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The Future Looks Bright

I was part of a panel for a group of UNT students tonight.

I came away very impressed by the quality of the event and the depth and thoughtfulness behind the questions we were asked by the students.

Let's just say that the future looks bright and I feel energized that we have a great set of young people coming up behind us.

I'll have more to write about this event in the coming days.

The Lakewood Whole Food Debate Continues

Rick Wamre and Jeff Siegel over at the Lakewood Advocate have been doing some great writing on the plan for the new Whole Foods in Lakewood. Here's the most recent. As a plan commissioner and a Whole Foods customer I'm looking forward to hearing this case and judging it on its merits, as we always do at the CPC.

I'm sure when this deal is all said and done, there will be fingers pointed at the Plan Commission and the City Council by whichever side that didn't win. I have no problem with that - it goes with the territory. We're all grownups here.

In his piece, I'm glad that Rick thoughtfully mentions that the overall plan commission will "likely follow their lead" (meaning the lead of the commissioner in a given council district) instead of pushing the idea that we always vote in lockstep with other commissioners in their districts. That type of thing is often pushed by people that didn't get their way when a case was heard by the Plan Commission. If people see the amount of time we spend on cases week in and week out, they'd know otherwise. The way it really happens is not exciting enough to move newspapers or web traffic.

Just a hint on the aspect of "following someone's lead" It happens sometimes. When it does, it's usually because the commissioner has spent a lot of time in their district on an issue. However, we have a ton a 9-6 and 8-7 votes on many issues. Come visit us, and that's what you'll see.

Sad News for Dallas Family

By now you have probably heard that the body of Lakendra Lawrence, a young lady that was missing for over a week, was found in southeast Dallas. The admitted murderer was her ex-boyfriend.

I hope and pray that her family can find some peace in the days to come.

Grow Up!

Or maybe this should be titled, brats come in all age brackets.

I read a blog post that showed that someone had registered a website suggesting a movement against Councilman Sheffie Kadane, who represents District Nine.

The registrant's name and date of registry seems to be a response to the Councilman denying an overlay in their neighborhood earlier this week.

I always hear Sheffie being referred to as the guy that "sings Happy Birthday" at the council. What I have observed is that there is much more to the man. Sheffie is more than just mild-mannered; he is very smart guy and a class act in an area where his even hand and thoughtful actions go a long way.

I have seen the same outrageous comments at our commission, where some of these neighborhood groups accuse planners of being biased or unethical when they are simply trying to do their jobs. Some of the printed e-mails and letters we receive week in and week out are unbelievable.

I support some neighborhood overlays as a member of the City Plan Commission. In some areas, they do make sense. In some, they do not. Before you accuse me of bias, I actually supported this overlay when it came through CPC.

But really, to try to get rid of Sheffie just because an issue didn't go your way is ridiculous. He denied the issue "without prejudice," which means that they can come back as soon as they want with a new proposal. If he really wanted to stick it to you, he could have moved for "straight denial," which would have made the neighborhood wait two more years.

Look at the big picture, take a deep breath, and grow up!

Have You Seen this Woman?

From the DMN:

Dallas police are seeking the public's help in locating a 20-year-old woman who has been missing since last week. Lakendra Lawrence was last seen about 6 p.m. last Wednesday when a co-worker dropped her off at her apartment in the 3100 block of Stag Road (map) in southeast Oak Cliff, police said.

These apartments are near Bonnie View and Ledbetter, near Maynard Jackson Park.

Ms. Lawrence is black, 5 feet 5 inches tall and 125 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

She has tattoos on her back, right arm and one leg. Anyone with information can call Dallas police at 214-671-3661.

Theft has No Boundaries

In reading the crime reports, I have learned that both La Duni and the new Winspear Opera House have both been victims of theft in the last couple of days.

I talked with a prominent property owner in Dallas that said the tree grates were stolen from the front of a Borders bookstore in broad daylight.

It's not just southern Dallas. Metal theft and break ins are occurring all over our city.

