Weather News

City of Dallas opens cooling centers for residents seeking heat relief

Weather is hot like fire right now.

Photo courtesy of Hibachi on Fire

With the summer heat continuing to rise, the City of Dallas is encouraging residents seeking relief to use City of Dallas public facilities, and has released the following tips and resources:

Cooling centers
Dallas residents can visit of two cooling centers as a place to stay cool and reduce the need for home electricity use:

Public library at Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center, 2922 MLK Jr. Blvd., Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm. 214-670-0344.
West Dallas Multipurpose Center, 2828 Fish Trap Rd., Monday-Thursday 8 am-8 pm, Friday 8 am-7 pm 670-6530. (Unfortunately, if you call this number, it's a 2-hour wait.)

But residents can use any public facility including recreation centers and libraries, available during regular business hours, as well as 18 DART transit centers across Dallas, listed here:

Addison Transit Center
Arapaho Center Station
Bernal/Singleton Transfer Location
CBD East Transfer Center
CBD West Transfer Center
Cockrell Hill Transfer Location
Downtown Garland Station
Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing Station
Hampton Station
Illinois Station
J.B. Jackson Jr. Transit Center/MLK Jr. Station
Lake June Station
Lake Ray Hubbard Transit Center
Ledbetter Station
Parker Road Station
Red Bird Transit Center
South Garland Transit Center

Other cooling stations include The Salvation Army, Our Calling, Union Gospel Mission Dallas, and Austin Street Center.

AC units
Residents can sign up to receive a free portable AC cooler or Window AC unit from either Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center or West Dallas Multipurpose Center. Quantities are limited to only one unit per household.

Gatorade
The Office of Homeless Solutions Outreach will be passing out cooling packages consisting of Gatorade and a cooling towel along with transportation to any City of Dallas public facility during business hours.

Heat Safety and Energy Savings Tips
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are very real dangers and are preventable when taking precautions during the summer months, especially for the elderly, young, and those with chronic illnesses.

Here are five precautions to take against the effects of high heat and humidity:

Stay hydrated by drinking non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic beverages.
Whether working or playing outdoors, find shade and take lots of breaks.
Stay indoors, with air conditioning and keep air conditioning at 78 or higher if possible to conserve energy. Keeping blinds closed and using fans will also help conserve energy.
Cook with a microwave or slow cooker rather than the stove/oven to reduce heat and electrical use.
Conserve energy by using large appliances in off peak hours or not at all.

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Weed News

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

Redheaded Blackbelt

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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.

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