Exciting things are happening in downtown Dallas, and even one vote could really matter in the run-offs for certain city council seats. And don't forget to get your dunks. They are free!
Here are the highlights in city news this week:
Run-off day
Following the May 9 election, there are still four undecided city council seats; that vote takes place on June 13. Contested races include District 3 with Joe Tave versus Casey Thomas, District 7 with Tiffini Young and Kevin Felder, District 8 with Dianne Gibson versus Erik Wilson, and District 10 with Paul Reyes versus Adam McGough.
Given the fact that only 6.76 percent of the population turned out for the bigger election in May, it seems likely the percentage this time around will be smaller. Every vote will matter. You could be the one to make or break a politician's career! Power like that is positively intoxicating.
McKinney incident
Only if you were in a coma this past week could you have missed the incident at a pool in McKinney where a party with a DJ attracted some uninvited guests. Those included police officer David Eric Casebolt, whose gun-wielding, curse-filled reaction was videotaped, went viral, was dissected, spurred a peaceful march and international coverage before resulting in his resignation.
Downtown Dallas restoration
The Dallas High School building that faces the DART Rail stop at Pearl and Bryan streets is finally seeing some action: Downtown Dallas developer Jack Matthews has committed to buy and restore the property and convert it into a mixed-use development.
Many developers have previously considered renovating the three-story brick building, which opened in 1908. It was known as Crozier Technical High School from 1942 until 1974, then a Dallas Magnet school for Business & Management until 1995. The building itself is pretty, with a unique asset: the massive green space that surrounds it.
Mosquito thing
Hoping to limit spraying for mosquitoes, Dallas County Health & Human Services is campaigning to get citizens to drain standing water. Zachary Thompson, DCHHS director, visited Dallas' quality of life committee on June 8 with a supply of "dunks," the doughnut-like device that kills mosquito larvae before they hatch.
"The front line of preventing mosquitoes is at the doorsteps and back doors of our residents," Thompson said. "Households are the problem."
Outgoing city council member and committee chair Dwaine Caraway seized on the idea that the committee should take a helicopter ride and check out bodies of water that might need to be targeted. "Have you ever been up in a helicopter?" he asked. "I have."
But committee member Sandy Greyson said she already knew. "That sounds like fun, but my constituents are telling me exactly where the [offenders] are," she said.
Dunks are distributed for free by the City of Dallas, Monday-Friday, 8 am-4:30 pm, at 3112 Canton St. #100 and at 7901 Goforth Rd. One package per household, and you must show proof of residency (driver's license or utility bill). You can only apply the dunks to your property. No reselling, people! They're also pretty cheap online or at hardware stores.
Dunks are the thing to get in Dallas this week.
