The Tale of Two Corners

Dallas' Progress isn't just about flashy hotels like the W and its accompanying development. It's about the un-famous people who risk their lives to provide services to neighborhoods and put food on the table for their families.

Just 2 miles away from the W, on the other side of the Trinity (and for all intents and purposes, the world) sits Oak Cliff.

Oak Cliff is under siege. One of the many 'ground zeros' in Oak Cliff is at the corner of Denley and Morrell (map).

I was already working on a positive story about Chi's Grocery, the first new store in the middle of Oak Cliff in some time. Chi's store is on the corner of Denley & Morrell. Chi's Grocery is a success story, having been at another store at the same intersection for more than 10 years. He recently moved into a renovated store with more space, more items, and no burglar bars. As mentioned in the Dallas Morning News, Chi's Grocery is a store where kids can get items for upping their grades and seniors can get items on credit.

Chi's old store, now called the Morrell Food Mart, recently got a new tenant.

According to Shaun Rabb's Fox 4 News report, Morrell Food Mart quickly got a good reputation for having good breakfast and burgers. Two weeks after the store was opened, the owner is dead.

He was found beaten to death in the middle of the morning. In broad daylight, a man is murdered and his dreams shattered. The Grand Opening sign is still posted!

This is at least the 5th murder in the past few weeks in Oak Cliff. Just this week, there have been 2 other killings and several shootings.

Somehow, we have to get a handle on the crime in Oak Cliff. While the District 4 councilperson was clicking wine glasses at the W last night, ordinary citizens are just trying to make it. I wonder when was the last time she has been to Morrell and Denley. I would guess never, but I could be wrong. Everything is not political, but the ignoring of this area is political.

The W Hotel ...... Morrell & Denley. 3 miles apart...Totally different worlds. This is an area where some rent houses cost less per month than one night at the W Hotel ($320+) and a trip to the Ghostbar (drinks $15 and up).

I'm sure the residents would love to have a townhall meeting on crime, drugs, and gun violence. But I doubt it will happen. If she can make time to go to a hotel opening at Victory Park, can't she make time for the residents of her own district?

What's going to be done about the violence in Oak Cliff?

Harassment and Tasering of SMU Students on Lower Greenville

Everyone knows that I have the utmost respect for police officers. Chief Kunkle is not perfect, but he is trying to the best he can. He did inherit a mixed bag of police officers. I disagree with one of the recent firings but I feel most are justified.

The harassment of the SMU player is particularly disturbing, however. I have cops in my family, and I understand that in the heat of the moment tough decisions have to be made. I know they have to protect the public. I've sat in a hospital because one of the officers in my family was shot in the line of duty.

To increase the public trust, we have to get a handle on the rogue policemen. They inhibit the effectiveness of the department and tarnish the reputation of those that want to do the job in a professional manner. The recent increases in salary and the $10,000 bonuses should help us recruit better officers and hopefully we can get rid of the rogues at the same time.

Here is the link to the story from Channel 8 (with video).

New Police District Station in Oak Cliff... A Long Time Coming

I saw something on the Council agenda that raised my spirits. There will be a vote to start construction next month for the South Central Police substation, to be located at Camp Wisdom near Lancaster in the Singing Hills area in Oak Cliff (map). Construction will start in July and the building should be completed in May of 2007. It will house up to 500 officers!

Right now, South and East Oak Cliff police come from either the SE District police substation in Pleasant Grove, or the SW Division police station at Illinois and Cockrell Hill. That contributes to slower response times to crime, and overall lack of police presence because the officers are overworked and stretched too thin.

This time next year, Oak Cliff will be a lot safer. Thanks to Councilman Fantroy and all others involved for making sure that this project is completed.

Betty Culbreath update

Miss Culbreath is now in fair condition, but still hospitalized. Please keep her in your prayers.
I look forward to hearing her fighting for the community soon.

Details for District 14 Bond Package Add-Ons

Councilperson Angela Hunt has outlined her add-ons to the 2006 Bond Package. They are available in detail here on her blog. No pork here, all are these projects are good for the community.

