Ron Natinsky

Gas Drilling Activists Not Happy With Council Component of Task Force Caraway's Assembled

Photo by Patrick MichelsRay Crawford and his petition signed by those opposed to gas drilling in the Dallas city limuts​As we noted a couple of weeks back, Dallas City Hall's taking applications for the gas-drilling task force Angela Hunt demanded after Dave Neumann failed to make good on his prom ... More >>

Voted Early But, Clearly, Not Often: With 29,688 Votes In, Rawlings Way Out in Front

​The county just posted its early-voting numbers, and it's Mike Rawlings with the early lead -- and quite the lead at that. Of the 29,688 votes cast during early voting, the ex-Pizza Hut CEO got 42.75 percent of 'em -- which translates to 12,693 votes, for those bad at math. Former DPD Chief David ... More >>

Kunkle Widens Lead Over Natinsky, While Griggs Still Dominates Dave

Scott Griggs really needs a mustache.​If you care at all about the latest vote counts in the Dallas mayoral and council races, you're either refreshing the DalCo Elections site or at a candidate's watch party. So this'll be the last update till the final numbers are in -- and we know for sure whet ... More >>

This Ain't Detroit: Ron Natinsky Goes After Mike Rawlings For His Union Endorsements

Via.Speaking of...too early? No. Never.​It'll be a shame to see this mayoral campaign season come to an end a week from Saturday now that it's getting so...campaigny. Take, for instance, this email that just arrived in the in-box with the all-caps subject header: "RAWLINGS PLEDGES TO SUPPORT THE R ... More >>

Tom Leppert Responds (Sorta) to Mike Rawlings's Response to Ron Natinsky. Got That?

Photo by Patrick Michels​Really, it'll be like the day after Christmas when this mayoral campaign ends -- that sad, empty what-now. Who knew this morning's email from Dallas mayoral candidate Ron Natinsky would provide a small handful of highlights from an otherwise ho-hum campaign season.There wa ... More >>

Kunkle and Rawlings Say That As Mayor, They'd Push for Gas Drilling Moratorium

Photos by Patrick MichelsDistrict 3 City Council candidates Dave Neumann and Scott Griggs joined all four mayoral candidates in a forum with Mountain Creek neighbors last night at Harmony School of Nature and Athletics.At a campaign forum in far western Oak Cliff's Mountain Creek neighborhood last n ... More >>

Rawlings Takes Shot at Natinsky For Not Speaking Up When Council Loosened Ethics

Photo by Sam MertenRon Natinsky and Mike Rawlings at an early mayoral candidate forum​Two weeks ago, Schutze noted that the city council -- very quietly, very nonchalantly, very consent-agenda-y -- loosened up its own restrictions governing when and how developers with zoning cases at City Hall co ... More >>

Wherein Ron Natinsky Tries to Explain Why He Didn't Try Harder to Stop Last Year's Tax Hike

Photo by Sam MertenRon Natinsky​Last week, we revisited the Trinity River toll road and convention center hotel referendums with mayoral candidate Ron Natinsky because, well, there just wasn't enough space to explain it all in last week's cover story. Much like we quickly glossed over those is ... More >>

Reliving the Trinity River Toll Road Campaign With Mayoral Candidate Ron Natinsky

Photo by Sam MertenRon Natinsky​In our cover story about the mayoral race, perhaps you read the section about council member Ron Natinsky and noticed a glossing over of sorts when it came to his public comments during the contentious 2007 Trinity River toll road referendum. As is often the ca ... More >>

Mike Rawlings Clobbers Ron Natinsky and David Kunkle in Mayoral Fund-Raising Effort

Photos by Sam MertenWe're guessing this was Rawlings's reaction when he received bills from his consultants.​Former TracyLocke CEO Mike Rawlings easily outpaced the field of mayoral candidates by raising a whopping $1.03 million -- nearly three times the combined haul of Ron Natinksy and David ... More >>

Because We Have Nothing Better to Do Than Pore Over Campaign Finance Reports

Photo by Sam MertenDonna Starnes raised more than former city council member Sandy Greyson in the race to succeed Ron Natinsky.​Now that you've had time to chew on our analysis of the mayoral candidates' fund-raising prowess, we thought it was time to take a quick look-see at how the city coun ... More >>

Dallas' Next Mayor Will Face Tough Budget Choices. Too Bad The Candidates Won't Talk About Them.

