Buy D Magazine this Month

Why? I'm in it. I wrote a feature article for the December Issue that touched on a lot of various issues, with a focus on southern Dallas.

I haven't posted it yet; I want y'all to buy the issue. I may talk about it a little later in the week once the issue hits newsstands.

Writing on deadline is no joke. Believe me when I tell you that. Thanks to all the folks that dropped me a line regarding the article.

Also, thanks to Zac Crain at D Magazine for asking me to write the article in the first place. As with any piece a couple of lines get added; no big deal. In my humble opinion, I think it turned out pretty good.

The Lack of Grocery Stores in Southern Dallas

Many news outlets, including the Dallas Morning News and the Observer , had articles about the lack of grocery stores in southern Dallas. My buddy Shawn Williams at Dallas Blog also had an article printed in the DMN that explored the various angle of this discussion. Larry James and Janet Morrison of CDM have also pounded the table on this issue. As you know, I also have been talking about this issue for some time, even on other blogs before Dallas Progress was started. My article in the December 2007 issue of D Magazine talks about this issue as well.

In recent days, several posters on local blogs opined on the reason for such a lack of grocery stores in the south. A couple of them had the nerve to say that "the sad reality is that poor people shoplift." To them, I offer these stats:

*The Kroger next to Mockingbird station has 94 crimes year-to-date (Jan 1-Nov 21st).

*The Minyards in South Dallas next to Fair Park: 52 crimes year-to-date.

Some people just don't get it... but hey that's your opinion. I live what Dr. Berg is talking about in his recently released report, Access to Grocery Stores and Food Security in Dallas.

Fear of crime is just an excuse. The fact is we must bring the decision-making executives to southern Dallas to make change happen. The companies that have supermarkets in southern Dallas know they do a ton of business.

And contrary to some people's ignorance, people in southern Dallas are NOT looking for handouts. We are more than willing to do our part. In fact, in District Four, we will soon be announcing a neighborhood grocery store that is investing millions to open a new business. You'll hear about it in the next 1-2 months. Other stores are also being actively recruited.

A new day is coming. When you have the efforts of citizens combined with the political will to make change occur, a lot can be accomplished. It's glad to see so many news outlets shining a light on this pressing issue.

Stay tuned.

Think Twice before Getting Hammered and Driving!

Thanks to everyone that linked to my posts about the life and death of Julio Alvarado, Jr. Hopefully, we'll get some people to think twice before they have that last drink "for the road" before they get into their vehicles.

What Will be Done to Honor Julio Alvarado Jr.?

What will be done about the night-time drunk drivers in this City? Read my last couple of posts and you will see why something must be done.

I went to Julio Alvarado Jr’s funeral today; I didn't know him but I went out of respect. It has made posting for me, right now, pointless.

To see his wife and three young kids was heartbreaking. Their Daddy is gone. A husband and a man that was apparently loved by many in his community is gone. A peewee football team doesn't have a coach now.

Thank you to the Dallas Fire-Rescue execs who found me a seat on their row. Rightfully so, the church was packed.

At what point do we say "enough is enough?" How many lives did Julio Alvarado Jr save as a paramedic before he was killed by a drunk driver? Please honor his life by finding a way to save lives and keep families whole.

Also, please consider a donation to the Julio Cesar Alvarado, Jr. Memorial Fund
Laredo National Bank
Oak Cliff Branch at 410 W. Jefferson Blvd (map) or
Northwest Highway/Webb Chapel Branch (map)
Account Number 173220140

Julio Alvarado Jr. - Funeral Services Information

The DMN reported the info for the services of Julio Alvarado Jr, who was killed by a drunk driver over the weekend.

The viewing is scheduled Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Gonzalez Funeral Home, 660 S. Zang Blvd. in north Oak Cliff. A rosary will follow at 7 p.m. at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 231 N. Marsalis Ave (map).

The funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the church, with burial to follow at Laurel Land Memorial Park, 6000 South R.L. Thornton Freeway.

The paper also reported that services are open to the public.

R.I.P. Julio Alvarado Jr.

There will be no more posts today in honor of Dallas Fire-Rescue paramedic Julio Alvarado Jr., who was killed overnight Saturday in Oak Cliff. He was in a fatal accident at the intersection of Cockrell Hill & Illinois in West Oak Cliff.