Prayers are Needed

Please keep Betty Culbreath in your thoughts and prayers. She had emergency surgery last night and is in a local hospital at the present time.

"I Will not Reveal My Benefactors, as Saying those Names may Tend to Incriminate Me..."

According to Carolyn Barta at DallasBlog, Maxine Reese claims she is "not at liberty to say" who the real estate people are behind the $3.7 million shopping center add-on in the bond election. In almost every other real estate deal in which the city is involved, the companies involved are known waaaaay ahead of time.

Example: Forest City and the Mercantile
Hillwood and Victory Center Complex
and on ... and on ... and on

I bet you also didn't know that Reese only had two bond hearings (to present the proposed Bond Package), BOTH AT CITY HALL at 630 at night! So the seniors and single parents and other poor people that can't afford to make it downtown in the evening have no voice. Think about that.

The city spends more than $1 billion, you want $4 million for your pork-fest, and you don't even have the decency to have meetings in the District. Could you imagine Bill Blaydes or Rasansky telling their voters that you have to come downtown to hear our plans? And people wonder why I write what I write.

Do I need to say any more?

Roll Call

I wanted to take this time again to thank all of the blogs and people who recommended Dallas Progress as a blog to read and a place to watch. DallasBlog, DallasArena, Dallas.org, WillisDaCrooner (KKDA 730AM), D Magazines's FrontBurner, DallasPeeps, and the Observer's Unfair Park will always have a special place in my heart.

We started out with 100 hits per day, now we're north of 300 per day and sometimes hit 400.

Thanks to all of you who are making this possible!

What Others are Saying about the Bond Package Add-Ons

Trey Garrison at DallasBlog summarizes it here.
Tim Rogers at DMag's Frontburner had two things to say. Here and here.
Rod Davis at Frontburner also links to us right here.

In this Episode of "Pork..The other White Meat"

More on the bond Add-On package in District 4

To put $4 million into a place that is NOT listed anywhere on the public comments or the bond assessment is absurd.

Everyone else in the Southern Sector is doing something that is needed. But not Reese. She’d rather add a give a little going-away present to her campaign contributor. Do you know how much could be done elsewhere in District 4 with four million dollars?

I know I cannot win this battle, but I still wanted to make the comment.

Hopefully, a Reese crony will NOT be in office when this project takes place. That’s the only way that the behind the scenes crap can be monitored.

It’s your tax money here.

$4 Million for this Shopping Center? Why?

(editors note: more comments on this subject (link and link)

(is this pork-fest tied into the shady zoning deal mentioned here? (link))

(learn how to subscribe to DallasProgress via email and other services (link))


I was reading the Dallas Morning News Article on the items that City Councilpeople want to add to the bond package.

I checked out the programs in the Southern Sector; one struck me in particular.

District 4: Marsalis Ann Arbor Shopping Center development, $3.7 million

In District 4, Maxine Thornton-Reese wants $3.7 million for the Marsalis Ann Arbor Shopping Center. This is not the most pressing need in Oak Cliff. There are other shopping centers that are much more important to District 4.

In a debate last year, Reese pledged to address the Lancaster-Kiest Shopping Center. This is the most pressing need. It is adjacent to DART 's Kiest station (map). That would line up with the comprehensive plan that was approved earlier this month.

It is across the street from the Fiesta Supermarket and is a focal point for the entire Oak Cliff area. What happened to that pledge? Was it just for votes?

I also read the City of Dallas Program Project Suggestion Forms. These are the ideas from the bond meetings as well as any e-mailed suggestions. No where was the Marsalis-Ann Arbor Center mentioned. The Lancaster Kiest shopping center was mentioned.

How was the conclusion reached to earmark nearly $4 million to this shopping center?

I doubt our questions will be answered.

Cedar Hill Shopping Center Breaks Ground... what will happen to SW Center Mall?

Dillard's and Macy's are going to be part of the project. The Dillard's and Foley's (owned by the same company as Macy's) stores at SW Center Mall will be too close to the ones in Cedar Hill; it's almost a certainty that those stores will be closed.

