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Lost JFK Tapes to Air on the Radio This Weekend

Tim Rogers — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:41:11 +0000

To commemorate the 46th anniversary of the assassination, this Sunday KMNY 1360 AM will air lost recordings that were made that day. The details:

The lost JFK assassination recordings from the old KXOL-1360AM in Fort Worth will play this Sunday night, November 22, over KMNY-1360AM from 6PM-7PM as a special presentation of “The Hi-Fi Club” radio show, commemorating the 46th anniversary of the event. These recordings, made by KXOL-AM reporter and former KXAS-TV news anchor Russ Bloxom and his former wife, Sanda, mainly cover the late afternoon, evening and nighttime coverage of the assassination, and extend through Lee Harvey Oswald’s murder two days later. Condensed to a one-hour presentation, the tapes showcase the non-network affiliated KXOL and its worthwhile effort to cover the tragedy locally and on the scene. Listeners will hear North Texas radio notables Russ Bloxom, Roy Eaton, Bruce Neal and others as they report the events in November, 1963.

The program will also stream on the internet at www.thehificlub.net, and can also be heard this weekend over KPIR-1420AM in Granbury, KLDE-104.9FM in San Angelo, and on the North Texas Radio for the Blind. Check www.thehificlub.net/affiliates.html for days and times. A podcast of the recordings will be posted to the “Hi-Fi Club” website by November 25.

Leading Off (11/20/09): Patently Unfair Media Criticism Edition

Jason Heid — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:03:33 +0000

1. The Dallas Observer’s Sam Merten nearly derailed the entire City Hall corruption case.

2. Some people would say that the appearance of the word “some” in a headline is a sure sign of a newspaper covering for a thin local angle on a national story.

3. If a fire breaks out in east Fort Worth, and NBC5 isn’t there to provide “team coverage,” does anybody care?

Dallas ISD Maintenance Worker Gives Janitors Everywhere a Bad Name

Zac Crain — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:23:03 +0000

For two years, I worked as a janitor at an elementary school. Things not in my job description that would have been frowned upon that I did during that time: work on my jumpshot in the gym; read the newspaper; open the snack stand so I could enjoy a tasty ice cream sandwich while I read the newspaper. Things that would have been frowned upon that I did NOT do during that time: carry a loaded weapon; shoot myself with it accidentally. Way to go, unnamed DISD maintenance worker.

Mark Cuban Is a Hell of an Investigative Reporter

Tim Rogers — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:42:05 +0000

Way back in January, Mark Cuban said that the way to uncover how Bernie Madoff operated was to find his software developers. Which Cuban then did. It took the FBI awhile to follow up on Cuban’s lead, but they just arrested two of Madoff’s former programmers. Cuban should just fire Dan Rather do this stuff himself.

Why Texas Needs The Death Penalty

Glenn Hunter — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:29:03 +0000

Because of cases like this, where five teenagers allegedly beat a man in Wylie until he died. At least one of them reportedly used a hammer on the victim, 28-year-old Jonathan Bird, whose transgression was asking his assailants to drive slower for the sake of the neighborhood kids. Now, death-penalty opponents who argue capital punishment is useless because it’s not a deterrent may be on to something. However, that’s because these days it’s administered almost quietly–and mainly out of sight. I guarantee if these perpetrators were convicted and strung up by their necks on Wylie’s main street, there’d be a helluva lot fewer “beating deaths” in that town in the future.

Darkhorse Candidate For Worst Person in the World This Week: Michelle Lynn Smith

Zac Crain — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:27:45 +0000

I’m glad I’m going out of town to do something completely frivolous this weekend, because otherwise I very likely would just stay up late reading about the Fort Hood and Orlando shootings. Or the case of Michelle Lynn Smith, the Anna woman who knowingly married a two-time sex offender (Glen Bracy), and then stood by and did nothing while Bracy then — big surprise — sexually abused her 4-year-old daughter “up to 50 times” by his own estimate. She will have to serve 90 years of her 210-year sentence before she is eligible for parole.

Express-News Undercut by Front-Page Ad

Jason Heid — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:52:36 +0000

I have no particular objection to running unobtrusive front-page ads on newspapers. I’d prefer that they remain confined to a small strip across the bottom, but I know that with some papers trying anything and everything to remain afloat, there’s going to be experimentation. The local Star Community Newspapers group has even been floating ads in the center of the front page, above the fold and surrounded by content.

But can we all agree that today’s San Antonio Express-News front is just awful? Maybe papers should set some sort of guideline. Something that says ads will be omitted from the front when they’re running a two-line, six-column head? Or when the lead story has a major body count?

Leading Off (11/06/09)

Jason Heid — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:14:13 +0000

1. “After nightfall at Fort Hood, the religious gathered to pray, the patriotic gave blood, and doctors and nurses worked to save the lives of the wounded. Sirens continued to sound, but traffic once again rumbled along Battalion Avenue and speakers blared, ‘The emergency no longer exists.’” D Magazine contributing editor Gretel Kovach is headed to the scene Friday for the New York Times.

2. Yes, these Frisco students probably weren’t going to act on their threats to kill a teacher, posted on Facebook. But senseless violence like what happened at Fort Hood yesterday reminds us why it’s a good idea to err on the side of caution. And maybe teach kids other ways to “vent their anger.”

3. Planting a yard of artificial turf makes just as much sense as pouring time, energy, gallons upon gallons of water, and chemicals into maintaining a sparkling green lawn in the wilting sun of Texas. And if you want to paint a baseball diamond on there, fine by me. If the spirit of Shoeless Joe Jackson shows up, well then, all the better.

Cowboys Stadium a Magnet For Prostitutes

Jason Heid — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:00:25 +0000

A completely unfair headline on this post, I’ll grant you. But since both the 2010 NBA All-Star Game and Super Bowl XLV will be played inside the belly of Jerry’s giant robot space turtle in Arlington, and since as many as 100,000 prostitutes are expected to come to the area for the games, I’d argue that it’s not entirely inaccurate.

Anyway, the Morning News had a good blog post about this already. I’m really linking to it to point out how quickly the comments on the DMN Crime Blog item degenerated into racial epithets.

Please, Will Someone Just Give Willis Willis His Money Back? COME ON.

Zac Crain — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:45:27 +0000

Or not. Because then I won’t be able to see stories that start like this:

Willis Willis has an idea how he can get his money back from the store clerk who authorities say stole his $1 million winning lottery ticket.

“Just get me in a room with him for two minutes,” says the 67-year-old Navy veteran.

Or end like this:

Willis told reporters that he is willing to be patient. If it takes a year, he won’t give up, he said.

He also won’t stop playing the lottery. In fact, he bought five Mega Millions tickets Tuesday, he said.

“See if I can pull one more rabbit out of a hat,” he said.