Up to Speed

Lululemon drama, Larry Brown and doughnuts: Don't miss this edition of hot stories

For news hounds, keeping up with today's trending topics can feel like a full-time job. (We would know.) It isn't easy being an informed citizen in today's fast-paced world.

That's why we are trying something new — on camera.

"Getting you up to speed," a video series sponsored by Cadillac, gathers the trending stories and presents them in a short, two-minute(ish) segment so you can stay abreast of what's happening in Dallas. Hosted by friendly personalities who report and offer entertaining commentary, this web series is your ticket to zapping through the talk of the town.

To kick off the program, CultureMap welcomes Nicole Hickl to the team. A graduate of Houston's University of St. Thomas with a degree in communications and a minor in psychology and a former Houston Texans cheerleader, Hickl had been with KAVU Newscenter 25 and 104-7 KVIC radio in Victoria before joining our digital news crew. We're sure you'll find her — plus her co-host Maggie Flecknoe, whom you'll meet in future episodes — charming, savvy and sassy.

Watch the video above and follow along. We've included links to the trending stories below so you can get more in-depth coverage:

Top Pot Doughnuts picks Dallas for first shop outside of Seattle by Teresa Gubbins
Lululemon comes under fresh fire for banning online customers by Claire St. Amant
Luxurious McKinney hideaway makes Tuscan living possible in Texas by Diana Oates
Larry Brown propels SMU basketball to prominence with old-school attitude by Matthew Postins

Politics News

Dallas narrows down field for new city manager to 4 candidates

Downtown Dallas

Photo by R K on Unsplash

This is an Dallasite's sign to launch that small business they've been dreaming of.

After six months without a city manager, the city of Dallas has narrowed down the field of replacements to four semifinalists including one serving as current interim city manager, plus candidates from Fort Worth, Michigan, and Georgia.

Dallas has been without a city manager since May, when previous city manager T.C. Broadnax left to take a job with the city of Austin. Since that time, Broadnax's former chief of staff Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has served as interim city manager.

The city retained Baker Tilly, a consulting firm, to recruit and compile candidates. (Baker Tilly famously erred in the brochure it created for the position by featuring a photo of the Houston skyline instead of Dallas; they've since replaced it with Dallas.)

A spokesperson for Baker Tilly did not respond to inquiries but according to D Magazine, an email listing the candidates has been sent to the Dallas City Council.

The semifinalists include:

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Dallas’ current interim city manager
William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth
Mark Washington, the city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Zachary Williams, a county chief operating officer in Georgia

All have more than 25 years' of public administration experience and have worked in similar capacities in their respective cities.

Before working in Fort Worth, Johnson was Baltimore’s transportation director and Atlanta’s deputy chief operating officer and public works commissioner.

Washington worked in Fort Worth and Austin before becoming Grand Rapids’ city manager.

Williams has mostly worked in Georgia at the county level, including serving as county manager in Fulton County and chief operating officer in DeKalb County.

Tolbert began working for the city in 1998, first as the city manager’s assistant and later in the aviation department. Broadnax hired her as his chief of staff in 2017.

Unlike the Mayor and the Dallas City Council, the city manager position in Dallas is not elected but is instead appointed by the city council, and is tasked with executing policies, overseeing the annual budget, and managing staff at city hall.

The council’s Ad Hoc Committee will choose finalists, introduce them to the public, and make an offer in early 2025.

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