative, member of the Tarrant County Republican Party Executive Committee and daughter of a combat veteran, Lisa shares our conservative values. As an attorney, Lisa takes great pride in her work defending personal property rights, especially for veterans who risk their lives defending our country. As our new judge, we can trust Lisa to uphold and defend our constitutional rights. Lisa is passionate about her conservative judicial philosophy. ((She comes across as business, professional))

District Judge, 352nd Judicial District

• Mark Pittman

District Judge, 396th Judicial District

• George Gallagher

Criminal District Judge, Court No. 2

• Wayne Salvant

Family District Judge, 360th Judicial District

Both of these make the right statements, but Bennett screams conservative, while Sinha feels like he pays it a mandatory tribute.

Mike Sinha  judgemikesinha.com, As Judge of the 360th District Court.  Judge Mike Sinha has a proven conservative track record throughout his career. In his 25 years on the bench, he has never signed a Judicial Bypass Order. When re-elected, Judge Mike Sinha will continue to serve our Tarrant County families with CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN VALUES.

1. Patricia Baca Bennett patriciabennettforjudge.com, Patricia Baca Bennett is a Constitutional Conservative who believes that the judge's role is to apply the law as passed by the Legislature to the facts of the case before her. Patricia has been married for 19 years and is the mother of two children, including one special needs child. She understands the need to protect children while respecting the rights of parents. Family courts in Texas are courts of law and equity. However, equitable principles can only be used if there is no adequate remedy at law and are limited by both statute and case law. A judge who sees a modern-day family court as simply a "court of equity" fails to recognize the limits Texas law places upon a judge.

Sheriff

This is tough, both Anderson and Waybourn could be good. At first the idea of being tougher on crime and illegals and terrorism sounds good... but then... it starts to sound like big brother government. Dee Anderson sounds like the fiscal conservative I would want. He also helped create the Amber Alert, so... that's hard to beat.

1. Dee Anderson  sheriffanderson2016.com, Incumbent: During his fifteen years as spokesman, he appeared on virtually every national network news show, as well as appearing live on all three major network morning news shows.  Officer Anderson was in the national spotlight in 1996 during the kidnapping of Amber Hagerman, a nine-year-old Arlington girl who was later found murdered. Anderson co-founded the AMBER Plan, a cooperative effort between law enforcement and the media to instantly alert the public of a suspected child abduction.  The AMBER Plan has received State-wide and even national acclaim.  The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has adopted the plan, and Sheriff Anderson has traveled to Washington, D.C. to testify about the plan for the U.S. Congress.

An arcticle on Anderson's site: Sheriff Dee Anderson and challenger Bill Waybourn, a former suburban police chief, are two of the best-known local law officers of this generation. But only one can be the Tarrant County sheriff for the next four years, and voters must choose between two Republicans with completely different missions for the office. No Democrat is running. Waybourn, 56, of Dalworthington Gardens, has been police chief and chief of public safety there for 31 years. He is more flamboyant, has more law enforcement training and wants the Tarrant County sheriff to become more of a crimefighter again, saying the office should take on a larger role in protecting the county against terrorism and in training city jailers to hold illegal immigrants for federal officials’ review. Anderson acknowledges that he was slow starting his campaign. Instead of that, voters should consider his 15 years of quiet, thrifty management of Tarrant County jails that consistently exceed state standards. He says Change is not needed.

Bill E. Waybourn  billwaybourn.com, I believe this is a pivotal moment for Tarrant County and for Texas.  The county deserves a strong conservative Sheriff that is willing to build relationships in the community and lead from the front. I am humbly asking for your support and vote.  If elected I will bring the same values that have served me throughout my life to the front lines of Tarrant County, and will work tirelessly to make the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office the standard bearer for all law enforcement agencies in Texas.

John Garris (found little on this guy, and his website gave me an error message), I'm moving on from him.




County Tax Assessor-Collector

• Ron Wright

County Commissioner, Precinct No. 3

• Gary Fickes

Constable, Precinct No. 4

Compare them HERE. I plead my ignorance of this office. But my gut impression would be to go with the guy who says "While speaking with the public." An open ear is the sign of a good leader, few leaders SEEK feedback from those they lead.


PROCESS SERVING: What changes, if any, need to be made regarding process serving?

1. J.D. Sparks:  While speaking with the public, I have found that the main challenge of the Constable is Process Serving and the amount of time it takes to have the service executed. From the first day of taking the Office of Constable, I will assign Deputies to areas of the Precinct and hold them accountable for the Processes in their area being served in the time that is required by Law.    


Michael Hardy:   The service of civil process can be very challenging if the rules are not followed. Then you have the old adage that for every rule in civil process there is an exception. Personally I believe that the Constables serving civil process, on a routine basis, in uniform creates more opportunity for escalation and/or embarrassment to a defendant. Communication with plaintiffs is paramount to good service. Professional service in a business-like manner would bring about a more desired result.   


Joe D. "Jody" Johnson:   The manner in which process service is currently conducted in precinct #4 is very sound. Public safety is always priority one as is the safety of our deputies.      


County Chair

This is an open position, no incumbent. Both good be ok. 

