Community – Page 4 – The Other Side Dallas

November 14, 2020November 14, 2020

Mark Cuban Heroes To Provide Thanksgiving To 400

Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center is providing Thanksgiving meals for 400 in South Dallas at the Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center. This will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

After a successful kick off last month, the Center Table Fall Harvest series – presented by The Mark Cuban Foundation, The Dirk Nowitzki Foundation, The Heroes Foundation and North Texas Food Bank – will continue Thursday, November 19, from 9 am-noon at the Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center. The center is located at 1800 Bonnie View Road, Dallas, TX 75216.

With many families facing tough times, the drive-up event will offer free food boxes for 400 families. The event is open to people who reside in the surrounding neighborhoods of the Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center including Cedar Crest, south Oak Cliff, southern Dallas County and Joppa.

Food boxes are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis to 400 families. Pre-registration is not required. Volunteers and staff from the Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center will wear masks and gloves and will practice social distancing.

In addition, as part of the Center Table Fall Harvest efforts, free chef-prepared meals for four will be delivered to senior citizens and grandparents in the Center’s surrounding neighborhoods in advance of Thanksgiving week (November 21-23). Made by The Bearded Chef and Chef Joslyn of Sankofa, the meal packs include a turkey, two sides, dessert and tea. Also, free meal packs for homeless high school and college students will be delivered to schools or available for pick up.

“The true heroes are all of our neighbors who have been impacted by the pandemic. Many of them are and have been essential workers. They are hardworking women and men who have and continue to make significant sacrifices and contributions to our city and society. And to that end, we owe them a debt of gratitude. This is one way to express our gratitude,” said Trina Terrell-Andrews, CEO of the Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center. “While we all are experiencing a challenging season, we must do all we can to support one another.”

Center Table Fall Harvest will continue in December (date forthcoming).

Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center

The Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center is a multi-purpose facility for neighborhood youth and families providing sports and leadership programs.

For more info, go to markcubanheroescenter.org or call 214-379-7451.

November 13, 2020November 13, 2020

Our Calling: Homeless Left In Cold

Our Calling Left In Cold Caring For Homeless

Our Calling and the homeless were left out in the cold when Our Calling, located just outside Downtown Dallas, was not included when Dallas City Council approved an exception for churches to operate as emergency homeless shelters during extreme cold.

City Council and staff has worked for years on a policy that would create a legal way for churches to open their doors to the homeless on freezing nights. Staff from Our Calling said a change made in the final hour will now leave 270 people out in the cold.

“I think what they are communicating is they don’t care about minorities that are poor, and they sure don’t want them Downtown, and now they don’t even want them a half mile away from Downtown,” said Pastor Wayne Walker, with Our Calling, which is a discipleship ministry to the unsheltered homeless.

Two years ago, the city gave Pastor Wayne Walker a citation for sheltering the homeless during a freezing night.

Our Calling is located immediately outside Downtown, near The Cedars, a community experiencing economic revitalization, bringing calls of racism and privilege.

Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Adam Medrano, Adam Bazaldua, and Omar Narvaez – the Woke Caucus as some refer to them – seemed to justify limiting the homeless at Our Calling.

“We are listening to our constituents, we have enough shelter Downtown. We do. This was supposed to spread it out throughout the city,” said Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Adam Medrano.

This same constituency pushed defunding the police earlier in the year and re-programming funds away from the police department. Their previous stances seem more in favor of bike lanes than actually social services for those in need.

Earlier this year these same members of City Council were prepared to push through $1.9M in CARES Act funding for the Lorenzo Hotel until D12 City Council Member Cara Mendelsohn called attention to the issue.

Additionally, these more challenged socioeconomic areas of Dallas received a smaller percentage of the city rental assistance program than their more wealthy neighbors.

Our Calling

Our Calling is on the frontline of the battle to cure homelessness. They’re on the streets every day meeting the unsheltered homeless of Dallas County, learning their stories, identifying their needs, and theysay connecting their hearts to Christ. We have formed lasting connections with thousands of individuals who we are proud to be able to include among our friends.

October 2, 2020October 2, 2020

Did Dallas Defund 9-1-1 Call Takers Too?

Where are the 9-1-1 call takers?

Multiple news reports said a man died early Sunday after he was shot while in his vehicle outside the Westin Galleria, Dallas police say. This comes less than a week after the Dallas City Council voted to defund Dallas Police overtime, but a social media account suggests the response was slowed due to lack of 9-1-1 call takers.

Officers responded about 2:47 a.m. to the shooting call in the 13340 block of Dallas Parkway, where witnesses told police a group of males in a dark-colored sedan shot at a white Mercedes in front of the hotel.

