LPD INCIDENT REPORT ON PAUL BEANE, JILL KERNS, & GERALD DOLTER

I just got my hands on the LPD Incident Report regarding what really happened on July 18 between Paul Beane and those at the Moonlight Musicals and oh boy it shows a much different story than the email that’s been floating around.

According to Officer John Gomez, Paul Beane was worried about a storm that was approaching with lightning because his granddaughter was on stage. Mr. Dolter had stopped the show but wanted some of the cast and crew to clear the equipment from the stage. Beane approached Dolter and expressed his concern about his granddaughter’s safety, then walked away to wait for her. Dolte made the decision to get the crew off the stage then went over to Beane to apologize. Mr. Beane then told Dolter that is actions were irresponsible and walked away. Jill Kerns, from the top of the stage told Beane that she wanted him to leave the area. Beane replied, “shut up, I’m not going anywhere without my granddaughter.” Another unknown female standing next to Kerns also asked Beane to leave and he told her to “shut up.” Officer John Gomez told all involved to calm down, and that’s when Beane’s granddaughter came out and they left.

According to Officer Gomez, Paul Beane DID NOT use profanity during the incident. Officer Gomez was within 15 feet of Paul Beane during the entire incident. He also did not observe any criminal violations during the incident.

The above is a nutshell version of the incident report which we will discuss on Thursday’s LFN on KFYO.

As I’ve mentioned in previous blog entries this is why I didn’t bring this RUMOR up on my show. Unlike my competitors in the morning, I know what sources are. You can’t run with a story just because a caller says something is true or because you read it on the internet or via email. The email that was being sent around wasn’t even signed by anyone. Now, I don’t blame Jim Douglass for running with the rumor as if it were fact. He has no idea what he’s doing. Being in the media isn’t his first or only job. Jim doesn’t understand that you should get facts and sources before slamming a City Councilman. I do, but then again I do this for real, not for play time to talk about Texas Tech Alumni events. It’s called integrity. Some shows/people have it, some don’t.

However, Jeff Klotzman is a different story. How could a veteran newsman just sit by and let his co-host proceed presenting a rumor as a factual story? Sorry Jeff, you should have known better and you should have told your co-host to stop talking about it. Jeff Klotzman is on the Board of Directors of the Moonlight Musicals and should have known what really happened.

If anyone involved with the Moonlight Musicals was involved with writing or sending this email and starting this rumor, they should resign from the Moonlight Musicals Board immediately. That includes Jill Kerns and Jeff Klotzman. Again, IF they were involved or concealed the truth. Or in the case of Jeff, knowing the truth but allowing his co-host to spread lies.

But maybe I’m wrong. Maybe those spreading the rumors would like to call Officer John Gomez a liar and accuse him of filing a false report. If they are going to call Officer Gomez a liar, then it’s time to speak up.

More on this on Thursday’s Lubbock’s First News on 790 KFYO.

PAUL BEANE FORGOT WHO HE REPRESENTS

I really would like for this whole balloon deal to go away and hopefully after this weekend I won’t have to bring it up again. Unless of course, people keep acting foolish on the City Council. In this mornings AJ we found out that Paul Beane brought up the ordinance banning balloon releases because of a promise he made to a rancher outside of Lubbock County. (link)

Beane is even quoted saying, “The balloon ordinance was not on my top-ten radar,” Beane said. “As a matter of fact, it’s not in the top 50, but a promise is a promise.”

I’ve posted the audio from my thoughts on this in the podcast section of the website (link) but I think this needs to be written as well.

Mr. Beane, you represent District 4 of the City of Lubbock. Not a rancher outside of Lubbock County. You were elected by the people of District 4 of the City of Lubbock. Not a rancher outside of Lubbock County. You serve the PEOPLE of the CITY of LUBBOCK. NOT a rancher outside the County. Do you get it?