Tim O'Hare - Attorney and real estate investor, made headlines when he was on the Dallas County council, proposing to fine landlords who rent to illegals. He just moved to Southlake.

David Wylie - Wylie is a computer consultant and he's been involved with the Tarrant County Rep Party for decades. He said "A contested race will sharpen all swords."



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Proposition 1

Texas should replace the property tax
system with an alternative other than an
income tax and require voter approval to
increase the overall tax burden.
Yes

Proposition 1: Texas should replace the property tax system with an alternative other than an income tax and require voter approval to increase the overall tax burden.

This proposition started as saying we should “reform” the property tax system, and before passage was amended almost unanimously to read “replace” the property tax system due to the fact that you can lose your property if you cannot pay your property taxes. In many cases homes are paid for but the tax payments alone exceed the original mortgage payments. This slams those on fixed retirement incomes and sometimes even forces elderly out of their homes. This is NOT sustainable, nor even a moral tax system, and needs to be changed. VOTE YES!

Proposition 2

Texas cities and counties should be
required to comply with federal
immigration laws or be penalized by loss
of state funds.
Yes

Proposition 2: Texas cities and counties should be required to comply with federal immigration laws or be penalized by loss of state funds. This is a clear shot across the bow to send a message to mayors and legislators alike that “sanctuary cities” like Houston and San Antonio, that essentially provide safe harbor to those here illegally, will not be tolerated. Unless you LIKE the idea of such sanctuary cities, VOTE YES!

Proposition 3

Texas should prohibit governmental
entities from collecting dues for labor
unions through deductions from public
employee paychecks.
Yes

Proposition 3: Texas should prohibit governmental entities from collecting dues for labor unions through deductions from the public employee paychecks.

This proposition was promoted by the Republican Party of Texas when it was learned that the Texas government essentially collects union dues, a portion of which then goes into Democratic campaign coffers. This is a no-brainer. All conservatives should clearly VOTE YES!

Proposition 4

Texas and its citizens should strongly
assert 10th Amendment Rights
guaranteed by the U. S. Constitution
which states "The powers not delegated
to the United States by the Constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the States, are
reserved to the States respectively, or to
the people."
Yes 

Proposition 4: Texas and its citizens should strongly assert 10th Amendment Rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution which states “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

This is the best resolution to come down the pike in several election cycles. It instructs the Texas government and people to resist the illegal intrusions and power grabs by the federal government at every turn. ALL GOVERNMENT functions not “enumerated” in the Constitution are explicitly reserved TO THE STATES by the 10th Amendment. For over a million Texas Republican Primary voters, they will have the opportunity to actually read the text of the 10th Amendment itself for the first time. VOTE YES!

Life In Fort Worth By Darrell Wolfe

• Click HERE to Subscribe by email. 

What is YOUR favorite thing about Texas? Comment Below!

Read more ...

What you need to know about buying a New/Used Car in Fort Worth Texas.

So... It's time to buy a new car. Should you go dealership or private party? If you are going dealership, which dealership? How do you decide? I'll cover a few of the basic things to think about in this article, based on my experiences living here these past few years.

2005 Mazda3 - Special Thanks to AutonNation So FW

I wrote in detail about the two weeks that brought me to buying a new car, and how I came to that decision, on my personal blog here. 

Disclaimer: 

I don't believe that there is one perfect choice of what kind of car, or even where to buy one. Recently, I was telling my 10 year old son that I heard people complain about the car they had bought, and how it wasn't working right, and "Why should they pay for a car that they can't drive?".

My 10 year old son says: "They took a loan, they should pay for it. Why didn't they pray before they bought it? Slow down, pray, and hear from God so you buy the car people!". Wisdom of Children.

My opinion is that before you make any decision you should pray, hear from God, and follow His lead. But I will attempt to break down the options on the "where" question for you here.

Side Note: NADA has some interesting statistics on the car industry (here), and TIADA (here).

Private Party VS Dealership Buying

Are you a mechanic, or steeped in that knowledge? We've had very little success buying private party. Usually if someone is trying to sell their car private party, it's because it was too trashed to trade in. But that's not to say it's a bad idea, or always true. You could find that someone has a great car, but they know they can get a better deal selling it private party instead of trading it in. That will give them more cash to put down on the new car.

If you know what you are looking for, or you are very spirit led, you might get a great deal from someone private party.


Bill of Sale

If you do, you'll want to print a Bill of Sale. This helps establish what you will and won't be agreeing to, and what the other party is agreeing to as well. You can find Microsoft Word templates by opening a new Word Doc, and searching Bill of Sale. There is wording all over Google to help you. Also, the DMV.Org Website has an option to fill out a form to print (here). NOLO also has a form (here).

I've written a whole page of instructions on how to deal with the registration and title transfer; instructions HERE.

The Small Dealership

It seems like, in Texas, you can put three cars on your front yard and call yourself "a dealership". It's amazing how many dealerships there are here. No seriously... I bought my last minivan from a guy whose "dealership" was at his house. His Covered Porch was his office. His "lot" was 10 cars on his front yard. Weird....

It seems like most of them are run by three guys with nothing better to do, and 20 cars that may or may not run. We've had good and bad experiences with these. Unfortunately, just like private party, you should either know what you are looking for, or be very spirit led.

