Domingo Garcia

Minority Leaders Rallied at City Hall Today to Explain Why Texas Needs the Voting Rights Act

The U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments today challenging the constitutionality of and need for Section Five of the Voting Rights Act, which requires Texas and other southern states with a history of suppressing the minority vote to get pre-clearance from the Feds before implementing changes ... More >>

Lawsuit: Dallas Cement Company Drug Tested Dying Employee Before Calling 911

Back in July, Benino Perez was working at a cement plant on Corinth Street in Dallas when he lost his balance. He fell from a height of several feet and was knocked unconscious from the impact. And according to a lawsuit filed in Dallas County District Court by his family and first reported by Court ... More >>

"Tired of Being Ignored and Insulted," Paul Quinn Students Round Up Powerful and Familiar Faces for City Hall Protest

Photo by Danny HurleyPaul Quinn College President Michael J. Sorrell at the flow-control protest before the council's vote last month​New Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings is in for the first serious grassroots challenge to his leadership -- a march on City Hall announced today by a broad-based coalition ... More >>

"We Shouldn't Be Afraid of That Passion": A Chat With Mayor Rawlings About Redistricting

The mayor presiding over the (very, very, very, very long) redistricting debate two weeks ago​Had a brief chat with Mayor Mike Rawlings last night concerning what appears to be the never-ending process of redistricting, about which the city council will get an earful this morning from Latino leade ... More >>

Tomorrow, LULAC to Tell Council How It Feels About "Unconstitutional" Redistricting Map

Unfair Park and Barack Obama, together at last​What's that? You want another redistricting item? Well, then, you are so in luck. Anna too, since she's got some place to be at 9 tomorrow morning.The city has not yet sent to the Department of Justice the new map of council districts approved by the ... More >>

Lawsuit Claims Atmos's Gas Leak Caused Oak Cliff Family's House to Blow Up Last Month

A photo of the Mendez family's house after the explosion, provided by attorney Nick Wiseman​On the night of September 18, as heavy thunderstorms blew through Dallas, neighbors on West Woodin in Oak Cliff heard a "heavy, muffled boom," they told a CBS 11 crew. A small apartment behind a house - ... More >>

"Please, Respect": Council Seems to Settle on Combo Platter During Redistricting Meeting

Photo by Anna MerlanRoy Williams, whose lawsuit helped lead to 14-1, addresses the council during Saturday's redistricting meeting.​As the redistricting process goes on (and on and on), you might expect the public to become less involved, especially when a meeting takes place late on a college-foo ... More >>

Your First Look at the 10 (!) Amended Redistricting Proposals Submitted by Council

One of two maps submitted by Mayor Mike. All 10 are available here.​In the end, it would be quicker to name the council members who didn't submit amendments to the Redistricting Commission by Monday's 3 p.m. deadline: Sheffie Kadane, Angela Hunt, Jerry Allen and Sandy Greyson. Everyone else had so ... More >>

Mayor Mike's "Considering" His Own Redistricting Map. Meanwhile, at the DOJ ...

Photo by Mark Graham​During the morning portion of today's city council meeting, Mayor Mike Rawlings told his colleagues he's been "doing some thinking" about redistricting. Lord, haven't we all. In reviewing what the Redistricting Commission has done, he said, "I believe the transparency was ther ... More >>

Meet the Man Who Will (Probably) Draw the New Dallas City Council District Boundaries

Image via Amarillo.com"Gerrymandering damages communities," says Bill Betzen.​We know you're sick of hearing about this, but bear with us: Dallas is, like, thisclose to getting some shiny, newly redrawn, possibly less-gerrymandered city council districts. The Redistricting Commission sat through a ... More >>

This Whole Commission's Out of Order: City of Dallas's Redistricting Fun Really Begins

Wonder if Ruth Morgan's having fun right about now​OK, no one has actually studied the effects of redistricting on the human body, but after last night it seems safe to say that the longer a redistricting process goes on, the grouchier everybody gets. At the county level, we have Maurine Dickey's ... More >>

When City Unveils Its New Districts, It's Hoping to Avoid Mess Facing State and Dallas County

Ruth Morgan​In case you hadn't heard, the state and county redistricting processes have already gotten a tad ... heated, let's say, what with all the threats of lawsuits and the temper tantrums. The city of Dallas's Redistricting Commission is trying to avoid the same fate on the local level: Its ... More >>

As Commission Begins Redrawing Dallas's Districts, Barton and Smith at War Over State's

Congressman Joe Barton​The Redistricting Commission, charged with redrawing city council district boundaries, meets tomorrow at 6 p.m. at City Hall, at which time commission members Domingo Garcia, Donna Halstead and Gary Griffith and chair Ruth Morgan will present to the public early-look maps an ... More >>

Ralph Isenberg Won't Be Talking to the President Tonight After All. Disinvited!

