Barge Tow Hits Mooring on Ohio River During High Water Conditions: NTSB Report

A barge tow pilot failed to adjust for an intense outdraft current, leading to a collision on the Ohio River during high-water conditions in 2023, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

On March 28, 2023, the towing vessel Queen City was navigating the Ohio River with 11 barges when it struck the Vane Dike at the McAlpine Locks and Dam’s arrival point in Louisville, Kentucky. The impact caused the tow to disintegrate, resulting in an estimated $2 million in damages to the barges and cargo.

The NTSB report identified that the barge tow pilot didn’t adequately offset the strong outdraft current.

As the Queen City was passing through the center span of the Clark Memorial Highway Bridge, the pilot attempted to shift the tow west to enter the Portland Channel. However, the McAlpine Dam’s outdraft current, which was moving across the lock entrance toward the dam, pulled the vessel away from the channel’s entrance. The tow’s starboard side hit the Vane Dike mooring cell shortly after crossing the bridge.

At the time of the collision, the water height at the McAlpine Locks was experiencing “extreme high water/extreme high flow conditions,” as per the Mississippi and Ohio Valley and Tributaries Waterways Action Plan, at approximately 17.5 feet and rising,

The report stated, “When towing vessel operators decide to steer through an area with strong outdrafts, they must steer a course to account for the set from the outdraft.” The pilot of the Queen City intended to guide into the channel to the locks, aware that an outdraft would set the tow toward the Vane Dike and the dam gates. Despite the pilot’s attempts to direct the tow to the left, he underestimated the outdraft’s strength and its impact on the tow.

The NTSB report also highlighted the unique hazards high currents can pose for vessels navigating inland rivers, “In addition, near dams, greater dam openings in high-water conditions lead to high flow rates, which can produce outdraft currents near the dam. Mariners should thoroughly assess the potential impact of outdraft currents when entering or exiting locking channels. Vessel horsepower and vessel handling should be carefully considered. Mariners should also consult available resources, such as Waterways Action Plans and company policies, when passage planning.”

Towing - Barge Tow Hits Mooring on Ohio River During High Water Conditions: NTSB Report

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Arlington nuns turn away Vatican-appointed superior

A Carmelite nun entrusted by the Vatican with the governance of a controversial monastery has been rejected twice this week by the monastery’s inhabitants, according to officials in the Diocese of Fort Worth.

Carmelite Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity, arlington, Texas. Courtesy photo.

Mother Marie of the Incarnation, president of the Carmelite Association of Christ the King, was appointed by the Vatican in April to exercise direct governance and oversight of the Carmelite Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity in Arlington, Texas. The monastery has been involved in a tense dispute with Fort Worth Bishop Micheal Olson for more than a year.

But according to both Mother Marie of the Incarnation and the Diocese of Fort Worth, the nine nuns living in the Arlington Carmel have refused this week to allow the Vatican-appointed superior to enter their monastery, or to communicate several Vatican decisions connected to their complicated dispute.

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In a statement issued May 22,  Mother Marie of the Incarnation said she had been prohibited from entering the monastery:

“Today, in obedience to the Decree of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, I visited the Arlington Carmel and attempted to present to each Sister the letters which the Dicastery had directed me to give to each individually. Unfortunately, I was rejected and not granted admittance,” the nun wrote.

On Thursday, May 23, a representative from the Fort Worth diocese told The Pillar that Mother Marie of the Incarnation was again turned away by the nuns living in the monastery — refused admittance to the monastery over which the Vatican says she is superior.

Mother Marie of the Incarnation has said she needs to enter the monastery in order to fulfill her Vatican appointment, including the delivery of letters from the Vatican to each nun in the monastery. 

According to a Fort Worth diocesan official, a priest of the diocese was also turned away when he arrived with Mother Marie of the Incarnation on Thursday. 

A diocesan spokesman said the priest had planned to offer Mass according to the liturgical missal of 1962 — the Traditional Latin Mass preferred by the nuns of the monastery — but he was not admitted because he was accompanying Mother Marie of the Incarnation.

Mother Marie of the Incarnation declined The Pillar’s request for an interview, citing her commitment to cloistered life as a Carmelite nun.

But the nun was reportedly visiting the monastery this week to communicate a May 21 Vatican decision to uphold decisions made by Bishop Olson which placed the monastery’s then-superior, Mother Teresa Agnes Gerlach, on a leave of absence, amid an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct on her part.

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The move to refuse Mother Marie of the Incarnation’s entrance to the monastery is consistent with an April 20 statement from the Arlington Carmel’s nuns, who called the Vatican’s appointment of an outside superior “a hostile takeover that we cannot in conscience accept.”

“To accept this would risk the integrity of our monastery as a community, threatening the vocations of individual nuns, our liturgical and spiritual life and the material assets of the monastery,” the statement said.

