Loose Ends: Layoffs at City Hall, Another Win for History and Blockbuster's Still Bleeding

A few afternoon follow-ups to some morning items, plus a note from City Hall, where pink slips are going out in advance of tomorrow's scheduled layoffs. (Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm says she's laying off 840, with the hopes of hiring back 500.) Rudy has word about some losses at...

By Robert Wilonsky

August 13, 2009

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A few afternoon follow-ups to some morning items, plus a note from City Hall, where pink slips are going out in advance of tomorrow's scheduled layoffs. (Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm says she's laying off 840, with the hopes of hiring back 500.) Rudy has word about some losses at the Meyerson Symphony Center, but Unfair Park has also been told that the city's historic preservation staff has been cut substantially -- from seven employees down to three. Chief planner Kate Singleton had been warned way back in June that she was getting RIF'd; another senior historic preservation planner got word yesterday. Not a good time for the city to be laying off those charged with preserving its history ...

Speaking of, Jay Gormley reports that the City Plan Commission has opted to save a bit of forgotten history in Southern Dallas. Today, it told Ridge Property Trust that it needs to find a better option than a road that runs 60 feet in front of Jim Dodd's 104-year-old house on Ray Road. Per the commission's agenda, city staff had recommended approving RPT's plan; now, they have to go come up with a better one ...

Much like Blockbuster, which just reported its second-quarter financials -- and a 22 percent decrease in revenue. Course, Netflix reported a 22 percent jump last month; Wall Street could see this coming without the trailer. And now stock's down 20 percent in after-hours trading. Perhaps you could run to a Blockbuster and rent, oh, After Hours. Or Wall Street. Or anything?

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