Mark GrahamRalph Isenberg​That didn't take long: Less than two hours after posting that item about Ralph Isenberg and his intention to speak with President Obama this evening about the case of Saad Nabeel, Isenberg called Unfair Park to say it's off. According to Isenberg, one day after his Saturd ... More >>

Hot and Bothered, Tenants Find Justice

Judge Juan JassoYesterday, in an Oak Cliff Justice of the Peace courtroom, two tenants celebrated a victory in their quest for decent living conditions. Judge Juan Jasso ruled in favor of Ramona Robles and Rigoberto Gutierrez, who, after filing complaints with the city about unbearable temperatures ... More >>

Bringing Out the Dead? There's More to District 1 Runoff Than Voter Fraud Allegations.

Justin EpkerMore than once in recent days, Dave Levinthal's had to warn City Hall Blog commenters to stay on topic and stop shouting, "Voter fraud!" in the District 1 Dallas City Council runoff pitting Delia Jasso against Justin Epker. Seems there's been a lingering question about whether 65-year-ol ... More >>

The Case Against Farmers Branch's Election Methods Will Move Forward

New Immigration Rules Could Empty Local Kitchens

Tough rules leave restaurants looking for cooks with green cards

Domingo Garcia's Back -- So, Ya Know, Look Out, Irving!

The Hits Keep Comin'

Yet another deputy alleges misdeeds by Constable Mike Dupree

Ground Meat

Native-born and immigrant both get bled at Swift's beef plant

At Dallas City Hall Yesterday, Signs That the Fight in Farmers Branch Is Closer to Home

A Blog Item Sure to Drive Sharon Boyd Crazy

Tu Rock Es Votar

"Un-American, un-Texan and un-Christian"

Marching in Place

Whose March Was It?

Observer Writer Seeks Can-Do-Over

AWOL

Never say die

And you thought the Reaper was grim

Mr. No Apology

Bill Hill's office helped jail dozens of innocent people, and he's a shoo-in for re-election. Huh?

Hello? Anybody There?

Heads should be rolling over the Dallas police drug scandal, but no one seems to care that much

School for Scoundrels

They get elected with stolen votes, and then they start divvying up the goodies

That's the Ticket

Miller, Dunning take to the airwaves

You Retard

Plus: Bring on the Crackpots, Stoney Babe, Speaking Her Mind

Huh?

Billboards show strange, but noble effort

Muddy Waters

Plus: Ashleigh, Ashleigh; Divided Against Ourselves; The Waxahachie Vote; Love Us for Our Mind

Senior Moment

The race is on, and Laura Miller's leading the way

Dallas to Bush: Drop Dead

City council thumbs its nose at the White House on Trinity River deal

Real Politics

Feudal grudges and an imprisoned holy man in the Dallas mayoral race

Cora! Cora! Cora!

Artistic director Cora Cardona's style--passionate, arrogant, riveting, domineering--makes Teatro Dallas special and her enemies livid

Impossible dreamer

Fearless reformer or legal terrorist? Bobby Wightman-Cervantes makes a run for the Senate. The Texas Bar says he should have his head examined.

The king of Cockrell Hill

Dallas Constable Aurelio Castillo claims the criminal charges against him are a political conspiracy. His opponents say he's just a doofus.

Gutless coup

Everybody's talking about a takeover at DISD, but nobody wants to do anything about it

The vote's in the bag

Labor hall offers the homeless cash and sandwiches to be good citizens

None of your business?

Closed council sessions scorn open-meetings law

Letters

Accountability time

Grassroots political group demands straight answers

Events for the week

Let them cast ballots

Why can't citizens vote on new arena?