Around the State

Special to The Dallas Examiner

 

FORT WORTH

Tarrant County students have been challenged to help design a Tarrant County Vietnam war-era memorial, according to project planners led by Jim Hodgson, executive director of the Fort Worth Aviation Museum.

“At least 211 county residents died as a result of the conflict,” Hodgson pointed out. “Currently, there’s no local monument to honor those killed in Southeast Asia, but that may soon be changing.

“We’re proposing a permanent display in Fort Worth’s Veterans Memorial Park on Camp Bowie Blvd. designed by local students to honor American service members for their sacrifices, as well as commemorate the loss to the families and loved ones.”

The effort is backed by a coalition of Tarrant County officials, the Fort Worth Parks Dept., national and local veterans service organizations, as well as patriotic groups and individuals across North Texas. Representatives of these groups are now meeting to discuss the logistics of the project.

Over the next several months, efforts will include:

• Engaging schools in the memorial’s design.
• Verifying the names to be included on the monument.
• Spreading the word and raising funds.
• Dedication ceremony in Veterans Memorial Park.

“The memorial is to be designed, built and installed by mid-September 2020,” Hodgson explained.

The dedication ceremony would coincide with National Medal of Honor Society’s annual conference in Fort Worth.

The project will use Facebook and an interactive website for information and donations.

 

AUSTIN

A rise in deaths on the road account for close to half of all traffic fatalities in Texas.

In 2018, 1,673 people died and more than 6,000 were seriously injured in crashes in the Barnett Shale, Eagle Ford Shale, Granite Wash, Haynesville/Bossier Shale and Permian Basin, where oil and gas exploration is underway. Traffic deaths in these areas are up by 4 percent compared to 2017. Crash reports point to failure to control speed as the most-often cited factor in traffic crashes, followed by driver inattention such as using a cell phone.

In the coming weeks, drivers can expect to see a variety of common-sense safety reminders as TxDOT kicks off its annual “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” campaign in the state’s energy-producing regions. It will remind drivers to:

• Always buckle up – drivers and all passengers, day and night.
• Drive a safe speed that takes into account the amount of traffic, road conditions and weather.
• Focus 100 percent on driving and put your phone away: no talking or texting when you’re behind the wheel.
• Give large trucks plenty of space, be patient, and pass only when it’s safe and legal to do so.
• Obey stop signs and traffic signals.
• Never​ drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.