In a few short days, Dallas will begin its journey through the exciting process of resolving its annual budget for 2015-2016. For now, we have a lull, a calm before the storm, where towels were a hot topic. And if you have a favorite building in Dallas you'd like to champion, now's your chance.
No towel for this guy
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was arrested on August 3 for securities law violations that he allegedly did while he was a state legislator. Paxton was charged with two counts of securities fraud and one count of acting as an investment adviser representative without being registered with the state securities board. He surrendered in his hometown McKinney, where he was fingerprinted and photographed at Collin County Jail.
But he was also allowed to sneak through a side door, and not be photographed in the usual towel that every arrestee endures. Department spokesman Lt. Chris Havey told the Dallas Morning News that there was a court order from a judge that Paxton not be forced to wear the towel.
"Why didn't Paxton get the towel treatment for his mugshot like every other inmate in Collin County?" asked one tweet. "Rank must indeed have privilege," said another.
Failing upwards
Sarah Standifer was named permanent director of the city's Trinity Watershed Management department, despite a series of questionable actions leading up to her appointment, that include helping organize a retirement party for her boss using funds from companies who have city contracts. "Essentially all of the city's recent Trinity-related screw-ups bear Standifer's fingerprints," the Dallas Observer notes. A few weeks ago, the city stealthily altered the qualifications for the job by deleting the requirement for an engineering degree, which Standifer does not have.
Most endangered list
Preservation Dallas is seeking suggestions for its "Most Endangered Historic Places List." According to the nonprofit dedicated to promoting the revitalization of Dallas' historic buildings, the last list came out in 2010. "So many historic buildings in Dallas having uncertain futures, awareness needs to be brought to the threats facing significant historic places in our city," the organization says, "and recent events have necessitated its return."
Nominations for the new list are being accepted until August 14. If you'd like to nominate a building, you can do so on the website. A jury will review the nominations and select the top sites for the 2015 list, which will be announced in September.
Radio blues
Community radio station KNON 89.3 FM is looking for a new location and a whole lot of money. The station's lease is up for its space at 5353 Maple Ave., and the landlord will be tearing down the building and replacing it with a storage facility. They've been at the space since 2005 and must move by the end of September. Station manager Dave Chaos says that the move will cost $30,000 on top of the regular $114,000 it needs for its operations. That's a lot of pledge donations.