Both the shooter’s vehicle and the victim left the area, but police found the victim near the service road with a gunshot wound.

9-1-1 Call Takers Inaction An Ongoing Problem

9-1-1 call takers are an ongoing problem in numerous big cities. Dave Statter of Statter911 has a long history of reporting issues with Washington, DC’s Operation Center.

Dallas appears to be having some of the same issues per the social media responses above including a fight in progress and uninterrupted” automatic gun fire.

September 28, 2020September 28, 2020

Traffic Advisory: Preston Road

Preston Road motorists are advised that on Thursday, October 1, 2020, between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., southbound lanes of Preston Road (SH 289) will be reduced to one lane of traffic for utility construction in the pavement. The lane reduction will be along Preston Road from Walnut Hill Lane to Joyce Way.

The road closures are required for construction work on a Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) pipe replacement project. Construction work at Joyce Way began in June 2020 and is anticipated to be complete by November 2020.

Preston Road Project

Motorists are urged to follow signage in the construction zone. During the road closures, construction crews will be connecting new underground water pipes to the existing water system. The construction will require water service to be temporarily shut-off to some customers in the area to allow crews to make the connections. Water service to impacted customers will be interrupted for about four to six hours, beginning at 10 a.m. DWU staff will go door-to-door to alert impacted customers and will also leave written notification. DWU staff will wear masks and practice social-distancing when going door-to-door.

For questions or concerns about the project, please contact Construction Superintendent, Mike Warren, at his office number (214) 670-8082 or cell number (214) 243-4292.

September 23, 2020September 23, 2020

Rickie Rush of IBOC Accused of Rape

Rickie Rush was accused of multiple offenses against women on Sunday. The Dallas Morning News reported a detailed investigation into reports of sexual and physical assault allegations against DFW’s Inspiring Body of Christ (IBOC) evangelist Rush. IBOC is one of the largest churches in both Texas and the nation.

Rush is currently not facing any criminal charges, but in an NBC interview Moffeit said he did not deny the charges but said through a statement from his lawyer the claims appear to be specious and without evidence.

“Pastor Rush vehemently denies these accusations and humbly requests all to resist a rush to judgment until his due process rights our constitution guarantees has taking effect,” said Rush’s attorney Michael P. Heiskell.

There is a connection to Dallas Independent School District when he taught at Skyline High School that is being pursued also.

Rickie Rush

Rickie G. Rush is the Senior Pastor of the Inspiring Body of Christ Church. An internationally acclaimed speaker, teacher, and master illustrator, he is known for the engaging and humorous ways in which he simplifies the Word of God. Born to a single mother, he experienced tragedy and change early in life. The death of his mother, subsequent adoption, and calling to the ministry at 10 years old all combined to transform him from a devastated young boy in despair to a triumphant man of God filled with unlimited compassion.

Pastor Rush earned a secondary teaching degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, which led him to teach theatre arts for seventeen years at Skyline High School in Dallas, TX. Later, he obtained a Doctor of Divinity degree from Rialto Bible College, which afforded him the opportunity to instruct adults and pastors at the collegiate level. Among his major educational influences were debate, oratory, and music. His love for music led to the organization of several gospel choirs. During his school and teaching years, he also maintained a rigorous preaching schedule. This was the beginning of what would lead to one of God’s greatest assignments in Pastor Rush’s life.

September 3, 2020September 3, 2020

No Spanish Speakers Need Apply

Carter Bloodcare denied two Spanish speakers the ability to donate earlier this week per multiple witnesses. The two potential donors had made an appointment for earlier this week in Spanish, but upon arrival at the Dallas donor center were told they would not be accomodated.

Carter Bloodcare Denies Spanish Speakers Ability To Donate Blood

On a regular basis Carter Bloodcare reminds the public that the blood supply is inadequate for ongoing needs while they sell donated blood products to hospitals throughout the region.

We asked Carter Bloodcare about these issues more than twenty-four hours ago. They have not responded to a request for comment other than it is accurate two donors were denied the ability to donate without being screened.

The American Red Cross also collects blood locally.

Information for Spanish Speakers

Three federal laws require that providers who receive federal funds provide oral interpreters and written translated materials to Limited English Proficiency and Deaf and Hard of Hearing patients. Those laws include Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Many systems including nonprofits will use language lines which are telephone systems where a qualified translator can provide medical translation for hundreds of languages between medical staff and patient.

In addition to the above Newly adopted changes to Section 1557 of the ACA in 2016 brought about two key changes.

First, providers must now use qualified medical interpreters when treating LEP and Deaf
and HOH patients.

Second, LEP patients, for the first time, were granted the right to sue providers for language access violations. It was not clear if the Spanish speaking donors had sought counsel.