“Accordingly, neither the President of the Association of Christ the King, nor any delegate of hers, is welcome to enter our monastery at this time,” the nuns wrote in April.

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A dispute between the Arlington nuns and Bishop Olson began last spring, when Olson initiated a canonical investigation into Mother Teresa Agnes, who allegedly admitted to violating her vow of chastity with an initially unnamed priest.

Lawyers for the convent and for Gerlach, both civil and canonical, have said that her supposed admission of an affair was made following a serious medical procedure, under the influence of painkillers, and when she was in and out of lucidity.

Olson, however, said the prioress had repeated her admission to him during an in-person conversation, in the presence of several other individuals, and later released audio recordings seeming to confirm this. He said Gerlach was lucid and spoke clearly at the time, and was not recovering from surgery at the time.

The dispute has been bitter and at times bizarre, including a million-dollar lawsuit filed by the nuns against Olson, a move by the bishop to restrict the sisters’ access to the sacraments - which was rescinded days later - and images released by the Diocese of Fort Worth purporting to show tables inside the convent strewn with large amounts of drug paraphernalia. 

Last June, the Vatican appointed Olson “pontifical commissary” for the sisters and retroactively sanated any and all canonical procedural issues raised by Olson’s previous actions involving the monastery.

Olson subsequently issued his decree dismissing Gerlach, which has now been overturned.

“The Arlington Carmelite nuns are not, and have no intention of, separating from the Catholic Church despite the incongruous statement made by the bishop. They remain dedicated to the Catholic Church and the Holy See and pray that the Vatican will put an end to this malicious persecution by the bishop. The Arlington Carmelite Nuns recognize the bishop as the local ordinary and respect his role therein,” said an August 2023 statement from the nuns’ lawyer.

Earlier this week, the Arlington nuns dropped a lawsuit against Olson, in which they had asked a civil judge to place a restraining order on Olson, the Diocese of Fort Worth, and the Association of Christ the King, which is led by Mother Marie of the Incarnation.

While the nuns insisted while they dropped the lawsuit that they are independently governed, the Fort Worth diocese has called them to “spiritual and moral reconciliation with the Church.”

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2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV First Edition RST Review: All the Bells, All the Whistles

2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST | Cars.com photo by Christian Lantry

By Damon Bell

May 23, 2024

The verdict: The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV delivers impressive power along with top-of-the-class driving range and DC fast-charging speed, but trim choices are limited for now, and some of the pricey First Edition RST’s features are of dubious value.

Versus the competition: In its flagship trim, the Silverado EV compares very favorably to the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T and Tesla Cybertruck in terms of specs, performance and gee-whiz available features. However, like its rivals, it’s really heavy and really expensive.

In a way, Chevrolet’s rollout of its all-new, all-electric full-size pickup truck mirrors the tumultuous state of the electric-vehicle market in the U.S. because it’s been happening in fits and starts. The 2024 Silverado EV was first unveiled in January 2022 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, with initial deliveries expected to begin in spring 2023 for the all-business Work Truck version (for commercial buyers only) and fall 2023 for the top-line First Edition RST for regular consumers.

The timeline for both versions got pushed back; Cars.com Road Test Editor Brian Normile drove the minimal-frills Work Truck version of the Silverado EV almost a year prior to this review, and I finally just drove the decked-out First Edition RST in and around Detroit. (Per our ethics policy, Cars.com pays for its own travel and lodging when attending such manufacturer-sponsored events.) The Work Truck is on sale now (though it’s for fleet buyers only for the 2024 model year), and the First Edition RST should be arriving in dealerships imminently.

Related: 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV Work Truck Quick Spin: Good Omens

Slick Styling

A four-door crew cab is the lone Silverado EV body style, and its styling stands out, especially in RST form. The look is more streamlined and less “trucky” than a conventional gas-engine truck or, for that matter, the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T and forthcoming Ram 1500 REV electric pickups. (The Tesla Cybertruck is on a planet all its own.) The Silverado EV’s hoodline is shorter, lower and more sloped than most pickups’ (which aids forward visibility), and angled “flying buttress” rear roof pillars bring a sleeker look even though the rear window itself is upright. Though neither the WT or RST have a traditional grille, the RST gets a smooth, body-color panel and full-width daytime running lights that make it look more futuristic than its WT sibling.

All the Bells, All the Whistles

It’s not uncommon for automakers to launch the priciest versions of buzzworthy new vehicles first, and so it is with the First Edition RST. It brings a raft of flashy features that can’t be had on the WT, most notably a fixed-glass roof, four-wheel steering, massive 24-inch wheels, an adaptive air suspension, a trailer-capable version of GM’s Super Cruise hands-free highway driving system and a novel fold-down midgate similar to the model-year 2002-13 Chevrolet Avalanche pickup’s. Chevy’s Multi-Flex Tailgate is available.

