Frank Librio

Police Say a Longtime Dallas Code Enforcer Was Shaking Down Businesses for Cash

Last month, the Morning News reported that Frankie Forshee, a code enforcement worker and 13-year city employee, had been arrested and was facing a trio of bribery charges. Details were scarce at the time. Code Compliance Director Jimmy Martin told the paper only that Forshee had been placed on pai ... More >>

Highway-Closing Dallas-to-McKinney Bike Ride Cancelled in Sketchiest Way Possible

Last month, Gary Lacara was "100 percent" sure that Bike the City, his 30-mile, Dallas-to-McKinney charity bicycle tour scheduled for a Sunday morning in April, was a go. "I wouldn't attempt this if I wasn't," he told Unfair Park at the time. And there was no reason to think he couldn't organize a ... More >>

Houston's New 311 App Sounds Awesome. So When's Dallas Getting One?

On Tuesday, the city of Houston went live with a 311 app for smartphones. Downloadable free from the iTunes store, the allows residents to submit complaints and track their progress on the go. "Say you see a pothole on your street. Before you even leave for work you can walk over, launch the app an ... More >>

Proposed Frack Site on Trinity River Floodplain Will Include a Gas Processing Plant

Trinity East intends to sink natural gas wells in the Trinity River floodplain, but it isn't the well pad itself that will consume most of that controversial real estate -- it's the natural gas processing plant they plan to set up right next to it. According to site plans for the Elm Fork lease, T ... More >>

Isabella, This Four-Month-Old Boxer Mix, Was Skinned Alive in Southwest Dallas

Update at 4:59 p.m.: An initial investigation by Dallas Animal Services indicates the dog's injuries likely came from a "non-human predator," according to NBC 5. Original post:DFW Rescue Me is the organization that tried to save Justice, the four-month-old lab terrier found in Pleasant Grove, cover ... More >>

Will Becker, Dallas' Retired Mosquito Fighter, Returns to Battle West Nile

I met Will Becker just over two years ago on a nondescript residential street near Bishop Lynch High School in East Dallas. I was writing for Preston Hollow People at the time, and had wanted to meet him at a fetid, swimming pool in North Dallas, but he refused to take me on private property, even i ... More >>

Environmentalists to City: Your Long-Term Trash Plan is a Burning Pile of Garbage

On Tuesday, you saw a glimpse of Dallas' garbage future. The city's long-term solid waste plan had some relatively progressive ideas -- mandatory recycling, a plastic bag ban and "zero waste," for example -- but those won't even be up for actual discussion for another couple of decades. Once the ide ... More >>

How to Survive a Rabid Squirrel Encounter

Sherri Johnson's condo butts up against a wooded creek a few blocks from Presbyterian Hospital. She likes to keep a few cats around, strays really, to keep the raccoons and possums and other creek denizens from making themselves too comfortable on her property. It works for the most part, but the ca ... More >>

Zebra Mussels Find Their Way to Lake Ray Roberts, Part of Dallas' Water Supply

Zebra mussels, the innocuously named but virulent mollusk, were first discovered domestically in the Great Lakes back in the late 1980's, having spread westward from their native Eastern Europe and hitched a ride in the ballast of U.S.-bound ships. Since then, they have spread through the nation's w ... More >>

While Dallas Chokes on the Trinity, the Suburbs Show Us How It's Done

Hop in the canoe with Schutze as he cries himself down the river.

The Dallas Arboretum No Longer Wants the City to Turn Winfrey Point into a Parking Lot

Update 12:45 p.m.: City spokesman Frank Librio sends word that, on second thought, there is plenty of parking available for the Chihuly exhibit at the Arboretum and no need to mow Winfrey Point. Attendance numbers for the current exhibit at the Dallas Arboretum appear to be within the facility's ab ... More >>

Pig Blood in the Trinity and Bullshit on the Blogs: About That Shiny, Happy Video

Update 3:37: City Hall isn't buying that Columbia Pack video any more than we are. City spokesman Frank Librio sent out the following response just now: March 12, 2012 To: Media From: City of Dallas PIO Re: Columbia Packing The City will use all legal means possible to ensure that Columbia Packi ... More >>

The Cost of Fixing the Trinity River Levees Keeps Getting Cheaper and Cheaper

​Not two years ago Dallas city officials believed, based upon information provided by HNTB, that to bring the unaccredited Trinity River levees back to that so-called 100-year flood level of protection, it would cost anywhere from $100 million to $150 million. The solution: cut-off walls sunk into ... More >>

Gassy Knoll: Dark Forces Silencing JFK Conspiracy Folk

Dallas is playing to its City of Hate stereotype for assassination's anniversary.

