Wendy Donahue’s Chicago Tribune dispatch from her recent trip to Dallas begins with her family driving their rental car across the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, the “symbolic hub of Texas-sized ambitions.” She notes the breeze passing over the grasses along the Trinity and that the bridge is otherwise empty. “Here,”…
The folks over at the Morning News’ City Hall blog alerted the world yesterday to County Commissioner John Wiley Price’s Youtube channel, namely a video in which he calls out the “mainstream media” for running a “character assassination on our Black elected officials.” He’s not talking about the reporting many…
Last month, the Advocate quietly reported on Lincoln Property Co.’s plans for the intersection of Garland Road and Gaston Avenue. Starbucks, Freebird’s and a grocery store all look to be in the cards. Also — and this might rile some certain neighbors — the developer wants to change the name…
Nowadays every Monday morning at 7 am I’m on KNON Radio 89.3 doing a radio version of “Get Off My Lawn,” pretty much the same thing you see here except that I’m naked. If like a lot of people you find that the effect of “Get Off My Lawn” doesn’t…
Our cover story this week deals with the Dallas Police & Fire Pension System, the owners of the much-argued-about Museum Tower project in the Arts District. In researching the story, we obtained a draft of the fund’s 2011 annual report, which hasn’t been released yet. It shows that although the…
The Dallas Morning News recently took some time from its very important schedule to film this slick little video declaring that “Journalism Lives.” But not just any journalism. In fact, not any other journalism. Just the journalism of the Dallas Morning News, which is “the most important news source in…
@MitraSalasel @mimiswartz #txhealththat’s is doctor choice if he chooses I repeat it is not in our bill or required-— Dan Patrick (@DanPatrick) July 24, 2012 @DanPatrick @MitraSalasel @mimiswartz #txhealthplease don’t act like we are stupid SenatorIt is insulting to all involved— Rita Lucido (@rlucido) July 24, 2012 Texas Monthly editor…
There was never much to Bankersmith, Texas — little more than a post office and general store at its peak — but it wasn’t a ghost town. Maggie Montgomery made sure of that. Maggie — she promptly disabused me of the notion that I would call her Mrs. Montgomery when…
And no, it’s not Facebook, so don’t worry your pretty little anonymous head. You will still be able to fire-hose the general populous from the cave of privacy afforded by your clever screen name. You will just be able to do it faster, and hopefully with fewer quirks. The new…
Yesterday evening, the Dallas Morning News reported on its business blog that it had purchased “hyperlocal online news provider Pegasus News.” The news was surprising because Pegasus has been at the periphery of the local media scene for nearly a decade, never standing out as much of a competitor or…
While the big white bridge across the Trinity River promises an economic boost for West Dallas, it’s been a test of the will of La Bajada. The neighborhood, mostly composed of Latino families, has quietly existed for decades without much bother until now. After being ignored for so many years,…
The Observer is always looking for college interns to contribute to Dallas’ award-winning newspaper and web site. Specifically, we’re looking for students (any major will do) with a demonstrated interest and some experience in journalism, non-fiction creative writing, social media, multimedia, photography, filmmaking, joke-telling, or woodworking. (We’ve always wanted a…
The Dallas Observer is always looking for talented freelance writers, photographers, videographers and other content creators to contribute to our newspaper, web site and four blogs, Unfair Park (news), DC-9 at Night (music and nightlife), City of Ate (food and restaurants), and Mixmaster (arts and culture). Prospective contributors should spend…
The Dallas Observer is always looking for talented freelance writers, photographers, videographers and other content creators to contribute to our newspaper, web site and four blogs, Unfair Park (news), DC-9 at Night (music and nightlife), City of Ate (food and restaurants), and Mixmaster (arts and culture). Prospective contributors should send…
Back in April, the DMN, noted that John Kirtland had snapped up both the Tower Petroleum Building and Corrigan Tower downtown. There weren’t many details then, just that Kirtland planned to do something with the two vacant art deco structures, but now we know exactly what. Kirtland, who in addition…
The Houston Chronicle tried yesterday afternoon to prove that Houston is better, or at least sucks less, than Dallas. Tried and failed. Sorry to piss on your parade, Alyson Ward, but that debate has been settled: Houston blows way harder than we do. Ward says that Houston has a better…
There are probably many reasons Victory Park hasn’t lived up to expectations, declining in value by an average of 11 percent ($169 million) each year since 2008, according to city figures. You might subscribe to the notion that the project was flawed from the get-go, that it is “all the…
Neighbors have pretty much given up on saving the vaguely octagonal white-and-blue building at the corner of Zang and Beckley that housed a long-departed Humble service station. Developers Jay Song and John Chong plan to demolish the 1929 structure to make way for a convenience store. It’s going to happen…
Just when you thought the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge had been thoroughly feted, the Trinity Trust sends word that the celebration’s not quite over yet. On June 13, WFAA will premiere Bridging the Trinity For the Love of the City, a half-hour homage by local filmmaker Judy Kelly. From Trinity…
Last week, when Mayor Mike Rawlings announced he had hedged his support for the Trinity toll road after receiving additional data, it seemed like a victory for City Council members Scott Griggs, Angela Hunt, and Sandy Greyson, the project’s opponents. The figures Griggs rustled up from the Texas Department of…
Mayor Mike Rawlings was a bit late for his 9 a.m. speech at this morning’s “Building South” presentation at the Oak Cliff Chamber. I knew it was Mayor Mike because OC Chamber director Bob Stimson, waffling for time, kept saying things like “I was told if I started and talked…
Having a wife, an almost-3-year-old and another on the way (child, not wife), I’ve shackled myself to a life of uneventful domesticity, at least for the next 18 years. It’s a comfortable setup, but one that can induce restlessness, so when fate put me in Dallas a full week before…
