New Trinity Model
The Trinity Trust and ALON USA proudly presented the reveal of the new Trinity Model to visually display the project. The twenty foot long by seven foot wide model of the Trinity River Corridor Project depicts many of the major components of the 10,000 acres inside the levees and the 40,000 acres outside of the levee system in the categories of floodway protection, transportation, recreation, environment, and economic development.

Starting September 10, 2008, the newly installed Trinity Model is on display for the public at The Trinity Trust at 1444 Oaklawn, Ste. 200, Dallas, TX  75207. Viewing times are from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more details, visit www.thetrinitytrust.org.  See Dallas’ changing skyline! You’re going to love the view. Read more >

Community View
For over eight years John Benda has stopped traffic for one good reason or another at his successful gas station, eatery, truck stop, and Fuel City Ranch – make that a mini-ranch. Today he shares the responsibility of running this busy Dallas landmark with his son, Parker Benda.

My Trinity River News interviewed Parker recently on just another one of those busy afternoons at Fuel City, and spent a few minutes with John, too. Parker provides an interesting viewpoint on what it is like to carry on the legacy and legend of Fuel City.

For now, the gas station will be around providing interesting sights for the traffic passing by and the customers. “We manage to stay very competitive with our gas prices, usually one to two cents lower than the competition. That brings repeat business and fosters customer loyalty, but we’re not just known for that,” explained Parker.  It is easy to see that Fuel City is the right name with booming business at the gas pumps, in the store and at the 24-hour taco stand. Delicioso!

First, there is the small ranch that is grandfathered in around the new zoning ordinances. The mini-ranch features an antique windmill, small oil pumper, and a “herd” of handsome longhorns, some with horn spans of up to 96”. These longhorns are carefully selected for their beauty and impressive sets of horns and they are so well behaved, you could probably take them to the Texas Ballet Theater  

“They are really tame and well fed,” encouraged Parker as we walked out for the always famous ranch photos and climbed through the pipe fence. John explained, “The different colors and markings of the longhorns denote the part of the country they are from and the type of feed they eat.” We are soon joined by Jill, the white donkey and her equally sweet foal named Bethie. The male donkey, Jack, wasn’t interested in leaving his shade tree. Appropriately, the longhorns have names such as Widetrack, Open Road, and Unleaded. It fits but I’m beginning to wonder if they went to college – they have this quiet studiousness about them! Read more >