Texas is actively seeking out-of-state health care personnel to help with the latest COVID19 surge. Abbott has also asked hospitals to voluntarily postpone elective medical procedures.
One physician in a Facebook post openly spoke about triaging pediatric trauma victims because of a lack of bedspace and not being able to accept patient transfers because local pediatric facilities are being used by adults.
COVID19 Retreat
While Abbott is asking other states for assistance in fighting coronavirus his leadership at Texas Education Agency is still balking on mask requirements. Austin ISD and Dallas ISD have both announced they are moving forward with mask requiements anyway.
Rising numbers of COVID19 cases has the restaurant owner with a sign on his door informing his patrons to mask up or shut up.
Groves’ restaurant started mandating masks for its patrons last Thursday, July 29. Many, including Groves say they expect and are prepaing for the worst.
Here We Go Again Locally And Nationally
Locally, coronavirus numbers have returned to the same numbers as February 2021, similar to other parts of the country. In San Francisco though local bar and restaurant industry leaders acted similarly to Ellen’s: No Proof of Vaccination/No Service.
The San Francisco group represents five hundred bars who came together to say patrons must get a vaccine or skip going out to the bars represented by the group.
Beyond Groves, no organization has taken on the question of mandating masks or vaccination as strongly or as unified as the San Francisco example.
Currently, Governor Abbott has stopped localities from implementing government enforced requirements for masks or vaccinations.
It is rumored that Mr. Mundinger will support SDC’s reorganization and transformation.
Goldman Sachs William Mundinger
Mr. Mundinger previously worked at Goldman Sachs where he was National Director of Development, Environmental, and Construction Services. There he provided development and oversight services in Dallas, the East and West Coasts and internationally.Mr. Mundinger will report to Dr. Eric A. Johnson, Chief of Economic Development and Neighborhood Services, whose tenure has been marked by inconsistency throughout.
If the appointment occurs, Mundinger will begin his tenure with the City of Dallas in mid August.
The appointment is expected to receive some negative attention and rumors of insiders controlling Dallas given Mundinger’s past employment with Goldman Sachs.
The Majestic Theatre first opened its doors in 1921. It is the last standing theater of “Theatre Row,” Dallas’ historic Elm Street entertainment center. It was designed by John Eberson, one of the foremost designers of theaters in the early 20th Century, and served as the crown jewel of Karl Hoblitzelle’s Interstate Theater Company. The Hoblitzelle Foundation gifted The Majestic Theatre to the City of Dallas in January 1976.
The celebration of the Majestic comes just days after Deep Ellum has been targeted for noise by Code Enforcement.
A petition on Change.org states City Council “snuck through a new sound ordinance recently,” but this appears to be new enforcement of current city code, not a new policy.
Deep Ellum Noise Ordinances
Dallas City noise ordinances say “(1) No mechanical loudspeaker or sound amplifier may be operated within 150 feet of the property line of the premises of a residence, except between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and sunset, as designated by publication in a local newspaper of general circulation.”
The next section also says “(2) A mechanical loudspeaker or sound amplifier may not emit loud and disturbing noises so as to interfere with the enjoyment of life or property or to interfere with public peace and comfort.“
Section 51A-6.102 handles noise regulation within the City of Dallas.
A man is dead and community members are blaming SBA suicide and Brillient Corporation for the death. The man went missing Thursday night was found late Friday dead by suicide per Dallas Police and community sources.
Per sources the man had been an applicant to the federal Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and been denied despite facing significant hardship to his small business since COVID19.
A representative for US Senator Sherrod Brown, Chairman of the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, declined comment. Our emails then played Congressional ping pong where we were pointed to the communications team from the Senate Banking Committee to Small Business Committee all of which also declined comment.
SBA or SBA Contractor Issues
One focal point is a group called Brillient Corporation which does contract work for the US Government.
In addition to the new suicide, we have identified not less than five local businesses being denied PPP or Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to women and minority owned businesses by Brillient.
There is no clear pattern to the denials and in two cases the denials stated “could not verify business existed.” Both businesses were found using the Texas Comptoller of Accounts business entity search function in moments.
SBA Suicide and Economic Development Issues Locally
SBA has had repeated issues with program red tape.
During a photo op recently staff for Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh stopped questions about these programs from another business asking why SBA was being unclear and unfair in administration of its programs.
United States Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh was in Dallas yesterday providing a photo op for United State Representative Colin Allred and the administration’s American Jobs Plan. While he did a lot of talking, he did not answer a lot of questions.
Walsh tweeted that the YMCA location helps “make child care accessible and affordable, invest in early childhood programs, and provide development opportunities to young adults.”
Marty Walsh Missed Opportunity
One area of concern was a high school student believed to be from Hillcrest who tried to ask Secretary Walsh questions about the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. The student had started a nonprofit focused on bringing assistance to children with cancer.
The nonprofit has received a loan qualification, but SBA staff have not finalized the loan to assist the nonprofit in staying afloat. The student was briefly detained by staff believed to have been associated with Secretary Walsh or Rep. Colin Allred.
Rep. Allred’s staff did say in a statement that this was a constituent services issue they would look into, but no questions were allowed during the photo op with Secretary Walsh at any of the locations he visited on this topic.
Michael Flynn Calls For a Myanmar style coup in Dallas at the Omni Hotel this weekend in the latest provocation by far right QAnon supporters.
