Mark Graham

Start's Real Food Fast Is Just What a NYT Mag Writer Sought. Too Bad He Went to Taco Bell.

In a recent New York Times Magazine, Mark Bittman endorses Taco Bell's bean burrito. Well, not really, but he does point out that from a nutritional standpoint the "mushy beans in that soft tortilla" are a lot better than the alternatives. Bittman uses the anecdote to launch into an appraisal of new ... More >>

If RFK Jr. is Skeptical of the Warren Report, He Should Help His Fellow Skeptics Fight Dallas

To: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Dear Mr. Kennedy: You and your sister, Rory, appeared here in Dallas a few days ago as part of the run-up to this city's observance of the 50th anniversary of the murder of your uncle, President John F. Kennedy, in Dealey Plaza in Dallas on November 22, 1963. This letter ... More >>

Brooke Humphries: The Party Starter

In this week's Dallas Observer we profile 30 of the metro area's most interesting characters, with new portraits of each from local photographer Mark Graham. See the entire Dallas Observer People Issue here. Brooke Humphries is standing outside the entrance of It'll Do Club on Elm Street a few week ... More >>

Amira Matsuda: The Ambassador

In this week's Dallas Observer we profile 30 of the metro area's most interesting characters, with new portraits of each from local photographer Mark Graham. See the entire Dallas Observer People Issue here. Amira Matsuda lives with her husband and children in a Plano manse decorated with ornate va ... More >>

Michael Sorrell: The Prez

In this week's Dallas Observer we profile 30 of the metro area's most interesting characters, with new portraits of each from local photographer Mark Graham. See the entire Dallas Observer People Issue here. Paul Quinn College in South Dallas is empty, most of its students home for the summer, but ... More >>

Stan Getz: The Presser

In this week's Dallas Observer we profile 30 of the metro area's most interesting characters, with new portraits of each from local photographer Mark Graham. See the entire Dallas Observer People Issue here. Walking into the A&R Records plant on Riverfront Boulevard is like stepping into some alter ... More >>

Charlie Papaceno: The Cocktail Kingmaker

In this week's Dallas Observer we profile 30 of the metro area's most interesting characters, with new portraits of each from local photographer Mark Graham. See the entire Dallas Observer People Issue here. If you packed up Charlie Papaceno and his many bottles of booze, carefully encased them in ... More >>

John Iskander: The Grand Marshal

In this week's Dallas Observer we profile 30 of the metro area's most interesting characters, with new portraits of each from local photographer Mark Graham. See the entire Dallas Observer People Issue here.John Iskander is probably in the best mood he's been in for months. He sits down for lunch a ... More >>

Daniel Vaughn: The BBQ Snob

In this week's Dallas Observer we profile 30 of the metro area's most interesting characters, with new portraits of each from local photographer Mark Graham. See the entire Dallas Observer People Issue here. If you tend to the fires from which smoked brisket is rendered, be mindful: The BBQ Snob is ... More >>

Mayor "Troubled" By Assault at Occupy Dallas Site, But Not Ready to Boot Group Off City Land

Photo by Mark Graham​Mayor Mike Rawlings called moments ago to discuss DPD's announcement that it has in custody a 24-year-old registered sex offender who police say assaulted a 14-year-old girl at the Occupy Dallas encampment behind City Hall. City Hall has already issued an official statement co ... More >>

"No-Kill City": Dallas Forms Task Force Tasked With "Ending the Killing of Adoptable Animals"

Photo by Mark Graham​In the early days of the mayoral race, former Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle quietly proclaimed on his website that he wanted Dallas to become "No-Kill City," meaning: With significant tweaks to its policies and procedures, Dallas Animal Services should be able to stop eutha ... More >>

Almost Two Years After Opening, Deep Ellum Venue and Restaurant La Grange Is Up For Sale

Mike BrooksA scene from the Nekromantix show at La Grange three weeks ago. Hey, the place sure seems to be doing OK in this picture...​Stephanie Schumacher balks a little when admitting that, yes, she is putting La Grange up for sale less than two years after opening her Deep Ellum music venue, re ... More >>

Not Sure if Mayor Has New Redistricting Map. We Do Know When Council Will Discuss 'Em.