The WT’s dual-motor powertrain makes a healthy 510 horsepower and 615 pounds-feet of torque, but the First Edition RST offers a Wide Open Watts mode that enables up to 754 hp and 785 pounds-feet of torque. This feature is like the GMC Hummer EV Pickup’s Watts to Freedom mode, only a little less insane. Chevrolet estimates a 0-60 mph time of less than 4.5 seconds, which is really moving for a truck this big and heavy. Chevrolet didn’t tell us exactly what the First Edition RST’s curb weight is, but it’s likely heavier than the WT, which checks in at 8,532 pounds.

Speedy and Stiff

Chevrolet arranged for us to make a couple of pedal-to-the-floor 0-60 mph blasts on a closed course in Wide Open Watts mode, and though these weren’t timed runs, that sub-4.5-second estimate felt accurate by the seat of our pants. Pressing a virtual WOW button on the infotainment touchscreen activates the mode, complete with a whimsical, video-game-like electronic “whoosh” sound and a graphical flourish on the touchscreen. The artificial EV powertrain sounds are also more pronounced in WOW mode.

My two WOW runs felt genuinely fast — even with a pair of videographers and their gear on board — but also a bit unsettled, particularly on the first run. The truck seemed to “shimmy” a bit mid-way through the run and didn’t feel totally buttoned down. Hopefully we can get a First Edition RST into our home-office fleet for further testing, including timed acceleration runs at a drag strip.

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Unlike some EV “boost” modes that last for only 10 seconds or so, there is no time restriction for Wide Open Watts mode — it can be left on indefinitely. But you probably won’t feel the need; even in its normal drive modes, the First Edition RST feels plenty quick and responsive, with the “instant-on” torque delivery characteristic of electric powertrains. I wasn’t able to tow during this event, but fellow editor Brian towed around 9,000 pounds with a WT and found it easily up to the task. The First Edition RST’s maximum towing capacity is the same as the WT’s at 10,000 pounds, and its maximum payload capacity is 1,500 pounds — the same as the much smaller Ford Maverick compact pickup.

The optional 24-inch wheels certainly add bling, but they also add what must be a substantial amount of unsprung weight, and that heft is apparent. Even with the adaptive air suspension in its normal setting, the ride was busy and sometimes clunky over manhole covers, potholes and such on Detroit’s less-than-stellar surface streets. Things get notably less harsh at highway speeds, but even so, I would forgo the flash and stick with a smaller-diameter wheel that will almost certainly deliver better overall ride quality.

Bump absorption aside, the First Edition RST handles quite well for a heavy, full-size pickup. The Silverado EV’s exterior dimensions are roughly the same as a gas-engine Silverado crew cab’s, but it feels a touch more composed. Close-quarters maneuverability is improved, too, thanks in part to the four-wheel steering that comes standard on the First Edition RST. The turning circle is a relatively tidy 42.2 feet, according to Chevrolet, and I found my test truck quite easy to park and maneuver in a couple of cramped parking lots.

Charging Speed and Driving Range

I didn’t have the opportunity to test the Silverado EV’s advertised driving range or charging speed, but I have no reason to doubt Chevrolet’s impressive specs. The First Edition RST has a GM-estimated driving range of 440 miles on a full charge — 10 miles fewer than the WT’s EPA-estimated 450-mile maximum range. Both of those figures top all other electric pickup trucks currently on sale, though Ram is promising its 2025 1500 REV will offer a maximum 500 miles of range with its optional larger battery. The Silverado EV’s DC fast-charging capability of up to 350 kilowatts enables approximately 100 miles of range to be added in 10 minutes, according to Chevrolet. Based on our road-tripping and charging experiences with the Hummer EV Pickup (which uses a similar version of GM’s Ultium EV platform), those range estimates are realistic, but achieving the fastest DC charging speeds requires optimal conditions that will likely be hard to come by.

Cargo Flexibility

Like most of its rivals, the Silverado EV has a handy front trunk (Chevy calls it an “eTrunk”) under its hood. It’s not as big as the F-150 Lightning’s Mega Power Frunk (the Lightning’s offers 14.1 cubic feet of space compared to the Silverado EV’s 10.7 cubic feet, according to their respective manufacturer measurements), but it’s still nice to have extra weatherproof, lockable storage space.

No current pickup truck matches the Silverado EV’s Multi-Flex Midgate feature. The forward wall of the pickup bed can be folded down along with the rear seatbacks in a 60/40 split after the rear seat cushions are flipped forward. This essentially extends the pickup bed into the cabin, and if more vertical space is needed, the rear window can also be removed and stowed securely within the folded-down bed wall.

