Pet of the Week

SPCA's Pluto may be the most darling dog on the planet

From last week, Mack has found his forever home. From before that, featured pets Rupaul, Athena and Little One are still available for adoption.

This week meet Pluto, who was rescued from inhumane conditions by the SPCA of Texas on March 5. Let's help him find the loving home he has always deserved.

Breed: Australian Cattle Dog

Age: 3 years

Weight: 40 pounds

Vital stats: Pluto is a playful boy who loves toys. Because he came from a rough situation, it may take Pluto a little while to learn new tricks and become house trained. He is also a VIP (very important pet), because he’s been waiting for his new family for more than 30 days, so he has a lower adoption price.

What are you waiting for? Come meet Pluto (#128913) today at the SPCA of Texas’ Jan Rees-Jones Animal Care Center in Dallas at 2400 Lone Star Dr., near I-30 and Hampton Road. The center is open seven days a week, noon-6 pm.

Regular adoption fees are $95-$125 for puppies 0-6 months, $75-$95 for adult dogs 6 months or older, $50 for senior dogs 7 years or older, $50 for VIP dogs, $95 for kittens, $75 for adult cats, $50 for senior cats 7 years and older, and $50 for VIP cats.

The adoption fee includes spay/neuter surgery, age-appropriate vaccinations, heartworm test for dogs 6 months and older, initial heartworm preventative for dogs, feline leukemia test for cats 4 months and older, microchip, rabies tag, and free leash or cat carrier. Call 214-742-SPCA (7722) or visit the SPCA website for more information.

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Politics News

Dallas narrows down field for new city manager to 4 candidates

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.

politics