Welcome To The Dull House

Council Considers Tax Break For Company Represented by Ron Natinsky's Campaign Treasurer Even Though It Doesn't Need It

Photo by Sam MertenPete Schenkel​At tomorrow's meeting, the city council is expected to approve a tax abatement estimated at approximately $1.7 million and an economic grant of $250,000 for Dean Foods. Pete Schenkel, a consultant for Dean who previously served as vice chair of its board, says ... More >>

Natinsky Reveals His "Priorities For Dallas"

Photo by Jesse SidlauskasRon Natinsky at The Cedars Social yesterday​Ron Natinsky asked members of the media to join him Monday afternoon at The Cedars Social -- not for a drink, sadly, but so he could announce an endorsement (from the MetroTex Association of Realtors) and unveil a handful of "pri ... More >>

And Why Do You Want to Be Dallas Mayor?

Sam MertenNo, you're not having a flashback: Ex-Mayor Tom spoke before his would-be replacements took their turns at Thomas Jefferson.​Who says the four Dallas mayoral candidates haven't distinguished themselves from one another? Last night at that forum at Thomas Jefferson High School, the first ... More >>

Rawlings's New Campaign Mailer Takes a Shot at Kunkle, Natinsky. The Ex-Chief Fires Back.

Kunkle, Natinsky and Rawlings​A couple of weeks back we got Mike Rawlings's first big-money mailer -- a slick meet-the-candidate flier highlighted by quite the '70s 'stache -- accompanied by the first of what's proved to be a series of good-looking short films starring the mayoral candidate. (The ... More >>

"Nonsense" and "Rubbish": It's Natinsky's Turn to Respond to Rawlings's Campaign Mailer

​We've already gotten former Dallas Police Chief-turned-Dallas mayoral candidate David Kunkle's response to Mike Rawlings's latest campaign mailer. Now, it's Ron Natinsky's turn to respond to the flier, which says -- without naming him -- that Natinsky served as chair of the city council's Economi ... More >>

Ron Natinsky Unveils Five-Pronged Approach to Implement New Urban Plan For West Dallas

Photos by Sam MertenLeft to right: West Dallas Chamber of Commerce vice chair Randall White, former Oak Cliff council member Ed Oakley, mayoral candidate Ron Natinsky and council member Delia Jasso​Standing near the pool at the Belmont Hotel in what 2007 mayoral race runner-up Ed Oakley called ... More >>

Rawlings, Kunkle Dispute Cause of Domestic Violence During Food Bank Debate

Okpa, Kunkle, Natinsky and Rawlings at North Texas Food Bank debate this morning​There was a rather interesting exchange between mayoral candidates Mike Rawlings and David Kunkle at this morning's mayoral debate at the North Texas Food Bank. And it began with a question posed to all four candidate ... More >>

This Season, Themed Mayoral Debates

Sam MertenNatinsky, Rawlings and Kunkle at their first "forum" way back on February 25​In the last 24 hours, press releases have piled up in the in-box announcing three very different mayoral debates featuring ex-Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle, current city council member Ron Natinsky and former ... More >>

Endorsements Aplenty For Ron Natinsky, Including Mayor Dwaine Caraway, Who Says There's No Time to Learn About Anyone Else

Photos by Sam MertenMayor Dwaine Caraway asked mayoral candidate Ron Natinksy to put an endorsement sticker on his blazer this afternoon.​Mayor Dwaine Caraway and 11 current and former council members endorsed council member Ron Natinksy for mayor this afternoon at City Hall Plaza. Caraway urg ... More >>

Outside the Statler, a Celebration. Inside the Statler, a Sneak Peek at the Work to Be Done.