Julio worked out of Station 28, which is on Greenville near Forest in Lake Highlands.

Julio had a wife and three kids. And now he's dead because of a moron that was speeding and drove drunk and hit Mr. Alvarado's car so hard that it split in half.

Of course, the drunk driver was not injured at all. I hope they lock him under the jail.

Also please pray for Lt. Carlton Marshall, the SWAT team officer that was shot last month while serving a drug warrant. He suffered a stroke and is now paralyzed.

Another Hot-Sheet on the Hot Seat

Motel 3 in Oak Cliff will be served lawsuit papers by the City of Dallas. This hot-sheet motel is located just south of Bonnie View & Illinois (map). They were cited for running a sexually-oriented business with no license. The neighbors have also been complaining. Oh yeah, they also don't pay their taxes.

This motel is one of the run-down places you will ever see. Prostitutes have been seen walking the streets with no shirts on, and drug dealers stand around the entrance.

Listen to the news clip carefully; you will hear the operator openly supporting prostitution.

We'll keep you posted on the city's actions as they try to get this long-suffering neighborhood some relief.

Designing the Trinity

I went to the Designing the Trinity conference today at City Hall. At several points, I was truly amazed.

No trinitinis for moi, but in the next few days I will tell you about some of the amazing things I saw. Dallas is realizing that the best ideas don't always originate in Dallas. More to come.

Thank You South Oak Cliff Neighbors

On Tuesday, I attended a meeting with a neighborhood group in South Oak Cliff. We were packed into the library of one of our schools. We had a chance to talk about our new initiatives, to listen to concerns, and encourage them to stay involved.

These people have been "through it." When say through it, I mean that their neighborhood has been held hostage by drug dealers, run-down houses, and petty criminals. I know about having to hit the floor when the gunshots go off; I did that often growing up.

Thank you to Chief Sherryl Scott and other DPD that attended, as well as Code Department head Forrest Turner and all of the folks from code. It was a joy to see them vigourously taking notes and pledging to address the problems in that area. The most uncomfortable thing in a meeting like this is to listen to these issues. Personally, I'm glad we're uncomfortable - it shows that we have work to do and have clear marching orders to improve this neighborhood. And we will.

Forrest mentioned that thanks to Dwaine he now has the boots for the illegally-parked 18-wheelers, and will work with the transportation department and DPD to start immobilizing these vehicles that are destroying the quality of life in our district. I appreciate his frank talk about what needs to done to improve the code department.

Chief Scott has already started a drug tip hotline in her South Central Division...after two weeks on the job! Gotta love it! She is not scared to face the facts that this is a tough area, and I know she will do what's needed to reduce crime.

I talked with one of our seniors who lost a son to gun violence near her home a couple of years ago. We will never be able to take away that mother's pain, but what we hope to do is restore a sense of order to a neighborhood that has experienced quite a decline in the last eight years. This is where the battles for our streets are won and lost.

Today is a new day. Our team won't settle for less than complete eradication of the problem. You can talk all day long, but this neighborhood has seen the success in other areas of the District and wants to do their part to effect change in their area. I thank the neighbors for the confidence they have placed in us to get the job done.

Demolishing Drug Houses Works

I just wanted to post an update regarding the area near the Crest Shopping Center in South Oak Cliff (link). Since the drug houses along Crest Avenue were demolished, violent crime has virtually been eliminated. The area reports one break in of a storage shed, and nothing else since the summer. Previously, the corridor was held hostage to drug houses and vagrants.

When you get rid of drug houses, crime goes down. Way down. For the naysayers, there you have it.

UPDATE: The Mayor just said tonight that at least five more drug houses will be served papers in the next few days. They are chronic offenders of drug laws and will be sued and the houses taken.

Thank You Veterans!

Today is Veterans Day.

This day always makes me think of my uncle, who died from Agent Orange-related illnesses in 1999; he was one of the vets that didn't show symptoms for 20-25 years and then suddenly got sick.

Today is a day to remember and honor our servicemen and women that put their lives on the line to keep our country safe.

Thank you US Vets - thank you for your commitment and service to our country.