Most elected officials were blindsided, but I believe that we could have been ahead of the curve in dealing with the mall. We have to keep an open line of communication with retailers, major real estate owners, and shopping center owners. We must be proactive to make sure our neighborhoods retain their stores. I know that Councilman Fantroy tried to work with some different retail groups to bring them the mall, and kudos to him for doing that, but unfortunately it didn't pan out. How much help did he get in this matter?

For example, the UrbanMarket (the grocery store that recently opened downtown) has been threatening to close their doors because they aren't getting the support they need from the City. Angela Hunt, the councilwoman for District 14, is actively involved in trying to keep the store open. We need more of that in the southern sector. Sometimes, the store will close or move away. You sometimes can't stop the movements of big corporations, but at least we would be ahead of the curve and could work on some countermeasures to offset the loss of city revenues.

It's just like when the Chili's restaurant closed a few months back. The restaurant was located at 67 & Camp Wisdom (map). It was a thriving business, always full on the weekend and often crowded during the week. It was one of the only major restaurants in the area that didn't focus solely on fried chicken. One day, it was just closed. No explanation, no heads-up, no nothing. Just a vacant store with a 'for lease' sign is all that remained. Now, those kids that worked in Chili's have no jobs. Now, there is no decent major restaurant located in that area (buffets don't count).

Camp Wisdom Road is now in a crisis. ALL OF THE STORES ARE LEAVING. From Haverty's to Chili's to Circuit City to others... They're all moving to Cedar Hill. These stores are being replaced with cheap stores that are already prevalent in our neighborhoods. They sell cheap clothes, bootleg purses, gold and diamond grillz, and other items which add little to the tax base and downgrade the profile of our shopping environments.

The last remaining viable pieces of an economic engine are being stripped away. When it's all said and done, Oak Cliff will be left with no major retail.

The new owner of SW Center mall has a reputation for operating bazaar-like shopping centers like Six Flags Mall in Arlington.

I made this plea to some of the 'powers that be' and I got the "treatment." That's when everyone says, "yeah, that's a GREAT idea!" and nothing happens

With no viable retail on the horizon, I believe that the best thing to do may be to demolish the mall and start over. Unfortunately, we may have missed our opportunity to do anything about it. The property was foreclosed upon in 2003, which created a window of opportunity. Once the property changed hands last December, I think we missed our shot.

The city has a major opportunity to develop major tax dollars in this area. I fear what will be left in its place. I hope my fears aren't confirmed.

Click here for a History of the Mall (from wikipedia).

Do you See what I See?
People ask me why I write what I write. Do you know why? It's because our communities have a LONG way to go.

I have seen prostitutes with no upper-body clothing walking up and down the street in the daytime, while school kids walk home.

I have seen grocery stores that look like a bomb hit them. Overpriced dated meats sold by understaffed stores that take your money only because they have no choice.

I see shopping center owners (of all races) getting rich while they allow thugs to congregate and harass working people, kids, and seniors.

I see motel owners that allow full-scale prostitution, dope dealing, you name it.

I get pissed every time I hear about a kid caught in the crossfire. Why? Because my 5-year old sister was killed in a gang crossfire when my Mother was 8 months pregnant with me. That was in 1973 and NOTHING HAS CHANGED!

Where I'm from, I'm used to elected officials in the 'hood being outraged enough to hit the streets themselves and lead protests and put real laws on the books ... not to cry about 'the man' and 'the media', but against the knuckleheads and thugs that treat the community like its personal toilet.

A lot of people in power treat the community in the same fashion.

I am optimistic. I KNOW it can change, but only if some major changes go down. Who cares if we have a shiny new building if Grandma is scared to walk down the street to go check it out?

I'm sick of everyone saying it's North Dallas vs. South Dallas, this group vs. that group. It's the media....it's the police chief... it's about everybody but the person in mirror. Good grief - it's about right and wrong. Open your eyes! Do you see what I see?

And that's why I write what I write.

Crew of Armed Robbers on the Loose in Oak Cliff

There is a group of stick-up people that have struck five times in the past week. They are focusing on an area west of I-35. Be careful out there!
CBS 11 has the story and the crime area map (click here).