If Linda Deleon or Floyd Price had made a promise to someone outside of Lubbock to make an ordinance affecting the citizens of Lubbock, many people would be outraged. And I hope you are now. Paul Beane tried to grow government with an ordinance that was unenforceable, and made Lubbock look bad all because of a promise to some rancher who has no vote in Lubbock, and pays no taxes in Lubbock.

Mr. Beane, you should only make promises to those you serve. You should concentrate on District 4 and the City of Lubbock, nothing else. You serve no one outside of Lubbock County. If you’d like to serve people outside of Lubbock and force laws on people and increase government then it’s time you leave City Hall and run for State Representative.

LFN AMMO REPORT 7.10.09

Every Friday Lubbock’s First News will bring you the LFN Ammo Report at 8am. This is where we give you the information on where to find ammo and how much it cost. Of course, this information could change day to day and we only get information from 3-4 places each week so keep that in mind. Here is this weeks LFN Ammo Report(numbers gathered on Thursday):

Big 5 Sports: 9mm-NONE IN STOCK, 380-NONE in stock, .22 IN STOCK for $4.49, .40-IN STOCK for $22.99,.357-IN STOCK for $31.99, .45-NONE in stock

Academy(limit 5 boxes): 9mm-IN STOCK for $12.99, 380-NONE in stock, .22-NONE IN STOCK, .40-NONE IN STOCK, .357-NONE in stock, .45-NONE IN STOCK

Sharp Shooters(limit 2-5 boxes): 9mm-IN STOCK for $25.00, 380-IN STOCK for $30.00-$40.00, .22 ammo-IN STOCK for $12.95,.40-IN STOCK for $30.00-$35.00, .357-IN STOCK for $28.00-$50.00, .45-IN STOCK for $27.00-$43.95

LSG Tactical Arms: 9mm-IN STOCK for $21.95, 380-IN STOCK for $22.00-$40.00, .22 ammo-IN STOCK for $9.95-$30.00,.40-IN STOCK for $23.00-$30.00, .357-IN STOCK for $25.00-$45.00, .45-IN STOCK for $27.00-$50.00

BALLOON ORDINANCE PASSED BY THE LUBBOCK CITY COUNCIL

Again, having solved all major issues facing the City of Lubbock, the council passed the idiotic Balloon Ordinance by a vote of 4-3. So who voted for it? Mayor Tom Martin, Councilman Paul Beane, Councilman John Leonard, and Council Todd Klein. Here was the proposed ordinance:

Sec. 23-34. Intentional Balloon Releases.

(a) No person shall intentionally release or cause to be released outdoors:

(1) any balloon made of a non-biodegradable material filled with a lighter than air gas;

(2) any balloon made of an electrically conductive material filled with a lighter than air gas; or

(3) more than 30* balloons made of a biodegradable material filled with a lighter than air gas at one time. **Klein amended from 10 to 30**

(b) Biodegradable balloons that are attached to any non-biodegradable material or electrically conductive material shall not intentionally be released outdoors.

(c) It shall be an exception to this section that balloons are released by a governmental agency for a governmental purpose.

So the 3 conservatives on the council, which they are proud to call themselves, just voted to increase government. Nice. They wasted time on an issue that even the Mayor said comes up about twice a year. I wonder when this council will get around to banning plastic bags from stores? There are many more bags flying around Lubbock. Who’s going to enforce this ordinance anyway? The city can’t even patrol the water ordinances and we expect the Police, who are understaffed, to deal with balloons?

Here’s a quote from the AJOnline and Floyd Price, “Balloons was today. What’s next?” Councilman Floyd Price asked later. “I think it’s time for government to back off and look at serious issues.”

So Floyd Price, who isn’t the most conservative, understands that government needs to back off, yet Martin, Beane, and Leonard don’t. Amazing.

Thanks for dealing with the real issues facing Lubbock council members! Pathetic. Oh, and about being mocked over this vote guys… you deserve it.

More on this later and on LFN tomorrow.

