Email Author Sam Merten

Awards

• 2011 - National Council on Crime and Delinquency/Prevention for a Safer Society Award, published October 7, 2010

  "A Few Troubled Men"

• 2011 - Lone Star Awards, published February 4, 2010

  "Outlawed"

• 2010 - Lone Star Awards, published October 15, 2009

  "Guilty"

• 2010 - Lone Star Awards, published February 5, 2009

  "The Young and the Restless"

• 2009 - Katie Awards, published June 26, 2008

  "For Whom the Bell Tolls"

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2010 Stories by Sam Merten

• Beat the Raptors Into Extinction

  published December 23, 2010

  With a roster nearly identical to last year's club, suddenly the Mavs look like a legitimate contender instead of the team ousted early the... More >>

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  COVER STORY

  Do the Rangers' New Owners Have the Money and Will to Build on a Winning Formula?

  published December 2, 2010

  On a Sunday afternoon in July, Cliff Lee sits alone by his locker in the Texas Rangers' clubhouse. A handful of his teammates have... More >>

• Love and Money: New Airport Concessions Deal Gets Pricey.

  published October 28, 2010

  Love and money: When a divided city council voted in August to open up bidding to all comers for food and retail concessions at Love... More >>

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  COVER STORY

  Running on "bubble gum and duct tape," a new court aims to keep damaged vets out of jail.

  published October 7, 2010

  If Carlos Melendez has mental problems, that's news to him. Sitting on a wooden bench outside State District Judge Mike Snipes' courtroom, the... More >>

• On Love Field -- Or Anything Else -- Carolyn Davis Ain't Got That Swing.

  published August 26, 2010

  Gotta Love it: Here's a little vocabulary note for city council member Carolyn Davis: One of the definitions of the verb to "swing" is... More >>

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  COVER STORY

  The Texas Rangers Thrive while Owner Tom Hicks' Sports Empire Crumbles.

  published July 29, 2010

  Maybe going bankrupt is the best thing that's ever happened to the Texas Rangers. On the field, at least, 2010 is shaping up to be the team's... More >>

• It's All In The Timing

  published July 8, 2010

  Mr. Schedule Maker has been awfully kind to the Rangers this year, and the club's 10-game home stand heading into the All-Star Game could very... More >>

• Just How Minority Does a Minority Have to Be Around Here?

  published July 1, 2010

  Majorly strange: Thanks to another delay by the city council, the question of whether to open up bidding for all the food and retail... More >>

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  COVER STORY

  The Battle Over Airport Contracts Opens a Rift Between the Mayor and Minority City Council Members.

  published June 17, 2010

  Gilbert Aranza darts down two flights of stairs from the offices of Star Concessions Ltd. into Dallas Love Field Airport's main lobby. "It's my... More >>

• Fast Pitch In Frisco

  published June 10, 2010

  Former stud catching prospect Taylor Teagarden had all the credentials to be a star in Arlington, but injuries and inconsistency have derailed his... More >>

• GOP County Commish Ken Mayfield Offers Help to a Dem

  published April 8, 2010

  Bipartisan: Nothing whets our political appetite like rumors of alliances between Republicans and Democrats during election season. So... More >>

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  COVER STORY

  Was County Judge Jim Foster Really the Disaster His Own Party Claimed. Maybe, Maybe Not.

  published March 25, 2010

  Despite its stunning view of downtown Dallas, the patio outside the bar at the Belmont Hotel in Oak Cliff is lifeless. That may be because it's... More >>

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  COVER STORY

  In the War of Attrition Waged by the Texas Attorney General Against Robert O'Donnell, There Were Unintended Consequences

  published February 4, 2010

  Robert O'Donnell stands rigidly in the courthouse hallway, his arms folded across his chest, trying to keep his rage in check. Like some... More >>

• State Representative Terri Hodge's Campaign Disappoints by Offering a Good Reason for Odd Petitions

  published January 7, 2010

  Good grief: Buzz just loves shenanigans, so it's no wonder we found ourselves roped in by claims from Eric Johnson's campaign that some... More >>