Dallas Independent School District keeps speakers off agenda for tonight’s Board of Trustees meeting per two parents who requested to address agenda items pertaining to Dallas ISD’s mask mandate.
Dallas ISD will not consider public comment on mask mandates after Dealey Montessori Principal Beth Wing accused of child abuse.
One board agenda item is board members received guidance from their counsel about the Koch vs Jenkins lawsuit over mask mandates in Dallas County.
Speakers Off Agenda Could Be First Amendment Violation
It is unclear if this Dallas ISD staff decision was made secondary to the potential for a second protest at Dealey or other factors and neither Communications, nor Legal Services, has responded to our inquiries.
The decision however could be a Constitutional problem which will create another headache for a school district that by and large has done the right thing per most parents in the face of COVID19.
The Dallas City Council gives more tax breaks to billionaires in one more corportate giveaway while simultaneously telling the homeless they can not ask for money on street corners.
City Council approved an “incentive” to facilitate a new mixed-use and mixed-income development project proposed by Kroger Co. and its development partner Southeastern called One City View at N. Hall Street and Flora Street.
The project, the second in collaboration with Kroger in recent years, will bring a full-service grocery store and affordable housing to the downtown/uptown area.
“The mixed income component of this project brings 375 new housing units, including a much needed 75 affordable units to Dallas,” District 14 City Council Member Paul Ridley said. “I welcome such opportunities to partner with the private sector to achieve the city’s objective of creating more affordable housing close to jobs, transportation and community resources.”
The new five-story development will include a Kroger grocery store (approximately 80,000 square feet) on the ground level and almost four hundred apartments on the upper four levels. At least seventy-five of these apartments will be rent restricted for households earning a maximum of 60% Area Median Family Income (AMFI). The total project cost is estimated at $108 million.
The incentive approved by the City Council to facilitate the project authorizes a real property tax abatement agreement for a period of ten years in an amount equal to the City’s taxes assessed on 50% of the increased value of the property.
“This partnership is a step towards greater economic and equitable development in communities with untapped potential. We look forward to collaborating with Kroger and Southeastern and hope this project will serve as a beacon to attract similar partnerships,” Chief of Economic Development & Neighborhood Services Dr. Eric Anthony Johnson said.
In 2019, the City Council approved an initial partnership with Kroger for a new $100 million fulfillment center located at 4241 Telephone Road in the Southern Dallas Inland Port. The Dallas-based automated fulfillment center, in partnership with Ocado Solutions USA Inc., will source, package and prepare grocery products for direct delivery to consumers throughout Dallas and neighboring communities.
Tennell Atkins was overjoyed by the news saying in a city issued statement, “this partnership will lift and leverage our efforts to achieve equitable development in Dallas. We are happy to support Kroger in this project, and hope to see more positive and impactful collaborations like this one in our City.”
Atkins is Chair of the Economic Development Committee.
The City of Dallas also provided $3M to a South Dallas grocer with almost no strings attached after city council intercession. It reeked of the economic devlopment problems of the old South Dallas/Fair Park Trust Fund and todate has not provided additional jobs or additional food options.
That move has since been lambasted as another giveaway to developer friends of local city council members.
Construction of the latest taxpayer funded boondoggle is reported to be nearing completion. 350 full-time positions for the new facility will begin to ramp up in the coming months.
In addition to providing the tax break for Kroger and Company, the City of Dallas is also coordinating with the company to use tax dollars to provide employees to Kroger via city run job fairs.
Mayor of Dallas Eric Johnson test positive for COVID19 per a statement issued a short while ago.
“I appreciate your thoughts and prayers on behalf of my family, and I look forward to a speedy recovery so I can get back to work with my colleagues on behalf of the people of Dallas,” Johnson, 46, said in the statement. “In addition, I want to take this opportunity to again encourage residents of Dallas to get vaccinated if they have not yet done so — and to receive a booster shot when they are eligible.”
Eric Johnson Tests Positive Despite Vaccination
Mayor Johnson was vaccinated at UT Southwestern Medical Center in January 2021 due to an underlying medical condition not disclosed.
Despite county mask requirements, the City of Dallas has been less strict with enforcing masks locally including at popular gathering places such as The Majestic Theatre.
The Mayor has cancelled a number of appointments including tomorrow’s city council meeting as he recovers.
Suprun is most known for his historic stand against Donald Trump in 2016 as a member of the Texas Electoral College when he was a Republican.
At the time, Suprun published an oped in the New York Times detailing his opposition which garnered more than one million views in twenty-four hours.
He has since worked to elect Democrats and campaigned for Joe Biden in 2020. State Democrats did not designate him on their slate of electors for Joe Biden in 2020 though.
After his 2016 announcement he was accused of stolen valor and faking 9-11 service, but a Freedom of Information Act response from the FBI along with two affidavits show his presence at the 2001 terror attack.
Additionally, Texas Republican Senator Bob Hall sponsored a proclamation recognizing his service in Arlington, Virginia that day.
A number of Dallas organizations are holding Trunk Or Treat 2021 events the next few days. Here are some options for your consideration as you make plans for the coming week.
Trunk Or Treat 2021 Locations
Thursday, October 28 from 5:30PM – 7:00PM
Semones YMCA will have decorated cars and invite you to join them in the south parking lot for a night of safe, outdoor trick or treat fun! They will feature goodies and fun for the whole family. Bring a guest to share this free community event.
Friday, October 29 from 5:30PM – 7:00PM
In an effort to provide another safe and fun Halloween treat, the Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church and CDC have once again teamed up to offer Boo-Tacular, a drive-thru trunk or treat carnival. Kids and their families are invited to enter the church parking lot off Shoreview and circle the parking lot for treats. They will have trunks passing out candy, hosting games, and fun surprises.