Update on South Oak Cliff Townhomes
This is the deal I wrote about earlier this week on the site. (Case number Z056-200)

Once again, the case was held under advisement. In other words, it was postponed again! What's the delay?

As I mentioned before, this often happens when the proposal doesn't have the votes to pass. As I mentioned before, the same thing happened when a hot-sheet motel was trying to get its Special-Use Permit (SUP).

We'll be back, in August or September or in 2007 when they try to re-introduce this plan. We're watching!

Arcadia Fire on Lower Greenville

The strip that includes the Arcadia & Nuevo Leon (2000 Block of Greenville, just south of Richmond) has been completely destroyed. It's at 6-alarms. In terms of clubs and music halls, the Arcadia was an historic place. People like Bobby "Blue" Bland, BB King, and many others performed at the club in its heyday. I am relieved that no firefighters sustained serious injury. Here is the story

$3,300 Pay Raise for Lawmakers
They already make over $165,000 but now they could make more.

Did your House of Representatives lawmaker vote for the pay raise?

To find out, check this Houston Chronicle article which shows the vote of Texan lawmakers and how they voted (link) The list may surprise you:

article

Also, the Senate struck down the minimum wage increase (article). We won't focus too much on national politics, but this story must be known by everyone as it affects the people we are trying to help in the Southern Sector.


The minimum wage is STILL $5.15. The last raise was in 1997.

Dallas Mavericks aren't Ready to Win Title

We didn't get robbed by referees this time.


They have a few great players. They have a great coach.
But they forgot a couple of things about basketball last night, and it came back to haunt them.

When you don't drive to the hole and make the effort to get fouled, you don't get free throws and you don't win. You have to WIN the title, nobody's going to give it to you.

The 2nd half rebounding was awful. How could you have people on the line that you know can't shoot free throws, and then not crash the boards? How does Shaq box out three people on one play by just standing there. Too much watching of rebounds, not enough boxing out and fighting for boards.

My suggestions:
Get Ben Wallace in free agency. We need someone who is focused on rebounding and knows how to rebound. You can't expect Dirk to do it all.

Please get rid of Stackhouse before he shoots again. Stackhouse is like Antoine Walker or Jason Williams. If he makes one shot, he won't STOP shooting. His poor shot selection burned the Mavs as he shot time after time with too much time left on the shot clock.The lazy passes also hurt on several occasions.

The Mavs made some great strides towards being NBA champs. But you have to take the title, like the Heat did, no one's going to give it to you. Congrats to Mark Cuban, Avery Johnson, and the Mavericks on a great season. We're young, we have a great owner and coach, and WE'LL BE BACK!

$150,000 Townhouses in the middle of South Oak Cliff?

One of the things that I aim to do is to educate my fellow young people on the City and why you should care.

OK, young people. Who do you think runs the City of Dallas? You might think that your favorite local radio DJ or your favorite local rapper runs Dallas because they have some radio airplay or a couple of videos and a Escalade sittin' on 26-inch spinners (link) that they run Dallas. That's why it's funny when you see people flashing money in local videos. It's not what you have in your pocket or what you drive, it's what you have in the BANK, stupid.

But you would be off...way off. Next to the Mayor and City Council, the people on the City Plan Commission (CPC) run Dallas. DON'T MISS THAT! People get rich based on the 'Yes' or 'No' votes from the CPC.

What's the City Plan Commission?

The City Plan Commission (CPC) is appointed by the Dallas City Council. Each City Council member has one commissioner, including the Mayor. They meet almost every Thursday at City Hall. While anything that the CPC approves is voted on by City Council, the CPC are big players in Dallas. They are the 'man next to the man' as we say.

Simply put, they approve zoning changes. For example, if you have a certain piece of land that's approved for home construction and you want to build a corner store, you have to apply and get approval from the CPC. Or, if you have a big piece of land that you want to cut up into smaller pieces. Or, you need a special permit for a prohibited business. There's many other things.