Since everything folds in a 60/40 split, the midgate can be folded on only one side, thus retaining the right-side rear seat (the 40% side) or the left-side seat and center seat (the 60% side) for extra passenger-carrying versatility when hauling a long, narrow item like a kayak. The Silverado EV’s pickup bed is almost 6 feet long, but flipping down the midgate expands the bed-floor length to almost 9 feet. And with the available Multi-Flex Tailgate lowered and its cargo-stop panel flipped up, the bed floor grows to 10 feet, 10 inches long.

The midgate is a novel setup, and it’s well designed, too. Though folding the midgate and removing the rear window is a task best performed by two people, it could be handled by a single person if need be. The seat bottoms and seatbacks/bed walls fold easily, and the rear window is retained by a clever spring-loaded stop so it doesn’t fall forward when its retaining latches are released.

However, I am not sure the average owner will use the midgate regularly once the novelty wears off. It’s great to have the extra hauling capacity, but folding down the midgate and removing the rear window turns the Silverado EV into an open-air pickup in the back, with notably increased ambient noise levels and some wind buffeting — especially at highway speeds. I wouldn’t want to use it in extreme heat or cold, nor any kind of precipitation.

Top-Line Cabin?

A cavernous cabin is a given in a full-size crew-cab pickup, and the Silverado EV’s interior is as generously sized as expected. The First Edition RST’s interior gets some upscale touches, and it’s certainly nicer than what you’ll find in the WT. However, the overall ambiance is a bit underwhelming compared with the ritziest trims of the F-150 and Ram 1500, and it doesn’t look or feel impressive considering this truck’s flagship status and price tag (which we’ll get to in a minute).

Outside of some contrast stitching, glossy accents (including eye-catching metallic-red trim on the air vents) and a First Edition badge on the center-console armrest, there isn’t a lot that says “premium” in terms of the trim itself. It’s the First Edition RST’s features that do the heavy lifting, so to speak. Most are wonderful, but I would gladly do without the fixed-glass roof. It gives the cabin an airier feel, but it doesn’t have an integral sunshade, so the sun heats up the cabin on warmer days even though the glass is tinted.

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The standard 11-inch digital gauge cluster, 17-inch infotainment touchscreen and 14-inch head-up display are all excellent, with clean, easy-to-read graphics. The gauge cluster offers several driver-selectable layouts to suit individual preferences. Some climate controls are absorbed by the touchscreen, which we generally dislike, but the infotainment system responds quickly to inputs, and there are still physical controls, too, including knobs for temperature and audio system volume. Super Cruise is another welcome standard feature that continues to impress; its lane-centering feature works smoothly even on gradual highway curves, with almost no “ping-ponging” in the lane, and both automatic and driver-initiated lane changes are seamless.

Pricing and On-Sale Date

In base Work Truck trim, the Silverado EV starts at around $75K, but the First Edition RST tacks on about $21,500 to that — its starting price is $96,495 (including $1,995 destination charge). Among electric pickups (or even fully decked-out gas-engine pickups) that’s not a ludicrous number (it’s easy to get a Cybertruck or an R1T past the six-figure mark, for example), but unless you’re a first-on-the-block type, I’d wait a little longer to start shopping.

The First Edition RST is in production now and should be rolling into dealerships in earnest by mid-June; its headline-grabber features certainly make it a flashier truck, but I am not sure they make it a better truck. Chevrolet is in the process of filling out the Silverado EV lineup; LT and “regular” RST versions are coming later in the 2024 model year, as are WT versions for nonfleet customers. An off-road-oriented Trail Boss is slated to arrive for the 2025 model year. Chevrolet hasn’t given any specific details on any of these future versions yet, but my hunch is that most of them will strike a better balance of price, features and day-to-day comfort and usability for the average truck buyer than the First Edition RST does.

Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.

Senior Research Editor Damon Bell has more than 25 years of experience in the automotive industry, beginning as an Engineering Graphics researcher/proofreader at model-car manufacturer Revell-Monogram. From there, he moved on to various roles at Collectible Automobile magazine and Consumer Guide Automotive before joining Cars.com in August 2022. He served as president of the Midwest Automotive Media Association in 2019 and 2020. Email Damon Bell

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Dallas Parks Lead Texas Cities in National Report

Mayor Eric Johnson celebrated dallas’ rise to the top of the Trust for Public Land ParkScore to rank above other Texas cities during a press conference at City Hall on Wednesday.

“I’m here to announce that we’ve moved up again in the Trust for Public Land ParkScore rankings,” Johnson said. “This year, we passed Austin to become — you ready for this? — the number one park system of any major city in Texas.”

The Trust for Public Land ranks Dallas 38th among 100 of the largest cities in the U.S., jumping Austin at number 44. Last year, Dallas ranked 43rd, and Austin was 41st, The Dallas Express reported. The nonprofit organization assigns points for 14 measures across five categories: acres, amenities, investment, access, and equity. Points are awarded on a relative basis. Each City’s total points of a maximum of 500 are normalized to a ParkScore rating of up to 100.

