City News Roundup

It's all about people getting promoted in this Dallas city news roundup

There's a new guy running the show.

Dallas Love Field

This roundup of news around Dallas is perfect for those who are more about the who than the what. It's dominated by appointments including a new interim director at Dallas Love Field, and a new honcho at Habitat For Humanity.

Here's a people-centric version of what happened in Dallas this week:

New at Love Field
Patrick Carreno has been appointed Interim Director of Aviation to oversee Dallas Love Field, Dallas Executive Airport, and the Dallas Vertiport. He replaces Director Mark Duebner, who retired after an interminable 27 years.

Carreno most previously served as Assistant Director of Operations and joined the team in December 2021. He has a degree in Aviation Management and a commercial pilot's license, and was previously Vice President for Allegheny County Airport Authority, overseeing Airport Operations, Field Maintenance, and Security Departments at Pittsburgh International Airport.

New at Emergency Services
Dallas County has hired a new Chief of Emergency Services to oversee the county’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management department: Scott T. Forster has more than 20 years of experience, previously filling similar roles in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and Carbon County, Pennsylvania. He was director of training and operations for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, and served most recently as senior manager in charge of Emergency Preparedness for Hershey Entertainment and Resorts.

New at Habitat for Humanity
Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity has appointed William "Bill" Eubanks III as its new CEO to continue the nonprofit’s work to drive affordable housing across the city. The announcement was made at the organization’s annual Dream Builders Luncheon featuring former Dallas Cowboys Darren Woodsen and Tony Casillas. Eubanks succeeds outgoing CEO Dave Crawford, who announced his retirement in May of this year. As CEO, Eubanks will oversee the organization's 80+ employees, 200+ volunteers, and its Dallas Neighborhood Homes construction and Dallas Neighborhood Alliance mortgage operations, as well as its ReStore locations.

Eubanks joins Habitat with more than 40 years of experience in real estate operations, asset management, and business operations. He has served as COO for KFC and National VP of Pizza Hut, in addition to owning and operating 32 franchises with Yum! Brands. Most recently, he served as President of Eubanks Holdings overseeing commercial property development. He will assume the position of CEO of Dallas Habitat on November 14.

Christmas radio
Too soon? On November 10, Dallas radio station Star 102.1 switched from adult contemporary to full-time holiday music. This is the seventh straight year the station has executed such a switch. They'll play Christmas music around the clock, before switching back to adult contemporary on December 26.

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Weed News

Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Dallas over decriminalization of marijuana

Photo courtesy of US Fish & Wildlife

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The City of Dallas has been sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for its efforts to decriminalize marijuana.

According to a release, Paxton has sued the city for adopting a city charter amendment that would decriminalize marijuana-related offenses and prohibit police from enforcing Texas law.

That amendment was Proposition R, or Dallas Freedom Act, which decriminalizes possession of four ounces of marijuana or less. Voters passed the amendment in the November 5 election, with 67 percent voting in favor.

The lawsuit, filed against the Dallas City Council, alleges that Proposition R is unconstitutional and violates Texas drug laws criminalizing any amount of marijuana.

Paxton says that cities can't "pick and choose which state laws to follow." He's proposing a permanent injunction to stop Proposition R from going into effect.

"The City of Dallas has no authority to override Texas drug laws or prohibit the police from enforcing them," says Paxton in a statement. "This is a backdoor attempt to violate the Texas Constitution, and any city that tries to constrain police in this fashion will be met swiftly with a lawsuit by my office.”

Before the recent election, possession of two to four ounces of marijuana could result in a punishment of 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Ground Game Texas, the activist nonprofit that has also helped get marijuana decriminalization on the ballot in elections across Texas, first got the issue on the ballot in July with the necessary 50,000 signatures.

Dallas is not the only city to be sued; Paxton also filed lawsuits against five other cities in Austin, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and San Marcos in January for their ballots and policies decriminalizing marijuana.

Both Austin and San Marcos had a judge overturn their cases, according to a FOX 4 report.

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