The power of local journalism? This Star-Telegram story saved a couple $1,065 in tolls
Dale and Anne Smith fought the North Texas Tollway Authority for more than a year over tolls wrongly charged to them.
In the end, the tolls totaled $1,065. And the Smiths ran into brick wall after brick wall with the NTTA.
Then they reached out to Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter Noah Alcala Bach.
They had seen a story by Alcala Bach that explored a couple’s problems with the Denton Central Appraisal District and wondered if he could help them, too.
Alcala Bach called and emailed the NTTA on a Thursday asking to interview someone about the Smiths’ situation. That evening, the couple was notified by the NTTA that their debt was voided.
The next day, in a statement to Alcala Bach, the NTTA admitted its mistake — that the tolls were associated with license plates on cars that belonged to someone else. The Smiths had been telling the NTTA that all along.
The NTTA told Alcala Bach it had identified the agents who had dealt with the Smiths and “will use this as a training scenario so all our agents can better serve our customers.”
Later, Dale Smith wrote an email to me and Tom Johanningmeier, Alcala Bach’s editor, thanking us for Alcala Bach’s work.
“This represents not only relief for us but, as well, a profound demonstration of the power of local news reporting and the local press,” Smith wrote. “A call and an email from a local newspaper reporter accomplished in a few hours what a year and a half of our efforts could not.”
The couple are long-time subscribers to the Star-Telegram and have known some of our reporters over the years, Smith said, “but now we have something very personal to be thankful for because of the presence of our local newspaper.”
Why local journalism matters
I’ve written to you over the years about the roles we fulfill in the community with our independent local journalism. Two of the most important roles are to act as your watchdog against wrongdoing and to be a voice for those who would not otherwise be heard.
Alcala Bach showed with his work better than I ever could tell you with words how we fulfill those missions. This is why local journalism matters. This is why it has value. This is just one way it makes our community better.
I’m proud to work with Alcala Bach and all of our newsroom staff members, who all have a passion for local journalism.
Alcala Bach’s story on the Smiths was the first time we used our new “Reality Check” label at the top of the story, to help distinguish our accountability work and allow you to zero in on that type of journalism.
You can read more Reality Check stories at star-telegram.com/topics/reality-check, and you can submit ideas for stories to RealityCheck@star-telegram.com.
You play an important role in making all this happen with your readership and your subscription. I’m grateful for you. And I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Anne and Dale Smith are, too.