Photo by Mark GrahamWonder if Mayor Mike will keep Dwaine Caraway and Vonciel Jones Hill in the same district ...​Thanks to Anna's unswerving dedication to documenting the entirety of the redistricting process, I've become addicted to the proposed maps that may or may not decide council districts ... 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 >>

For Your Weekend Listening Pleasure: An Appetite For GNR at Fair Park in '87 and '91

At Fair Park, Via.​I was always told: I shoulda been there the night Guns N' Roses opened for The Cult at the Bronco Bowl September 13, 1987. (Look -- pictures!) Axl Rose even said so upon the band's return to Dallas a mere three months later: "It's good to be back here in Dallas again. I think th ... More >>

Upon His Return to Arlington, David Clyde on His Bittersweet Legacy as a Texas Ranger

Via historicimages-store on eBayThe 18-year-old David Clyde being informed he's now a Texas Ranger in June 1973​We began talking at 11:55 Thursday night and wrapped up some time after 1 Friday morning. But, what else did he have to do? "I'm just drivin'," he said, "somewhere on I-45, a little clos ... More >>

Why Do County Commissioner John Wiley Price's Supporters Distrust the FBI? History.

​Wilonsky and I attended the John Wiley Price rally together yesterday. He has already done a fine job here reporting on what happened. The only reason I would even open my mouth is in response to some of the comments I see in response to his item. One commenter asked what's wrong with John F ... More >>

From the Comments: Kerry Max Cook Says Adios to His Old Friend, Randall Dale Adams

Photo by Mark GrahamKerry Max Cook​Speaking of the wrongly imprisoned ...On Saturday, we stopped to take note -- belatedly -- of the passing of Randall Dale Adams, whose October death didn't reach newspapers till late last week. Adams, of course, was freed from prison in '89 following the release ... More >>

Dwaine Caraway Bids Goodbye to the Mayor's Seat. Don't Expect a Return Visit.

​This was Dwaine Caraway's last day as temporary unelected mayor of Dallas. He is now the former temporary mayor or FTM. But he thinks he's prime material for full-time elected mayor at some point in the future. That's not true. The reason why it is not true may not be what everybody thinks. ... More >>

John Wiley Price Manages to Upstage Mayor Mike Rawlings's "Time to Go to Work" Speech

Photos by Mark GrahamState Rep. Rafael Anchía with Mike Rawlings at this morning's ceremony​It was only after Mike Rawlings became the new mayor of Dallas, only after council members new and old and in-between (in the case of Sandy Greyson) were sworn in at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center ... More >>

Oh, Dealey? City Council to Clarify How and When It'll Go After Vendors on Park Land.

Photo by Mark GrahamRobert Groden at his usual spot in Dealey Plaza​Jim and I've spilled a lot of virtual ink in recent months writing about Robert Groden's legal battles with the city of Dallas over his selling JFK assassination-conspiracy wares in Dealey Plaza -- specifically, beneath one of the ... More >>

In Dallas Veterans Court, Desert Storm Soldier Gets His Promised Second Chance Today

Photo by Mark GrahamJudge Mike Snipes​Back in October, Sam wrote for the paper version of Unfair Park a lengthy piece about Dallas County's relatively new veterans court, which gives second chances to soldiers who come home from war -- some damaged in some way, many broke, most alone -- and turn t ... More >>

Don't Mess With Success: Rangers Should Resist Moving Neftali Feliz Into Rotation

Mark GrahamNeftali Feliz in early 2009​In the comments of yesterday's blog, commenter "sporty" posed the question of whether Neftali Feliz should be moved into the rotation since we both agree the Texas Rangers rotation needs help desperately. He said the "transition makes a lot of sense." I d ... More >>

New York Times on Ralph Isenberg's Efforts to Bring Saad Nabeel Back to North Texas

Mark GrahamRalph Isenberg​We've mentioned in recent months Ralph Isenberg's efforts to bring Saad Nabeel back to North Texas, where a University of Texas at Arlington electrical engineering scholarship awaits the 20-year-old Frisco Liberty High grad. Nabeel, though, was deported to Bangladesh last ... More >>

County's Maurine Dickey Wants Bruce Sherbet Running Elections Again -- As a Consultant