I'm not suggesting anything about the CPC. There are good and bad people on any board. I admire their service, since the CPC is a volunteer board and some meetings can take up to 10 hours. The CPC actually had the concerns of the citizens in mind when they changed the so-called Forward Dallas plan, but of course the city council (as a whole) rejected those changes last week. The CPC plan was way better than what we are now left with.

Back to the Townhouses

Here's an interesting agenda item coming up on the CPC agenda on Thursday June 22nd.

Case number Z056-200. The property is in District 4 - The City Councilperson is Maxine Thornton-Reese. Her CPC person is Angela Marshall. These are the same two people that tried to jerk us when we got the permit denied on the Interstate Motel at Beckley & Overton (map) in November 2005 (click link for history).

The townhouse properties are located in the 4300 Block of South Marsalis (click here for map).

The person who applied is named Patricia Hawkins. What they're trying to do is take a several pieces of land that are zoned for a single houses and change the zoning so it will be legal to build townhouses that will cost approximately $150,000.

$150,000 townhouses up the street from Catfish Floyd? At Marsalis & Ann Arbor??? Around the corner from Glendale Park??? Seriously.

Real estate records show that no house that costs more than $87,000 has been sold in this area in the past year; most cost between $40-50,000. Why would anyone try to dump this fake development on this area?

There must be a reason why this was postponed twice from April 20th, 2006 and May 11th, 2006. Usually, when this happens, it means there are a lot of circumstances that the supporters wouldn't want it to be voted on for fear that it wouldn't get enough votes to be passed.

County Records show that Ms. Hawkins owes a ton of money in city mowing liens, on these properties and others. Why grant zoning changes when they won't even mow the grass?

From what I've heard on the ground level, most people in the neighborhood don't want this development. There are a couple of people that have power that support it, but the neighborhood doesn't. But most in the area are senior citizens, and don't want to cause a stir.

This could be something that gets approved, no one buys the expensive townhomes and then get rented to whomever wants it and it turns into slum property. None the less, it's totally incompatible with the neighborhood. But sometimes, cronies want the things approved and whatever happens, happens. People get their construction contracts, the fat cats are happy and everybody moves on. BUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUFFERS!

These types of decisions are the ones that ruin neighborhoods. This neighborhood is starving for affordable, single family housing. Hopefully this proposal will not pass.

Who do You Think Runs Dallas?

I'm going to tell you later today.

The NBA became a Joke on Sunday Night

I know this is not a sports blog, but when I watch the type of game that I watched tonight confirms that Mark Cuban is right: THE REFEREES SUCK!!!

THESE are the three best officials that the league has to offer? You must be kidding.

I've been watching NBA games since the early 80s. I have never seen a playoff game like this ...ever.

Over the league's history, the refs let more stuff go in the NBA playoffs. In the Finals.... the mantra used to be (almost literally) no blood, no foul. These finals (And entire playoffs when the Mavs played, for that matter) have been one-sided officiated affairs. How in the world did the Heat shoot 49 free throws to the Mavs 25? If you're going to make calls like that, then at least attempt to make it even.

Example: In 1993 (Chicago Bulls title win), Jordan shot 169 free throws in 19 playoff games: about 8-9 per. This year, Wade has 76 in 5 finals games, an avg of more than 15. The reason: the refs swallowed their whistles back in the day, even against MJ.

If they called games like this in the 80s or even the 90s, the Pistons would've never had the 'Jordan rules' and Magic and Bird would still be shooting free throws.

The commentators are no better. Mike Breen and Hubie Brown might as well wave pom-poms when they announce the Heat starting lineup.

For the Mavs to even lose by one is a testament to their fortitude. How are you supposed to play 'D' when you can't breathe on a guy.

Just like Avery said when got the tech foul: Call it the same both ways!

Now that it's painfully obvious how the games will be called, here's my advice to the Mavs: make the refs call the fouls. Sacrifice your body, get to the line. We're the best free throw shooting team in the league, so make the Heat pay.

More motivation for the Mavs to win 2 straight and bring the NBA crown to D-Town.

Call it sour grapes, whining, or whatever you wish. I know my basketball. The first Finals game I attended was Lakers-76ers in 1982.