Two 11 year-olds victims of bullycide: suicide caused by bullying

The following is from Intern Toni:

For many students, school is like a second home because they are there so often. Most of our lives are spent in school, from kindergarten to high school but the rise of bullying, harassments, and assaults are inclining at an alarming rate in Public School Systems.

Sure, everyone has had their fair share of being teased and has run into an encounter with a bully, but now with youth’s generation, there are more creative ways to harass students and make it public.

Being bullied builds character, to an extent. I learned to tolerate, I learned to ignore, I learned about self confidence. When I was in first grade, I received my first pair of glasses and was the only child in my class to have needed them. I got picked on by the boys and ‘four eyes’ was an ever popular joke but my parents told me to shrug it off. I can vividly recall lying in between my parents, on their bed explaining why I did not want to go to school and how things would be better off if I weren’t here. Now that I look back, I think, ‘Wow, I was only six years old and just confessed to my parents that being alive was not worth the criticism I was receiving for being nearsighted’.

Obviously, my parents handled the situation and I returned to school. The teasing never ceased; in fact, as I got older teasing became more like a routine. They would find new ways to ‘poke fun’ at me. Since I am female, I spell my name with an ‘I’ and for some reason people could not comprehend, even some teachers, that a young girl was named after her father despite it typically being a name for a male. This was particularly hard for me to overcome. My name is Toni, there is nothing wrong with being named after my dad, but it took a lot of self confidence to finally over come that.

I was lucky, I have a sister who is two years older than I and she was always and still is on my side, ready to back me up. She got in fights because of me, she protected me, and she shielded me because she saw what my parents couldn’t. Some students, unfortunately, aren’t so lucky.

I was heartbroken to hear that two young boys, both 11 years of age, committed suicide within ten days of one another. Neither of the two separate deaths is connected but what is similar, are their stories.

Last month these two young students decided that death was a better option as opposed to returning to school and facing constant disapproval. They hung themselves in their closet. In the stir of their death, Congress introduced a bill which is set out to protect all students – including gay or transgender – from harassment. These two young children were accused of being ‘gay’.

The ever growing popularity of texting and social network sites are adding to the torment of students along with old fashion name-calling and physical bullying.

With so many school shootings in the past, I feel the lives of these two boys could have been saved. The mother of one victim repeatedly complained to school officials that her son was being taunted by names such as ‘gay and ‘snitch’. This young student was even put in a sleeper hold in the school bathroom. Apparently, not enough was done to prevent these ‘bullies’ from tormenting this young boy again. The school recently released an internal report stating that the boy was not subjected to more teasing than his peers but the school system only acknowledged five out of the eight complaints the mother gave.

I view it as allowing the bullies to win because if the schools took time to investigate the situation in further detail, both these deaths could have been preventable. Even with the new bill being passed, it is still not enough because it does not help students to cope with the low self-esteem and depression they encounter. When a student takes his or her life due to bullying, psychologists have dubbed this bullycide. It is very real and does not have any signs of slowing down. I know it is difficult to monitor bullying but school systems need to find a better way to protect their students and to deal with situations like these before another life is lost. This 11 year old could have been saved, he should have been protected, and not enough was done.

I could only hope that their deaths spark an endemic of change to protect the students, to provide them with the comfort and safety they deserve. I wish for the much success of the federal anti-bullying bill, which would require schools receiving funding from the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act to execute inclusive anti-bullying policies.

ALLEGED: TRUTH ABOUT ALCOHOL SALES CAUGHT IN LIES!

ANTI-ALCOHOL PAC, TRUTH ABOUT ALCOHOL SALES (TAAS) ALLEGDLY  SPREADING LIES AND USING SCARE TACTICS

During Lubbock’s First News this morning I received a press release from a source close to Lubbock County Wins claiming TAAS is using scare tactics and lies while calling people in Lubbock regarding the upcoming alcohol election. Here is a portion of that release and be sure to stay tuned to 790 KFYO for the latest. We will also be talking about this on Friday’s LFN.

