Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Fort Worth is Up A Creek Without a Paddle With the Paradise Center Scandal

We have received many inquiries asking why the local media seems to be ignoring the Paradise Center Scandal.

Is it too difficult a controversy for the local media to grasp?

Or is the local media too entwined with the good ol' boy network that runs these parts, that the local media accepts whatever the local powers that be, tell the local media, that this is the way it is? No need to investigate.

Sadly, this sort of seems to be the case.

The Paradise Center is an independent entity with no connection to the powers that be.

Except for its connection to THE PEOPLE.

One of the local people who has been appalled by the Paradise Center Scandal asked the Fort Worth Star-Telegram the following....

"There must be a good reason that the S-T is ignoring this story ... right? It's hard to believe there is no story and that it's just an internal personnel matter. The public trust expects that our newspaper will not allow the "Fort Worth Way" to avoid "afflicting the comfortable." Are you even looking into this?"

To which one of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's stooges replied with the following...

"I read the blog. Did not see any discussion of how the county commissioners or MHMR board members have explained the decision. If MHMR funded the center and carried the liability, then MHMR should have been running it all along."

The first name, of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's stooge, rhymes with Dud. And so he is.

Had the Dud done even the most cursory of looking at the facts, as exposed on this very blog, that the Dud claimed he looked at, he would have learned that MMHR did not fund the Paradise Center. It did not carry the liability for the Paradise Center.

The Paradise Center is an independent, private, non-profit charity operation.

MHMR, a government entity, took over the building that the Paradise Center operated out of, because MHMR wanted to monetize the operation. The Paradise Center board objected to this proposed change in the relationship between MHMR and the Paradise Center. And so the scandal erupted.

If Fort Worth had a real newspaper, like the Washington Post or the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the Paradise Center Scandal would have long ago entered the public consciousness as an offensive outrage perpetrated by corrupt officials.

But.

That is not the Fort Worth Way.

For an interesting discussion about the Fort Worth Way and the problems that arise when a city, like Fort Worth, lacks having a legitimate newspaper, that acts as the Fourth Estate, with the Fourth Estate being a sort of extra branch of the system that makes the system work, by exposing wrongdoing, trying to right wrongs, go watch TRIP's "Up a Creek" movie documentary. In "Up a Creek" you will hear the Fort Worth Star-Telegram dysfunction discussed.

23 comments:

News reader said...

The Star-Telegram Dud is only interested if there's free food around to stuff his face with. So this fuddy duddy's opinion matters very little regarding hard news stories, unless the "hard" part has something to do with the texture of food!!

What's sad is that the editors and editorialists like Bob Ray Sanders, who writes frequently about the ongoing injustices in our community, have been shut up during this whole scandal. Give McDirtyMHMRCEO credit for having his bases covered for such a scandal like this.

Of course, this bullycrat had not counted on your tenacious blogs or the courageous Paradise Center people and Theresa Davis. The Startlegram, FW Weekly, and other so called journalistic sources are looking as foolish as these crooked bullycrats. Too bad for them.

Psych Prof. said...

"I read the blog...have not seen where the county comm. or mhmr board have explained the decision"= that's the whole damn point, bud.

It's a major public interest story because of THIS VERY FACT---public officials with the duty to explain such a serious matter have chosen to hide and obfuscate rather than EXPLAIN the what's and why's of this scandal.

How hard is that for you to understand, buddy? Maybe if the McDummy gang comes in and takes over what remains of the Startlegram and tosses your big behind out into the street then you would get it???

No justice, but try for some peace,,,??? said...

What does a community, or even a small group of individuals, do when they believe the public trust has been violated? To whom do we appeal for an investigation? What is the next step, Durango? A month or more of this blogging and still nothing? Seems the Paradise crew are moving on. Can't blame them, really. Gotta keep moving. Waiting for FW or TC to make things right seems fruitless.

F-16 bomber said...

Hey mhmr lapdog, have you not been paying attention? Whenever there's a lull from the Paradise Pros, what usually followed? Think about ....just not too hard because your tiny little brain might blow up. Like Saddam and Gaddafi, the lull is a scary time, just like it feels for you cons right now. BOOM!!!!

KNOW Justice, KNOW Peace said...

Nice try mhmr shill. You WISH the Paradise people (crew if description of Mcdummy and Co.) had moved along. But this has become a much bigger issue than that which affects the nonprofit victim. It is a major public interest issue that is growing in interest and consequence as each day of hiding passes by on the part of the perps and their conspirators. Keep on wishing, mhmr con.