In addition to Dallas, eleven Texas cities are ranked in this year’s ParkScore ratings — Austin (44); arlington (47); San Antonio (53); Houston (68); Laredo (71); El Paso (72); Garland (74); Corpus Christi (78); Fort Worth (91); Lubbock (97); and Irving (99).

Across the five measured categories, Dallas received the most points (75) in “equity,” followed by “access” (65), “acres” (58), “investment” (49), and “amenities” (35).

“The equity score indicates the fairness in the distribution of parks and park space between neighborhoods by race and income,” according to the Trust for Public Land Dallas report. “This category is an average of two types of metrics. On the first set of measures, Dallas scores above average: 64 out of 100 points for people of color living within a 10-minute walk of a park and 63 points for low-income households.”

The second set of measures compares the distribution of park space.

“In Dallas, residents living in neighborhoods of color have access to 48% more nearby park space than those living in white neighborhoods (100 points out of 100),” the report shows. “Residents living in lower-income neighborhoods have access to 2% more nearby park space than those in higher-income neighborhoods (72 points out of 100).”

Dallas’ low score in the category of amenities was explained in the report as follows.

“The amenities score indicates the relative abundance of six park activities popular among a diverse selection of user groups (kids, teenagers, adults, seniors). Overall for this category, Dallas scores below average, though it varies by amenity: basketball hoops (59 points out of 100), dog parks (16 points), playgrounds (22 points), senior and rec centers (34 points), permanent restrooms (35 points), and splashpads (41 points).”

In last year’s ParkScore rankings, Dallas also scored highest in equity and lowest in amenities.

Unlike some City departments, the City’s Park and Recreation Department has largely avoided internal and external dysfunction, The Dallas Express has reported. One contributing factor is the nonprofit Parks for Downtown Dallas, which has helped the City create public parks over the last nine years.

That positive progress will likely continue, with Johnson reminding attendees during Wednesday’s press conference that the City’s first-ever greening czar, Garrett Boone, remains an integral part of that effort. Boone was named to that position in April 2023.

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Stalin Fasser murder: Tow truck driver accused of killing father of three appears in court

tow truck driver. (Supplied)" height="576" width="1024"/>

Stalin Fasser died after he was allegedly assaulted by a tow truck driver. (Supplied)

The tow truck driver accused of murdering Stalin Fasser, a father of three, made his first appearance in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday. 

Fasser was allegedly killed during a dispute with a FirstHelp tow truck employee on 12 May.

FirstHelp is a subsidiary of Help24 Holdings, which specialises in "personalised, professional security services".

Hendrik Christopher Joubert, 39, faces charges of murder and malicious damage to property. 

READ | From celebration to mourning: Dispute with tow truck driver leads to fatal assault

Joubert, who moved with visible discomfort, relied heavily on crutches for support when coming up from the holding cells.

News24 previously reported that, hours leading up to his death, Fasser had spent the day with his family, enjoying the company of friends and relatives.

The day took a dark turn when he and his partner, Faranaaz Davids, went to a local supermarket to buy a cake to celebrate Mother's Day with his mom.

Fasser allegedly got into an argument with Joubert outside the supermarket, after the latter reportedly made sexual comments about Davids.

It led to Joubert allegedly assaulting Fasser at several locations, including at the Sophiatown police station. 

The case was postponed to 31 May for a bail application.

Fasser's brother, Elton, told News24 that attending proceedings on Thursday had saddened his family. 

"We relived the events of that dreadful day, and the pain felt as raw as ever. We also had to face the smug look on the perpetrator's face, a man who did not show any sign of remorse.

"This is going to be a long, emotional journey for us, where we will have to relive Stalin's death over and over again," he said.

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Mansfield school board says candidate ineligible

By Amanda Rogers

mansfield Record

The Mansfield ISD school board met April 18 to discuss the eligibility of the candidates for the Place 2 trustee position, and determined the one candidate was not eligible. Trustees did not remove the ineligible candidate from the May 4 ballot, however.

Angel Hidalgo and Jandel Crutchfield have filed to run for the Place 2 seat, but the board has determined that Hidalgo was not a registered voter in the Mansfield ISD when he filed as a candidate as required the the Texas Election Code.

The school board said in a statement after the called meeting that the Feb. 24 deadline had passed to remove candidates, so Hidalgo will remain on the ballot. The school district website lists Hidalgo as an "ineligible" candidate. If Hidalgo receives more votes in the election, he cannot take office, according to the school board statement. A vacancy will be declared in the Place 2 seat, and trustees can either appoint someone to fill the position or hold a special election.

When the Tarrant County Elections Administration printed the ballot without Hidalgo's name, school district attorney Mike Leasor emailed the county election administration March 23 that Hidalgo's name had been left off and asked that it be placed on the ballot.

