From Friends of the NRA to you Here is the story
Hurst mayor's gun stance raises ire of NRA
Posted Friday, Oct. 09, 2009
By YAMIL BERARD
yberard@star-telegram.com
He’s been called "idiot mayor."
Worse, he’s been called anti-gun.
But Hurst Mayor Richard Ward, a hunter and gun owner, knows how to pull the trigger himself.
"It’s as if we’re going to take their first born," Ward said of the National Rifle Association and other critics who don’t like that he’s joined a national mayors effort to tighten restrictions on some gun sales. "They’ve just been giving us fits."
Ward is in a Texas-style showdown with gun lovers for being the only mayor in Texas to join Mayors Against Illegal Guns.
The group says it is trying to close the loophole that allows private sales of guns at gun shows without background checks.
The goal, the group says, is to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
The group, begun by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, now has about 400 members, its Web site shows.
Its goal is to do "everything in our power to protect our residents, especially our children, from harm and there is no greater threat to public safety than the threat of illegal guns," it states.
The NRA has a different view.
Richard Ward
Mayor (Place 3)
Richard Ward was born in Kilgore, Texas and spent his formative years in the surrounding area of Kennedale, Texas. He graduated from Polytechnic High School in Fort Worth, Texas in 1954. He graduated from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of General Studies Degree in 1982. He served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1957 as an X-ray technician stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. Upon his return, he began a career as a salesman for a medical instruments company and continued working in the medical field from 1957 until 1980.
In 1982 he began a career in Human Resource Management. His career has taken him to several prestigious institutes such as Medical Plaza Hospital in Fort Worth, Parkland Hospital in Dallas, and Cornerstone Health Management in Dallas. In 1962, Richard Ward moved to the City of Hurst where he soon became involved in many youth activities. He was on the Board of Directors for Pee Wee Football Association, a coach for Little Dribblers Basketball, and a Scout Master with the Boy Scouts of America. He currently serves on the Administrative Board of the First United Methodist Church of Hurst.
He was elected to the City Council of Hurst in 1976 and served through 1980. He served again on the Council from 2000-2004. In May of 2004 he was elected Mayor of Hurst, where he continues to serve in full capacity as a loyal resident of Hurst. Mayor Richard Ward currently serves on the Tarrant County Committee for Regional Transit Authority, the Mayor’s Council, and the National Mayor’s Conference. He is also Chairman of the Tarrant County Mayor's Association.
Mayor Ward is blessed with a wonderful wife, Sue, a son Cary, daughter-in-law Jolene and three grandchildren, John, Julie and Matt.
Contact Information for Richard WardAddressHome PhoneBusiness PhoneE-mail Address655 Springhill Drive(817)788-8332Retiredward.richard@charter.net
Hurst mayor's gun stance raises ire of NRA
Posted Friday, Oct. 09, 2009
By YAMIL BERARD
yberard@star-telegram.com
He’s been called "idiot mayor."
Worse, he’s been called anti-gun.
But Hurst Mayor Richard Ward, a hunter and gun owner, knows how to pull the trigger himself.
"It’s as if we’re going to take their first born," Ward said of the National Rifle Association and other critics who don’t like that he’s joined a national mayors effort to tighten restrictions on some gun sales. "They’ve just been giving us fits."
Ward is in a Texas-style showdown with gun lovers for being the only mayor in Texas to join Mayors Against Illegal Guns.
The group says it is trying to close the loophole that allows private sales of guns at gun shows without background checks.
The goal, the group says, is to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
The group, begun by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, now has about 400 members, its Web site shows.
Its goal is to do "everything in our power to protect our residents, especially our children, from harm and there is no greater threat to public safety than the threat of illegal guns," it states.
The NRA has a different view.
Richard Ward
Mayor (Place 3)
Richard Ward was born in Kilgore, Texas and spent his formative years in the surrounding area of Kennedale, Texas. He graduated from Polytechnic High School in Fort Worth, Texas in 1954. He graduated from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of General Studies Degree in 1982. He served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1957 as an X-ray technician stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. Upon his return, he began a career as a salesman for a medical instruments company and continued working in the medical field from 1957 until 1980.
In 1982 he began a career in Human Resource Management. His career has taken him to several prestigious institutes such as Medical Plaza Hospital in Fort Worth, Parkland Hospital in Dallas, and Cornerstone Health Management in Dallas. In 1962, Richard Ward moved to the City of Hurst where he soon became involved in many youth activities. He was on the Board of Directors for Pee Wee Football Association, a coach for Little Dribblers Basketball, and a Scout Master with the Boy Scouts of America. He currently serves on the Administrative Board of the First United Methodist Church of Hurst.
He was elected to the City Council of Hurst in 1976 and served through 1980. He served again on the Council from 2000-2004. In May of 2004 he was elected Mayor of Hurst, where he continues to serve in full capacity as a loyal resident of Hurst. Mayor Richard Ward currently serves on the Tarrant County Committee for Regional Transit Authority, the Mayor’s Council, and the National Mayor’s Conference. He is also Chairman of the Tarrant County Mayor's Association.
Mayor Ward is blessed with a wonderful wife, Sue, a son Cary, daughter-in-law Jolene and three grandchildren, John, Julie and Matt.
Contact Information for Richard WardAddressHome PhoneBusiness PhoneE-mail Address655 Springhill Drive(817)788-8332Retiredward.richard@charter.net