Information left on the answer machines by TAAS representatives’ states that the upcoming alcohol election will allow “packaged liquor sales in our drug stores and grocery stores”.  A simple check of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission website will confirm that nowhere in Texas is it legal to purchase liquor in drug stores or grocery stores. That hasn’t stopped the Truth About Alcohol Sales committee. One of our supporters recorded this call from a TAAS representative.

“I’m with the TAAS PAC, and we are canvassing to see about the upcoming election for putting package liquor in our drug stores, our grocery stores, etc.  If that election were tomorrow would you vote against putting these package liquor goods in our grocery stores and where it can be equally picked up by children, or adults, or young adults and uh, or would you be for putting it in there. But I can’t get an answer on the phone. Thank you, we will call again later.”

Not only is this information inaccurate, but making this statement may be against the law.  Texas Election Code Sec. 501.029 states it is a Class B Misdemeanor offense to “misrepresent the purpose or the effect of the petition”.  Neither the purpose nor the effect of the petitions signed, and the elections called, by Lubbock County voters will result in liquor sales in grocery or drug stores.

KFYO’s Rex Andrew is following this story and will have more during KFYO News and online at kfyo.com

THE CITY OF LUBBOCK NEEDS TO PAY THE POLICE

The City Council said NO to the Lubbock Police and a 15% pay increase yesterday during the council meeting. Lubbock is still 60 officers short of being at full strength and some say, well most say that a pay increase will help Lubbock bring in more qualified applicants and Lubbock would be able to compete for recruits with cities like Plano, Austin, etc.

Lubbock is right around the 11th largest city in Texas, yet we rank 43rd in Police pay. Sorry, but there is something wrong with that. Yes I know it cost less to live here, but these officers are having to deal with a lot of people and a lot of space. We all know the City loves to annex so we aren’t getting any smaller.

In an earlier story about the crime rate going up in Lubbock, the police said that having more officers would absolutely cut down on crime in Lubbock. In a 2008 interview with the AJ, then Mayoral candidate, Tom Martin, said this:

Protecting the citizens of Lubbock and keeping our city as safe as possible has always been a top priority for me – it always will be. I always work to make our neighborhoods safer. Crime rates are down since we established higher levels of police staffing in 2004.

Well Mayor, since the crime rate is higher and the Police can get more applicants and better qualified applicants by offering more money, it only makes sense to pony up the cash.

Police officers put their lives on the line everyday and deal with the scum of the earth, and all they are looking for is a little more pay and better officers. I’ll take a tax increase for this. I’d rather the city use my money for Police than all of the other dumb things they spend money on.

We hear people all the time say that teachers, police, and firefighters deserve more pay. But it’s all just talk. It’s something that sounds good to say, because who could honestly be against it? Yet when it comes time to take action we do nothing. This Mayor, who likes to preach about looking into the future and blames former council’s for not looking into the future in regards to water, all of a sudden can’t see beyond his next election. It’s time for us to put our money where our mouths are. If you don’t want the Police to get a pay raise, then fine, but don’t complain next time about response times. Remember their numbers are dwindling and we can stop it.

City leaders, we are watching.

PAM BRINK WANTS YOU TO CALL DELWIN JONES…AND SO DO I

Just got this email from Lubbock Democratic Chair Pam Brink regarding the Voter ID Bill:

People,

Please call the local office of Delwin Jones TODAY, March 18: 763-4468.

Tell him to vote AGAINST the Voter ID Bill. This bill is a concerted effort by Texas Republicans to disenfranchise all Texas citizens who do not have a driver’s license — the poor, the elderly, the disabled, and all other people who don’t or can’t drive.

Jones voted against these efforts in 2007. He needs to know he has local support for voting against it this time.

Please find a minute to call TODAY (763-4468) or at least email (Delwin.jones@house.state.tx.us.) and register your protest against this very bad and politically motivated legislation.