The End of the Occupation: Scenes From Dallas Police's Raid on Occupy Dallas's Encampment

Photos by Justin Terveen, slide show hereIn the shadow of Dallas City Hall, officers on horseback and in riot gear prepared to raid the Occupy Dallas encampment early this morning.​A little past 11 last night, one of the protesters camped out behind Dallas City Hall was walking from tent to te ... More >>

Former Dallas Animal Services Manager Tyrone McGill's Trial Set to Start This Morning

The hole in the animal shelter wall from which they removed the body of the dead cat two weeks after it was first reported to McGill​The chief clerk in Judge Gracie Lewis's courtroom confirms: Jury selection is set to begin this morning in the trial of Tyrone McGill, the former Dallas Animal Servi ... More >>

City, Occupy Dallas at Odds Over Who Began Melee That Ended With Eight Arrested

Photos by Anna Merlan, more in the slide show​An Occupy Dallas march and protest turned ugly this afternoon when police used pepper spray to subdue the crowd outside of the Bank of America building on Main and Lamar, protesters told Unfair Park. Eight people were arrested from the crowd of abo ... More >>

DPD: Man Guilty of One Sexual Assault Responsible For Another at Occupy Dallas Site

Dallas County SheriffRichard Armstrong​One week ago we got Occupy Dallas's side of the story concerning the sexual assault that took place at its encampment behind Dallas City Hall. Today, we get the official version from the Dallas Police Department, which is reporting that it has arrested Ri ... More >>

Occupy Dallas Addresses Need to Keep a Clean, Safe Camp Amidst Sexual Assault Allegations

Photo by Anna MerlanOccupy Dallas protestors outside Lew Sterrett yesterday following the arrest of 23 at a downtown Chase bank branch​Several news outlets have reported in recent days that the Dallas Police Department is investigating the possible sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl at the Occup ... More >>

Since Occupy Dallas Didn't Get Insurance Coverage, City to "Begin Enforcing Local Laws"

Photo by Jim SchutzeInside the Occupy Dallas "command center" at Pioneer Park today​Yet again, right in the middle of our Rangers-Tigers liveblog, the city sends a note concerning Occupy Dallas's occupation of Pioneer Park. Only, one night after giving the group its permit, the city's yanking it - ... More >>

Occupy Dallas Sends a Mayor Mike, City Officials a Note: They're Gonna Be Here a While

​We went to the Mecum car auction Saturday after all, where a '68 Corvette sold for $565,000, and as we were driving away from the Dallas Convention Center we espied a small encampment of sorts set up next to Robert Summers's 49 bronze Longhorns in Pioneer Plaza. There was one dude sporting a Guy ... More >>

City Grants Occupy Dallas a Special Permit

​We began the day by discussing Occupy Dallas's missive to the mayor concerning their encampment at Pioneer Plaza, between Dallas City Hall and the Dallas Convention Center. We end it -- not counting our Rangers liveblog, which is now into extra innings -- with this: Following a sitdown with the g ... More >>

Mayor Mike: For All You Do, Eddie Bernice Johnson, This Proclamation's For You

​Got an email this morning from City Hall that Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson would be stopping by for a "a special 'thank you' event for her many years of service on behalf of the City and citizens of Dallas." Alas, we couldn't make it; too busy filling out scholarship applications. Sounded ... More >>

At the Feed Store of God Cowboy Church, Where Police Say They Found Dead and Neglected Animals Yesterday Morning

Photos by Anna Merlan​"I don't want to talk about all that." The pastor took some letters from the mailbox without glancing over. "What I really want to talk about is getting more people to come to church on Sundays. You want to talk about religion, you can come by anytime."Yesterday, we got an em ... More >>

What Do "Voluntary" Mean? It Means Dallas Wants Us to Cut Back on Yard Watering. Now.