I am as diehard an NBA fan as they come, but I'm not watching game 6. If the Mavs win, I'll watch game 7. Otherwise I'm done.

I am Humbled

I never thought people from outside of Dallas would read my site, I never thought it would be more than a place where more than a few people here and there read my articles. Boy was I wrong.

Here are some of the places from which people have visited Dallas Progress:

Houston, Austin, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Singapore, New Zealand, South Korea, Denmark, Portugal, Turkey, Rhode Island, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Phoenix, Florida, Kansas, New York, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Kentucky. Someone even read my site from the House of Representatives in another state.

Dallas Progress has taken off. I am so appreciative (once again) of the blogs that have mentioned my site as well as the word-of-mouth from others that said it was worthy place to visit.

While I acknowledge that this is one of the first blogs focused on the Southern Sector, that is not why I write. For the reasoning, read "Why am I Starting this Blog" from June 13th, 2006 and 'Blogs Rock' from June 15th.

Your support gives me the encouragement to continue to write, despite the detractors that are already working to take me down. What the heck are they afraid of? Why are people up in arms about at 32-year guy on the web writing about Dallas? Don't they have more important things to do?

If you fit this description, you should get a (click here) and a (click here). But most of all get yourself one of these (click).

TAKS Math Workshop in Oak Cliff

OK, everyone has an opinion about the TAKS tests. But your kid still has to pass the test. I saw this in the DMN and figured I would pass it on to the DProg readers:

The Urban League of Greater Dallas education department will conduct a math workshop for high school students, which will cover the 10 TAKS test math objectives.

The workshop will be from 9 a.m. to noon June 26 to 30 at the Urban League headquarters, 4315 S. Lancaster Road. For reservations, call 214-915-4635. The map is below

Map of
Dallas Urban League
4315 S Lancaster Rd
Dallas TX 75216

Juneteenth is here!

If you're looking for something to celebrate Juneteenth in Dallas, the DMN has a good list of events here. A statewide calendar is here.


For a history of Juneteenth, click here.

Carjacking & Murder Suspects Arrested

It's good to know that these two guys are off the street.

To have a man serve four tours of duty in Iraq and get murdered, in his driveway, during his leave is totally incomprehensible. For a set of rims? What is this world coming to?

Dallas Police, I thank you for your hard work. I bet the community is relieved.

Read the DMN article here.

From the See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil Department

Want to get ignored in your Council District? By ignored I don't mean 'not speak at the cocktail party' ignored, I mean totally ignored.

Stay tuned to find out the culprit of this latest act of travesty. And no it's not the alleged "Freezer Boy."

Subscribe via e-mail or add to your site (site updates)

You can now subscribe to Dallas Progress by e-mail. Just look in the right-hand column, enter your e-mail address and click the 'subscribe me' button. I'm not a techie, and it was easy to subscribe.

You can also click the Feedburner button, and add Dallas Progress to any of your sites like MyYahoo, Google, AOL, Newsgator and everybody else. It's a great way to stay updated!

Blogs Rock!

Thank you to all for making it a great first day for Dallas Progress.
We had people from all over viewing the site. Thanks to the larger Dallas Blogs for the articles and referrals that helped make it happen. I appreciate the links and encouragement from the Big Dogs in this city.

One day, politicians and others will realize that blogs are not 'dirt-digging sites,' but ones that enlighten the public about items and the details that affect our city. Dallas can be great, as long as we keep a bright flashlight on those that choose to operate in the dark. Holla.


MD

Leo Chaney Lies about Closing Down the American Inn Motel

Chaney is the Councilperson for Dallas' District 7, which includes most of South Dallas and parts of East Dallas and Oak Cliff. It is an absurdly drawn district which likely reflects desires to create a district safe from electoral competition. (see map here)

The American Inn is located at 4538 Scyene, less than 1 mile east of the Fair Park main entrance. (see location here)

Here are some excerpts of an article I wrote for another blog earlier this spring. In light of Chaney’s claims that “he has been working on closing the American Inn since 1999” on his radio show, I decided to republish some of my article here:

Leo Chaney is the same guy who sat in on our Board of Adjustment meeting Wednesday, April 19^th and tried to make some tired speech in front of the cameras like he had some part in getting the American Inn (hot sheet motel) closed.