Jon Edmonds in Dallas Morning News

Jon Edmonds is featured this week in the Dallas Morning News Points' section (link). As you know, I was featured in this section last week (link). DMN Points section is a Q & A where they ask specific questions and you provide some insights.

Jon, like me, is a member of Concord Missionary Baptist Church. He and his wife Lois are a great example to younger folks like me and my wife, having recently celebrated 30 years of marriage.

Jon is definitely a person that I look to as a positive force in Dallas; he has been a leader by example. I appreciate those folks that are available to lend a hand to younger folks in their quest to improve their community. He's such a humble guy when you consider what he's accomplished.

Although I linked to the whole piece above, here is one of the Q & A tidbits from John's interview:

I discovered many years ago that whenever I was in an effort to achieve something positive and progressive, there were always detractors, nay-sayers and discord creators present as well. Then, I noticed that it was the same with most everyone else and every other like effort.

How fitting in these days and times! To achieve your goals, you must always "shake the haters (discord creators) off" or you'll never get anything accomplished.

How to Solve "Unsolved" Murders in Dallas

This is an outside-Dallas story, but it needs to be told.

In Philadelphia, Officer Chuck Cassidy was gunned down in cold blood on Halloween Morning at a store while he made his morning rounds. The murderer, who was in the middle of an armed robbery, just turned around and shot Officer Cassidy in the face then took his service weapon as he laid on the ground wounded.

Chuck was a good friend of my younger brother, and to many kids he was a mentor. The Officer would spend hours at a time talking to my brother at the Precinct. My Mom told me a story that Chuck would always tell his wife he didn't eat lunch that day because he didn't have any money; the truth was he would buy food for other officers and youth that he was trying to keep off drugs. Putting others ahead of himself was a way of life for Officer Chuck Cassidy.

Chuck could be a DPD Officer, a loved one, a friend.

What did the citizens of Philadelphia do in response? They put a reward of $158,000 on the killer's head. According to officials, nearly $500,000 was available in pledges to find this dirtbag. Tips poured in, and the killer was caught in Miami within days.

Imagine if we had such a fund in Dallas. I appreciate Schepps Dairy and the other folks that are doing their part, but if we can build grand buildings then a fund like this can be started in our city by our great philanthropists.

We have to do something to stem the violence. A large fund like this would bring closure to many families, and make sure killers don't run free and hurt other families.

Turner Courts' Kids Make the Big Time, Part One

Beverly DeBase of the Dallas Morning News did a community story on the kid bloggers in Turner Courts. Check out the story here! There's also something bigger coming down the line shortly. I'll let you know when it comes out.

This is the same program I have been telling y'all about for months (note - each word is a separate link). Because of this great program, led by Dr. Janet Morrison, South Dallas youth are able to share their experiences through the use of technology. I am so proud of these kids, as well as Janet. You cannot help but to feel joy and hope when you walk through those doors. Little do they know that I often think about them and what will become of their neighborhood.

There are gems like this all over the city. Great work is being done, if we take a little time to see what's out there.

Links to both blogs can be found to the right in the Dallas Progress link section.
Here is Janet's take on the interview and her program.

Living in a Homeless Camp

The DMN has a heart-wrenching story about the homeless camp problem in Dallas.

There's got to be something that can be done. I know that the new homeless shelter will have an open area, but we've got to do something about the people that live in the homeless camps.

The story references "Dignity Village" a city-sanctioned open-air camp. Here is their website, their myspace page, and their wiki. It looks like the homeless have built little shacks to accomodate themselves.

The land abutts the Portland International Airport and two country clubs. Click the picture to read the community rules.

The residents have set up their own government and well, as they have regular "Council Meetings." The residents build each other furniture, and they cook for one another. After their homes become too run-down they are recycled and rebuilt. Local volunteers have built structures as well. Does this place really look that bad? I'll always remember the homeless person I met when we had a community meeting for forward Dallas. He was as intelligent as anyone there. Sure, his clothes were run down and his glasses were broken but he is still a HUMAN BEING!

Can this be done in Dallas? I'm not sure. However, we are all God's people, and we must all be afforded the opportunity to live with dignity.