Towing - Mansfield school board says candidate ineligibleJandel Crutchfield

The board released a statement April 4 stating that inquiries into the eligibility of both candidates had been reviewed, and Crutchfield had been found to be qualified while the findings on Hidalgo were "inconclusive."

Incumbent Desiree "Dez" Thomas filed to run again, but withdrew her name after the deadline had passed to filed to apply for the position.

The May 4 election also includes a race for Place 1 between incumbent Michelle Newsom and challenger Matthew Herzberg, along with a five-part $777 million bond election for repairs, improvements, replacements and expansion in the school district. Early voting runs April 22-30. Click here for voting sites in Tarrant County. Johnson County voters can cast early ballots at Alma Martinez Intermediate School, 2001 Julian Feild St.

Towing - Mansfield school board says candidate ineligibleAngel Hidalgo

The April 18 statement from the Mansfield ISD school board from board president Courtney Wilson:

"This morning, after meeting with additional legal counsel and conferring in closed session, the board was briefed on the District’s review of Dr. Angel Hidalgo’s eligibility for the Place 2 election on May 4, 2024.  This is a very important matter, as the legal rights of all affected candidates are impacted.  Because the statutory deadline to remove an ineligible candidate from the ballot was February 24, 2024 and had already passed when the first ineligibility complaint was received on March 3, 2024, the District and its legal counsel worked carefully and deliberately to ensure that any decisions made were based only on the law and conclusive public documents, and I appreciate their respect for the rights of the candidates.

"The law requires that a candidate may only be declared ineligible if there are facts indicating that the candidate is ineligible that are conclusively established by another public record. Therefore, it was critical to ensure that any decision made was based on a conclusive public document.  Legal counsel confirmed on April 12, 2024 that Mansfield ISD is now in possession of a public record that conclusively establishes that Dr. Hidalgo was not a registered voter of the Mansfield ISD by the deadline of February 16, 2024, as required by Texas Election Code Section 141.001 (a)(6). Based upon a review of public documents, the Texas Election Code, and the Texas Government Code, we have been informed that a certification has been made, based on public documents, that candidate Hidalgo is ineligible to run for the Mansfield ISD Board of Trustees in the May 4, 2024, election. All votes in the election must be counted.  However, if Dr. Hidalgo is declared the winner, then a vacancy in that position will be declared. Board members may then fill the vacancy by appointment until the next trustee election or may order a special election to fill the vacancy.

On behalf of the Board and administration, we want to thank everyone for their patience as we worked through this process."

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LIV Golf to hold team final in Dallas area

LIV Golf will host its 2024 team championship event Sept. 20-22 at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas, the organization announced Wednesday.

Crushers GC, captained by Bryson DeChambeau, are the defending champions.

"Our LIV Golf players are looking forward to playing in the dallas-Fort Worth area with its great golf tradition," said Greg Norman, LIV commissioner and CEO. "Texas is legendary for producing and hosting great golfers who set a high bar while competing for championships." The season-ending event will mark the Dallas-area debut for LIV Golf. The private Maridoe Golf Club measures 7,817 yards. Jordan Spieth, Will Zalatoris and golf legend Lee Trevino are among the members there.

All 13 LIV Golf teams will be seeded based on their regular-season team standings following the LIV Golf Chicago event Sept. 13-15 at Bolingbrook Golf Club. The top three seeds will receive a first-round bye.

DeChambeau's team earned $14 million when it won the championship last October in Miami. So far in the 2024 season, Crushers GC (DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Charles Howell III and Anirban Lahiri) are in first place with 105.50 points, with wins in Jeddah and Hong Kong.

Legion XIII (captain Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Kieran Vincent and Caleb Surratt) also have two victories and are in second place with 94 points.

The all-Australian Ripper GC squad (captain Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones) have won twice and sit in third place with 90 points.

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New law prevents drivers in US state from being towed for common issue

A NEW regulation keeps certain American car owners from getting their cars towed for unpaid parking tickets.

A bill that was signed into law last week has reneged on the rule that saw that Minnesota drivers with several unpaid parking tickets had their cars towed.

It can cost a vehicle owner around $640 to retrieve their vehicle from an impound lotCredit: GETTYThe new regulation from State Representative Erin Koegel keeps towers from hauling vehicles from expired parking metersCredit: GETTY

Lawmakers in the state are hoping the change will take a heavy burden off of lower-income car owners, local news publication MinnPost reported.

Before the law went into effect, towing operators could tow vehicles from expired parking meters if the vehicle had five or more unpaid parking tickets.

The new regulation from State Representative Erin Koegel keeps towers from hauling those vehicles as a method to collect that debt.

"When parking tickets result in the loss of a vehicle, it has immediate and negative economic outcomes that can result in job loss, and disruptions to child care and education," she said.