Saturday, October 30 from 4:00PM – 6:00PM.
NorthPark Presbyterian Church will hold their trunk or treat in close proximity to Marsh Lane Baptist Church’s event so if you’re really spooky you may be able to double up on candy.
Saturday, October 30 from 4:00PM – 7:00PM.
Marsh Lane Baptist Church will also host an event which will include a photo station, games, music, car decorating contest, and fun.
Sunday, October 30 from 3:00PM – 7:00PM.
Dallas Youth Sports and II Kold Familia present Trick or Treat Extravaganza as a Sunday Trunk or Treat 2021 event. Their free event will feature food, games, costume, prize giveaways, music, and much more.
Their fun, free, safer event for the whole family will include a program this year which will feature John Tarver, organist for Spring Valley UMC, playing a keyboard with full orchestral sounds, joined by special guest soloists in a program called “Disney Villains and Disney Fun”.
This free, short concert will be performed outside on the church parking lotFollowing the musical program, everyone can enjoy trunk-or-treating in a designated part of the parking lot, where decorated car trunks will be filled with candy.
The Office of Community Care is hosting a skilled labor job fair for Dallas skilled labor employers to find qualified employees.
Prospective employees will have the opportunity to submit applications and complete onsite interviews for twenty businesses all which have open positions.
Despite low local unemployment numbers there are a number of businesses struggling to attract talented workers to their business.
The event will take place from 9:00AM to 12:00PM noon on Saturday, October 23, 2021 at West Dallas Multipurpose Center, 2828 Fish Trap Rd., Dallas, TX, 75212.
Ken Kalthoff of NBC5 reported that Marian Brown’s office, the Dallas County Sheriff Lost $600000 in inmate commissary funds.
The FBI is currently investigating whether or not the funds were stolen or if this is an accounting error.
Dallas County Commissioners were alerted to a problem at this week’s County Commissioner’s meeting. A Sheriff’s Department employee discovered problems dating over six years, spanning both Sheriff Lupe Valdez and Sheriff Brown’s administrations.
The County Auditor found more than three hundred inmate debit cards totaling $699,993 were issued in excess of the inmates’ trust fund balances. The county program vendor for the program returned $97,390.79 with a check earlier this summer.
Sheriff Lost $600000 – More In Credibility
Commissioner John Wiley Price said other problems occurred prior to the current sheriff. Price has previously been accused of crimes by the FBI and had a federal trial of his own.
It is unclear if County Commissioners will hire Erin Nealy Cox to uncover issues when she completes her investigation of the City of Dallas IT loss.
American Airlines disrupts DC air traffic just one week after thousands of Southwest flight cancellations disrupted air traffic across the country.
On Saturday, emergency crews at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. responded to an American jet that has been stopped in the middle of the airport’s main runway.
The jet sat on the runway for t least ten minutes before fire and rescue crews arrived to Dave Statter.
In a statement, American Airlines said, “American Eagle flight 4965, operated by Republic Airways, with service from Memphis to Regan National Airport (DCA) experienced a mechanical issue upon landing at DCA. The flight landed safely and there were no reported injuries. All passengers were bussed to the terminal.”
Their statement continues, “there were 71 passengers and four crew on board.”
American Airlines Disrupts DC and Texas
Earlier in the week American executives stated they would continue to comply with federal mask mandates despite Governor Abbott’s state level executive order stating mask mandates were forbidden.
Erin Nealy Cox takes over the city investigation into IT losses which deleted millions of police files used in criminal prosecutions.
Nealy Cox is the former US Attorney for the Northern District of Texas and was recommended by Dallas officials hoping to find answers to the data loss jeopardizing upwards of 17,000 criminal cases.
Council members on Thursday also questioned the head of the city’s IT department about a 131-page report released two weeks ago that found the country’s ninth-largest city lacked basic policies and procedures for backing up archived data.
The City Council’s general investigating and ethics committee unanimously agreed Thursday to recommend law firm Kirkland & Ellis LLP to conduct the independent review. The City Council will have to approve the decision to make it official.
“The data loss incident may have originated with a single employee who broke the rules,” said council member Cara Mendelsohn, who is chair of the committee. “But it’s clear from this report that there are no rules.
“The discovery of the data loss is horrific to the victims of family violence, and I’m not sure that we can ever fully apologize for any of the cases that don’t move forward because of these errors.”
Erin Nealy Cox – No Stranger To Dallas Police
Nealy Cox, resigned from North Texas’ U.S. Attorney’s Office in December estimated the review and report would take three months to complete and cost taxpayers more than half a million dollars.
Dallas Police Executive Assistant Chief Albert Martinez said an investigation continues alongside the Dallas FBI Field Office.
Adam McGough acted immediately this morning on Dealey fear of the planned protest by the Davis family.
Minutes after being texted by OSD, he responded “I have brought this concern to top DPD leadership.”
So far he is the only person to respond.
As reported earlier this morning, the Davis’ business tweeted earlier this week a message about choosing between an AK47 and M16 on a business account unrelated to hair salon services for men.
It is unclear why this guest post happened two days prior to their planned protest.
In am email, Dallas Police Deputy Chief Rick Watson states “This is the first I have heard about this information.” This counters a claim by DISD‘s Chief of School Leadership Tiffany Huitt that police would be on scene to maintain order.
Dealey Fear By Students
Since we published this morning an eighth grade parent emailed a screenshot from a cellphone parent monitoring app.
In the cellular text conversation – reported to be three Dealey students – one states “people are talking about them coming with weapons that wont happen right?”
The conversation’s participants are redacted for privacy per the parent source’s condition for publishing.
We will update if Dallas ISD or Dallas Police respond to us.