Photos by Sam MertenWho can you name in this gathering of officials the mayor pulled together for a press conference-closing group photo?​When Sam and I got to Main Street Garden around 2:15 this afternoon for the Statler-sale press conference, there weren't a lot of people around -- just a few fo ... More >>

Mayoral Circus 2011: Not the Greatest Show on Earth, but Pretty Fun Anyway

​I gotta say: The coming mayoral election season already smells like a holiday for mediatoids. Things are rockin' and rollin' early. Looks to me like the money just tilted way away from North Dallas city council member Ron Natinsky, who thought he had the money. Meanwhile the campaign of for ... More >>

Down At City Hall, Natinsky Makes It Official

Alex CopelandRon and Nancy Natinsky take a romantic stroll through City Hall this morning.​Councilman Ron Natinsky got his Valentine's Day started right, taking a short stroll with his wife, Nancy, down to the City Secretary's office to submit his petition to run for mayor. Ah, romance. A handful ... More >>

Is David Kunkle's candidacy for mayor a sign that Dallas is headed in the right direction or that Schutze is off his meds?

Here's Why Ron Natinsky Excused Himself When Council Talk Turned to XTO Energy

​Before the Dallas City Council voted to back Dave Neumann Wednesday and wait till October to vote on XTO Energy's gas drilling proposals, we did get a little more insight into where the council stands right now. Angela Hunt, for instance, mentioned why she was for extending the city's leases to X ... More >>

The Billion-Dollar Question: If Mayor Tom Leppert's Really About to Ditch, Why?

Mayor Tom and Ron Natinsky​Gromer Jeffers is saying this afternoon it's "all but certain" Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert won't run for reelection in May, although he doesn't quite say how he's so certain. I certainly have been picking up a lot of ground clutter in the last week, mainly about various hop ... More >>

And the Court Battle Between Railroad Museum and the City of Dallas Gets Just a Little Uglier

From the Museum of the American Railroad's 2006 Long Term Strategic Outlook​It was but one week ago we revisited, after some time off, the legal brouhaha between the Museum of the American Railroad and the City of Dallas, which sued to remove the museum from Fair Park almost a year ago. For those ... More >>

Whaddya Know, the City Council Decides Legal Businesses Along Trinity Are Still Legal After All

​Private property still legal in Dallas! Or should I say, legal again. The Dallas City Council just voted unanimously to approve a plan to keep several businesses on Rock Island Street, right behind the Trinity River levee down by the Corinth Street bridge. Council members Steve Salazar, Pauline M ... More >>

Under Madrid With Mayor Tom, or: How a Tunnel in Spain May Hint at Dallas's Rail Future

Chris HeinbaughA postcard from Mayor Tom and the Dallas delegation from the tunnel in which they spent part of their first day in Madrid​Funny thing: Yesterday, in the comments below, longtime Friend of Unfair Park Montemalone asked this about the Dallas delegation's trade mission to Europe: "I wo ... More >>

Angela "Swing Vote" Hunt Gives Us a Hint of What to Expect at Tomorrow's Love Field Airport Concessions Shindig

Angela Hunt's flickrWill this be the scene after tomorrow's council briefing?​Tomorrow, finally, the city council will be briefed once again on the concession contracts at Dallas Love Field Airport that has the council is split along racial lines. Mayor Tom Leppert failed to mention the racial ... More >>

Liveblogging the Transportation and Environment Committee Meeting

​Good afternoon, Friends. Here we gather in City Hall's icy 6ES to commence the Transportation and Environment Committee Meeting, at which is promised discussion of both transportation and environment: street cars and community gardens are both on the agenda, with a bonus presentation on the North ... More >>

Ron Natinsky Wonders: If We're Gonna Save Southwest Center, Why Not Valley View, Then?