Transit-Oriented Development in Southern Dallas

Lynn Flint-Shaw, the first African-American Female Chair of DART, wrote an op-ed piece (link) for the DMN earlier in the week. It focused on transit-oriented development.

Some people have an aura about them as they do their work. Lynn is one of those people. I always appreciate women who carry themselves with grace in spite of negativity. You have to question the motivation of people whose sole purpose in life seems to be to engage people in cat fights which do zero for the community. Lynn just keeps pressing on, and we love her for it.

If Dallas (especially Southern Dallas) is to move forward, we must have focused minds and decision-makers in place. Do you see the type of conversations that are now taking place all over Dallas instead of just north of I-30? It looks like the switch has finally been flipped.

Wow, everything is so much different than when I first started writing in Dallas several years ago! Let's stay on this positive path; if we get distracted and don't move forward we'll never catch up in the South.

Eddie Bernie Johnson's Historic Victory

District 30 Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson is doing what you need to do is Congress.

By a 79-14 vote, the Senate today completed the first override of a veto by President Bush, enacting a $23 billion Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill into law over his objections.

The Atlanta Business Chronicle summed it up best:

The Water Resources Development Act authorizes Army Corps of Engineers projects dealing with regional water planning, water storage, flood control, storm protection, environmental restoration and inland navigation. The Water Resources Development Act is supposed to be authorized every two years, but Congress has not re-authorized the legislation since 2000.

In Georgia, there are extreme drought conditions and the water resources have been very poorly managed due to bad weather and overbuilding. I'm glad the Dallas area is not in that position.

That's how you govern. Thank you Ms. Johnson for making sure that water-related projects in Dallas and the rest of the country go forward.

There is Hope!

Today, we more than 100 people come down to our City Plan Commission meeting to express their feelings regarding the Deep Ellum/Near East (Expo Park) Special Purpose District. The Council Chambers was almost entirely packed. Many of them were under the age of 30.

As I mentioned on PegasusNews, I hope that you all see that this process is not a railroading; you see how long we spend on these cases. We tried to help as much as we could and made sure that everybody got time to speak (within the rules).

Don't let this be the last of your civic involvement!

I want everybody that came down today to stay involved, keep up on local issues and VOTE! Stay informed, and we can all work together to make this City better.

The Mayor Vows to Deliver

Tom Leppert says he'll deliver on the Trinity River Plan. Dave from the DMN writes more here.

I believe in him. No Mayor has ever been thrown into the fire like Leppert. I believe his word more than any other Mayor since I've lived in Dallas. Give him time - he just got there.

A Final Analysis

This morning I've been doing what I do post-election. I always analyze the numbers, with a focus on the larger Southern Dallas Council Districts (3,4,5,7, and 8).

Here are the breakouts. They are not "official" county numbers, but you have to know the little pockets of Oak Cliff and South Dallas to break out some of the precincts. To give you a feel about these margins, the districts not listed below won by an average of 400 votes. However, if you take out Districts 9 and 14 Vote No was far ahead on the averages. This is as in-depth of an analysis as you'll see out there.

(The 'Precincts Won' are the amount won by the Vote No side)

District 3 TOTAL
For (Vote Yes) 6104 ; 46.7%
Against (Vote No) 6956; 53.3%
Precincts Won 37 of 74; 50%
Margin: 852 votes

District 4 TOTAL
For (Vote Yes) 2352 ; 45.4%
Against (Vote No) 2828; 54.6%
Precincts Won 26 of 35; 74.3%
Margin: 476 votes

District 5 TOTAL
For (Vote Yes) 2823 ; 47.2%
Against (Vote No) 3157; 54.6%
Precincts Won 24 of 34; 70.6%
Margin: 334 votes

District 7 TOTAL
For (Vote Yes) 1854 ; 45.4%
Against (Vote No) 1526 ; 54.6%
Precincts Won 7 of 38; 18.4%
Margin: 328 for Vote Yes

District 8 TOTAL
For (Vote Yes) 1533 ; 48.3%
Against (Vote No) 1640; 51.7%
Precincts Won 15 of 36; 41.7%
Margin: 107 votes

South Dallas was the only place in the south that Vote Yes won a significant number of precincts. They did do well in some pockets of District 3 and 8. The margins in Council Districts 3 (Dave Neumann) and 4 (Dwaine Caraway) had margins that were higher than the average.