The missing link is the scrap yards. We have a great DPD scrap metal unit but they can't be everywhere at once. Can you help?

Please contact Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Caraway's office if you know of any scrap yards that are buying scrap illegally. Anonymity is assured. We have to put a stop to this.

Teaching Tolerance

Rod Davis of the Southern Poverty Law Center passes on some timely information to commemorate the upcoming 40th anniversary on Martin Luther King Jr.'s death.

The Spring 2008 issue of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance magazine includes a special teaching package about the civil rights leader. Check out this link for more information.

Look South for the Convention Center

Shawn Williams of Dallas South Blog continues his call for Dallas to build a new Dallas Convention Center Hotel. He continues his series with a more in-depth write up, this time to suggest that the Cedars be considered for the future hotel. Read it here.

Think Twice before You Speak

Usually I don't talk about stuff like this, as strange public comments happen at City Plan Commission from time to time.

Yesterday, at CPC, we had a guy refer to a group of "low-income people" as "the human cockroaches of life." At City Hall. In a public forum. A woman sitting in the crowd was very upset, and I don't blame her one bit.

My late grandmother always said that "you have two ears and one mouth, so listen twice as much as you speak." I wish the idiot that came down to our commission yesterday would've done just that.

Bye Bye Southern Comfort Motel

Today, in District Court, the judge ruled against the temporary restraining order applied for by the owners of the Southern Comfort Motel (map). That means they must close and can't rent any rooms! Hopefully, it gets bulldozed just like the American Inn in South Dallas.

It's a wrap!

Motel Three Must Close Down!!!

The Zoning Board of Adjustment agreed with the neighbors in South Oak Cliff that the Motel Three (map) was a detriment to the community. The Board voted for the dump to be shut down; a date will be set at the next hearing on March 19th.

The owner tried to weasel out of it, but still thinks that prostitution is OK (link) and that the city is "picking on him." He blamed everyone but himself. The Board has hundreds of pages of crime reports that stated otherwise.

Yet another example of neighbors and churches working to take back their community!

Tri-City Hospital will Reopen

In District Four , we just approved a plan to re-open Tri-City Hospital in Southeast Dallas. It is a totally new owner; the people that let the hospital go bankrupt and close are not involved. We made that clear to the neighbors.

A $20 million investment is being made which will create a new medical center with 250-350 NEW JOBS. There will be a geriatric hospital, a long-term acute care center, and a surgical center with medical offices. No helicopters will fly to and from the hospital; the neighbors made that clear and we listened.

It will have a new facade as well and look like a brand new building. The group involved has done this type of project in other cities with great success. We met with all of the neighborhood associations before approving the plan. We thank them for their input and support!

The new property owner has a great sense of responsibility for the property and respect for the neighborhood. This facility will also add significant dollars to the tax base. The ribbon-cutting for the first facility should occur in March. We'll keep you posted!

Motel Three Hearing Next Wednesday

Please come to City Hall next Wednesday at 1PM. The South Oak Cliff pastors and neighbors case against Motel Three will be heard by the Board of Adjustment (link). The hearing will be held in the large auditorium on the L1 floor. Motel Three is located at 3705 Bonnie View, near Bonnie View and Overton Road.

This day has been a long time coming; please don't let the neighborhood's effort pass in vain.

Dallas and Density

With all of the announcements of "Town Centers" and mixed-use centers in certain parts of Dallas, many people are wondering can Dallas support all of these developments.

I believe that Dallas can support these developments, and a lot of well-heeled players are rushing to be near the front of the line. With the density that Dallas will need as its population grows, we likely will have enough people to fill these places.

I think that 'new to Dallas' residents will fill these spaces along with upwardly mobile college grads that decide that they want to be in the city and not the suburbs. I do think there will be an "arms race" to see who can best attract residents. Some will do well and some will struggle. But when you look at it, there can be a ton of coffee places, dry cleaners, etc because the client base lives right above or in the same complex as the business.

