Reward is now $15,000 in Jessica Chané Waldron murder case

The reward is up to $15,000 in the Jessica Chané Waldron murder case.

So far, 6,000 people have read the posts on her case - please come forward with the information if you have it. Call the DPD Homicide Unit at 214-671-3661 or the North Texas Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-877-343-TIPS (8477).

Information on memorials can be found here.

Reward is now $15,000 in Jessica Chané Waldron murder case

$10,000 Reward in Jessica Chané Waldron Murder Case

There is a $10,000 Reward regarding the Jessica Chané Waldron murder case.

Over 2,500 of you have read my post so far - please come forward with the information if you have it.

Call the DPD Homicide Unit at 214-671-3661 or the North Texas Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-877-343-TIPS (8477) if you have any info.

$10,000 Reward in Jessica Chané Waldron Murder Case

RIP Jessica Chané Waldron

Police seeking witnesses to fatal shooting outside downtown Dallas club

I read this story a few times today thinking this was a person that was in our circle:

Jessica Waldron of Dallas was waiting with a friend outside the 2026 Ultra Lounge on Commerce Street in downtown Dallas about 2:20 a.m. for a valet to return with their car, police said. Investigators believe someone fired multiple rounds into the crowd from a dark-colored, possibly stepside-style, pickup headed southbound on nearby Pearl Street.

Waldron was shot once in the stomach area and was taken to Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, where she underwent surgery. She died about noon Sunday.

It does not appear that Waldron was targeted, Dallas police homicide Sgt. Bruce McDonald said.

It didn't hit me until I saw the story comments. I didn't realize who it was at first until because she often goes by her middle name Chané. Then it hit me.

This was a young woman that almost everyone in our crew knew or knew of from being out and about town working and doing her thing.

24 years old. Gone. She was a 2007 graduate of SMU, with a future in front of her that was beyond bright. She was a Corporate Communications and Public Affairs major with a minor in economics. Chané wrote for the SMU Daily Campus during her time as a student. From what I've heard, she worked in public relations for Pier One.

A young woman, using the valet, trying to have some fun with her friends. And some heartless punks end all of the hopes and dreams that Chané and her family and friends held for her life.

You should be able to go downtown and do the right thing and not get shot.

Somebody knows something....please do not stay silent on this case!

If you have info please call the Dallas police homicide unit at 214-671-3661 or email homicide@dpd.dallascityhall.com.

To all of her folks, I pray you find closure and peace in this tough time.

UPDATE: A $15,000 reward is now posted thanks to Schepps Dairy and North Texas Crimestoppers.

Information on memorials can be found here.

RIP Jessica Chané Waldron

The District Three Council Race

A few readers have asked me about the District Three city council race, and why I haven't written anything about it.

I consider Dave and Casey to be good friends, and I'm staying neutral in this race for this reason. I admire the fact that they have both run a respectable, issues-based race. Good on them for doing that. Here's a recap of their recent debate by Allison at Oak Cliff Online. I'm glad she's resurfaced and continues to write about Oak Cliff!

The District Three Council Race

Dwaine Caraway Kicks off 2009 Reelection Campaign

As you may have heard, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway started of his 2009 Reelection Campaign on Monday.

Over 250 people came out, which was greatly appreciated considering it was the first day after Spring Break. Thanks to Eddie Deen for hosting us.

Again - here's the website, which has been redone.

Here is the list of achievements since Dwaine has been on City Council.

Here are the videos. Apologies for having them in so many parts - when you have movies in HD (!) they have a ten-minute max.

This is the entire video via YouTube playlist.

The separate videos are after the jump.

Dwaine Caraway Kicks off 2009 Reelection Campaign

Prime Time Reaches Back to Help Youth

Deion Sanders has a dream for kids south of Trinity River

That headline says it all; I'm really excited about this project. I've been wanting to write about it, but wanted to hold off until it went public.

I'm glad that Deion and his PrimeTime Sports Association is interested in investing and partnering with the city to improve the lives of youth. When we walked the field and looked at the plans, you could really see it come together. Dallas is a can-do city, and the difference now is that this project did not end up in the suburbs.

Usually, the business people are ready and the city drags everything out; but things have changed. That's due to the leadership of our Deputy Mayor Dwaine Caraway and Mayor Leppert whose goal is to make sure that deals get done instead of twiddling our thumbs and watching the surrounding cities benefit from our inaction.

For those of you that aren't sure of the location, it's the open park that's next to Carter High School and across from the Friendship West parking lot.

Come to the tryouts at the Cotton Bowl - we will be there!

Prime Time Reaches Back to Help Youth

Campaigns are Fun

I am standing in front of the home of the challenger for the District Four city council seat. Looking at the signs down both sides of his block, it would seem that his neighbors aren't big fans of his council run.


Let the games begin.

Campaigns are Fun

My Take on Unleashed Dog Park

A lot has been made out of the decision by the owners of Unleashed to ban pit bulls from their facility. This was a request made by their insurance company.

Having met the Acrees I can tell you that they have very high standards for the facility and business, and I applaud their decision. This is a top-notch facility unlike any other in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I'm glad they decided to locate in District Four.