The Omni Dallas Hotel is hosting guests for the four-day QAnon inspired conference called For God and Country Patriot Roundup. The event featured prominent QAnon supportes including former national security advisor Michael Flynn.
The conference began on Friday with a VIP meet-and-greet reception and lasted through yesterday, Memorial Day.
Flynn responded to a crowd question about why a Myanmar style insurrection could not happen here and he respodned he thought it should.
It is unclear what the cost is to taxpayers for police overtime to provide a space to organizers who openly support insurrection against the United States government.
Dallas County overwhelmingly voted for Joe Biden in November 2020 with 598,576 votes to Donald Trump’s 307,076 votes. This was approximately 65% to 33% with third party candidates taking in the remainder.
Coup In Dallas – Not The First Issue At Omni Hotel
The Omni Dallas has had numerous issues in recent history.
Last year the Omni Hotel refused to put the Black Lives Matter slogan on its hotel wall. The Omni is one of the hotels supported by Visit Dallas which has had numerous audit issues over the years costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
This conference also comes on the heels of Barry Wernick’s campaign for Dallas City Council, District 11, being accused of Trumpian campaign tactics. Wernick’s team admitted in a secret recording to doctoring a Facebook post of his opponent for the Dallas City Council seat earlier in the campaign season.
The Business and Community Lenders nonprofit is accused of threatening a local nonprofit with withdrawing a grant made by the City of Dallas when the grantee asked process questions that were not identified in the initial proposal submission. In the taped conversation the Director of Entrepreneurship, Brian K Marhshall, is heard saying “if you don’t stop asking questions we will just withdraw the grant.” (The conversation provided to Other Side Dallas has gone to a notary for transcription for legal purposes.)
In November, the City of Dallas advertised the B.U.I.L.D Small Business Grant Program. As of late December applicants had not heard from city staff.
As the city advertised, B.U.I.L.D. (Broaden Urban Investments to Leverage Dallas) launched the B.U.I.L.D Small Business Grant Program to assist small businesses impacted by the economic downturn caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic. The program will provide businesses in the city of Dallas that have fewer than nine employees, or a 2019 payroll of less than $250,000, with a one-time grant of up to $3,000.
As we reported in the middle of January, several businesses expressed concern about issues with the grant. Their complaints ranged from the city missing its own deadline of late December notifications and not also changing standards after the application period.
BUILD Grantees Not Only Ones Concerned
In addition to the threats and changing standards, it is not clear who is funding this program. The City of Dallas who advertised the program has denied funding the program and referred the issue to JP Morgan Chase. Their media relations staff say they did not fund this program either.
Further, City of Dallas staff stated they had no responsive documents when asked about how BUILD grantees’ applications were scored and decisions made, that the decisions were for funding, etc.
Dr. Eric Anthony Johnson, Director of Economic Development for the City of Dallas has refused to respond to numerous requests for comment about his BUILD grantees program. Additionally, Tennell Atkins, Chairman of the City Council Economic Development Committee has refused multiple requests also.
Can the City of Dallas expect more Economic Development bait and switch from the department led by Dr. Eric Anthony Johnson? It appears so when it comes to offering grants and then making the checks impossible to obtain.
In November, the city launched the BUILD grants program offering $3000 microgrants to small businesses and nonprofits hit hard by COVID19. The notice said checks would be out by December 28, 2020. Until we inquired last week through a Public Information Request no one had received notice.
One education based nonprofit noted they received notification Friday and were then given one businesses day to agree to additional terms and conditions not originally outlined in the program. Their reaction to this bait and switch was outrage.
In an email to Carolyn King Arnold the group noted they are already doing the city and county’s job by providing for homeless students who are not receiving services through City of Dallas.
Bait and Switch – Again
The bait and switch grant issue is particularly hard because the City of Dallas provided $3M to a South Dallas grocer with almost no strings attached. It reeked of the economic devlopment problems of the old South Dallas/Fair Park Trust Fund.
The issue is particularly relevant as six different entities contacted Other Side Dallas to complain about process and response.
One person noted this is another example of the City of Dallas giving away dollars to politically connected friends of city council members. In October, city staff tried to sneak through a proposal to give the Lorenzo Hotel nearly $2M. It was only stopped when Council Member Cara Mendolsohn (D12) asked questions.
To date there has been no response to emails from several city council members including Tennell Atkins who spearheaded the $3M to the now closed Save U More grocer, and has been a major recipient of campaign cash from Save U More’s representatives.
Ditty Mayor Eric Johnson who also received sizeable contributions on the repeated failings of Economic Development.
Ditto Casey Thomas (D3) who also has been silent on the matter.
Ditto Adam Bazaldua (D7) who has ignored several requests to discuss this issue and the South Dallas/Fair Park Opportunity Fund Board from current and former board members.
The issue has not escaped notice though.
Calvin Johnson, a candidate for the D7 city council seat in May said,”When it comes to city programs that help small business we have to be better organized on announcing all the requirements upfront.”
“We must set achievable timetables and follow through effectively on the back end when the assistance is approved and granted,” he continued.
It is unclear why his opponent Bazaldua has not taken this opportunity given his progressive public profile for slashing the police budget in favor of social programs.
Ditto North Dallas. Council Member Lee Kleinman (D11) who has been arguing against the Dallas Police Department’s mounted unit for years – which costs the city roughly $125000 annually – had no comment about either the Save U More issue or bait and switch grant programs. Kleinman is term limited and
