D. Lee Jackson

Words and Music

IndyCar Texas Attempt Number Two

Posted on Written by

If you’ve followed me from the beginning of this blog, you might remember that I am a fan of Open Wheel Racing. IndyCar racing tops my list of that genre, mainly because I was raised in Houston, TX during the era when Houston’s A. J. Foyt, Jr. was revered by the locals for winning practically everything in sight, including a fourth Indianapolis 500 title (the first person to do so).

Earlier this year, my wife and I tried to go to the Firestone 600 IndyCar race at the Texas Motor Speedway. I say “tried,” because a heavy rain downpour hit the track shortly before we arrived and the track crews were unable to get the track to dry due to high leftover humidity levels.  The race was postponed to the next day, when it was finally red-flagged for good at lap 71 after a horrific crash involving Conor Daly and Josef Newgarden, followed by yet another downpour. IndyCar officials decided to give up on holding the race that weekend. They scheduled a “restart” for this coming weekend, specifically on Saturday night, August 27th.

And, wouldn’t you know, there’s a 30% chance of rain forecast for race night.

Nevertheless, since we kept our tickets (which are being honored by the track), we’re going to go back and give it one more shot. I look forward to this race every year, and I really hope they’ll be able to run the rest of the scheduled 248 laps (it’s a 600 kilometer race, not a 600 mile race). There’s simply nothing like watching the “rocketships” (as I call them) hit 210+ miles per hour in close quarters oval track racing—even my wife and son are hooked on it. If you’re in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, do yourself a favor and go see it.

Questions? Comments? Please feel free to use the Contact page. Thank you for reading!

Chaos and Loathing in Garland, Texas

Posted on Written by

The cleanup after this past Saturday’s Garland, TX EF-4 tornado continues nearby. Most of the news coverage has come from other suburbs in the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex (e.g., Glenn Heights and Rowlett). There is a reason for this—those are the only affected suburbs that are mostly open. The “Red Zone” in Garland is still mostly off-limits. In fact, police were blocking even verifiable residents from returning to what was left of their homes until late yesterday. Those still in the zone were being allowed out, but not back in. This resulted in some folks who escaped damage, but who also had no utilities.

One such person was a friend of mine, who was spared any damage.

My wife took it upon herself to make a carry-out food run for them yesterday. She met them at the “border,” where no one could get in or out. It took her a while to get there due to various blocked streets, but once there a Garland police officer allowed her to bring the food to our friend rather than force him to carry four breakfasts back to his house. I am proud of my wife for her initiative in this matter and am thankful she found a policeman with compassion enough to let her in.

Today finds the situation relaxed a bit. Verified residents are being allowed in and out, and the “Red Zone” has contracted to include only the absolutely worst-hit areas.

My wife’s main concern after that of our friend’s family has been the capture and return of pets—primarily cats—who were separated from their owners. She has worked with Garland Pawsibilities, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, for many months now, primarily in the Trap-Neuter-Return program for feral cats. Since the tornado, the organization has been part of Garland Animal Control’s official efforts in trying to round up lost pets. I won’t go into the details, but I will say that some of the untrained persons who have shown up and volunteered to help have been getting in the way at times. The police blockades of the hardest-hit areas haven’t helped either, but at least that part has been understandable.

The worst problem she’s faced is that a couple of “rescue programs” have tried to worm their way into the situation. I know that one hadn’t received a 501(c)3 non-profit ruling (which only the IRS can give), while another’s status was dodgy to say the least. Group one was booted out, while the other is on the edge of pushing themselves out.

It’s sad to see so-called “experts” show up at such a scene and try to take advantage of the situation. Granted, there are always scam artists who prey upon disaster victims at times like these. Still, it’s a very low thing to try and use a victim’s love for their pets in a similar manner.

To end this update on a positive note, the police blockades will be relaxed for official organizations such as hers as part of the “Red Zone” contraction today. She will be out in the area, trying to trap lost and frightened family pets. It’s a huge undertaking, especially considering the weather and the overall devastation of the area. I wish her the best of luck and hope she returns unharmed.

Questions? Comments? Please feel free to leave them on the Contact page.

Near Miss From a Tornado

Posted on Written by

Tonight has been rather dramatic, for lack of a better way of describing it. We experienced a near miss—and I truly mean a near miss—by a wedge tornado. From what I gather so far through local news reports, the twister tracked for several miles on a path from south to north and passed within a mile or two east of our house. Dozens if not hundreds of homes in the cities of Garland and Rowlett were severely damaged, and more than ten thousand people are currently without power. Injuries have been reported, but Garland Police spokesman Joe Harn does not have a number at this time.

Five deaths have been confirmed close to my neighborhood in Garland. Police are still trying to determine whether they were in a car blown off of the freeway as the tornado came through. At least one body was reported to be found outside of a vehicle. Three other deaths—one, sadly, of an infant—have been confirmed elsewhere in North Texas tonight as a result of other possible tornadoes.

It would appear that we were extremely lucky. Our power went out for a few minutes, and the tornado sirens blew for a brief time. That seems to be the extent of our encounter with this deadly storm. Others who I know were not so lucky—two people had structural damage to their homes, while another is without power and is watching a gas fire in a home at the end of their block.

Everyone in the Jackson household is running on an adrenaline boost at the moment as we watch reports of damage on the news. Weathercasters are guessing that a total of eleven tornadoes may have hit North Texas, and are warning of more potentially severe storms that will move in tonight and tomorrow.

Our thoughts are with those affected by the storm. A very near miss indeed.