Anonymous said...

About "No justice, but try...???" commenter, you are an mhmr shill still peddling the same worn out propaganda and wish: it's over, move on, blah, blah. You're just more subtle but you're still trying to prevent the truth and justice from prevailing. But prevailing they are, though. No matter how hard you wish they do not. The horses are already out of the barn, in a matter of saying.

News Reader said...

Any truth to the rumor that the El Paso Times is working with this blogger to do a report on this MHMR scandal in Tarrant County? Likely just a rumor, but sure would be sweet justice for all involved including the county commissioners court, mhmr trustees, and the local media outlets.

Anonymous said...

Regarding commenter "No justice...but", your last sentence is priscient in that because the people vested with the power and duty to right this unjust situation such as the mhmr trustees, their "bosses " the county commissioners, and public officials in FW have willfully chosen to DO NOTHING that costly pursuit of justice in the court of law will likely be the natural next step. And taxpayers will foot all the legal expenses, never mind the price paid by "the least among you".

A major study came out a couple years ago that could inform and guide in this messy legal, moral, and public policy matter : research showed that a surprisingly large percentage of people harmed by medical treatment mistakes would not have even filed costly lawsuits IF THOSE RESPONSIBLE WOULD SIMPLY MEET WITH THEM AND ADMIT THEIR MISTAKES WITH SINCERITY.

I know of a prominent veteran physician who saved everyone involved so much grief and money by sincerely telling the injured party that he was sorry for making the mistake that injured them significantly. Although I doubt that avoiding a costly lawsuit was the
doctor's motivation (s/he told them there was malpractice insurance available) , the result was healing, not just the body but the soul.

MHMR-TC's not-so-deep throat said...

JR mystery revealed.

MHMR gang were determined to kill off the Paradise Center as an organization. So when they read on here about good Samaritan JR offering to help Paradise find temporary space nearby, they went nuts because their worst fear was about to happen.

They stopped anyone with inclination of helping the exiled group, with the most devious scheme being the "mystery" behind what happened to JR.

The only ones who knew were the Gang, its conspirators, and a handful of sharp-eyed and conscientious MHMR employees (like Moi!), who then leaked things to the Resistance-- who played along as if they knew nothing a-la "Survivor: Heros vs. Villains". Ya following me, "Survivor" fans??

As some one(s) from the scheme's inner circle/s had posted yesterday, individuals associated with the de facto leaders of the local gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) community (i.e. the powerful multi-million$$ nonprofit agency The Samaritan House).

It was a deluxe Survivor "finalist" type scheme to derail and destroy the Resistance. Right after all the "farewells" and "the oTher side don't see any more use in blogging" comments , there appeared a more sophisticated and less nasty mhmr "con" commenter + a definite difference in grammar.

This same person began to post comments with the new message of "there's no media scrutiny" (see comment "this story is too old now; you guys messed up" under Paradise Center Needs a Home post)and the one on 04/07 about there's really no local authority who can help bring justice ("No Justice, but....")to this scandal so let's put all this behind us" and OTHERS (see if you can pick them out, smart scandal followers!!) New message: there could be two separate consumer-run organizations.

The person is in fact our "smiles" commenter and newly admitted "manager" name "Tony".

The intrepid Durangotexas will be able to connect all the dots and summarize this scheme better than I ever could. Plus, he doesn't depend on a paycheck from MHMR-TC to pay his bills like some of us :<)

You and the Paradise folks should go on "Survivor" because y'all had this scandal figured out and "played" it like a Million- Dollar "Sole Survivor".

The KEY POINT was when this scandal blog made the announcement that the Resistance had just found a place...JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY, NO LESS!! and in a much better location and facility. What McDummy and his gang worked so hard to prevent is actually coming to pass!OMG!!

Compare and contrast the mhmr cons' comments in light of this fact, Mr. Durango "Clark Kent" Jones.

What was celebrated as a game-winning "home run" by the MHMR gang was smashed to pieces.AGAIN by this blog!

Now the incompetent but intransigent gang is left to deal with a disgraced NAMI chapter, a VERY iffy business partnership with BRAVO Health, an appeal of her umemployment denial by spunky Ms. Davis (the execs WERE, and are now more, intimidated by her classiness: professionally, ethically, etc.), and the inevitable lawsuits and investigations that some of the astute readers had suggested.