On the upside they are CHEAP. You can buy a car for $500, $1,500, $3,000.... etc.

BUT....

These cars will not have been through a 126 point inspection. They make no claim to the unit's reliability. Either they got it in on trade, or they got it from a car auction. The car I traded in this month (that needed a LOT of work) will go to just such an auction, to get picked up by one of these types of dealerships. Hopefully, they put some work into repairing it, and make it worth buying again.

We've bought a few cars from places like this, but they usually don't last that long. However, they did get us by.

After I added it up, from 2009-2015, I've spent (price + repairs) $13,000 on used cars. All of which died within 1-2 years. Sure, I had no monthly payments, I just put a huge chunk down every Tax Return. But I was constantly dealing with issues all year.

I failed my Dave Ramsey Plan. I should have been paying myself every month, so I could buy a nicer and nicer car each time. Like making a car payment in reverse. I didn't. And now my only car died.

I'm over it. I want a newer car. I'm not ready for NEW, but I want something that runs. So we went out to buy a car.

The Usual Traditional Car Dealership

We visited Shall Remain Nameless (unless you click here or here), and experienced the hustle of a Traditional Car Dealership.

Uhg!

There are no prices listed on the cars. I ask about the price and I hear, "I'm not sure, I'll have to check" (but makes no move to go check). I told him that we wanted to end up at $7,000 (total sale price), they showed us two that "might work for us". While continuously evading my price questions.

We sit, we spend hours, test driving, sitting, waiting, they bring us paperwork with a sale price DOUBLE ($14,500+) what I told them the first moment I talked to them. I thought they had "two that might work for us"?

Well... They wanted to talk about payments, and get us to forget about total price. You see, if they can get me to agree to $150/Month ( my original target was $130/Month), than who cars about the total price, right? Wrong. Total price matters. I can pay off a $7,000 car twice (or more) as fast as a $14,000 car. Period. Price Matters.

How can this type of business practice still be legal? In the connection economy, it's thankfully dying away (just wish it was gone completely).

In 2005, I bought a car from a place like this, it was repossessed in 2007. Never again.

Thankfully, we had the presence of mind to leave.

But there yet remains a better choice...

The Better Choice

New Era Dealers like CarMax and AutoNation are built on the understanding that the Connection Economy will not allow for the old Car Dealership type of treatment any longer.

The prices are, generally, non negotiable. Why? They advertise a price that is as low as they can accept, and is still fair for them. They only sell vehicles that have passed their inspection. They just make the process as painless as possible.

You should still be spirit led, you can buy a car that looks good (even to a mechanic) that breaks down because of something you couldn't have known. However, this is the best experience I've had when car buying in my life.

AutoNation had a few vehicles that were targeted to lower prices than CarMax, so check out both. This just means that AutoNation carries cars that are a little older or higher millage; but, still pass the 126 point inspection.

This month, I went to AutoNation South Fort Worth, on I-20. The process was painless. No hustle. No haggle. Doug B and Doug W with AutoNation SFW were great to work with, patient with my questions, gave me time to digest figures and run my excel sheets.

In the end, we left with the car that had shown up over, and over, and over, in our search (spirit led). The one I kept getting drawn to, but couldn't quite explain why. The one I kept ignoring, looking for other things to satisfy my reasoning and mind.

No, it wasn't in line with my 150 item list of "must haves", but it was the right fit. Then again, there exactly ZERO cars that fit that list.

Funny Side Note: I kept looking for a car with 40,000 miles. The Monday after I made this purchase, I heard a guy complain to that the car he bought at 40,000 miles kept breaking down. Praise God for being Spirit Led.

Financing: 

Hopefully, you've been on the Dave Ramsey plan long enough not to finance. But, if your not, then here are some options.

There are a lot of ways to finance.

If you have a bank, apply with them first. Do it online, because then the decision (with score) will come to you online. Even if it's declined, you'll get an idea of what your score looked like.

If you are blessed enough to bank with USAA Bank, I highly recommend you START there, and if approved, go no further. The process is painless, and their customer service is second to NONE. They are patient with your questions. The only caveat I have for you: Don't print the loan docs until you are sure you have decided on the car. It's just easier that way, because you can edit your choices.

If you let the dealership do it, that can be good ( they can often search up to 40 lenders at once). They will run your credit through multiple lenders, but that only counts as one inquiry to your credit (here) as long as they are all done within 45 days.

Some of the small dealership do "in house" financing. This means that you don't need a credit score, but you don't get regular payments either. Instead, you pay $200-$300, every two weeks (every paycheck), for about one year to pay it off.

GAP Insurance:

For those who don't know, Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) Insurance can be very useful. It may go by other names, but look for this general description. Progressive Insurance calls it Loan/Lease Payoff.

Insurance Dilemma: Sometimes, after an accident where the vehicle is declared a total loss, your Full Coverage Insurance will pay what the car is worth, but not what you owe. If your car is worth $14,000, they pay that. But If you owe$16,000; they still only pay $14,000. That means you will STILL owe $2,000 which you must continue to pay after the car is already totaled.

Oh, and don't forget your $1,000 deductible, which they subtract from the total payout. Now they only pay $13,000, which means you are left with a bill for $3,000.

