In a surprise to no one, Southern Methodist University provided a study confirming the obvious: Dallas infrastructure deserts exists, they primarily exist in the southern sector, and they are happening despite massive funding and misspending by Dallas City Council.
Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Barbara Minsker led the research project using public data and aerial maps.
“An infrastructure desert is a low-income area that has very highly deficient infrastructure compared to other areas of the city,” Minsker said.
The study considered twelve features of neighborhood infrastructure including streets, sidewalks, internet access to access to medical care. Neighborhoods deficient in eight or more characteristics were graded as infrastructure deserts.
The City of Dallas has not had a serious effort to handle its budget priorities in years. This has led to multiple cost over runs and quality control issues leading to issues in both Public Works and other programs.
Dallas Infrastructure Deserts Study Details
The study can be viewed here, but has a warning that it should not be cited since it has not been peer reviewed yet.
There is morning road ice in some parts of Dallas from overnight precipitation.
These patches are passable with caution and by and large roadways are running normally throughout the DFW region.
Morning Road Ice – Just The Beginning
Temperatures are not expected over freezing today so current precipitation will not melt and more is expected this afternoon and early evening. This could impact travel home this evening.
It is not clear if the City of Dallas will attempt to overcome accusations that the City of Dallas is now advancing another social equity goal which is both not realistic and will not do anything to overcome the economic gaps it purports to fix.
The city website says:
Equity means that each person has the resources and services necessary to thrive in each person’s own unique identities, circumstances, and histories.
Equity focuses on eliminating disparities while improving outcomes for all.
Racial equity is a situation that is achieved when people are thriving and neither race nor ethnicity statistically dictates, determines, or predicts one’s social outcome or ability to thrive.
Dallas Racial Equity Plan
Critics point to a series of mismanaged steps by current leadership in Dallas and on City Council.
They point to bait and switch economic development programs run by the former director, Dr. Eric Anthony Johnson, and a South Dallas/Fair Park Opportunity Fund which has been missing trust since it was founded, but has been a cash cow for politically connected minority political operatives.
A woman was attacked by Trump supporters on Ervay Street. Witnesses said the attackers had neo-Nazi markings on their vehicle, but this was not verified.
These and other events with far right conspiracy theorists have created cause for concern among local minority groups.
Polls are out pre-primary and it shows more trouble for Dallas Democrats 2022 edition.
The Dallas Morning News/UT Tyler poll shows Greg Abbott beating presumed Democratic nominee Beto O’Rourke by eleven points. O’Rourke still must win his primary, but Betocrats came out hard against whispers Matthew McConaughey might enter the race.
At the time, polls showed McConaughey beating Abbott – the only potential candidate to do so in any poll.
Currently, O’Rourke is well ahead of his other four primary opponents, but it is unclear what he does next if he loses again.
Lt. Governor candidate Mike Collier leads 21 points to 18 for state representative Michelle Beckley and Democratic Party Vice Chair Carla Brailey at 15 percentage points.
The big surprise may be progressive Latina Rochelle Mercedes Garza who is leading Joe Jaworski and the field of five candidates for Attorney General. She currently has 22 percentage points, nearly doubling presumed front runner Jaworski’s 13 points.
In that race, Lee Merritt and Mike Fields each come in with 9 points.
Dallas Democrats continue to shoot themselves in foot.
Locally, the party is still recovering from losses in 2020 that lost the chance at Texas House of Representatives membership parity. At the time insiders said a circular firing squad started.
It was also revealed that in a Dallas County Democratic Party audit that there were almost no operational or financial controls over money flowing into and out of the party. This all happened as Democrats included convicted felon Terry Hodge as a member of their Electoral College slate.
Trouble For Dallas Democrats 2022 Despite Self Inflicted GOP Wounds
The good news for Dallas Democrats mostly comes from a Republican Party that seems focused on nominating local QAnon supporters as standard bearers for their campaigns.
The other difficulty the GOP appears to be having will come in the 32nd Congressional District if they choose to nominate Brad Namdar who has been accused of soliciting an escort for sex and then not paying her after a second encounter.
The Dallas Morning News/UT-Tyler Poll is a statewide random sample of 1,118 registered voters conducted between February 8 – 15, 2022.
The mixed-mode sample includes 276 registered voters surveyed over the phone by the University of Texas at Tyler with support from ReconMR and 912 registered voters randomly selected from Dynata’s panel of online respondents.
The margin of error for a sample of 1,118 registered voters in Texas is +/- 2.8 percentage points, and the more conservative margin of sampling error that includes design effects from this poll is +/- 3.1 percentage points for a 95% confidence interval.
The White Rock bald eagles displaced by high winds earlier in the week may not be lost yet.
A Texas Parks and Wildlife Department urban wildlife biologist, Sam Kieschnick, told NBC 5 that there could still be time in the season for the birds to mate and build a new nest.
The Bald Eagle couple lost their nest from a cottonwood tree a day earlier this week after high winds knocked the nest down.
White Rock Bald Eagles
The eagles are federally protected and the City of Dallas has taken extra steps to ensdure their protection.
As a result, the city had taken extra steps to protect the eagles, including erecting temporary fencing near the parking lot and signs telling visitors to stay away from the nest.
Anyone who takes an eagle or any part of their nest could face penalties up to $100,000.
The city plans to keep the immediate area around the nest closed while natural resources officials monitor the bird’ activity.