The Co. Comms. may have no choice but to pull a Mubarack, as in pressuring McDuh and his crew to pack up and leave before worse things take place, especially in terms of the injuries that these cowardly "bullycrats" (LOL!!)had inflicted on Teresa Davis--BOTH before AND after her highly improper "termination"--a predetermined action that was given the green light by Trustees on Feb. the 4th.

The things they said and insinuated about the poor woman..and to so many people.Heartbreaking.

It's a fact that MHMR's lawyer, the Trustees, and others in the know are very well aware of. Not sure about the legal action/s contemplated by Paradise Center Incorporated and its officers and members, but they have discussed it, though.

Anonymous said...

Dang, this scandal just keeps on unraveling ugly secrets, schemes, and other repugnant crap NOT just on the part of Jim McDermott and MHMR-TC Co. BUT so many other individuals and entities that seem so honorable on the surface.

The McDermott-MHMR-TC virus sure has infected a lot of folks in this buckle of the Bible belt.

Anonymous said...

I knew it. Something just wasn't right about the whole JR thing. Especially those odd messages from someone claiming to know JR.

I now see how wicked and devious the McDermott gang is. Still trying to figure out if this JR character was a conspirator from the getgo or was Shanghaied right after the MHMR-TC stooges watched him talking to the paradise group protesting across the street from their former home in late February.

If JR was in fact part of this cruel scheme, there will be hell to pay...for him, his businesses, and even the local glbt community because to think that another stigmatized group of people would do such despicable things to another similar but very disadvantaged group is beyond the pale. But we are humans after all.

Anonymous said...

If this Tony person is the same one who commented as anonymous claiming to discussed the "raid" on Paradise by MHMR-TC under Mcdummy, then you are wasting good God given intelligence and cunning to aid !nd abet this evil in our midst.

Regarding the message that "this story is not news any more " because the infotainment stations and rags hadn't reported on it yet, ACTUALLY the longer the victims (paradise and its members and leaders) is able to stand up to the more powerful perps the more newsworthy this matter becomes. Think of the David Koresh standoff against the u.s. government or the resistances in the middle east and Africa whereas media attention intensified the longer the David v. GOLIATH standoff went.

So Tony and/or whatever MHMR-TC shill, it was a clever try. Thanks for playing...in deadly game where your gang has been outplayed at every turn it seems from looking at what's happened.

BTW, still no picture of that intriguing POD, eh??

Anonymous said...

You seem to have forgotten your initial press release. CEO Jim McDermott, requested to see you in a meeting with his Attorney present. Now what you failed to release the seriousness of the issue at hand. MHMRTC not only paid your salary, but also paid you in kind grants for the building, etc.

Your Board advised you to not attend the meeting! Big Mistake !! Since you were a no show at the metting, under the advice of MHMRTC Attorney, CEO Jim McDermott had no other choice than to immediate terminate (fire) you since you were insubordinate to him.

Upon, taking your keys, there was no one in charge at Paradise Center. So the CEO had the locks changed, and found someone else to run the new "Drop In Center".

Even when Channel 8 ran the story on the news it was very little coverage. Basically, they also reported the comment "a disgruntled employee was terminated".

Had this been "News Worthy" the Star Telegram would have covered it. Also, you stated you had issued press releases to local medias.

Again, no one picked the story up in the local medias.

You have made a Mountain out of a Mole Hill, Teresa Davis. You are a big girl, and it is good to see after two months you are finally getting a place.

Congrats !

Anonymous said...

Should have read " Now what you failed to realize the seriousness of the issue at hand. Sorry, failed to proof read.

Anonymous said...

Glad to see Teresa Davis, "wife", Steve helping some. He looks like a severe mentally ill person rather than related to you. LOL

nami dad said...

Is this the obcessive-compulsive Tony or an MHMR-TC gang member still trying to spin the truth??

If the substantive aspects of this holds true, it's little Jimmy McDuhh and the gang who should be really worried.

Anonymous MHMR-TC con, you or someone you know must also suffer from serious mental illness for you to speak so confidently about Teresa's husband. And what if he is? What's that got to do with anything?

Why is little Jimmy and the girls hiding like guilty people and letting NAMI-TC and mentally ill people working under them take all the heat from their stupidity?? Smile?

Hulen Tower staff said...

It's remarkable that these pea-brained mhmr shills cannot even see the obvious ironies, such as a large government agency not knowing how to issue a press release but then tried to attack some professional looking work by the nonprofit group.

Yes, Tony the smile Patented just has to shill for his mhmr masters. Even compulsively making corrections.