Anyone that says that this wasn't a hard-fought election was kidding themselves. It wasn't a "civic smackdown" as was written in one article today. What this race came down to, as many races do, is the actual campaigning. And it's about winning the precincts that matter.

And this is clearly where Dwaine Caraway shined. From sending specific people in certain neighborhoods to glad-handing at polling places. He wasn't just working District Four, he was all over southern Dallas. You now know what I know - Dwaine is the best campaigner in southern Dallas and one of the best in the City. I think the best are Carol & Laura Reed, Dwaine, Ed Valentine, and Rob Allyn. Caraway put people in the places they needed to be, and his "in-game" adjustments are always the best. Hate all you want, but he is the Michael Jordan of the southern campaign game and the numbers always bear out. His team wins, and people all over the city are noticing.

The people involved can make or break elections. And there you have it.

More to Come

Thanks for the calls & e-mails about my live blog from last night. Look for a little more Trinity River Vote analysis later this morning.

I'm Glad it's Over

This campaign brought out some tactics that truly disgusted me, which I blogged about last week.

The Vote Yes effort in the Black parts of Southern Dallas was a joke. To be effective in any campaign, you must win your own neighborhood. What did all that money pay for if you can't win where you live and you had minimal people working? From the stupid Laura Miller flyers, to telling people things like "you'll have to pay a toll to get out of Oak Cliff." If people want to ignore stuff like that, fine. Whatever it takes, huh? Just like the anti-Tom Leppert flyers from this June. But the facts remain. And Vote Yes found out it is who you hire in the south, as many a good person in the past who wanted to win a campaign in the south has realized.

I have faith that the people on this City Council will do the right thing with respect to this project. A lot of good things will come out of this project, and now we must all work together to make sure that it will be the best project possible.

Final Results...

Far North Dallas and Glen Oaks came in just like I told you, for Vote No. That ends it.

Ending Numbers:

For (Vote Yes) 36,313 46.98 %
Against (Vote No) 40,983 53.02 %

TOTAL VOTES: 77,296

It's a Wrap - Vote No takes it.

Vote No is now up about 4,000 votes, with 85% of the boxes in.

For (Vote Yes) 33,011 47.15 %
Against (Vote No) 37,006 52.85%

Vote No picked up a couple key precincts in District 11 & 12 (Natinsky, Koop).
District 9 was solidly Vote Yes, save for a few spots.

A couple of important boxes in the Cliff are still out. But Vote No rolled in Kessler Park. There aren't enough votes left in key areas for vote yes to come back.

Vote No Maintains Lead

For (Vote Yes) 26,198 46.74 %
Against (Vote No) 29,487 53.26%

As expected, Angela won her home precinct by a 3-2 margin in a precinct that votes heavy(3-2). Vote Yes also won the precinct that covers Webb Chapel-Royal-Marsh-Walnut Hill, and a couple of boxes in Council District 5. Interesting.

There a a few large boxes still out in Oak Cliff, but as before a lot of Far North Dallas is still yet to report and a lot of those had vote No winning in the early voting. Based on the boxes that are still out, this margin will be hard to make up.

The DMN also has their live blog up and running here (editors and metro).

Vote No Increases Lead

For (Vote Yes) 15,629 44.60 %
Against (Vote No) 19,414 55.40%

It looks bad for Vote Yes. Far North Dallas has nearly all of their boxes still out.
Also, Vote No won precinct 1220 which is one of (if not the) largest precincts in Council District 14 (Hunt) - it has a slice of CD 9 (Kadane) That precinct goes from Northwest Hwy to Mockingbird, Skillman to Abrams.

Vote Yes scored some victories in Hamilton Park, and in 1120 (Marsh to Midway, Northwest Hwy to Royal). The Terri Hodge mailer worked, as Vote Yes won several precincts in South Dallas.

