Cheers for generous restaurant patrons, jeers for Panther Island

Cheers: To Sand and Gravel To Go for a great job installing in a new driveway. The recent rain washed me out, and we got stuck in the mud several times. A special thank-you to Kevin, Oliver, Mat and Wayne. I highly recommend them.

Cheers: To the Bullfrog Grill in Lake Worth for generously donating a gift card to the Northside Salvation Army to be shared with a bell ringer this holiday season. Your generosity was appreciated.

Jeers: To the nepotistic Panther Island boondoggle. During the past 15 years, officials have changed the name — two or three times, in fact. In light of the current soak-the-taxpayer revelations in the press and on television, perhaps it’s time for yet another change. How about “All in the Family Fantasy Island”?

Cheers: To some generous individual who has yet to step forward. With the E.R. Van Zandt Southwest YMCA on Barwick Drive closing, participants in the SilverSneakers fitness program need a miracle. We need another location, or perhaps the city of Fort Worth could convert this building into a senior citizen center. Y officials have said they are willing to help.

Cheers: To our generous neighbors, Richard and Martha Linnartz, who opened their charming bed and breakfast, Azalea Plantation, for our Carter-Riverside neighborhood Thanksgiving dinner. Lots of good food and conversation were shared by all. Now, don’t you other neighborhoods be jealous. Just move to Carter-Riverside.

Cheers: To the gentleman who paid for my dinner on Friday, Nov. 23, at Taste of Italy restaurant on Boat Club Road.

Jeers: To Haltom City for not providing recycling containers at any apartment complex in the city. Today’s trend is to rent, and so much recycling is being missed during the holiday season.

Cheers: And a great big thank-you to Texas Health Heart & Vascular Hospital Arlington. You are truly healing hands and caring hearts. The surgeons, nurses and emergency staff all were exemplary, and I was never in better care.

Jeers: To state Rep. Jonathan Stickland (the National Rifle Association’s love child) for filing a bill creating “constitutional carry,” which would allow any wife-beating, disgruntled, jilted, depressed, vengeful, mentally unstable Texan to carry a handgun openly or concealed without a permit. What could possibly go wrong?

Cheers: To the Rotary clubs of Golden Triangle and Keller for their outstanding American flag display in Keller Town Center. Their exhibition during the week of Veterans Day was patriotic, educational and beautiful. We hope they continue it in future years.

Jeers: To NBC and CBS for their sorry coverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. We tune in to see the parade, not to hear your network celebrities yak and look at network promotions and commercials every four minutes. I was really disappointed when a local marching band was cut off to go to a break not even five minutes into coverage. Marching bands, floats and special parade displays could not be seen, but promotions and talk were very abundant. Pitiful.

Cheers: To Ruhani Ahluwalia, the 14-year-old Renaissance woman featured on the Star-Telegram’s front page Nov. 24. (“She’s 14, loves Harry Potter, works to find better care for cancer”) What an inspiration she is for all of us to stay curious, continue learning and have a passion for what is worthwhile. Our future is bright indeed with this young woman.

Cheers: To Dr. Mike Nigliazzo at Hulen Hills Animal Hospital. If you are looking for an excellent, compassionate veterinarian, he is your man. He provided many years of care to my Westie, Dustin, and let me know when it was time to say goodbye. Thank you, Dr. Nigliazzo. I will miss seeing you.

Cheers: To the young couple who paid for my wife’s and my meal at the Texas Roadhouse on Friday, Nov. 23, at about 6 p.m. The gentleman was wearing a Red Man cap. We were very pleasantly surprised and appreciated the courtesy.

Cheers: To the VA Medical Center and especially to Dr. David Peach, my audiologist, and Elita Faircroft, the medical support person. I’ve been in the VA system for 17 years, and I’ve received superb care. I have severe hearing loss, and Dr. Peach has worked to give me back my hearing. Thank you.