Dew, the city's water-conservation mascot, is no Perry the Pipe.​Last week, you may recall, I asked Frank Librio, Dallas City Hall spokesman, if Dallas had any plans to follow its neighbors' leads and clamp down on water use. To which he responded: "The lakes are currently 84% full and we continue ... More >>

Mike Rawlings Vowed to Clean Up Dallas, But the Feds Are Spilling Dirt Everywhere

To keep his promise, Dallas' new mayor will have to distance himself from the city's political machine. Good luck with that.

Council Pays Tribute to Leslie Allen Davis, the Nicest Public Speaker Ever to Grace City Hall

Earlier today, in an item he's since updated, Rudy Bush noted the death of Leslie Allen Davis, among the rare regulars at the city council's public-speakers podium whose presence was welcomed by city officials. They've long been charmed by his warm wishes. How Davis died remains a mystery: The polic ... More >>

Insomniac CEO Vows To Fight EDC Citations, City Looks To Better Investigate Events It Books

Kevin TodoraOne scene at Saturday night's Electric Daisy Carnival at Fair Park in Dallas.​ Yesterday, city officials announced that they had slapped Electric Daisy Carnival organizers Insomniac Events with seven citations for their event in Fair Park on Saturday night -- two for overcrowding, two ... More >>

City Hall Offers Blow-By-Blow Recap of Events at Electric Daisy Carnival at Fair Park

Photo by Kevin Todora​This morning, Frank Librio, spokesman for the city, called to say that at 10 this morning, officials with the city, the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Fire-Rescue were meeting to review the events leading to the likely drug overdose of 19-year-old Andrew James Graf and t ... More >>

Kunkle Also Wants to See Someone (City, DPD, DA's Office) Investigate Happy Trails Contract

Photo by Patrick MichelsPark and Rec director Paul Dyer, second from left, watches as Jake Schroepfer makes his Happy Trails presentation last Thursday at City Hall.​I've left messages and sent emails all over Dallas City Hall -- to City Manager Mary Suhm, Assistant City Manager Forest Turner (who ... More >>

Former Muni Judge Brings Federal Lawsuit Against City; Claims Harassment, Retaliation

Via.​On February 13, Steve Thompson wrote that ex-municipal judge Staci Williams -- a Hockaday grad with a Georgetown law degree dismissed by the Dallas City Council last June -- might sue the city. The reason: Williams claimed repeatedly that she was sexually harassed by Administrative Judge C. V ... More >>

Come for the Super Bowl. Stay for the Skiing.

Photos by Justin TerveenI texted Justin shortly past 1 a.m.: "You getting this?" Silly me. He was at Fair Park at that very moment, snapping away. For hi-res versions, and time-lapse video, go here.​Seven hours later and ... impressive. Unless you're, say, Sports Guy Bill Simmons, who shoots up th ... More >>

Your Trinity Photo Contest Grand Prize Winner

Sean FitzgeraldTaken at the Trinity River Audubon Center in February​In the video below you get a fleeting glimpse of Sean Fitzgerald's Grand Prize winner in the second annual Trinity River Corridor Project Photo Contest. City Hall spokesman Frank Librio was kind enough to send the real thing.Upda ... More >>

How a Projected Increase in Solid Waste Disposal Will (Kinda) Save Rec Centers

​This afternoon, City Hall spokesman Frank Librio forwarded a memo City Manager Mary Suhm sent to Mayor Tom Leppert and the council last night, in which Suhm broke some news: She found an extra $1.8 million with which to fund the city's rec centers, whose hours she's proposing to drastically cut i ... More >>

On Father's Day, DPD Chief David Brown Loses Son in Circumstances That Remain Unclear

Patrick MichelsDallas Police Chief David Brown​It's unusual for Dallas City Hall to send word of a briefing involving the Dallas Police Department, but last night, a little after 10, Frank Librio notified the media of a briefing scheduled for 11:15 p.m. concerning "the incident in Lancaster." By n ... More >>

Hunh. And You Wonder Why I Call Him Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Carried-Away.