I walked out. I don’t have to listen to that crap, and neither does the community.

The fact is the community turned to us because Councilman Chaney had done nothing about it. Chaney didn’t even have the graciousness to thank Dwaine Caraway and me for doing a lot of the heavy lifting on the American Inn. But, I don’t seek public acclaim. I seek to make a difference.

The community is much smarter than Chaney thinks.

The neighborhood had to raise $1,000 to file the application with the Board of Adjustment close the motel. Council members can order the hearing for FREE.

Chaney’s been at City Hall 7 years and done NOTHING about the motels! That’s not surprising because he’s has done NOTHING about many things in District 7.

Most readers may not know there is one corner along MLK (west of I-45) that has 6 liquor stores. There are more liquor stores than corners at that intersection. (4 corners…6 liquor stores)

A guy like Chaney is the reason South Dallas looks the way it does right now.

MLK Boulevard? Second Avenue? Malcolm X Boulevard? What could he have possibly done?

Chaney better not EVER try to run for ANYTHING else. If he does, I have a slogan for him. Ineffective…Incompetent… and Invisible… The I’s have it”.

Chaney’s realizes the tide is changing. All he can do is try to bully people and use his little clique to make his detractors’ names bad, but I don’t care one bit.

If you’re like him, and you value high school prom queen gossiping and your little “in” crowd more than the community’s best interests then the "Shakedown" nickname is well deserved.

I challenge him to produce a timeline backed by information that he had anything to do with closing the American Inn motel.

He can’t, and he won’t. THAT is the essence of Chaney's tenure on Dallas City Council.

Links to Motel Articles, none of which show Chaney doing anything:

American Inn Background

Channel 8 Story on American Inn Motel

Dallas Morning News Article on American Inn

DallasArena - January 9th, 2006

DallasArena - March 22nd, 2006

DallasArena - April 21, 2006

It's time to expose some of the crap that is going on in the Southern Sector.

That about sums it up.

Advertise with Dallas Progress

Dallas Progress is read by more than a thousand people per week.

Increase your visibility and business at a fraction of normal advertising rates!

To inquire about advertising, email us at dallasprogress@sbcglobal.net and leave your contact information. We will get back to you quickly.

Why am I Starting this Blog?

There are three main reasons that Dallas Progress has now become necessary:

• The younger African-American voter and voice is ignored in Texas and specifically in Dallas.

• Many publications (some of them Black) ignore the stories of citizens who are making a difference. In an effort to stay friends with everyone, they do not do enough to tell the stories that affect Dallas’ minority communities. They are more focused on social events than things that can be problems and negatively affect our neighborhoods. This is not to attack the papers, but to provide an information source that is uncensored and gets to the point of the issue.

• Most Black elected officials play the race card when it is not even relevant. They use it as a smokescreen to distract people from their real hidden agendas. Subsequently, when a TRUE racial issue does occur, no one believes us because we cry racism every two seconds.

The prominent political powers in Dallas are wrong to assume that we will vote for candidates just because they are Black, and that we support and vote for whomever the prominent Blacks endorse in this town. They have been trying to systematically squelch our voice to keep their river of money flowing.

We aim to expose the frauds whoever they may be, and whenever we endorse candidates (unlike a lot of folks) WE WILL TELL YOU WHY WE ENDORSE SPECIFIC CANDIDATES.

We will also produce articles and links to information that is relevant to our existence as young urban Dallasites and the world in which we operate.

I have been inspired by blogs such as Dallas.org, DallasArena, Frontburner, and DallasBlog who have used their medium to enlighten the public in many ways. I don’t agree with all of their comments, but I respect the fact that they take a stand on issues even when it affects their friends and colleagues.

I am closely watching any election that affects Dallas (city, county, state). We are specifically focused on the bond election and the Governor's race in 2006, as well as the City Council and the Mayor's race for next year.