Wise County on the Web

A (sometimes) tongue in cheek review of the news published this week regarding Wise County.
Normally posted every Sunday around 6:00 p.m.
For the week ending 8/19/00:

The Story	Wise County Commissioners receive some rough treatment on Thursday after approving a tax hike. "I want you to justify what you're going to do with the extra penny," said one woman. "I'll give you my penny if you'll give me a reason to".
News worthiness (on a scale of 0 to 5)	*******
The Spin	We bet the commissioners would have given her ten bucks to leave.

The Story	Various school rankings were released all using the classification system of "Exemplary", "Recognized", "Acceptable".
News worthiness	**
The Spin	By the way, the rankings can be interpreted as follows: Exemplary: "Your Kid Could Get Into Harvard Assuming Your Kid Is Not a C Student at This School" Recognized: "Better Than Acceptable Which Sounds Really Good Until You Learn About that Exemplary Classification" Acceptable: "We Are Not Unacceptable".

The Story	The Bridgeport City Administrator defends the Economic Development Board's decision to fund a private entity, the Bridgeport Building Center, with $47,000 in tax dollars so as to compete with another private entity in a "neighboring community". After pointing out that the Building Center provides a ton of sales tax money to the city, he added: "[T]hink of the alternative - if all of our sales tax dollars go to other communities the property taxes must go up to fund police, fire, streets, libraries, parks etc."
News worthiness	**
The Spin	The Bridgeport Building Center was considering moving to another community?

The Story	The Department of Public Safety begins a program that calls for the sending of notices by post card to anyone living within three blocks of a registered sex offender designated as "high risk". "These post cards are not an invitation to violence or illegal activity", said DPS Director Thomas Davis.
News worthiness	**
The Spin	Translation: "We do not condone lynch mobs but we're sure as heck scared that may happen."

The Story	Messenger, Page 14, Wednesday edition: The Texas Parks and Wildlife begins its annual "Hummingbird Roundup". "This year's participants have already reported sightings of black-chinned, ruby-throated, rufous and calliope hummingbirds".
News worthiness	*
The Spin	By any chance was one of the participants WBAP's Willie Landum?

See something in the local papers that struck you funny? Then suggest a topic for The Spin.

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