Sam Merten​This morning Rudy Bush and Tanya Eiserer posted a great story on The Dallas Morning News's Web page about Dallas city council member Dwaine Caraway pressuring the Dallas Police department to lay off a gambling house where Caraway and his father play poker. The story includes a strong qu ... More >>

City Isn't Scared Of Those Lawsuits Filed Yesterday By Firefighters, Police Officers

Patrick MichelsDallas City Attorney Tom Perkins​Yesterday, you'll recall, those firefighters, police officers and assorted other first responders filed four amended lawsuits related to the 1979 referendum that gave 'em all pay raises (for how long's the billion-dollar question). We're still waitin ... More >>

So, If The Mayor's So Unhappy With Love Field Deal, What's He Gonna Do About It?

Tomorrow, the role of Laura Miller will be played by Tom Leppert.​So tomorrow's shaping up to be a very interesting Dallas City Council meeting: As Rudy Bush wrote yesterday, the mayor's mighty unhappy with the no-bid concession contracts being doled out to Dallas Love Field Joint Venture and Huds ... More >>

The Latest Stack o' Council Memos: No-Bid Contracts, Policing the Protesters and More Retiring City Employees

Brian HarkinIn May, Vonciel Hill voted to keep concessions at Love Field in the hands of one company, whose CEO contributed to her campaign. ​Every so often I like to post the pack of memos Frank Librio sends to council and media at the end of every week; below are the ones that went out late Frid ... More >>

Settle This Argument: Who's the Most Overpaid City of Dallas Employee?

Justin Terveen​Merten just got around to looking at Texas Tribune's list of city of Dallas employees' salaries. He called me, shocked -- SHOCKED -- at some of those numbers. He also wanted to know who the who is Harold Nogle, the fourth-highest paid city employee at $208,000 -- which puts him betw ... More >>

The City's Racking Up Quite the Legal Bill Fending Off Dallas Fire-Rescue Lawsuits

Leanne Siri​The Dallas City Council was briefed behind closed doors yesterday on the two pending cases involving past and present Dallas-Fire Rescue employees: Leanne Siri v. City of Dallas and Helen Watts v. City of Dallas. We mentioned the former in November, when the city released an independen ... More >>

I Don't Know When It Became My Job to Tell You When You're Screwed ...

​I'm getting a a lot of e-mail from people who want to know how to look up their property on the FEMA flood risk maps to see if they are exposed to flooding since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has declared the city's Trinity River levee system unsafe. I'll try to help, but let me say something ... More >>

Dallas May Get Soaked by Soaring Insurance Premiums if the City Keeps Dawdling on Fixing the Levees

On the City of Dallas's Tax Revenue, White Rock's "Red Water" and Other Memos of Note

Flickr user: Kent Wang​Every Friday night, Frank J. Librio, managing director of the Public Information Office at Dallas City Hall, sends to the media a collection of memos distributed late in the week to Mayor Tom Leppert and the Dallas City Council. (And, most of the time, they never seem to lan ... More >>

As City Council Considers New Lobbying Rules, We Learn Carol Reed Banked $65,000 From Mayor's Back to School Fair

Brandon ThibodeauxIn case you missed it, Reed was profiled in December 2007 by former Observer-er Matt Pulle.In this week's paper version of Unfair Park, Schutze uses two of Mayor Tom Leppert's top political consultants -- Carol Reed and Mari Woodlief -- to explain why the mayor is hardly the "Angel ... More >>

In About an Hour, We'll Have An Idea How Suhm Cut $190 Million From City Budget

Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm​Unfair Park might be a little slow-going 'round 1:30 this afternoon, when I'll be down at Dallas City Hall to pick up the executive summary of City Manager Mary Suhm's final budget proposal for the coming fiscal year. Media attending this afternoon's shindig won't be ... More >>

T. Boone Now Owns Your Trash's Gas

Jim to City: You Do the Math. City to Jim: No, You Do the Math. Argh.

Chaney to the Rescue? Hey, That's What He Says.

How about "Captain"?