I was in Austin over the weekend, where I couldn’t help but notice 1,500 people holding a rally for women’s rights on the Capitol building’s south steps. It was one of dozens of events across the country Saturday organized by Unite Women to protest legislation affecting women’s health, abortion access,…
A radioactive waste disposal company owned by Harold Simmons’ Dallas-based Contran Corp. has been given the green light by state regulators to dispose of low-grade radioactive waste at a West Texas site. Representative Lon Burnam, who says he possesses confidential documentation exposing an undercurrent of dissent and worry within the…
Love Field and TSA officials have a message for the public: STOP CARRYING GUNS THROUGH SECURITY. SERIOUSLY, GUYS. Fifteen travelers tried to carry guns through the Love Field security checkpoint this year — that’s compared to one person in the same period of time last year. Holy shit, right? That’s…
FrontBurner carried a little news earlier today that may interest some of you: Eric Nicholson will be joining the Dallas Observer as the lead reporter on Unfair Park. Eric was born and raised in Dallas and graduated from UTD, although his collegiate career did some admirable winding, through Montana and…
Several weeks ago, two area theaters refused to show an ad for atheism, part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Coalition of Reason’s new campaign, “Our Families Are Great Without Religion.” Now the American Humanist Association, which supports DFWCoR’s parent organization, the United Coalition of Reason, has gotten involved, and they’ve brought…
Mike Miles named Dallas ISD Superintendent from Dallas Independent School Dist on Vimeo. Yesterday we raised some questions about how the Dallas Independent School District might handle the employment contract of Mike Miles, the district’s new superintendent. Those details emerged last night — you’ll find Miles’ address above — and…
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate began debating the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act, which is largely backed by Senate Democrats, and discussing its Republican alternative, authored by Chuck Grassley of Iowa and our own Kay Bailey Hutchison. In preparation for that debate, Hutchison took to the Senate floor…
When President Obama appointed SMU prof Al Armendariz to the EPA regional post in Dallas back in 2009, it was to the sound of collective groaning from the energy industry and Republican politicos. Only months before, he’d authored a study citing oil and gas production as a major source of…
The Dallas Independent School District is expected to officially hire Mike Miles, a former Army Ranger and U.S. Senate candidate and the superintendent of a small school district in Colorado, as its top official later today. Although Miles was named a “lone finalist” a few weeks back, his hiring was…
Dear Kid Who Missed the Catch and Started Crying So Was Given Another Ball: Man up. The truth is, you never even had it. You weren’t even close. Your arms are too short, for one. For two, you’re in the twilight of your infancy. If you were honest with yourself,…
Elliot Monteverde-Torres’ teaching career is still on pause, nearly two months after he filed a complaint about goings-on inside Botello Elementary School — and he’s heard almost nothing from DISD about his “potential misconduct,” he says. Monteverde-Torres was placed on paid leave following his allegations of BB guns being brought…
Steve Lipsky gripped a garden hose and held it at arm’s length, staring as a guttering tongue of fire poured from its end and grew another foot before his eyes. “Look at that,” he said in awe as the flame, liquid and sinuous, licked the rural darkness outside his home…
Update, 5:20 p.m.: Police have identified the suspect as Tommy Robinson. He’s been booked into Lew Sterrett on charges of aggravated sexual assault. Police are asking the media not to release his booking photo to the public until after the victim has been shown a photo lineup. They told reporters…
The thing about air pollution is it doesn’t heed county lines or city limits signs. Neither did the shale gas boom, until it moved into the cities and suburbs, where gas producers found themselves navigating a loud, patchwork quilt of municipal regulations that varied from town to town. It happened…
So much happening on the education front these days. Earlier this week, Mayor Mike Rawlings broke with tradition and endorsed candidates for Dallas Independent School District’s board. Not in his capacity as mayor, of course. That would be against the city’s ethics rules. No, this was just good ol’ Mike…
I woke up this morning on the hunt for video of Yu Darvish’s Arlington gem from last night, for those who may have missed it. The numbers don’t do it justice (although with 10 Ks in 8 1/3, the numbers are great). The guy just looked like an ace last…
Damarcus Offord, the 20-year-old Dallas Independent School District trustee candidate, struck back at Mayor Mike Rawlings today, and in the course of one short document managed to heed his supporters’ call for a feisty outsider and confirm his detractors’ suspicion that he just doesn’t know what he’s doing. Rawlings, you’ll…
The Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate and extremist groups in the United States, has found “stunning” growth in what they call the “anti-government patriot movement,” conspiracy groups whose primary focus is opposing the federal government. And much of that growth has been here. Texas now has 76 such…
A Royse City mother is claiming discrimination after being kicked out of the Grapevine Mills Mall Legoland for her body art, and she’s using social media to win support from noted activists Travis Barker, Yelawolf and, of course, Busta Rhymes. As Mr. Rhymes would say, here’s the scenario: On Sunday,…
Update 2: Prosper cops issued Deion Sanders a ticket for misdemeanor simple assault, according to TMZ. The ticket carries a fine of up to $500. Update: Pilar Sanders was arrested and booked in Collin County Jail on a misdemeanor assault charge. And Sanders fired off another tweet a little while…
The Colbert Report Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive It’s one of those interviews that probably would’ve worked better a half hour earlier on the Daily Show, since Colbert can’t quite accomplish what he wants to question-wise and still let his character shine. But it’s…
A group of undocumented immigrants is asking a federal judge to declare unconstitutional the use of GPS ankle monitors to track immigrants who pose no threat to society. The suit, filed by Arturo Rodriguez of the Isenberg Center for Immigration Equality, targets the ICE Dallas field office and BI Inc.,…