Mark GrahamMaurine Dickey​Take a look at the formal agenda for tomorrow's meeting of the Dallas County Commissioners Court. On Page 7 you'll find Court Order 34, which reads, simply:Approving by a voice vote of the Commissioners Court that Mr. Bruce Sherbet be approved for this agreement and a two ... More >>

Judge Who Had Chance to Free Stephen Brodie in '94 Gets Another Chance This Morning

Mark GrahamJudge Lena Levario​Jeff Carlton at the Associated Press was the one who, in July, first offered the story of Stephen Brodie -- the deaf man who, in 1991, was detained by Richardson police for stealing quarters out of a soda machine and ended up pleading guilty to the unsolved sexual ass ... More >>

"Honky Tonk Heroes" and Other Waylon Jennings Hits at Abbott High School in 1973

Billboard's account of Willie Nelson's all-star homecoming concert in Abbott in the fall of '73​This is not your work-week rock-and-roll-and adios -- that'll more than likely come tomorrow morning. But this'll do. While we await a piece from Patrick Michels about some doings at Cliff Manor this af ... 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 >>

Moon Day, On A Sunday: Local Spaceniks Meet Up for Apollo Anniversary at Frontiers of Flight

Mark GrahamArmadillo Aerospace co-founder Neil Milburn, left, will be one of the speakers at Moon Day, Sunday's big gathering of Dallas space nuts.Last year, the anniversary was a big one: 40 years since Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, and for Dallas's sizable network space industry alums, Moon ... More >>

Scott Beck Was Going to "Save" Deep Ellum. Now He's Being Sued Over Failed Venture.

Mark GrahamScott Beck, back when he thought he was going to be the man to save Deep Ellum​In September of '08 I wrote about Scott Beck's big idea to save Deep Ellum, which involved buying up 14 acres of Elm, Commerce and Main streets from Good-Latimer Expressway to Malcolm X Boulevard and gentrify ... More >>

Before She's Required to Disclose Her Lobbying Efforts, We Take a Look-See at What Carol Reed's Banked From Mayor Leppert

Mark GrahamSure, Woodlief's Allyn Media has brought in about seven times the amount Reed has from Tom Leppert-related campaigns, but Reed remains the queen of consulting.As the city council continues to discuss ethics reform in the aftermath of 23 guilty verdicts in the Dallas City Hall corruption t ... More >>

One Down, One to Go: SMU Settles Lawsuit With Former University Gardens Condo Owner

Mark GrahamLarry FriedmanSouthern Methodist University and Dr. Robert Tafel have agreed on an undisclosed settlement regarding the lawsuit filed by Tafel and attorney Gary Vodicka in which they allege that SMU defrauded residents of the 350-unit University Gardens Condominiums in a land grab for th ... More >>

Fight Over Child Support and DNA Testing in Dallas County Court Leads to a Whistleblower Suit Against Attorney General's Office

Mark GrahamJudge David HanschenCourthouse News this morning highlights the story of Ginger Weatherspoon, a former assistant attorney general in Greg Abbott's office who claims she was fired after refusing to lie under oath about 254th District Judge David Hanschen. Weatherspoon, who worked from July ... More >>

"Fred Was a Trailblazer in Every Conceivable Way."

Home, Almost Alone

It's Dallas vs. Dallas, As ER Docs Assail McCain's Advisor's Health Care Claims

Fred Baron Knows Nothing, Does Plenty

Yes, Absolutely, Do It For Santos

Sam Coats Adds Name to List of Folks Gunning For Jim Foster's Job

Will Clarke on the Right Way and the Amway to Sell Your Novel

A Candidate Too Nutty For God's Sugar Daddy? How's That Possible?

What Happens in Iraq Doesn't Stay in Iraq For Some Local Immigrants

A Deep Ellum Icon Needs Some Help, Even If He'd Never Ask For It Himself

Is a Portland Company a True Guardian of Two Low-Income Dallas Complexes?

Meet Unfair Park's Newest Contributor: Craig Watkins

Lost in Transition

Preservationist off the Reservation

Kickin' It In Aisle Five

We didn't get the budget for a DOMA documentary, so here's a quick behind-the-scenes rundown instead

Letters

Deflowered Not So Radiant*