If you have a lot of cash on hand to account for this, and you can just pay that final $3,000, and be done with it. Or, you can keep paying the monthly payment (most of the time) until the final amount is paid off. Some lenders will allow you to do an "Insurance Deficiency Refinance", to lower your payment on that final left over amount.

If you do not pay the left over, this will become a charge off on your credit, and your credit is ruined.

GAP essentially works like this: If you have this $3,000 left over. GAP pays it. There are exclusions, and exceptions. Sometimes, if you have not paid your bill on time every month, GAP will deduct their coverage for that. So GAP still may not pay off the whole bill if you were not paying your bill on time.

I started to purchase GAP Insurance through USAA, but then I found out that I can add this to my Full Coverage through Progressive for $16/Year. (about a $1+ per month), and I'll cancel it when my loan is lower than my value.

I hope that helps!


Life In Fort Worth By Darrell Wolfe

• New to the blog? Start HERE

• Click HERE to Subscribe by email. 

What is YOUR favorite thing about Texas? Comment Below!

Read more ...

What's it like to live in Fort Worth / Dallas Texas? Fort Worth 101

This is my take on what's it like to move from Southern California to live in Fort Worth Texas. 

I grew up, most of my life, in Indio (Palm Springs) California. The winters there are awesome! 50-70* F, sunny skies... Golf Weather for 4-5 months straight! But the summers (which seem to last six months) are not so great. After a growing up with extremely dry 115-120* F days and 90* F nights May through October I had to get out.

So my wife and I moved to Santa Ana, California (Orange County). We were closer (but not close) to the beach. We had our annual pass for Disneyland, and we were there 2-3 times a week. Then again, we lived in a one bedroom, low income, roach infested, apartment.

Oh… and we had no car, couldn't afford it. I grew to enjoy the bus system, but it's a long trek with two small kids to the beach switching buses to get down there.

Then God called us to move to Fort Worth Texas. 

My wife, my kids and I moved to Fort Worth/Dallas Texas in July 2009. We didn't own a car, and most of our stuff wasn't worth paying to move. So we tossed and gave away most of it, and hopped the Amtrack - Texas Eagle with 15 duffel bags, four small boxes, and three big Bike Boxes (with bikes and "other" inside).

We departed from Los Angeles Union Station and headed east to San Antonio, then north to Fort Worth. It was a unique three days, and it was fun. Looking back, we should have paid extra for the sleeper cabin instead of sleeping in our seats in coach. But it was good.

Observations after arriving in Downtown Fort Worth

Air

The first thing I noticed when I stepped off the air conditioned train was the air outside. Most of Southern California has drier air. Fort Worth Texas has a mild humidity, which adds fullness to the air you breath. It's almost heavier, and it feels healthier. The same good feeling you can have when breathing a humidifier is the feeling I got stepping off the train.

Skies

There are no mountains. There are hills that some people call "mountains" like Eagle Mountain, but these are not mountains. These so called mountains are slight elevations from one area to another. As such, the skies go on and on. The clouds move in lower with nothing to block them. They roll and move and make shapes. The stars are visible beyond most of what you would see in Southern California unless you lived in the mountains or one of the few rural communities.

Storms

The Fort Worth area is roughly in the middle of the cold air coming down from the Minnesota and Canada regions, and the warm air coming up from the equator and Caribbean. Combined with the low cloud cover, Texas thunder storms are a sight to behold. They happen frequently throughout the year, but especially the spring and fall. Lightening and Thunder fill the sky like a dance and a song. It's amazing.

Tornadoes can and do happen, but they are not frequent here. Just north in Oklahoma they are more common. We are outside of "Tornado Alley", so it's not as big of a deal.

Friendly People

The people are hard to gauge; because, much (if not most) of the population of DFW is from another state. At least, that's how it feels. Almost everyone I meet moved here in the last ten years. I do feel like it's safer here, friendlier, at least in most neighborhoods. People are people everywhere you go, but Texas people seem to be more willing to lend an ear or a hand.

Stereo Types: Set The Record Straight

Texan Accents

When I was young, I lived in the Panhandle of Texas in a small town called Spearman, but I left when I was 9. Up in those parts the accents were thick and strong. So when I moved to Fort Worth I was expecting the same thing. I got off the train, and the first person I met (the baggage handler) was wearing a white T-Shirt with blue overalls, and had the thickest TV stereo-type-level accent you've ever heard.

I thought, OH MY I'm in Texas! 

…And I've never heard anyone talk like that since. As I said, most of the people are from other states, there aren't many "Texas Accents" left in DFW. Even those who were born here, typically don't sound like that unless they are from a small town.

Is there a lot of Racism in Texas?

I'm not sure where this comes from? I mean I guess Texas is part of the Old South, barely. I know racism still exists (at least people keep trying to make it come back). Even my Black mother-in-law warned us that we shouldn't get gas in the small towns, since we're a mixed couple.

Truth is, dumb people are everywhere. I'm sure any small town is going to be full of backward people, lost in decades past. But I haven't seen any evidence of true racism in the DFW area, unless it's the kind people make up in their own minds.

I'm not saying it's not here, as I said dumb people are everywhere. I'm saying that my experience, and the experience of those I've talked with does not provide me any evidence that it's a wide spread systemic thing like people seem to think it is here… not anymore than it is in Orange County CA.