Theresa and her group kicked your incompetent mhmr masters, despite almost two months of desperate schemes to stop them. Ironic.

Oh yeah, little Jimmy would not be happy about you bringing up his cowardly ploy. You know, too scared to face Theresa alone and needing Susanna and a lame lawyer to hold his shaky bully body. You've no idea how badly shaken your boy is now, after getting humiliated at every turn. Plus the inevitable lawsuits.

So instead of parroting obvious nonsensicle spin, you would be of more use if you go hold little Jimmy's hand or change his soiled panties. Smile ...or is it "smell".

NOT Tarrant co. MHMR said...

I do see the Paradise group's game plan of taking progressively aggressive action to right the wrongs perpetrated on them by the MHMR-TC bullycrats.

It looks like the group took its time in setting up operations knowing that MHMR-TC and Co. were forced t9 nervously await when the nonprofit would retrieve their property. Meanwhile many people had time to regain their senses and realize how the McDermott gang had deceived them.

Now that they have their properties and facility, it seems obvious that Paradise Inc. is taking their fight to the court of law where lies could land the MHMR-TC liars in criminal hot waters.

This little group and their supporters seem very resilient and capable of accomplishing their objectives, despite the odds stacked against them.

Shills like Tony the smile guy Patented and other hateful anonymous comments seem to have no affect but to prove over and again that McDermott and his gang f******d up and are flailing away in desperation because they know what's coming. Just desert for unjust and unjustified actions.

Sonja supporter said...

Word from hulen tower is that the execs involved in this scandal are starting to look for a quick exit, especially the chief of mental health sonja gaines who knows that as the only african-american exec she would be the first one that mcduh dude would throw under the bus. As in failing to have any kind of supervisory meeting or evaluation for theresa davis in almost a decade of work. it was a good thing that theresa was a self starter and ethical professional or else so many things could have gone wrongly with such bad managerial work from hulen tower big wigs.

Guelma said...

Pathetic that such a large taxpayer funded agency can't even put out a press release. Even more pathetic is the cowardly anonymous comments designed to detract attention from misconduct and plain stupidity. Fool me once, shame on YOU....

Psych Prof. said...

When all one side of a debate can do is throw out ad hominem attacks, it means that that side has no strength to its case and has essentially conceded defeat ...you know like a retreating fighter who yells out things like "You're ugly" or "Yo mama is fat".

I guess the Mhmr cons don't have the words "honor" or "dignity" in their vocabulary. Sad.

BTW, take care of your mental health and general well being, Lynne, Sandy, and Tony. Staying stable and
continuing in your own recovery is Job One, folks.

Anonymous said...

The new focus of the MHMR-TC apologists is this intriguing meeting that Theresa Davis had "failed to attend a meeting ", "refused to go to a meeting ", "was advised not to go to the meeting ", the common factor being that it was on 02/17/11 @4pm, in the hulen tower, where the powerful (at that time, anyways) CEO and his attorney and other executive team members were planning an obvious fina/ attempt to force Ms. Davis to go along with the inaccurate representation that Paradise was not actually a real nonprofit corporation but just one of MHMR-TC's "programs". Or use some tactic or trickery (why lawyer's there) to justifygetting rid of that obstacle in their way. No matter what the real reason fot her decision, I think Ms. Davis did the wise and noble thing by not walking into an obvious trap and subjecting herself to bullying by a gang of wussycrats.

These bullycrats knew what they had to do that day...a few days later our family and others received letters in the mail that the state was now ready to allow BRAVO health to begin enrolling people on 03/17/11which was exactly one month after what's commonly called the coup of a nonprofit by a government agency.

After all that we've seen, we're not gonna switch from Amerigroup just because BRAVO is part of the abusive scheme.

One thing's for sure, whoever is the lawyer for Jim McDermott and MHMR-TC is getting paid a bunch due to the dumb decision s/he helped make with the bullying instead of honest communication with Ms. Davis and Paradise Center folks.

J.D. said...

What's the deal with the association between Jimmy McDermott's MHMR agency and the homosexual sector? From a shill calling the CEO a he-she to this recent reference to Teresa's wife. Of course, the deal with this JR dude (a cruel villain or good Samaritan?) of the gay bar Rainbow Lounge and this ambassador for Samaritan House+MHMRTC Anthony "the smiling 'manager'" Parente to his partner Lynn Curry and her close friends. Confusing and bizarre. Add on a boss hoggish ceo surrounded by obedient women he had placed in executive positions. Weird stuff.