Sam MertenRon Natinsky​If nothing else, this'll be the last Southwest Center Mall item of the day -- only because there'll be nothing left to talk about till after the council returns from its summer recess. But Ron Natinksky, head of the city council's Economic Development Committee, called Unfai ... 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 >>

A Big Green Thumbs Down: Council Sends Staff "Back to The Drawing Board" on Neighborhood Farmers Markets

Daniel RodrigueFarmers, bakers and lotion makers -- all wanting to voice their concerns to council member Delia Jasso and assistant city manager Jill Jordan. ​More than two dozen folks -- several of whom broke meeting protocol by talking to council members and city staff -- showed up yesterday a ... More >>

Natinsky Shares Caraway's Enthusiasm for Memorial as Money-Maker

Ron Natinsky​So, then, back to Memorial Auditorium for a moment. But only because council member Ron Natinsky shares with Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway the hope that sooner than later, the city can and will give the venerable arena a makeover and begin marketing it as an alternative to the Nokia Th ... More >>

What in the Wide World of Sports Does a HUD Secretary Know About Levee Safety?

HUD deputy secretary Ron Sims has quite the résumé, but what does any of it have to do with the Trinity River?​Unintentionally hilarious item in The Dallas Morning News today: "Council's Frustration Spills Over," by Rudy Bush on the Metro front, in which council member par excellence Ron Natinsk ... More >>

Train Museum Lawsuit Kept A-Rollin': City's About to Stop Paying For Water, Power

​I called council member and Economic Development Committee chair Ron Natinsky late last week about the downtown parking study agenda item, which the council didn't get around to discussing yesterday. (An hour was spent instead on talking about how to create a revolving fund from which to make loa ... More >>

Natinsky: Make Sure New Downtown Plan Remains Open to Closing Main Street to Cars

The great Red Oak Kid found this old postcard, which we stopped reading after "pot," to be honest.​More than one Friend of Unfair Park has suggested it in the past: What if the city closed off Main Street downtown to cars and made it pedestrian-only? If you're among those, what a friend you have i ... More >>

In Case You Forgot, Your Atmos Bill Will Go Up Slightly in 2010 as City Hikes Franchise Fee

​As it's the last day of the year and all, let's wrap up some unfinished business -- like, oh, the fact your gas bill is going up in the spring of 2010, in part thanks to City Hall. Maybe you remember: Back in September, when the city was trying find change under sofa cushions to cover the $190 bu ... More >>

Look Out, Kids! Because Starting Next School Year, There's a Daytime Curfew!

Moments ago, the Dallas City Council voted on the 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.daytime curfew ordinance -- and, not surprisingly, it passed almost overwhelmingly, by a vote of 12-2. The vote was taken shortly after Mayor Tom Leppert stressed that the ordinance (which you can read here, beginning on Page 63) i ... More >>

In Memo to Council, Angela Hunt Asks Colleagues to Stop Talking Out of Their Asses

Natilee DeeAngela Hunt has delivered a sound thwacking to fellow city council member Ron Natinsky and Assistant City Manager A.C. Gonzalez over some loose-lipped claims Natinsky and Gonzalez have been making about our upcoming referendum on a city-owned hotel downtown.She says Natinsky and Gonzalez, ... More >>

Ron Natinsky Says Convention Center Hotel Vote Might Amount to Jack Squat, General Fund Will Lose $300 Million Without Hotel

Sam MertenCouncil member Ron Natinsky debated Anne Raymond about the convention center hotel in Farmers Branch. While his colleagues assembled at City Hall, council member and Build the Hotel'er Ron Natinsky spent yesterday morning at the Farmers Branch Recreation Center selling the convention cente ... More >>

Virtual Coffee: Episode 2

It's Déjà Vu All Over Again

As Far As Some on the Council Are Concerned, We've Already Voted For the Convention Center Hotel

Economic Development Committe to Hold Special Meeting Friday. You're So Invited.

Down-and-Dirty Developers Want Into the Inner City

As the city council looks at rezoning, we're wary of the quick-money guys

Dallas to Get in the Hotel Biz -- And Turndown Service Won't Be an Option

Selling You Down the River