Do Texans Ride Horses and wear Cowboy hats? 

Yes and No. Generally no. Mostly, driving in certain parts of DFW remind of the Orange County CA. But there is a lot more land out here. You can go to down town Fort Worth and see the police riding horses in the streets (but I think that's for tourists).

Look kids… COWS!

In fact, you are more likely to see cattle than horses. There is a lot of land here, and farms. Many people will put cows on the larger pieces of property to keep the growth down, cows or goats. In some cases I've seen sheep, and a few have Buffalo. It's hard to drive 10 miles without seeing a cow. They are better than lawn mowers! But I've gone months without seeing a horse.

Stats and Styles: What is the Fort Worth area like?

Jobs and Growth

Due to a variety of factors, the Fort Worth/Dallas (DFW) area is one of the fastest growing regions of the country. So much so, that they are nearly constantly doing construction on one freeway or another.

Jobs are on the rise here, and jobs of every kind. The DFW airport is one of the largest hubs in the country, people fly in and out at all hours of the day and night. As a result, companies that need to ship out can do so easily. Business travel to and from is easy. Corporate and Personal taxes are lower here. In fact, there is no State Income tax. Property tax can be a little higher to make up for it, but it's still lower overall.

Wiki has a list of the largest private-sector employers, including American Airlines, Lockheed Martin, Baylor Health, and many more. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas–Fort_Worth_metroplex#Largest_area_private-sector_employers

The single largest concentration of office jobs is in a part of Irving, Texas called Las Colinas. Do a job search, and narrow it down to Irving and you are likely for find HUNDREDS of open positions.

Housing

OK…. Housing is CHEAP compared to Southern California. When I moved to Roanoke, TX (a quaint little town north of Fort Worth, and the Unique Dining Capitol) I was able to replace my So Cal $1,100/month, roach infested, low income,  one bedroom apartment, with a Roanoke Texas brand new 2 Bedroom Apartment for $950. I've heard of apartment prices for much, much less. $600 or less even, depending on what you require. The prices closer to the big cities will be cheaper than the Suburbs.

I bought my house a year later (thanks  to God and the USDA). It  is 4 bedroom, 2 bath, 1,300 square feet, on a large property. We paid $119,000 for that house @ $950 a month. Try getting that in Orange County CA.

Houses

The soil here has a lot of clay, and that can cause foundation problems for the houses as water shifts the soil. It's important that you check the foundation often and keep it wet to avoid shifting. A good soaker hose can take care of that.

Most city ordinances require brick on the outside of the houses and buildings. I believe it has something to do with the storms. Periodic hail and wind damage is less likely with brick sides? Other masonry, such as stone, can be used as well.

Government

Everything is bigger in Texas... except the government. Government here is a hodge podge of different ideas, decision makers, and municipalities. It's hard to tell where the State, County, and City separate from each other... or who does what.

Most things are decided at the County Level, and there are more Counties in a 30 miles radius than I can count or remember. The processes to get anything done (drivers license, car registration, property taxes, voter registration, figuring out how to vote, and when and where to vote...) are confusing AT BEST! There are these wierd off cycle elections happening all the time. Why can't they just wait for the 2 year cycle? Forget absentee voting, you have to actually show up at the polls unless you have a good excuse not to.

It can also be very backward from a Southern Californian's perspective. If you get a ticket, you are often dealing with some city attorney, not a judge, if you try to fight it. It's difficult to accomplish anything from a government level.

The good news is that this means you are generally left alone. No Big Brother looking over your shoulder unless you cause trouble or get pulled over. This is no Nanny State, the Texas way is "Take care of yourself so we don't have to".

Religion

This is part of the Bible Belt. Even with all of the newcomers, there's still churches on practically every corner. You can find churches of any denomination or style. The Fort Worth area also holds one of the largest churches in the USA Gateway Church, multiple campuses - one church.

What do you do? Is still a popular question here. What church do you go to? Is just as popular.

Colleges

There are a TON of great colleges and universities in the Dallas - Fort Worth area. Wiki has a list HERE, but just to name a few of the ones I hear about most often:

• Dallas Theological Seminary 
• Texas Christian University (TCU)
• The Kings University (TKU) 
• Texas A&M
• University of North Texas ( Denton )

Sports

For some reason Texans REALLY ENJOY sports. I mean… I guess we had sports teams in California. Dodgers, Padres, Raiders, etc... But here… even the 90 year old ladies have their favorite team and will smack talk the other teams.

Cowboys Football is huge here, but so are the college teams. You practically NEED to pick a college team, even if you don't care, just to have an answer to "who are you rooting for this season?"

I just tell them the Longhorns because I like the uniforms, I think they're unique. Or TCU, because a purple Football team rocks!

Major Teams:

• Dallas Cowboys
• Texas Rangers
• Mavericks
• Dallas Stars

College Teams:

• TCU Horned Frogs
• Longhorns
• Texas Tech
• North Texas
• More HERE.

Art & Culture

It's not all rough necks and sports. In fact, Fort Worth claims the title of Cowboys & Culture.

