City News

Dallas photographers show beauty of Trinity River and more city news

This photo by Max Fray was the People's Choice Winner in the category of Amateur/ Places.

Photo by Max Fray

This week's roundup of Dallas news includes items about COVID-19 testing, some of it possibly sketchy. The Dallas Police Department released photos of the suspect in a high-profile shooting. And the Trinity River Conservancy announced winners for the 2020 Trinity River Photo Contest.

Here's what happened in Dallas this week:

Mo3 suspect
Dallas Police Department released surveillance images of the suspect in the murder of Dallas rapper Mo3, who was shot and killed on I-35 on November 11.

Mo3, real name Melvin Noble, was being followed and drove onto I-35 where he smashed his car and was chased down on foot, then shot.

The photos, which are posted on the DPD blog, show a man with a gun, wearing what looks like a balaclava, one of those knitted head caps that has openings for your eyes and mouth, plus belted jeans dragging below his underwear. The police said that the suspect was driving a possible 2014 or 2015 black Chevy Camaro.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 214-671-3616.

Sketchy COVID-19 tests
The Dallas County Commissioners Court is concerned about the reliability of some COVID-19 testing sites popping up on parking lots and street corners across town. Any site is supposed to register with the state and submit daily results, but officials acknowledge that some testing sites aren't legitimate. "It’s like the Wild Wild West here with what's been going on with testing," said Dr. Philip Huang, head of Dallas County Health and Human Services, in a meeting. There's an interactive map that indicates if a site has been verified, and county sites run by Parkland Hospital that provide free tests.

Rapid COVID-19 tests
Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., has rapid antibody testing at Kroger pharmacies across Dallas-Fort Worth. The tests are conducted using a finger-prick blood sample and typically provide results in 15 minutes. They're $25. The test was first authorized by the FDA for emergency use in July. Kroger is the first retailer to offer them.

Photo contest winners
The annual Trinity River Photo Contest has proclaimed 29 photographers as winners of the 2020 contest, with winning photos selected in People, Places, and Nature categories in Youth, Amateur, and Professional Divisions. The grand prize went to Bobby Pack for his moody, black-and-white photo of a tree by the bridge. The People's Choice award went to Finn Jubak for his tree-shrouded shot of the Margaret bridge. The contest is a celebration of the river and the local photographers who capture it at its best. The full collection of winners can be viewed here.

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E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

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Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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