Goodbye, Best Southwest

This is along the lines of the farewell column I would have written at Today Newspapers, had we had more than one day’s notice of closing.

Since I have been offered, and accepted, a copy editor’s job with the Odessa American, I will be leaving this area shortly. I will miss some things about the Best Southwest in particular. I will miss more things about Dallas in general, above all, the arts and cultural life. And, I will miss some friends both in the BSW and elsewhere in Dallas.

Right now, though, I will focus on the Best Southwest.

Goodbye, especially political leaders. And, a few parting thoughts.

While Cedar Hill is doing well with attracting retail, and Duncanville is adding a few new stores, retail alone is not the answer for continued economic growth. Nor is a mix of retail plus “traditional” light industrial and offices. Cedar Hill is fortunate enough to have a couple of more upscale office sites, but even that’s not enough.

Think and dream bigger. Medical technology. Anything related to the computer industry. Think outside boxes. Don’t believe you always have to settle for scraps, compared to the rest of Dallas.

That’s what’s happened for too long, as is, whether from daily newspaper coverage, or regional economic development, or other things.

Second, insist on better residential development standards. Too many new houses all around the Metroplex, but especially down here, are energy-leaking big boxes that don’t even look that good. Toughen your building codes to insist on higher minimum insulation standards, thermal windows and other green features. Insist new developments use a minimum percentage of recycled materials. Other cites, suburbs on the other side of the Metroplex do this; why won’t you?

You’ll get quality residents moving into quality homes, because they’re quality homes, not quantity homes. And, if growth slows for a few years, so what? As nature philosopher Ed Abbey said, and has been quoted by me before:

Growth for growth’s sake is the theology of the cancer cell.

Learn to settle political differences both peacefully and honestly, especially in Duncanville. Move beyond the smallness of the bad side of small-town viewpoints.

I’m sorry that Today Newspapers can’t be with you to encourage, push, prod and coax you political and civic leaders toward those goals and ends. I hope, as both a former resident and former Today editor, you move in that direction without needing so much encouraging, pushing, prodding or coaxing, but because you have vision, courage, intuition and a sense of the main chance.

Otherwise, goodbye and good luck.
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