The Dallas - Fort Worth area has a host of museums & gallaries, arboretums, theater and more. The Main St Arts Festival takes place in the spring each year.

• http://www.fortworth.com/things-to-do/museums-and-galleries/
• http://www.mainstreetartsfest.org

There are some really high end shopping areas too. If you head to the right areas, like the Southlake Town Square, you can find your Apple Store and Michael Koors if that's what you are looking for too.

Climate

Cold & Wet, Hot & Wet… Wet is the keyword.

It rains a lot more here than Southern California. That's not to say it's always raining. But it was noticeably different than what I was used to. Of course, in the Palm Springs CA area it may only rain once every three years. But even Santa Ana, CA didn't get rain like we do here. It doesn't matter what time of year either. It does rain more in the spring and fall, but we'll get it during summer and winter too.

It's hot, yes. Summers can be 100+ degrees. But it's no where near as hot as Palm Springs CA summers. And the heat is more bearable with a slight amount of humidity. In Palm Springs, leaving the air conditioned indoors and walking into the summer heat feels like a blast furnace on your lungs. Here, the slightly wetter air is easier to breath in the heat.

The nights, during summer, get cool. Even if it was 110* F that day, you can usually open your windows at night for a cool breeze throughout the house. In Palm Springs CA, it was 95* F at the coolest part of night during the summers.

Winters here are quite a bit colder than So Cal. Temperatures drop to the 20's and 30's at times. On certain occasions there could be an Ice Storm or Snow Storm. It usually hits once, stays on the ground for 24-48 hours and is gone. It happens once or twice a winter (maybe not at all).

They say: "If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes." and that can be true here. 

It's likely to be raining and cold in the morning, only to be sunny and hot by the afternoon (or the other way around). One year, December, it was a sunny not too cold morning. I drove to work. By 3pm it snowed an inch outside. You just never know here. Typically most snow or ice, if it comes at all, will come in February. We iced out the Super Bowl one year!

Conclusion

I hope that helps give you a taste of the area before coming. Of course, if you can swing a few day visit before making the move, that could be a great idea. Do some research about where you want to live before you visit, and then hit up your top five areas. I wrote about how to do that research HERE.

• If you decide to call Fort Worth home, we're glad to have you. 

• If you live here (or used to) and want to add something I missed, comment below. 

• If you have a question, comment below and someone may give you the answer you need! 

Life In Fort Worth By Darrell Wolfe

• New to the blog? Start HERE

• Click HERE to Subscribe by email. 

What is YOUR favorite thing about Texas? Comment Below!

Read more ...

What is the best city to live in; when moving to the Fort Worth / Dallas Texas Area?

Fort Worth - Dallas (DFW) Texas Region Google Map

So you've decided to move to Fort Worth, or you are considering it?

Congratulations on the decision to move to this large and diverse state. Fort Worth, in my humble opinion, is the best region in the state of Texas. It's not as cold and snowy during the winters as it is north, and it's not as hot and humid during the summers as it is south.

It's just right.

And housing is CHEAP compared to Southern California. When I moved to Roanoke, TX (a quaint little town north of Fort Worth, and the Unique Dining Capitol) I was able to replace my So Cal Santa Ana, CA $1,100/month, roach infested, one bedroom apartment… with a Roanoke Texas brand new 2 Bedroom Apartment for $950. I've heard of apartment prices for much, much less. $600 or less even.

So how do I know where to move within the DFW area?

Rather than going to some random spam site by searching "house hunting dfw", I would suggest to start narrowing down where you want to live before you start your search. Also, get an apartment or rent a house first, and start house hunting after you move here. You'll get a better perspective on the vast differences and distances this area holds before you hunker down in one spot for 5 plus years.

Know Your Distance and Transportation Needs

Plan on and around your transportation needs. You WILL need  a car/motorcycle/horse to live here. Anywhere worth going in DFW will take time and distance.

If you want to use public transportation you'll need to live on the Dallas side of the DFW Airport. The Fort Worth side of the DFW Airport has nothing, zero, public transportation. Downtown Fort Worth has something, but it doesn't really count as public transportation, it's more of a tourist system than a transportation system.

There are only so many roads and freeways between points. I chose to buy a house way out in the boondocks (Haslet). It was cheaper, but it's FAR from my work. It takes me 10 minutes (15-30 if there is school-time morning traffic) just to get from my house, through several curvy back roads, to the freeway. Then another 30-40 minutes to get to work.

My next house will be in a more mainline city… like Keller, Texas. That would be within walking distance of shopping, and a shorter drive to work (be about half).

Knowing this may alter your ultimate plans (and costs of living).

Choose a Point of Interest (POI)

Are you moving here for a job, church, school, some other reason? Let's set the search radius around that as your POI. This will allow you to narrow down your search to a reasonable number of spots.

Once you have something to use as a POI, you can check out Google Maps or Bing Maps and search by that address to see what cities are within driving distance. Drives here can be hard, lots of bad traffic, worse than Los Angeles CA. Add 20 minutes (at least) to any drive the map gives you.

Now, search by your Point of Interest (POI) and look first for freeways and streets in the 10-20 miles around that. Then write down each city you think would be within a reasonable distance.