Early Voting -Dallas Prop 1

For (Vote Yes) 9,570 43.68 %
Against (Vote No) 12,341 56.32 %


Observations about Early Voting

Far North Dallas and Southern Dallas voted heavily toward Vote No.
Lakewood and parts of near East Dallas favor Vote Yes.However, some heavy voting places in East Dallas and Far East Dallas I-30 corridor are voting No at a good clip.
Vote No is pretty strong in the Garland Road corridor.
Kessler Park and Mountain Creek are voting No
South Dallas is voting Yes but the numbers are quite low compared to other parts of the South.

I've heard that turnout was strong in various precincts today, and these numbers are so low that this can still go either way.

Live Blogging the Election Results

Check back after the polls close tonight. I will be live blogging the election results. This is part of what I do when I help to run campaigns, so look for me to put some insight behind what the numbers mean.

My Dallas Morning News Q & A

Thanks for the well wishes I received on my Q & A interview in the Sunday's Dallas Morning News "point of contact" section. Here is a scan of the article. If you've read my posts about Wendy's and Minyard's, this will be familiar to you.

Click on the picture for a full size view.

US District 30 Telephone Town Hall Meeting

CONGRESSWOMAN JOHNSON INVITES 30TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN A TELEPHONE TOWN HALL MEETING ON RECENT ACTIONS IN CONGRESS

Dallas, Texas (Thursday, November 1, 2007) – Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson today announced that she would be holding a telephone town hall meeting on Tuesday, November 6th at 7:15 pm local Dallas time.



Congresswoman Johnson will be listening and commenting on her constituent’s questions regarding her and the Congress’s work on behalf of Thirtieth Congressional District of Texas and for the American people. Congresswoman Johnson will also discuss the Democratic accomplishments to date.

The telephone townhall will begin at 7:00 p.m. and constituents will be given a chance to ask questions about pending legislation before Congress and express their opinions on topic of interest such as the discussion on energy efficiency and conservation, healthcare, education, the mortgage crisis, and the status of the War in Iraq.

Who: Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

What: Telephone Town Hall Meeting (Call is free of charge)

When: November 6, 2007, from 7:15pm to 8:15 pm Central Time

Number to call: 1-866-447-5149 and enter pin # 12854.

Catching Up on Reading

Over the weekend, I finished the new Tony Dungy autobiography. The title is Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, & Priorities of a Winning Life. It's a super read.

Last night I read the Bill Cosby book, Come On People: On the Path from Victims to Victors. To me, Bill says the things that people are afraid to say but must be said. You'll never agree with 100% of what anybody writes, but if people that complain about Cos did 10% of what he's done to help youth maybe we'd all be better off.

There are so many pearls of wisdom from both books. Like Cosby's piece in the book entitled "God Bless the Community College," in which he talks about starting programs to get the formerly incarcerated into community colleges to learn various trades that can pay them $35,000+. Have you ever heard something like that mentioned in that fashion?

I highly recommend both books.

Taking the Neighborhoods Back!

You may have heard that Pastor Rickie Rush and IBOC have started a 24-7 crime watch in SW Oak Cliff.

I just saw Pastor Rickie Rush out with 40-50 cars with patrol lights. His IBOC COPS (Citizens on Patrol Seriously) squad is on the case. They were driving around near 67 & Red Bird, going through the shopping centers and rolling deep!

I heard they were starting up soon but to see the sight of brothers willing to take a stand in their community touched me deeply. We really need it. Crime is up rampant in our apartment complexes.

We rolled down windows for a sec at a red light and he told me and my wife,"we're going to break up a football fight"

THAT'S what I'm talking about! People having events touch them in special ways to do God's work. I had to let him know that we're rooting for him and his squad to succeed. Many churches in the SW Oak Cliff are being moved to do positive things.

I feel a little bit safer tonight.

Chief David Brown is Making Big Moves

Dave at the DMN reports that DPD First Assistant Chief David Brown is temporarily taking over the Assistant City position that will be vacated by Charles Daniels. That's major!

To me, it shows the intelligence and dedication of Chief Brown. He is always up to the task and has done a super job as second-in-command to Chief Kunkle. He will head up code, cultural affairs, parks and rec, library and environmental and health services departments.

He will begin the transition on November 12th.

More on Valets

Nancy from Frontburner put up another post on the absurdity of valet parkers taking over random streets and parking lots. I also feel it is a very important issue. I mean, the goal is to attract customers to restaurants and hotspots, right?