"So many people in Minnesota use cars to commute to work, and 30 percent of households in Minnesota only have one vehicle,

"So how could we expect people to pay back their fines when we’re taking away their way to work."

The new provision was a part of a transportation policy bill that passed by both chambers earlier this month.

It received a unanimous 67-0 vote in the Senate.

The law builds on legislation passed last year in the state that prohibits debt-based driver’s license suspensions. 

Governor Tim Walz signed the policy into law on Wednesday. 

Delaware's New Towing Law: Relief for Drivers

It can cost a vehicle owner around $640 to retrieve their vehicle from an impound lot, state policy manager for Justice Action Network Jenny Catchings told MinnPost.

The whopping total includes the previous parking debt and new fees incurred by the tow.

In addition to how costly towing for debt collection is for lower-income residents, Catchings said the practice isn't actually effective.

An audit found that the city of San Diego, California was losing about $1.5 million by towing vehicles and housing them at impound lots.

What to do if your car is towed

Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.

If your vehicle is towed after parking in a "No Parking" zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.

Steps to take when your car is towed:

Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted "No Parking" sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.

If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:

Be prompt - many states have a small window of time where it's acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle.
Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state.
Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly.
Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases.
Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.

Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm

Nearly 30 percent of the towed vehicles in the city were never recovered. 

WHAT A CAR CAN BE TOWED FOR

Despite the new Minnesota towing restrictions, vehicles can still be towed for violating snow emergency regulations.

A car can also be towed if it's blocking driveways, fire hydrants or is parked in restricted areas.

Minneapolis issued about 430,000 tickets between 2018 and 2019, according to an analysis released last year by the Urban Institute.

That is the fifth-highest amount of parking tickets in the country.

According to the data, Minneapolis had the most tickets issued per resident.

The city also had the highest ticket amount per resident among the three cities - totaling about $37 million. 

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How a Grand Prairie couple is keeping Vietnamese radio alive in D-FW

This story is part of Asian American Bustle, an occasional series publishing during Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

grand prairie — Inside a large corner office space at Asia Times Square, passersby can peer through a rectangular window and get a peek at a studio with a unique mission.

From sunrise to sunset each day, hosts broadcast in Vietnamese news, music, sports and their passions on 1600 AM and online. The station’s name — Voice of Vietnamese Americans — is fitting for the mission of serving the dallas-Fort Worth area that roughly 90,000 Vietnamese call home.

As economic headwinds have shuttered other non-English-speaking outlets, Peter Dao said he hopes to use the station to teach people about what Vietnam was like before 1975, when the communist party took control.

“We want to preserve our way of life… for our children and grandchildren,” Dao said.

Asian American Bustle is The Dallas Morning News’ community-based reporting effort examining the development, culture and future of Asian American enclaves in North Texas. Over a few months, two reporters, two photographers and an editor spent several days in the communities’ gathering spaces to meet the public and hear their stories.

Dao and his wife, Lien Bich Dao, took control of the station this year, shortly after their station in arlington closed in 2023. Starting in 2003, the Daos ran Dallas Vietnamese Radio, near what is now Ben Thanh Plaza. The station rebranded in 2017 before shuttering as their contract with the owner of the radio frequency expired last year, forcing a change. Some mementos from their former station sit in the new office: a lunar new year award from 2008 and a framed map of their native country with the South Vietnam flag.

In the fall of 2022, Voice of Vietnamese Americans began broadcasting under a different owner inside Asia Times Square, considered an anchor for the Asian American enclave in eastern Tarrant County. When the station struggled and the former operator had to leave to care for his family, the property’s CEO invited the Daos to take the reins.

The couple brought about two decades of experience to Voice of Vietnamese Americans and 1600 AM, a frequency that had long been a Vietnamese-language station.

“I felt like that [the station] is one of the key components to have at Asia Times Square, so the radio station can be at a location that’s more well-established and to be able to make their broadcast and reach out to more people,” said Matthew Loh, the strip mall’s CEO and property manager.

Voice of Vietnamese Americans, VVA 1600 AM General Manager, Lien Bich Dao is seen their radio studio, Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Grand Prairie.(Chitose Suzuki / Staff Photographer)

‘Refugees from communism’

Many of the staff at the station had no background in radio.

Peter Dao said he didn’t know anything about the industry, joking he couldn’t tell the difference “between the mixer in the kitchen and in the radio station.” A former engineer, he worked stints at Texas Instruments and American Airlines before retiring and helping his wife with the radio station, he said.

Duc Pham, the deputy manager and one of Voice of Vietnamese Americans’ announcers, said he worked odd jobs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area before a 20-year stretch in the U.S. Postal Service. Pham retired then worked at a local Vietnamese television station until it closed down during the pandemic.

“After that, I had nothing to do,” Pham said. “In 2022, this station reopened. 1600 AM is very strong and then I came here and worked as a news anchor.”