In cities like New York and Philadelphia, it's a way of life. Every pizza store and neighborhood grocery store has people that live above in condos or apartments.

When you consider the projected growth of Dallas' population, you can see that most of these projects will be a success. The key will be to ramp up infrastructure to meet the needs of the influx of residents.

However, one interesting thing is that there are now no first-run large scale movie theaters south of Northpark Center in Dallas (I'm excluding places like the Magnolia and the Angelika which lean towards lower-profile movies). There seems to be an opportunity for someone to build a large movie center. Surely AMC Northpark can't serve everyone.

Craig Watkins: A year of being 'smart on crime'

This is the op-ed written by Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins for today's Dallas Morning News. Read it with an open mind, and you will understand the progress and thought process of our DA.

There was a meeting of various leaders on Friday regarding some issues in our community. Not surprisingly, Craig was there. He's always present at the meetings that matter. Before you write him off, read this piece and make your own conclusions.

I still maintain that he shouldn't have to fight for every nickel and dime at the county for programs he wants to implement. It's obvious that the system was broken and it will take a lot of resources to fix it.

According to the DMN, since Craig took office he's had a conviction rate of 98.5 percent.

After the jump, check out the op-ed piece:



My first year as district attorney has been a great team victory, but our office has much more work to do

As we embark upon a new year, I can't help but pause and reflect on my first year as Dallas County district attorney. While most of the media attention has focused on me and my philosophy on criminal justice, all of the successes my office experienced in 2007 were the result of a team effort. It's the 241 prosecutors, 72 investigators and 120 support staff who deserve the credit for implementing changes. And we're just getting started.

We came to office with the mantra of being "smart on crime." This encompasses vigorously prosecuting and seeking tough punishments for criminals who are found guilty of violent crimes. It also means we employ a method of prosecution that has produced a conviction rate of 98.5 percent over the last year.

A year ago, we partnered with the Innocence Project of Texas to review more than 400 old cases, many with requests for DNA testing that had been opposed under the prior administration. To me, this move was a no-brainer, considering Dallas County has the highest number of wrongfully convicted people in the nation – but it has been touted as bold and progressive, and it has garnered media attention internationally.

Also, to ensure that these kinds of unforgivable mistakes are never made again, at least on my watch, we established a conviction integrity unit. In its first five months, it has already identified eight more cases eligible for post-conviction DNA testing, as well as two more people wrongfully convicted of sexual assault.

Being smart on crime means we look at ways to keep repeat offenders off our streets, and we are doing so with a new and improved "impact offender" program. In conjunction with the Dallas Police Department and our elected district judges, we are targeting offenders who repeatedly fail to stop their criminal behavior. These impact offenders are tried within 60 days of indictment, and their convictions swiftly take them off our streets, out of our county jail and into the state penitentiary, thus creating a safer community and saving Dallas County taxpayers' money.

Being smart on crime also means that we are seeking the necessary resources to represent and protect citizens. We were fortunate to receive approval in the 2008 budget for funds that will pay for a prosecutor to handle cases of financial abuse against the elderly, which is a growing problem in our community. We also received federal grants to establish a gang unit and a sexual assault unit. The gang unit not only focuses on prosecution, but also on discouraging young people from getting involved in gangs. The sexual assault unit is supported by a $1.48 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women. This funding allows us to finally have a prosecutor, investigator and caseworker dedicated to handling sexual assault crimes.

We also have established a unit that works directly with the county's probation department, the constables and the Sheriff's Department to locate probation absconders and get them back into custody.

In addition, we have implemented a new policy for first-time, nonviolent misdemeanors. Offenders are now held accountable for their actions – often youthful indiscretions – by doing community service and completing educational courses. For drug cases, offenders must also pass two drug tests within a specific period. When these requirements are met, offenders' cases are dismissed, thus keeping marks off their criminal records that would inevitably put their future employment at risk. And as we know, when people can't find jobs, they typically move on to more serious crimes.