Research The Cities

Get your pen and paper (OneNote or Evernote), and write down anything that comes up during your research. Check out the city website, Facebook Page, and Twitter feed. Check the Wikipedia entry for that city. Use Google and Bing Maps "Street View" to check out neighborhoods.

Do not plan to drive around the lakes. If you see a lake in your search, only pick the cities on the same side of the lake as your POI.

What Is your style?

Are you married with young kids? Are you single young adult, and want to hang out at late night coffee shops? Do you prefer the organic Whole Foods/Trader Joes world, or the cheap and easy Walmart and relaxed country world? Do you prefer being out in the country with no neighbors, small town, medium city, or downtown in the Big City? All of these things could affect which area you'd be happiest in.

Sometimes... you just need to be there. Get out of the car and walk through the neighborhood. I found this block of Country Living right in the middle of a new "up and coming" neighborhood.

#CountryLiving pic.twitter.com/P6NotmBdbI

— Darrell Wolfe (@DarrellWolfe) May 8, 2015

The Big Cities

• Dallas has more night life, events, large Dallas Zoo and Ross Perot Museum of Nature and Science, etc. Dallas reminds me a lot of the city of Los Angeles, CA.It's full of tight streets and tall buildings, run down areas next to upscale areas. It's the Big City.

• Arlington has the attractions (Cowboys Football, Rangers Baseball, Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, etc).

• Fort Worth is heavy on Cowboy culture with the Stockyards Cattle Drives, and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. 

The Northern Suburbs

All of the suburbs north of these three will have variations on a more "suburban" lifestyle.

• Frisco and Plano are northern Suburbs of Dallas. They are fresh, new, large homes, great prices. Plenty of shopping and dining. These are very nice areas to live, work, and play. 

• Los Colinas is an area of Irving, Texas. This particular subsection of Irving reminds me a lot of Orange County California. 

• Denton is the College Town Straight north and in between Dallas and Fort Worth, with lots of young people and one of the FEW Carl's Jr's in the area.

• Keller and Southlake are great Texas towns with lots of shopping, including upper scale shopping like Central Market, Trader Joes, Apple Store, etc.

• Roanoke, is one of my favorite small towns. It's right on the edge of 35W and 114, so you have quick access to Fort Worth, Denton, Arlington, AND Dallas. It also boasts to be the unique Dining Captiol with lots of restaurants along the main road. It's also on the most southern end of Denton County (cheaper property taxes and registration costs), while still having all of the access to the rest of the Metroplex. It's right next door to Trophy Club, which is an upscale Golf Club community. 

These kinds of differences are going to affect your moving decision.

Now obviously, these are only a few of the major cities in the Suburbs. There are many hundreds of others that all have their own unique flavor, and all of them could be a good match for you. Do you research, go to the Facebook page for any city and start asking questions, people respond.

All of my experience (five plus years) living here, has been NORTH of the I-30. My impression (having driven down a few times) is that areas south of the I-30 are either more run down, or more rural.

However... I'm not experienced with that area. If you ARE experienced with that Area, please email me a well written article breaking down each of those major cities, and we'll consider featuring that here on LIFE in Fort Worth.

Example Research

So if I were moving now, and using Las Colinas as my POI (home of many, many, many businesses and jobs), I would use highways 114, 160, 635, and 120.

There are GREAT apartments, homes, shopping, etc... right in the Irving/Las Colinas area, so you could live, work, and play in the same spot.

Just north east are Coppell and Carrollton. Straight east are Farmers Branch, Addison, and even into Dallas.

If I wanted to try to incorporate Public Transportation I would check the DART bus and rail lines for cities along those paths. If that was the case, you could stay in several places within the Dallas side of the Metroplex.

If you don't need public transportation, you could look to cities WEST of the DFW Airport. Such as Grapevine, Southlake, Keller, Bedford, etc.

If you wanted a new build, up and coming area, but a longer drive you could aim toward Frisco and Plano.

You never really know until you get here which is the right feel for you. So do you research, pick the best option in a six month lease. Then drive around and spend a day off in the areas you like the best. Learn the ins and outs of theses areas. You'll get that "home" feeling and then you'll know where to buy.

May this help give you a push in the right direction.


Life In Fort Worth By Darrell Wolfe

• New to the blog? Start HERE

• Click HERE to Subscribe by email. 

What is YOUR favorite thing about Texas? Comment Below!

Read more ...

Smash Burger @ Las Colinas

SmashBurger Spicy Jalepeno Burger

 

Smash Burger

Las Colinas 

Tel: 214-302-2681

975 West John Carpenter Freeway

Irving, TX 75039

This one is going on my "Best Burgers" list!

Overview

The actual building has a Chipotle feel, in that there are menus up front to look at while you are in line, you walk to one side to the counter and order, then go find your seat. The building itself has the same type of set up and decor.

You don't; however, build your own as in front you. You just order from the menu, they hand you a number, and they'll bring it out when it's ready. Soda selection is basic. Dr. Pepper is a must, and it's there!

The burger was AWESOME! I got he Spicy Jalepeno Baja Burger and SmashFries.

The SmashFries are tossed in OliveOil and Garlic.

The Burger was topped with onions and guacamole, with slices of fresh raw Jalepeno. The bun was a a great sponge texture.

