First Grapevine Garden Club Exec. Board meeting of the year.

Few things make me breathe slowly and deeply in order not to say everything I am thinking like a visit to the Grapevine Post Office.

Why does a city of 50,000 have a post office staffing two clerks at a time?

Why does buying stamps take 15 minutes to a half-hour?

And why do I keep going back? It’s like watching “Mommy Dearest” and thinking it might turn out differently this time.

My Letter to the Editor in today’s Star-Telegram, 8 December 2010

Dear Editor,

My family, friends and everyone in earshot of us complained about the Tea Party’s presence in the Grapevine Christmas Parade.

While Democrats are excluded from paying for and working a voter registration booth at city festivals next to jewelry sales and car dealerships, another partisan group yells “go Tea Party” at a nonpolitical holiday event.

Double standards aside, a Christmas celebration is not the place for politics.

Kathleen Thompson, Grapevine

View the LTE online here.

Tea Party/Parade of Lights - Official Response*

From Councilwoman Sharon Spencer: 

Kathleen,

I understand your feelings. The Parade last night was not conducted by the City, but was conducted by the GV Chamber of Commerce as has been the case for many years.  May I suggest that you share your feelings with  the Chamber as I am sure they would want to know.

Sharron Spencer

From Chamber President RaDonna Hessel: 

Dear Ms. Thompson,

For the last thirty years, the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce has coordinated the Lighted Christmas Parade.  While the committee attempts to be pro-active on maintaining the integrity and safety of this community and family event to celebrate the season, each year the rules are reviewed and amended as new issues and events occur. 

The parade committee is always happy to have a wide variety of clubs and organizations participate in this parade, growing it each year to the delight of those watching from the sidelines.  Unfortunately, this year, one organization whose float  physically met the criteria for the parade, also chose to verbally promote a political statement instead of strictly using it to celebrate the season and spirit of the community.   Given the established rules prior to the event, there was nothing the committee could do to arbitrarily stop them from participating.

The Grapevine Lighted Christmas Parade Committee will review the rules for entry, and develop an appropriate measure to attempt to stop this use of the parade, while not hindering the ability for other organizations from correctly using the parade to support the Christmas Season and the community of Grapevine. 

Your concerns are already being addressed and we appreciate your comments.  We hope that you were able to enjoy the other one hundred plus floats, entries and the many volunteers who made this night possible.

Sincerely,

RaDonna Hessel

President

*Should I hear from others in the city leadership, and I certainly hope to, I will post their responses.

Tea Party/Parade of Lights - Some History

When I joined the local Democratic party, I was surprised to learn that political groups were unable to rent the meeting room at the Grapevine Library. My husbands’ designers’ groups met regularly in Plano and Dallas libraries, just because some of their members were tax paying citizens. 

So our group tried to meet in the City of Grapevine facilities. We weren’t allowed to do that, per Parks and Recreation ordinance. After repeated complaints by myself and the president of the Colleyville, Grapevine, Southlake Democrats, City Manager Bruno Rumbelow told us the ordinance would be put before the city attorney, who eventually recommended rescinding the language. It took a long time. While we waited, I was told by Chris Smith, a Parks and Recreation employee that the City of Grapevine didn’t want to appear to favor one group over another — meaning it wouldn’t look good. I told him it shouldn’t matter how things appear, it should matter that the city do the right thing. The ordinance was eventually repealed and partisan clubs could pay to rent city facilities.

Our Mid-Cities Democrats has a nearly annual presence at area city festivals, with Democratic literature, and an active voter registration drive. GrapeFest turned us down - we cannot pay the City of Grapevine to have a booth. 

In response, I have received a note today from Councilwoman Sharon Spencer and form letter (I know it’s a form letter because other concerned citizens have forwarded me their responses and it’s the same) from the Chamber of Commerce President RaDonna Hessel. I will post those separately. 

I am told the City of Grapevine was not in charge - the Chamber of Commerce was. Yet a city function is a city function and the Mayor, Council and city leadership have a say, with a louder voice than mine. 

Please let them all hear from you if you feel the way I do.

Screening Liberally Mid-Cities, “Inside Job”, November 13

Thanks to those that made the October DL featuring Justin Krebs, the national DL co-founder. Photos of the night are here http://www.bit.ly/DL_MidCities

Let’s go to the movies with Screening Liberally Mid-Cities next Saturday, November 13, near the 7:00 p.m. hour to see “Inside Job”. (This will be our DL Mid-Cities meeting for November.)

We will e-mail back on Wednesday with an exact show time once listings are posted but we know it will play at the AMC 30 Grapevine Mills. Hope you can stay for a drink or dessert after the movie to discuss.

Hosted by Kathleen Thompson and Brad Walker.
Questions? E-mail us at midcities@drinkingliberally.org.

From the official Website:

From Academy Award® nominated filmmaker, Charles Ferguson (“No End In Sight”), comes INSIDE JOB, the first film to expose the shocking truth behind the economic crisis of 2008. The global financial meltdown, at a cost of over $20 trillion, resulted in millions of people losing their homes and jobs. Through extensive research and interviews with major financial insiders, politicians and journalists, INSIDE JOB traces the rise of a rogue industry and unveils the corrosive relationships which have corrupted politics, regulation and academia. 

Narrated by Academy Award® winner Matt Damon, INSIDE JOB was made on location in the United States, Iceland, England, France, Singapore, and China.  

My Urban Escape to Mong Kok

by Kathleen Thompson

I had the pleasure to travel to Hong Kong earlier this fall for a two-week vacation. I have been to Mumbai before, but I had not toured any parts of Eastern Asia.

To say that Hong Kong is crowded is quite the understatement - there are people everywhere. Subways, streets, restaurants and markets teem with people day and night. A friend told me it’s difficult to take a breath, not referencing pollution, but the quick pace and the masses of people. He said driving to less populated areas and parks was a weekend tradition - to get back to nature and some open green space. 

I saw a few parks, but they were more of the playground or blacktop kind. I think this is why the flower markets selling vibrant colors in a multitude of shapes and sizes are so popular. The Mong Kok Flower Market (one of my top ten sights on my must see list) is the largest and busiest and the afternoon we visited, I walked slowly past stands and into flower shops to fully surround myself with the beauty of blossoms. 

The U.S. dollar is much stronger than the Hong Kong dollar and the prices for huge bouquets of freshly cut flowers or blooming plants was astonishing. For example, countless varieties of orchids were about $2-3.00 U.S. Here at home, that same plant could easily sell for seven times the amount. 

While inexpensive for a visitor, that price is not necessarily so for a native. But in the apartment homes I visited and in businesses across the city, greenery or flowers of some sort were prized enough to have a place. It is a universal feeling, I am sure, much like when winter comes to North Texas and I purchase cut flowers for our table or stop to admire even a simple green ivy near the window, just to see a bit of color and breathe in my appreciation of flora. If you are a Grapevine Garden Club member, I know you know what I mean.

More photos of my trip to Hong Kong can be found at http://bit.ly/KT_HongKong

(Article submitted by request to the Grapevine Garden Club on my HK trip.)

Election 2010 Robo-call

Hi, this is Kathleen Thompson. I am your neighbor here in Grapevine. 

I am calling to remind you to vote Tuesday at Dove Elementary. Polls are open from 7 to 7.

As your precinct chair, I encourage you to vote for all our Democratic candidates - from Bill White for governor to my friend, Randy Turner for judge. 

If you have any questions, feel free to call me at ______. 

Thank you!