Patriotic Places

Dallas-Fort Worth skyrockets up list of best places to celebrate 4th of July

Fireworks go kaboom around Dallas-Fort Worth.

Photo courtesy of Town of Addison

Dallas is quite the star-spangled place to celebrate the 4th of July this year, and Fort Worth is no dim firework, either. A recent report by personal finance website WalletHub ranks the best and worst places to celebrate Independence Day.

Dallas comes in as 11th best, skyrocketing up from 41st in 2017; Fort Worth lands at No. 42, up from No. 81 last year.

Using 19 key metrics such as length of fireworks show, beer and wine prices, weather forecast, and safety, the website bases rankings on how well the 100 largest cities balance cost and fun.

Dallas now ranks as one of the best for celebrations (No. 3, up from No. 18 last year). Although affordability has fallen a tad (No. 18, down from No. 11 last year), the city ranks in the top 50 percent for attractions and activities, as well as weather. Clearly, these surveyors like heat and humidity.

Other DFW cities have also improved in the rankings. Arlington is No. 62 (No. 75 last year), and Irving closely follows at No. 67 (No. 80 last year). Plano fell a bit, from No. 52 last year to No. 58 in 2018. And poor Garland just barely makes the list, coming in at No. 96.

Austin, also, can celebrate moving from No. 48 to No. 25, beating Dallas in affordability (No. 10), but trailing in celebrations (No. 13) and weather (No. 62). But ATX redeems itself with safety, landing in the top 5 for fewest DUI-related fatalities per capita.

Also showing improvement since last year, San Antonio comes in at No. 40, and Houston, at No. 29.

Typically on the 4th of July, Americans spend about $6.9 billion on food and more than $825 million on fireworks. A staggering 150 million hot dogs are devoured on the holiday, and 46.9 million people travel more than 50 miles from home to celebrate, WalletHub says.

If you want to celebrate in the best city in the U.S. of A., New York is the place to go, the survey says, followed by Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, and Seattle. But steer clear of San Bernardino, California, which comes in last at No. 100.

If you’re content staying closer to home, check out Kaboom Town in Addison. Another new survey by the Travel Channel ranks Addison the 4th best small town in which to celebrate the nation’s birthday.

And if you're still without plans, check out our official list of top 4th of July events in Dallas-Fort Worth.

holidays lists wallethub

Police News

Fort Worth police officer fired for unjustified use of force

scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net

undefined

A Fort Worth police officer has been terminated following his involvement in a use of force incident. According to a release, Officer Matthew Krueger was let go on December 18, following an investigation into an incident involving someone who was videotaping his actions while he was on duty.

On Sunday, June 23, Fort Worth police officers responded to a hit-and-run collision near 1000 Foch St. The incident involved a suspected intoxicated driver who crashed into another vehicle and a structure before fleeing the scene on foot.

While officers were investigating, a woman approached them and used her cell phone to record their actions. Krueger asked and advised her multiple times to move across the street. When she failed to comply, she was placed under arrest.

During the arrest, Krueger used force to take the woman into custody, resulting in injuries that required medical care at an area hospital.

After being treated, the woman was released from the hospital, booked into jail, and charged with interference with public duties, resisting arrest and/or detention, evading arrest, and making a false alarm or report.

Krueger had been with the department for just under eight years and was assigned to the Patrol Bureau at the time of the incident.

The Fort Worth Police Major Case and Internal Affairs Units began immediate and congruent investigations. Krueger was transferred from Patrol to a unit with no public interaction, pending the outcome of the investigation.

After a review of the Internal Affairs investigation, Krueger’s chain of command determined that the level of force used was unjustified and violated departmental policy. Police Chief Neil Noakes concurred and terminated Krueger’s employment.

politics