In mid-May, Ray Washburne explained his attraction to former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty thusly: “He’s got a great story to tell.” This was in a Wall Street Journal piece about how Pawlenty was attracting big-money men such as Washburne — co-founder of Mi Cocina, owner of the Highland Park Village,…
For two years Matt Miller, executive director of the Institute for Justice Texas Chapter, fought with the city of Dallas in federal court over the 2008 ordinance that prohibits store owners from covering the top two-thirds of their windows with advertisements. The IJ brought the suit on behalf of several…
Last week, you may recall, I asked Frank Librio, Dallas City Hall spokesman, if Dallas had any plans to follow its neighbors’ leads and clamp down on water use. To which he responded: “The lakes are currently 84% full and we continue to monitor conditions daily. The City’s conservation program…
For the past week or so, stories have been circulating about all the Super PACs lining up to line Rick Perry’s pockets as he scooches toward Saturday’s announcement that he’s running for president. Among the PACs stacked up: Americans for Rick Perry, Jobs for Iowa, GrowPAC and TuPAC, though I…
Speaking of a certain Dallas County commissioner …The Dallas chapter of the National Black United Front, which is not to be confused with the People’s Front of Judea, sends word of a daylong rally scheduled for August 20 at the Pan-African Connection Bookstore near Fair Park — and not just…
What you see above comes from teeny-tiny type on Page 13 of the proposal we posted below for Mukemmel “Mike” Sarimsacki’s plans for 1401 Elm Street, where he says he intends to build residential, retail and office space where there’s presently 1.3 million square feet of empty. Far as the…
Earlier this afternoon City Hall sent out the video you’ll find after the jump, in which City Manager Mary Suhm walks you though the proposed FY2011-12 budget presented to media last week and council on Monday. And it reminded me: One of the smaller but more controversial items contained therein…
It’s a done deal: Come Saturday, Rick Perry will announce he’s running for president, which isn’t nearly as shocking as the fact we may not hit 100 degrees today. (I mean, it’s nice out.) Look, the governor of Texas says so right there in his interview with Mark Halperin that’s…
We know you’re sick of hearing about this, but bear with us: Dallas is, like, thisclose to getting some shiny, newly redrawn, possibly less-gerrymandered city council districts. The Redistricting Commission sat through another marathon meeting Tuesday night and voted to move forward with just three out of the 15 plans…
Came across a press release from The City-Owned Hotel celebrating its 250,000th room booking — and, hey, the joint don’t even open till 11/11/11, at which point Tom Leppert will emerge from the Presidential Suite, stroking a white Persian, to cut the ribbon using only his laser-like stare. The press…
Turned in to the council meeting to watch the The Crown and Harp, Zubar and The Libertine get their specific use permits renewed; I know — quite the life, no? Reason I wanted to watch was sooner than later that proposed Lowest Greenville bowling alley’s going to come before the…
Tuesday night, the Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council’s Task Force on Secure Communities (hold on, gotta catch my breath after that pithy title) held a pilot meeting at the Dallas County Community College’s Bill J. Priest Campus to discuss ICE’s controversial fingerprint screening program intended to snare dangerous undocumented…
Council just wrapped discussing that police helicopter sale; Sandy Greyson, concerned about terrorist what-ifs, wanted it pulled from the consent agenda for further discussion, but the sale sailed through. This item’s about something a little further down the agenda. As in: Last week, in the comments of this item about…
I said it the other day: The fact we can now trim down and embed City Hall videos will come in mighty handy on days when Dwaine Caraway goes off on self-proclaimed “tirades,” in this case yesterday’s 35-minute harangue involving the decision to shutter five city pools, two in his…
Celina-based American Craig James wears many hats, every last one of them red white and blue. He’s an SMU legend. He’s a former New England Patriot. He’s a father who will go to any lengths to make sure his son gets the playing time he deserves, even if those lengths…
Speaking of Wai-Wize …As Jim points out, between Brett Shipp and yesterday’s News, there’s plenty out there right now concerning the amount of money Willis Johnson, Duke Hamilton and the Wai-Wize-men have made off the city of Dallas, Dallas County and Dallas Area Rapid Transit, among other government entities with…
I mention this in the comments below, but the 5.91 percent increase in our Dallas Water Utilities bill comin’ this fall won’t be the last one any time soon. Matter of fact, per this morning’s council briefing, this is but the first — and the smallest — in the foreseeable…
Mary Suhm was right about one thing: When I asked her Thursday where she saw the council pushing back on her proposed FY2011-12 budget, she said, well, probably pools — specifically, her suggestion that the city shutter five of its 17 pools in the coming fiscal year. Those pools: Bonnie…
At 9 this morning, City Manager will present to Mayor Mike Rawlings and the city council the FY2011-12 budget first shown to media Thursday afternoon; watch Suhm’s presentation here, during or after. And: The entire 571-budget is available here for those interested in taking longer, harder looks at proposed additions…
The end is near … sort of. The city’s Redistricting Commission is inching towards putting together a city map it can forward on to the city council, and everyone — the public and commissioners alike — is trying to get in a parting shot before then. Last night’s meeting was…
A blow has been struck in the name of fun: Owners of the ultra-lounge Plush fought for their right to party and won today at the City Plan Commission, when the panel voted to extend the club’s specific use permit (SUP) for one year. As we mentioned yesterday, the club…
On the other side is the budget briefing handed to media members when we arrived at City Manager Mary Suhm’s fourth-floor conference room for a 3:45 meet-the-presser. Long story short: She managed to balance the budget without cutting too much, she said, thanks to the state taking less than originally…