Attorney General Abbott spent a boat-load of tax-payer money looking for voter fraud in Texas. His research uncovered virtually NONE! Voter Fraud is a Chimera! Voter Suppression is the real issue.

Thanks,

Pam

Of course Pam Brink and the rest of the libs are WRONG on this issue. However, I also encourage you to call Delwin Jones and tell him to vote FOR the Voter ID Bill. Showing a photo ID helps to prevent fraud and that is it. Just because no one has been charge for voting fraud doesn’t mean it wont happen. Why not take every step possible to have a fair election and make sure there isn’t fraud?

The argument that this is unfair to blacks and hispanics is crap too. Think about all the things that require you have a photo ID. Driving, getting money out of your bank, writing checks, buying beer, flying, entrance into some clubs, and there are more. I haven’t heard people bitch and moan about using an ID at those times.

So yes, call Delwin Jones or your own State Rep. and tell them to vote FOR the Voter ID Bill. BTW, Rep. Carl Isett will vote for it.

SELECT PODCAST FROM TODAY’S SHOW POSTED

Segments from todays LFN that are now available online:

Interview with Mayor Tom Martin.

Rex Offenders

The segment dealing with feeling safe in Lubbock

To hear these podcasts and more go to the podcast site at chadhasty.com or just click HERE

CRIME ON THE RISE IN LUBBOCK

MORE ON THIS STORY ON THURSDAY’S LFN.

From the AJ:

Home invasions more than doubled last year in Lubbock compared to 2007, according to numbers recently released by the Lubbock Police Department.

Most other crimes also spiked in 2008, bucking national trends of decreased crime last year, according to FBI statistics and Lubbock police records.

–Violent crimes rose about 6 percent in Lubbock. The violent crime rate was 976.5 per 100,000 residents.

–Nearly 2,100 violent crimes were reported in 2008 — 145 more than in 2007.

–Robberies increased about 15 percent, with nearly 300 occurring. Aggravated assaults were up 8.4 percent.

–There were about 28 home invasions last year in Lubbock compared to roughly 13 the year before. In 2006, there were about 24 invasions. Police say the numbers are not exact because they have not traditionally kept track of home invasions because there isn’t a state statute for the crime.

–Rapes and homicides dropped in Lubbock last year.

–Property crimes increased about 3.8 percent. Vehicle burglaries saw the highest spike at 16 percent. Residential burglaries rose about 7 percent, and theft cases increased 7.8 percent.

Still, police officials say Lubbock is a safe place to live.

“We certainly wouldn’t call that a dramatic increase,” said Capt. Greg Stevens, spokesman for the police department, adding the overall crime increase wasn’t significant enough to be a major cause for concern.

“What really matters, in my opinion, arguably for most people is your sense of safety — how safe do you feel?” Stevens said, adding he believes a widespread sense of safety paints a more accurate picture of crime in Lubbock.

He said he believes residents overall feel safe in Lubbock because the city doesn’t have a widespread problem with random violence, though some pockets in Lubbock may be safer than others.

“The vast majority of those violent crimes are not random in nature,” Stevens said, noting it is very common for there to be a pre-existing relationship between the involved parties.

For example, FBI statistics show most murders are committed by somebody the victim knew.

Crime compared

While crime rates were up last year over 2007, most crime in Lubbock was lower last year than most any other year over the last decade, an analysis of the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports show.

–The violent crime rate per 100,000 residents was down about 22 percent compared to the rate in 2000. It was down 4 percent compared to 1998.

–There were 976 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2008 to 1,256 per 100,000 in 2000 (2,098 crimes vs. 2,508, respectively).

Still, crime rates in Lubbock have been higher than national averages, according to the FBI.

–Nationwide, the FBI reported violent crime was down 3.5 percent, and property crime was down 2.5 percent during the first half of 2008 — the only numbers available. The national crime rate also was down the year before.

–In 2007, there were about 919 violent crimes per 100,000 Lubbock residents compared to a rate of about 635 for cities with populations between 100,000 and 249,999, according to FBI statistics.