A “Dallas County gerrymander” per a court watcher. Dallas County Commissioners’ Court voted to gerrymander JJ Koch out of his seat and then heard comments about the vote afterward. Dr. Elba Garcia called the process “tainted” and was clearly unhappy with both process and result.
Dallas County Gerrymander
The gerrymander does not seem to extend to Constable or Justice of the Peace precincts. The map there was passed as Map A Revised.
Other Side Dallas will update with a finalized Commissioner’s Court map when available.
No voting for you says Dallas County Elections staff after not allowing a Dallas County registered voter to participate in the nonpartisan election during Early Voting session Friday, October 29, 2021.
Earlier this year hearings were held on Senate Bill 1 (SB1) and House Bill 3(HB3) which Democrats said would make voting harder, but this appears to be poorly trained staff following last year’s departure of Toni Pippins-Poole, a John Wiley Price disciple whose administration was mired in similar accusations.
No Voting For You Despite Public Pledges Otherwise
The county elections department website says in its mission statement it is to “accurately maintain voter registration records,” but it seems difficult at best.
Dallas County Elections staff stated they could not make an accomodation for a voter they admit should have been given a provisional ballot.
A staff member with JJ Koch said that voters who experience problems voting should first demand a provisional ballot. Additionally voters can make a formal complaint here which will be responded to by the full Dallas County Commissioner’s Court.
Eddie Garcia Island is what Dallas Police insiders are calling the freshman chief’s lack of accountability and transparency when dealing with the public.
The issue came up recently as Dallas Police over ruled the recommendation of Internal Affairs over officer discipline after an excessive force incident and instead took the recommendation of the Training Academy.
An officer with a sister law enforcement agency said “Chief Garcia seems to be repeating the errors of Chief Hall. It didn’t work out too well for her or the City of Dallas.”
Eddie Garcia Island Is Just Renee Hall 2.0
Almost a year ago, Reneé Hall raced from her duties as DPD Chief after an inappropriate relationship with Dominique Alexander was exposed.
It was this relationship and not her repeated lies about the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge incident which moved Hall’s move out of the Chief’s office.
At the time the Community Police Oversight Board were asking questions about her accountability, but no action was taken, even after an After Action Report demonstrated a historic failure in responding to the George Floyd protests of 2020.
Chief Garcia’s arrival was supposed to turn the page on the errors of Chief Hall, but now it appears the same problems of insularity and aloofness are happening again.
Another law enforcement source said, “he only engages on his terms and the problem with that is when people reach out in good faith and you dont hear back what do you do?” This person continued, “if you really want to listen to the community you have to listen. You have to return phone calls, you have to return emails, you have to answer questions whether you like it or not.”
A third person noted, “Garcia is too busy using officers for politically motivated ‘investigations’ and not handling the regular shootings in downtown and uptown” which are keeping crowds from returning. “As long as people do not feel safe – downtown Dallas is in a bind.”
An American Airlines flight attendant assaulted on a flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on its way to John Wayne Airport in Orange County was punched twice, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Denver.
A photo tweeted by a passenger shows the man who was arrested sitting inside the terminal at the airport in Denver. He is seen handcuffed and wearing a mask.
“We are outraged by the reports of what took place on board. Acts of violence against our team members are not tolerated by American Airlines. We are working with law enforcement to support our team member and pursue prosecution, and the individual involved in this incident will not be allowed to travel with us in the future,” American Airlines said in a statement.
“If you’re not prepared to wear a mask, you’re not prepared to fly, that’s the moral of the story,” said Mackenzie Rose, a passenger on the flight who tweeted the detainment photo.
American Airlines Flight Attendant Assaulted – Mask Issues Continue
American Airlines has said it will abide by the federal requirement for passengers to wear masks over ruling Governor Abbott’s executive order prohibiting private mandates.
The issue is spilling over into other areas of life here in Dallas though.
Two weeks ago the owners of the Gents Place salon organized a child abuse at protest at Dealey Montessori arguing their children were being abused by Principal Beth Wing for the Dallas ISD mask mandate.
Those actions have led Dallas ISD to keep speakers off tonight’s Board of Trustees agenda.
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.
The Dallas Police Department had no answers to why the detained lawful homeowners in their own home in an incident that reminds the public of the Botham Jean incident.
According to a news report by Fox5, Dallas police mistakenly assumed a mother and her son were burglars and detained them while they were in their own home.
One neightbor described the incident as being detained for “being black and owning a home.”
No Answers Again For Citizens Asking Why
Dallas Police have not returned telephone calls or emails, but the incident harkens back to the Botham Jean incident where a man was murdered by then Dallas Police Officer Amber Guyger. Her case is still in appeal.
It also makes Dallas area residents nervous about the ability of DPD to do their job without assaulting citizens or the protests that result from these examples where judgement is not obvious.
The incident is a reminder of the short fuses DPD has when it comes to being asked questions by citizens while officers often go without accountability including Sgt. Melvin Williams.
Chief Garcia’s office has been noticeably silent after repeated requests for comment on a number of issues. A Public Information Officer noted that DPD has not been able to “determine if an administrative investigation is warranted.”
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.
Dallas ISD may be getting ready for another protest at Dealey Montessori. Details are unconfirmed at this point, but there are indications another protest is being planned for the North Dallas Montessori campus and again, school officials are not communicating with parents.
The first protest accused Principal Beth Wing of child abuse for partially enforcing the ISD mask mandate. While there is no evidence of child abuse by Wing, numerous parents have been frustrated by the lack of communication which even central office staff admit is a problem.
Chief of School Leadership Tiffany Huitt had issued a remind message saying protestors were not allowed on school property, but numerous examples of that happened and school officials including Dallas ISD Police did nothing.
There was also at least one report of a firearm on campus – a problem given the Davis family business post on their Twitter account earlier in the week.
Second Protest At Dealey
The first protest occured October 14, 2021 right before dismissal. It included roughly two dozen non-parents showing up and yelling at grade school children who were attempting to walk home.
A counter protest was stopped by an intervening parent.
Other Side Dallas has learned the Mega Citizenship Workshop needs volunteers this weekend to help process paperwork for residents in need of immigration assistance.
The program is to help permanent legal residents become naturalized citizens and is sponsored in part by Immigrant Protection Services.
An online training program is being provided Thursday night at 6:00PM.
Mega Citizenship Workshop Details
The event is taking place at Mountain View College on Saturday, October 30 at 8:30AM. Those wishing to volunteer need to scan the QR code in the ad below.