When we met with Acrees a little more than a month ago , I had a lot of questions; The dog attack that happened at White Rock Lake Dog Park was fresh in my mind. All questions were answered. They have also been willing to partner with the community and have numerous meetings with the surrounding neighborhood.

Everyone from the Acrees to top officials in Animal Services have educated me on the fact that leashed animals can upset an environment in which unleashed dogs are present. Animal services have also informed me that dogs that are always tethered become much more aggressive than untethered dogs over time.

Ironically, the same night this story broke, I had taken an official from Animal Services on the road to a neighborhood meeting to provide info about dangerous dogs and facts about animal control. And then I came home to watch this story on the news.

Pit Bulls are a problem, and have been a problem. We can have the silly debate all day long about chihuahuas being more aggressive but the difference is a Pit Bull can kill you.

Unleashed and the Acrees are a welcome addition to District Four. I look forward to watching their business grow. I encourage you to join us on March 28th as we celebrate the official opening of Unleashed Indoor Dog Parks.

My Take on Unleashed Dog Park

New DwaineCaraway.com Site is Up

The new dwainecaraway.com site is up.

It includes links to Dwaine's Facebook group and current events, as well as a list of achievements during his tenure on the council. For those people that consistently focus on Dwaine's sagging pants efforts like nothing else is being done, I would suggest you look here.

It also includes info on requesting city services, registering for updates, and lots of other useful info. One of my favorite things on the site is our South Central newsletter, published by our South Central Service Area Coordinator Katina Johnson.

I didn't want to make it too fancy as we have some residents that are still on dial-up internet. I know that sounds ridiculous, but there are still places in District Four and all over the city that are not served by DSL or cable internet, much less U-verse.

As with any site, it will have some bugs. Feel free to report them by contacting us via the website.

New DwaineCaraway.com Site is Up

The Race is On

At the last second, a challenger appeared for Council District Four. REALLY? Really.

No neighborhood is really disappointed at the work that's been done. The new website is coming this week.

I may have more to say at a later date. I do feel like they could have found someone that has actually been engaged in city issues. It's a free city, however, and anyone that gets enough signatures can run.

Yesterday, I drew Ballot Place 1 for Dwaine Caraway. We plan to keep it that way.

The Race is On

Tragedy among Teens

Stomp Wars went well, somewhere between 5-6,000 kids attended the event at the convention center arena with zero incidents.

The whole time, my mind kept drifting back to this story.

Friends, family grieve for girls killed in crash

These three Adamson High School teens died in a car accident near I-45 and Loop 12 in Oak Cliff.

Rosario Filemon - 16
Liliana "Lily" Reynoso - 15
Miriam Ramirez - 16

This reminds me of a time when I was 15 in the 10th grade. Just following my friends and not giving it much thought, we got out of school and I piled into a car with my buddies. There were maybe 6-7 of us in a little car. I think we were going to cruise around and hang out at the park.

Out of nowhere my Dad opens the car door, says nothing to the driver and reaches in the back seat area and pulls me out. Then we had a good father-son talk about making good decisions. I think the whole school was laughing at me that day. It took weeks to live that down, but I lived. And I'm grateful that my Dad was there to put the brakes on me being somewhere I didn't need to be.

I saw the video below. It looks like it was created by a friend of the kids that died on Friday. I can appreciate a teenager's way of positively dealing with their grief the best way they can.

May you all rest in peace. May your families and friends learn to deal with this tragedy as life goes on.

Tragedy among Teens

It's Them or Me

As I predicted about a week ago, this switch to the new feedburner is causing some issue with my readers.

I have lost at least 100 subscribers since the switch.

There are one of two reasons:

1. my writing fell off
2. new Feedburner is killing my readership.

Judging by the increased number of hits, I blame feedburner.

It's time to bring out the old beg for subscribers post...ONCE AGAIN

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It's Them or Me

My Take on Metal Recyclers in the Trinity River Corridor

I listened and watched very intently to today's City Council Briefing, regarding the issue of metal recyclers in the Trinity River Corridor. Some went on and on about the metal businesses and how they should stay in the same place.

95% of the focus was about how wrong the city is to ask recyclers to move off of South Lamar Street in South Dallas and other areas. Very little was said about the residents that have had to put up with these places for decades.

No one disputed the visual blight and the noxious fumes that are emitted by metal recyclers. While their services are obviously needed, there are too many of them located in a small area of south Dallas and Cadillac Heights.

The fact is that most of these places have been allowed to exist in lower-income communities in Dallas.

The Trinity River Project is not just about businesses, it's also about residents. It's easy to say metal recyclers should stay where they are when you are blessed enough to live far away from where they wreak havoc on communities.

Times change, and from time to time various areas of Dallas are rezoned. As a result, sometimes businesses have to cease operations in that are within a given time period.

Why all the fuss over South Lamar? With the exception of the closing of Woodward Paint and Body, there was a lot less outcry when Ross Avenue was rezoned. I hope there is not a double-standard at work in the City of Dallas.

Something has to be done, and I believe the City Council as a whole will realize that it's time for these places to go. At the very least, the bad actors should be made to shape up or ship out. They cannot continue to exist in their current state.

My Take on Metal Recyclers in the Trinity River Corridor