Yesterday we reported on the return of The Dallas Opera with its presentation of Madame Butterfly which starts tonight. Great Madame Butterfly tickets are still available for all shows.
The distinguished cast of Dallas Opera favorites and debuts includes 2005 “Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year” Latonia Moore (Cio-Cio-San), Evan LeRoy Johnson(Lt. B.F. Pinkerton, TDOdebut), Kirstin Chávez (Suzuki), Michael Adams (Sharpless, TDOdebut), Martin Bakari (Goro, TDO debut), Hyung Yun (Prince Yamadori), and Adam Lau (The Bonze).
Music Director Emmanuel Villaumeleads The Dallas Opera Orchestra, Laurie Feldman directs, Michael Yeargan is set and costume designer, and Duane Schuler is lighting designer. Alexander Rom, chorus master, leads The Dallas Opera Chorus.
“It’s such a joy to to be able to bring fully staged productions back to the Winspear Opera House,” said Ian Derrer, The Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO.
· Four performances: February 18 (8pm), 20 (2pm), 23 (7:30pm), 26 (7:30pm)
· 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission
· Sung in Italian with English translations projected for each performance.
· Location: Winspear Opera House (2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX)
· Tickets start at $19 and can be purchased online at dallasopera.org or by calling (214) 443-1000 (Monday – Friday from 10am – 5pm)
· $15 advance student tickets are available for the Wednesday, February 23 performance of Madame Butterfly.
· $15 student rush tickets are available at the Winspear Opera House 90 minutes prior to any Dallas Opera performance and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
· We require one valid Student ID for every two tickets purchased.
Dallas arts are returning in full force with a full season of The Dallas Opera and the City of Dallas celebrating the the Majestic’s centennial.
Brad Namdar responds to Texas Secretary of State saying he has “complied with all applicable Federal and State human trafficking laws and regulations.”
In Namdar’s letter to the Secretary of State he says, “No business funds have ever been expended for any purpose related to the commercial sex industry. Further, not only have no business resources been used in furtherance of (i) engagement in sexual conduct in violation of State or Federal law or (ii) Operation of any business as part of the commercial sex industry; but I also have no personal involvement with illegal sexual conduct or participation in the commercial sex industry. “
Brad Namdar Responds After Allegation He Paid Escort For Sex
Earlier this week, Namdar went on the Mark Davis Show on 660 KSKY to deny the allegations, but could only attribute the allegations to “nefarious sources” associated with human trafficking rings.
Arts are coming backs trong as Madame Butterfly returns to Dallas.
The Dallas Operareturns to presenting fully staged works after an almost two-year hiatus with its production of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, reminding audiences that grand opera endures.
The production, filled with some of the most beautiful operatic music of all time, opens at the Winspear Opera House on Friday, February 18, 2022, at 8:00 PM, with subsequent performances on Sunday, February 20 (2:00 PM), Wednesday, February 23 (7:30 PM), and Saturday, February 26(7:30 PM).
The distinguished cast of Dallas Opera favorites and debuts includes 2005 “Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year” Latonia Moore (Cio-Cio-San), Evan LeRoy Johnson(Lt. B.F. Pinkerton, TDOdebut), Kirstin Chávez (Suzuki), Michael Adams (Sharpless, TDOdebut), Martin Bakari (Goro, TDO debut), Hyung Yun (Prince Yamadori), and Adam Lau (The Bonze).
Music Director Emmanuel Villaumeleads The Dallas Opera Orchestra, Laurie Feldman directs, Michael Yeargan is set and costume designer, and Duane Schuler is lighting designer. Alexander Rom, chorus master, leads The Dallas Opera Chorus.
“It’s such a joy to to be able to bring fully staged productions back to the Winspear Opera House,” said Ian Derrer, The Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO.
Madame Butterfly Returns To Dallas: The Story
In Nagasaki, Japan, a young woman, Cio-Cio-San, falls in love with a U.S. Naval Lieutenant, B.F. Pinkerton. For Cio-Cio-San, also known as “Madame Butterfly,” their impending marriage is one of longevity and love, but for Pinkerton, she is no more than a woman to pass the days until he finds a “real” American wife.
Three years later, Pinkerton has left, and Butterfly continues to wait, holding on hope for her husband’s return. Not only has Pinkerton abandoned a wife, but now a child. Cio-Cio-San is thrilled to see that after all this time, her husband’s naval ship has finally returned to the harbor. Butterfly prepares to reunite with her love, however it’s a woman she sees—Pinkerton’s American wife.
Filled with grief for what was, Butterfly is asked to give up her child. Quietly agreeing, she regains her composure and retrieves her father’s dagger, reading the inscription: “To die with honor when one cannot live with honor.” Cio-Cio-San bids her son farewell and stabs herself, dying as Pinkerton’s voice is heard outside.
· Four performances: February 18 (8pm), 20 (2pm), 23 (7:30pm), 26 (7:30pm)
· 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission
· Sung in Italian with English translations projected for each performance.
· Location: Winspear Opera House (2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX)
· Tickets start at $19 and can be purchased online at dallasopera.org or by calling (214) 443-1000 (Monday – Friday from 10am – 5pm)
· $15 advance student tickets are available for the Wednesday, February 23 performance of Madame Butterfly.
· $15 student rush tickets are available at the Winspear Opera House 90 minutes prior to any Dallas Opera performance and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
· We require one valid Student ID for every two tickets purchased.
Dallas arts are returning in full force with a full season of The Dallas Opera and the City of Dallas celebrating the the Majestic’s centennial.