Minh Tuan, a reporter, sought work at the station to highlight stories of Vietnamese soldiers and what the country was like for them growing up.

“You need to know your parents, your grandparents from the original form of Vietnam,” said Tuan, who is also in retirement.

Not all staff members are retired. Hien Van Vu, a host for Voice of Vietnamese Americans, says the station is a part-time hobby on the weekends. During the week, he works at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth.

Lien Bich Dao, the general manager, is one of the few on staff with prior experience. She worked at a Vietnamese station in Garland before starting Dallas Vietnamese Radio more than 20 years ago.

For many of the staffers, the Vietnam War and its lingering impacts connect them. Lien Bich Dao’s parents were killed by Communist forces when she was 17, she said. Some of the staffers fled during or shortly after the war: Peter left in the midst of it, Tuan left in 1975 and Vu left six years later.

“After 1975, the communists [tried] to erase what was Vietnamese culture for thousands of years and want to replace it with their own kind of culture,” Peter Dao said. “We are refugees from communism.”

Grand Prairie Police Sgt. Thai Nguyen, speaks during an invited show at Voice of Vietnamese Americans VVA 1600 AM, on Friday, April 19, 2024 in Grand Prairie. He has been focused on hiring Asian Americans for the police department and is one of the sources on the department's efforts to make connections with the Asian American community in Grand Prairie. (Shafkat Anowar / Staff Photographer)

Helping the community

The programs, which record live from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., can vary, with news, music and how-to sessions, Peter Dao said. Included in those are collaborations with local colleges like Tarrant County College and University of Texas at Arlington.

The station does public announcements for various community organizations plus a monthly talk show with the Grand Prairie Police Department. During election season, Dao said, he has invited candidates and urged people to come vote. Reporters will also cover special events.

“We have announcements from the city of Arlington and around here to inform people about the many different programs for seniors, about housing, health care,” Peter Dao said.

Staff members also highlight things they’re passionate about. For Tuan and Pham, that means stories of soldiers and poems and music. And for Vu, that means talking about professional sports — especially baseball, football and basketball.

Peter Dao said listeners range in age from early 20s to 90 and the station’s talent aims to be “the teachers for everyone.” Pham said seniors turn on the radio and listen to it all day until they go to sleep.

Dao doesn’t have an exact number of how many people tune in but estimates, between the radio and online audiences, it’s tens of thousands given the 200,000-plus Vietnamese people who live in the state.

“At first, I’m a listener,” said Y Linh, a sales associate and announcer with the station. She said she turns on the frequency “because I miss my country a lot.”

Peter Dao knows the niche is not a particularly profitable business. Dallas Vietnamese Radio originally sat alongside a cosmetic business that Lien Bich Dao owned, and some of that store’s profit went toward the station.

“I told [my wife], ‘If we didn’t have the radio station and if we had like three cosmetic shops, we’d be probably much wealthier,’” he said with a laugh. “But this is just a matter of helping the community.”

Still, he believes in his staff of about 16 and hopes he can receive more buy-in from the growing Asian American community in North Texas.

Related:Diversity, buy-in from younger generation spell success for North Texas’ Asian American enclaves

“That’s what I’m optimistic about — is that as long as you do it right, you will attract people,” Peter Dao said.

One business, he said, committed to advertise on their station for a whole year. But there’s more work to be done.

Inside the studio, a message hangs on the back wall in black script on a red background that speaks to their devotion. Lien Bich Dao pointed at the Mandarin script and asked, “You know what that means?”

“Heart,” she said.

Voice of Vietnamese Americans VVA 1600 AM General Manager Lien Bich Dao, fourth from left, and her husband Public Relations Manager Peter Dao, fifth from left, pose for a photo with other managers and announcers at their office, Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Grand Prairie.(Chitose Suzuki / Staff Photographer)Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders cultures celebrated in North TexasRichardson’s Chinatown: The history, development and needs of an Asian American enclave

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Tows Tops for Roadside Assistance Calls

In its 20 years of providing roadside service, here are AutoVantage's Top 5 problems on the road, garnered from more than 1 million roadside assistance dispatches:

Breakdowns requiring tows (60%)

Other auto insights from the experts at AutoVantage:

Car life spans continue to improve. In 1977, half of the vehicles had a life expectancy of 10.5 years and 107,000 miles. By 1990, 50% survived from 12.5 years and 127,000 miles, and now average car life expectancies are 13 years and 152,000 miles.

It's estimated that there's nearly one car for every American of driving age.

Median automobile age is nine years.

Number of those reaching driving age is the largest since the Baby Boom.

Average new car spend: $22,600.

Average used car spend: $9,000.

Average auto loan length: five years.

Estimated cars in use in the U.S: 135 million.

Average annual car maintenance costs: $650.

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