Cost

Burger, Drink, and Fries are A La Carte, (you buy each sperately). For two burgers, one fries, and one drink, it was about $19.00 +/-.

Kids

Kids menu has burger, hot dog, or chicken strips (with fries and drink).

Tips to enjoy it better...

Don't get thrown off... the sign makes you think you are approaching a GameStop (same color and design to the sign). Look twice.

Final Thoughts

This was a good burger. Definitely one I will go back to, and definitely one that will be added to my list!

This review is on Yelp and Urban Spoon




Twitter:

At #SmashBurger! pic.twitter.com/JjZKqi1zLX
— Darrell Wolfe (@DarrellWolfe) February 16, 2015

Life In Fort Worth By Darrell Wolfe

• New to the blog? Start HERE

• Click HERE to Subscribe by email. 

What is YOUR favorite thing about Texas? Comment Below!

Read more ...

Pirch (Kitchen.Bath.Outdoor.Joy.) | Northpark Center (Mall) North Dallas Texas

Pirch Kitchen.Bath.Outdoor.Joy.

Northpark Center (Mall) in North Dallas Texas.

Overview

I'm going to start by paraphrasing their own pamphlet: "Do you remember back when shopping for appliances and plumbing was a relaxing and enjoyable experience? Neither do we... so we decided to change that..." Praphrse.

WOW! One of the reasons I enjoy reading +Seth Godin is because he understands, is even on the cutting edge, of what it means for companies and corporations to leave behind the industrial model of cookie cutter transactions; instead, to create a connection and experience. Pirch is to HomeDepot what the iPhone is to a 1950's rotory phone.

Even that pales in comparison. Everything is so clean and pristine. Many of the sink and shower features actually work, you can see the shower turn on, and how the water would flow. They have a waterfall faucet! Amazing!

The store is much larger than it first appears, it just goes on and on. They have two walk up bars where they serve complimentary drinks and fruit (apples, strawberries, blueberries). I had a Mocha Latte. Not only did I receive this complimentary, not what I was expecting when I walked in, but the Latte was frothed with the skill of the great barrista's, not just slopped together.

There are so many things to touch, and experience, it nearly overloads the imagination. By the time I was ready I was completely re-thinking my imaginations on what it would mean to remodel our home, or build a new one.
I give you an excerpt from their website, which hints to their culture:

OUR MANIFESTO:
One part Passion, One part Conviction, One part Macaroni and Cheese.

Would you like to know the secret to life?
Okay, but If you don’t mind, we’ll dispense with the drumroll, and just get on with it.
Which, by the way, is the secret to life: GET ON WITH IT.
Live it now, with all your might. Use it up. Wring it out. Leave it gasping in a corner, asking “Did anyone get the license plate number?”
Please remember, there is no second act. Life has no back-button. No rewind. We simply journey through moments, and then those moments are gone.
Poof.
But what’s that got to do with buying a tub, or a grill, or a range? What’s that got to do with a “Battle Cry”?
Well, we wrote it to remind us of our daily mission. And our mission is to make moments count.
That might take the form of a candle-lit bubble bath. Or game-day steaks with lifetime friends. Or, the world’s best mac & cheese, made by a dad for his three little girls, who will remember that moment for the rest of their lives.
Make no mistake: moments are everything.
And that is the secret to life.

Cost

Unkown - These are high end components that they sell. If you are looking for cheap plastic things that will tide you over, head to HomeDepot. I didn't notice prices listed, which means that this is a high end store. But if you have money to spend, and you want to do your house right, this is a must visit place.

If you are not doing anything yet, and you are just dreaming at this point... at any price point... you need to spend an hour (or more) dreaming here.

Kids

Despite the high end nature of this place, it was quite kid friendly. They got the kids some water and fruit, and they were able to turn knobs and they enjoyed dreaming as much as we did.

But keep your eye on them, there are so many walls, knooks, and crevices, you could loose them easily.

Tips to enjoy it better...

As you walk in, head to the left up to the bar, and confidently ask for a... whatever you see that you want. Mocha Latte?

Final Thoughts

I'm expanding my vision of being a home owner... I don't just want to own a house, I want to own a home. I want to rip out the builder supplied base level appliances and hardware, and upgrade. It's time to take dominion over my domain... how about you... ready to dream bigger and nicer?


Life In Fort Worth By Darrell Wolfe

Blog Connect:

• www.LifeInFortWorth.com
• Facebook.Com/LifeInFortWorth
• Twitter.Com/DarrellWolfe
• Google+ LifeInFortWorth
• Flickr: LIF Master Set
• Urban Spoon: Life In Fort Worth
• Yelp: LifeInFortWorth.Yelp.Com

Connect:

Disclaimers:

* This information is AS IS. I make no assumptions to know everything, or be up to date. I am a fellow traveler passing on what I learn to you. If you need official assistance from a professional, please get that help from them. 

*Affiliate Links may be included. In some instances I make money from the reviews of products or services I do here. In some cases I get a few freebies as well. Nevertheless, I only leave my honest reviews. This is how I see it. They can pay me to review, they can't pay me for how my review turns out. Please see my full disclosure list at: Start Here - About. 

What is YOUR favorite place to go? Comment Below!

Read more ...