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.

health city-news-roundup politics

Weed News

Texas Rep. Jessica González of Dallas files bill to legalize marijuana

Redheaded Blackbelt

undefined

Texas Rep. Jessica González of Dallas has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana