Helen Giddings

The House Voted to Rename Central for George W. Bush

HB 3520 designating a portion of US 75 the George W. Bush Expressway just passed. #txlege #txgop— Dan Branch (@TexansForDan) May 8, 2013 When State Representative Dan Branch introduced his proposal to change the name of a seven-mile stretch of Central to George W. Bush Expressway, we thought i ... More >>

House Bill Wants to Protect Internet Privacy from Employers' Snooping. What Privacy?

The Texas House is about to pass a bill that would bar employers from forcing employees and job applicants to cough up their social media passwords. Proponents here and around the country claim social media should be protected under the Fourth Amendment. Last time I checked, the Fourth Amendment ... More >>

Dallas' Helen Giddings and Other Black Lawmakers Object to Security Measures at Rick Perry's Mansion

State Representative Helen Giddings was one of several Democratic lawmakers invited to the Governor's Mansion Monday afternoon for a reception hosted by the Texas Legislative Black Caucus. But she never showed up. Giddings declined the invitation to protest the requirement that she undergo a backgr ... More >>

We Went to Visit Al Lipscomb at Hall of State and Ran Into The Man Who's Mayor Till Monday

Photos by Leslie MinoraVisitors pay their respects to local civil rights activist, Al Lipscomb.​Being fairly new to town, I'm learning my Dallas history little by little. Yesterday was a good step: On the way home I stopped by the Hall of State at Fair Park, where Al Lipscomb is resting comfortabl ... More >>

State Rep. Giddings Wants School Districts to Stop Treating Students Like Criminals

​A couple of weeks back Texas Appleseed and ACLU of Texas reps were down in Austin asking why oh why do state school districts feel the need to write class C misdemeanor tickets to students, some as young as 6, in the case of the Dallas Independent School District back in '06-'07. John Whitmire's ... More >>

How Much Does That Love Field Chili's Make a Month and Other Concessions-Bidding Q&As

From the Love Field Modernization Program website​No doubt you recall the hubbub surrounding the Love Field concessions-bidding process that consumed much of last year as Mayor Tom and the council argued over no-bid contracts for incumbents Gilbert Aranza, Helen Giddings and Eddie Bernice Johnson. ... More >>

Dallas County's Made It Easier Than Ever To Follow Along As Election Results Come In

Updated at 9:19 p.m.: Click to embiggen the latest results for Dallas County D.A., with 250 of 737 precincts reporting​My, my, but the county's come a long way. Used to be, way back when, us media folks just got occasional updates as precincts' results came in. No more: Now, as evidenced by the Cr ... More >>

While Most of the Dems Hide Out at the W, Unopposed Helen Giddings Explains the Bill White-Craig Watkins Divide

Photos by Sam MertenHelen Giddings​It's been a relatively quiet night at the Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Club, where Democratic candidates or officeholders have been hard to spot. Heck, even party chair Darlene Ewing has been in hiding all night. The slim pickings thus far have included state Rep. ... More >>

The Oft-Heated Back-and-Forth at Last Night's Sparsely Attended Watkins-Clancy Showdown

Photos by Sam Merten​Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins accused Republican challenger Danny Clancy of lying and attempting to be the next Henry Wade at a debate last night at Friendship-West Baptist Church in South Dallas, where Watkins and his family attend church. While Watkins cl ... More >>

Team UNT Dallas Gathers For Hourlong Back-Patting This Afternoon At Historic Campus

Photos by Andrea GrimesTexas Governor Rick Perry grins it up for the UNT Dallas crowd.​Governor Rick Perry visited the new University of North Texas at Dallas campus today off Camp Wisdom Road in South Dallas to mark the school's first-ever Founders Day. This afternoon marked the opening of the fi ... More >>

Gilbert Aranza to Stay at Love Through 2014, Gets First Shot at 27 Percent of New Space

Brandon ThibodeauxGilbert Aranza​Longtime Dallas Love Field Airport food and beverage concessionaire Gilbert Aranza has accepted the city's offer to extend his lease through the remainder of the new terminal's construction, according to a statement just released by Aranza. As requested by the ... More >>

Mary Suhm Gives Us the Inside Baseball Behind the Love Field Airport Concessions Vote

Sam MertenCity Manager Mary Suhm and Mayor Tom Leppert at the June 23 council meeting shortly before Leppert deferred the Love Field Airport concessions item so Suhm's office could bring new options to the table.​Even though Mayor Tom Leppert won an important battle when Angela Hunt voted on A ... More >>

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

The Mayor Sends a Note About Why Dallas Should Love New Love Field Concessions Plan

