For the most part, the Dallas Cowboys’ pre-season was smooth. Drama and injury free. Productive. Refreshing. There were only a couple surprises when the final 53-man roster was set Saturday afternoon. (For what it’s worth, my pre-camp roster projections had a whopping 11 errors. Oops.) Mainly, this year’s draft class…
Mike Judge, creator of Beavis and Butt-head and writer-director of Office Space, stopped by Unfair Park HQ two weeks ago to talk about that 1999 film’s more-or-less follow-up Extract, which opened yesterday. (Our review is here.) Before our chat in my office, Patrick Michels presented the former Anson Funderburgh bassist…
After speculation Thursday followed by a statement from Judge Barbara Lynn this afternoon regarding a potential appearance by defendant Sheila Hill as a witness in the City Hall corruption trial, we asked her attorney, Victor Vital, if she will take the stand in her defense. Vital tells us he indeed…
Speaking of Victory Park …A Friend of Unfair Park sent word a little while ago that I really needed to check out the Dallas Urban Lab Web site. For those new to the concept, it’s a program down at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Architecture, where, for…
As of today, the Chili’s in the American Airlines Center is no more. And, yes, you’ll say, But of course, just like all the other restaurants that have shuttered in Victory Plaza. Only, this tale is a bit more complicated: The doors closed one last time just last night, but…
Back in March we told you the story of Frank Farias, the airman arrested for murder after running over a man outside a Lower Greenville nightclub in January. There’s an update: The 23-year-old is awaiting his first hearing in front of a military panel in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he’s…
Remember back in San Antonio, when the Dallas Cowboys started training camp with lowered expectations? Um, nix that. Then: “As you know, I’ve drawn back a lot of nubs after reaching out there with some pretty high predictions. I think we’ve learned something about lofty expectations.” Now: Super Bowl or…
Can’t say this was much of a surprise: 93.3 FM — now known as i93, yawn — just introduced itself as Your Home For Today’s Hit Music with a serving of Black Eyed Peas followed by Miley Cyrus. In other words, Pop 40 as predicted by a Friend of Unfair…
Nobody gives a speech like Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas president and CEO Richard Fisher. He quotes Bob Dylan. He likens the economy to a Rube Goldberg contraption, which he proceeds to render in extreme detail. And, yesterday, during a speech given to the Laboratory for Aggregate Economics and Finance…
I’m putting it all out there: I had to eat some cobbler and listen to the two-disc The Greatest Hits 1966-1992 by Neil Diamond (excluding “Heartlight,” and repeating “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” naturally) to get this last episode of Project Runway out of my system. I’m not even exaggerating. But…
Attorney Ray Jackson resumed the direct examination of his client, former Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill, this morning at approximately 8:45 a.m., as Jackson continued to ask Hill about his accomplishments as a Dallas City Council member. Hill says former council member Maxine Thornton-Reese urged him to accomplish two goals:…
State Rep. Rafael Anchia filed House Bill 1736 in February; Governor Rick Perry signed the Dallas Democrat’s legislation, which ups compensation for the wrongfully imprisoned, in late May; it took effect Tuesday. Which means all those exonerated by DNA evidence in recent years will receive $80,000 per year they spent…
More than a quarter of those wearing Dallas Fire-Rescue uniforms are between the ages of 50 and 59 — in other words, not too far from calling it quits. Indeed, Dallas Fire-Rescue higher-ups are concerned that in coming years the attrition rate amongst firefighters and paramedics will skyrocket — to…
Of course, Hill couldn’t actually answer the question as he’s restricted from speaking to the media, but this photo we snapped during the media frenzy that followed today’s testimony from the former mayor pro tem tells the story. Sure, it was merely a verbal “Wikipedia entry” as Robert described, but…
Says this sneak preview of the city council’s Economic Development Committee agenda next week, Dallas is considering forking over an economic development grant to Hilton Hotels, which is looking to relocate a regional headquarters to Dallas. Office of Economic Development head Karl Zavitkovsky, as always, has at least some insight…
As expected, former Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill has taken the stand to defend himself against charges of corruption and extortion, as U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn reminded him that he has a constitutional right not to testify, which he waived. His attorney, Ray Jackson, just asked him to introduce…
It’s been too long since we’ve published a photo from The Wayback Machine, so much thanks to the Friend of Unfair Park who was messing around on Flickr and found this gem amongst the treasures kept by the Library of Congress — a photo of Judge Quentin D. Corley, for…
The biggest African American funeral home in the Southwestern U.S. is located here in Dallas, and it’s called Golden Gate Funeral Home. Its CEO, John Beckwith Jr. — a man who dreams of burying everybody in Dallas, black and white — is the subject of this week’s cover story in…
In a word: Seeyalater. I get lots of emails and/or phone calls urging me to root for reality-show winner Jesse Holley to make the Dallas Cowboys’ roster. In the name of Rudy, Rocky and Vince Paple, don’t I believe in feel-good, underdog miracles?! In the movies, absolutely. In the NFL, um,…
A few minutes ago, I spoke to Dallas Independent School District spokesman Jon Dahlander concerning his voice-mail message this morning. I wondered if today’s decision, to let teachers and principals decide whether their classes could watch President Obama’s speech to students on Tuesday, was a change from any kind of…
The U.S. Attorney’s Office just sent word that former Dallas Cowboy hitting machine, 48-year-old Eugene Lockhart, is among nine people indicted by a federal grand jury. They’re accused of a running a mortgage scheme out of Dallas between 2001 and ’05 under such monikers as America’s Team Mortgage, America’s Team…
So, the Plano Independent School District has opted out of President Obama’s speech to students on Tuesday, but what says the Dallas ISD? I asked Jon Dahlander, district spokesman, via e-mail this morning about the district’s plans. While I was out of the office, he left the following message on…