These are just highlights of our many accomplishments, but we know we have a long way to go. Our caseload per prosecutor still far exceeds the standard for comparable offices, and we still sorely lack basic resources to operate at full potential. Couple that with the fact that criminals today are even more determined to exploit ever-changing technology to break the law, and it's clear we face increasing challenges to seek justice and protect Dallas County.

As we begin the new year, my staff and I look forward to doing even more to improve the county's criminal justice system. To the citizens served by the district attorney's office, I pledge to continue to lead the charge of doing what's right, and I will carry the issue of public safety to the Commissioners Court, the State Capitol and Washington, D.C.

I promise to use this position not only to provide a safer Dallas County, but a better Dallas County. Thank you for allowing me the honor to represent you as your district attorney.

Turner Courts - Learning, Hope, and Frustration

Yesterday, we had our first "official meeting" in Turner Courts. Turner Courts is part of District Four. I have been there multiple times, but this is meeting we like to do in which we really get to work on various issues. Janet Morrison talked about it on her blog as well (link).

I learned that such a meeting hadn't taken place in Turner Courts in over 8 years. If that happened to you, how would you feel? I don't blame them one bit for their frustration.

The strangest thing I learned is that Rochester Park is part of multiple council districts. How crazy is that? I guess that's how the districts have been gerrymandered all of these years.

One thing that I told the neighbors is that I don't expect them to believe a word we're saying. These residents have been promised things year after year with no results. I think they realize that we are serious and genuine, and are eager for change. They are some of the most courageous people we have in our district. They have decided to mobilize and organize to make their neighborhood safer and to create more opportunities.

What really angered me was the corner grocery stores in the neighborhood. I look forward to when the health department follows up on the pictures taken of the brown (!) meat which was 5 days past expired. These same store owners also let drug dealers congregate around the stores.

I love these people, and believe they feel the same about us. We won't let them down. In fact, our follow up meetings are already set up (when you have super assistants like Stephanie and Esmeralda that are always thinking one step ahead of you, that's how it goes down!!!). The appreciation, hugs, and warm wishes I get every time I go to Turner Courts remind me why I do these things in the City. It's why comments from haters that have their own issues don't affect the mission. It's easy to go into an area during election time, but the work starts the day after you're elected and never ends.

It's also easy to to throw rocks at people from your comfy perch or radio show when you don't have the guts to go into the hood and tell store owners and thugs what will have to change. That's what WE do. With or without the TV cameras.

I appreciate all of the people that came out to our Turner Courts neighborhood meeting, from the residents to the city staff and various departments. We are fortunate to have them in our corner.

Anti-Sagging Billboards Up all over DFW

Starting today, new stop-sagging billboards are going up in Dallas, Arlington, and Fort Worth. These will feature the "Grandma" billboards that you may have heard about. More information will be coming soon.

Also, more information will be coming with respect to the Dr. Phil show featuring Dwaine Caraway, Dooney, and others involved in the stop-sagging movement.

The Ticket Controversy at City Hall

I just got off the phone with Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway. Our topic of discussion, among other things, was the DMN article about the Cotton Bowl tickets.

One of Dwaine's main issues with the article is the following paragraph:

People familiar with the decision said top city parks officials decided that, after Mr. Leppert's memo, returning the tickets would be a good idea. Otherwise, council members would have received a batch of free tickets less than a week after the mayor openly questioned the practice.

Dwaine wanted to respond to the article. His words:

*Park Board Director Paul Dyer never discussed the tickets with the Park Board to whom he reports and is accountable.

*The tickets were sent back before the memo.

*This is the first Park Board and City Council in history that has not been part of the tradition of the Cotton Bowl.

That's all I'll say for now. I didn't want to inject myself into the issue but the Deputy Mayor did want to get the word out that things aren't what they seem.

Happy New Year!

I wanted to wish a Happy New Year to all. Thanks to all of you for your support and readership!

Don't worry, we aren't letting up for the New Year.