​Late last night, after a long day sluggin' it out with the council (Carolyn Davis especially) over those Love Field concessions contracts, Mayor Tom Leppert sent out a conciliatory congratulations e-blast with the subject header "Love Field decision will benefit Dallas." The decision, for those w ... More >>

SMU Professor Hired By Aranza Pens 24-Page Report Defending City Staff's Love Field Food and Beverage Contract Recommendations

Brandon ThibodeauxWhile the city council took a month off, concessionaire Gilbert Aranza hired one of the mayor's former consultants, who convinced him to pay an SMU associate professor to take a look-see at the controversial Love Field food and beverage contract.​After the city council on Jun ... More >>

Belo Corp. Board Member, Convention Center Hotel Folks and Jerry Jones Top List of Mayor Tom Leppert's Fund-Raising Pals

Patrick MichelsThat hotel victory is the gift that keeps on giving.​While his political future remains unclear, Mayor Tom Leppert raised a combined $243,000 in donations in the first half of this year, according to campaign finance reports filed yesterday. Meanwhile, his officeholder account a ... More >>

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

Sweatin' It Out With the Justice League!

Photos by Sam MertenState Senator Royce West and county judge candidate Clay Jenkins help pump up the crowd as District Attorney Craig Watkins grabs the mic Saturday afternoon.​This, in case you have not heard, is the "Summer of Justice." Which, as far as summers-of goes, ranks somewhere in betwee ... More >>

Dallas Black Chamber Says Contract Extensions Amount to "18-Year Monopoly" for Concessions at Love Field; E-Mails Support Mayor Leppert

The DBCC seemed a bit confused in its arguments in support of opening up the concession contracts at Love Field for bids, which might be one of the reasons why they marked their letter to the mayor "confidential." ​(ITEM UPDATED) The day before Mayor Tom Leppert and the city council deferre ... More >>

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

When It Comes to Doing Deals in Dallas, Leppert Must Remember That History Never Forgets

Patrick Michels​For most people, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert's campaign to open up the bidding process for concessions at the city airport must seem open and shut. He wants the bidding to be open. But the door is shut because the concessions are in the hands of politically connected people. For insid ... More >>

Everything You Wanted to Know About Love Field Concession Bids and Terminal Updates But Were Afraid to Ask

Click to embiggen the current proposal for Love Field's new food and beverage layout upon completion of the Love Field Modernization Program​Late last night, Dallas City Hall finally posted the briefing docs for tomorrow afternoon's debut performance of the Love Field Concession Committee, formed ... More >>

Turns Out, Paul Quinn's New "Urban Farm" Is Also a New PepsiCo "Social Business Initiative"

The former football field at Paul Quinn College, now an urban farm​A couple of weeks back we noticed, courtesy some video from Central Dallas Ministries' Larry James, that Paul Quinn College was in the midst of transforming its football field into a two-acre "urban farm," in the words of school pr ... More >>

City Council, Its Feelings Hurt, Defers Vote on No-Bid Contracts at Love Field

Gilbert Aranza addressing the Dallas City Council moments ago.​The council just wrapped up its discussion of those concession contracts at Love Field -- but there will be no vote on them today. The council -- which is taking awfully personally the suggestion that it's not being very transparent -- ... 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 >>

Paul Quinn Starts Semester With Small Number of Students But a Large Pile of Cash

​Struggling to remain viable since losing its Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation this summer, Paul Quinn College yesterday announced a major fund-raising milestone. The historic black college has raised more than $1 million since July, when the Texas Legislative Black Caucu ... More >>

Because Nothing Says "Meet Your State Rep" More than a Wingding at Zubar Tonight

Sorry, Kurt Watkins, but your invite to tonight's Dallas County Young Democrats shindig at Mayor Tom Leppert's favorite Lower Greenville hot spot got spammed out -- don't take it personally, same thing happened to my mom earlier today. That half-hearted apology out of the way, the DCYD's communicati ... More >>

Low-Rent Landlord Alex Stolarski is City Hall's Fall Guy

Finally, We Step Inside Harlan Crow's "New" Old Parkland Hospital

Deadbeating the System

Eight years ago, Kim Sullivan turned to the state for help collecting overdue child support. She's still waiting.

Shotgun Love

Once again, the school board gets married the hard way

Anatomy of a smear

When people started asking why Dallas' finest were losing the war on slumlords, someone reached for the bag of dirty tricks

Bad boys

Legislators try to rein in bounty hunters

Woolery's mammoth

When it came to spending, Dallas' former superintendent always thought big