"For months, a group of Hood County, Texas, residents has been pushing to create a new town of their own. The effort began in March, when citizens living in a two-square-mile unincorporated stretch of the county, about 50 miles southwest of Fort Worth, started gathering signatures to form what they hope will become Mitchell Bend, Texas. By April, organizers believed they had enough support and submitted their petition to county officials."
"At the heart of the fight is a Bitcoin mining operation that sits inside the same unincorporated area. The facility, owned by Florida-based MARA Holdings, has become a flashpoint for residents who say its nonstop noise has made daily life unbearable. What began as a push for self-governance has quickly turned into a broader battle over corporate power, local control, and the future of their community."
"Attorneys for MARA challenged the petition, arguing that it contained at most 42 valid signatures-short of the minimum required. Earlier this month, Massingill vacated the petition on those grounds. A second petition was then circulated, this time securing 59 qualified signatures. Massingill approved it on August 13. Still, outrage over the first petition's invalidation remains strong. One resident, Cheryl Shadden, has accused Massingill of official oppression and election interference, alleging he unlawfully invalidated the first petition without notifying residents of his decision."
Residents of a two-square-mile unincorporated area in Hood County, Texas, organized beginning in March to incorporate as Mitchell Bend and gathered signatures for a petition. An April petition was initially verified and placed on the November ballot by Judge Ron Massingill, but attorneys for MARA Holdings challenged its validity, claiming only 42 valid signatures, and Massingill vacated that petition. A second petition later secured 59 qualified signatures and was approved on August 13, ensuring a ballot measure. Residents remain divided amid complaints about nonstop noise from a MARA Bitcoin mining facility and ongoing litigation alleging official oppression and election interference.
Read at Fast Company
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