High-stakes testing doesn’t result in better education, at least not among minorities — it just leads to a disproportionate number of African-Americans, Latinos and ESL students dropping out of Texas schools. That’s one finding in a new report released today by Rice University and the University of Texas. The study…
For those who might have missed the news, former Dallas Area Rapid Transit board chair Lynn Flint Shaw — you know who she is, right? — turned herself in to authorities this morning. Shaw’s being investigated for allegedly forging Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins’ signature and letterhead to dodge…
Still no word if or when Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton are coming to town, but Bill Clinton will be kinda close tomorrow — Tyler’s, what, 90 miles east? Hillary’s campaign just sent over the details of the ex-president’s trip to East Texas tomorrow, well in advance of the March…
They’re fightin’ over fightin’ at Addison City Limits — that’s kinda why Megan Feldman wrote about it in this week’s paper version of Unfair Park. But reading? That’s for suckers. Hence, Jonathan Finley’s exclusive video addendum below, with a soundtrack and everything. –Robert Wilonsky…
NBA.com Or, maybe Mark Cuban knew Devean George would block the Jason Kidd trade, thus making it look like Cuban was willing to make a move he didn’t really want to make in the first place? The Mavs’ trade for Jason Kidd isn’t dead yet, but it’s severely wounded. I’d…
Does this look like $40 million to you? No? Well, get used to it. Late yesterday, Sam wrote about the city council’s decision to spend $500,000 on some parking-lot property in BeloWorld’s shadow — property that may or may not become the much-ballyhooed convention center hotel, where Tom Leppert’s planning…
Three items for the price of one: Men’s Health says Dallasites are a bunch of fatties — as in, we’re the sixth-fattest city in the U.S. and A. Top of the list of reasons why? “Mayor Thomas C. Leppert participates in fewer fitness-related events than most mayors.” (Blaming Leppert for…
Still no word on whether or not these sex toys are Constitutionally protected About four years ago in the paper version of Unfair Park, we chronicled the plight of Burleson’s Joanne Webb, who was arrested by local police for selling dildos and other self-help devices out of her house. You…
“If I’m the bad guy …” So began Devean George last night on TXA-21, following the Dallas Mavericks’ win over Portland, concerning his killing the Jason Kidd trade that was all but a done deal by late yesterday afternoon. Someone has posted to the YouTube the entirety of George’s interview…
WTOC-TV Savannah A Dallas attorney’s ad in a Savannah paper is an unpopular read following last week’s sugar plant explosion. A week ago today was the explosion and fire at the Imperial Sugar Company refinery near Savannah, Georgia, which left eight dead, one missing and more than a dozen critically…
Flyers Rights Maybe you recall the name Kate Hanni — she was among those stuck on the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport tarmac for some 13 hours in December 2006 after her Oakland-to-Dallas American Airlines flight was diverted due to weather. Hanni and at least one other woman have sued the Fort…
How’s this for a daunting job description? • Lure successful, high-profile head coaches to a small, private university that has minimized sports for 20 years. • Nurture revenues and raise funds all by your lonesome, while simultaneously trimming fat from a $7 million operating deficit. • Reincarnate a moribund athletic…
Making book: As a young senator, John F. Kennedy wrote Profiles in Courage, about various courageous characters who had served in the Senate. Buzz hasn’t read it, but we understand it’s a “classic” in the political genre, meaning it’s one of those books everyone has heard of but no one…
Two burly men face off in the ring, fists up and feet moving fast. Sweating under the lights, they duck and dodge blows and throw punches while the speakers blare and the beer-swilling crowd cheers them on. “It’s not how big you are—it’s how bad you are!” yells the announcer…
Free Man Walking This (“The Man Who Fell to Earth,” by Megan Feldman, February 7) is one of many stories that have been heard, and many more, I imagine, shall be heard. We can only be very grateful for DNA. The years that have gone by and the hardships endured—money…
Mauro Morales picks his way through mesquite trees and prickly pear cacti. The 65-year-old cautiously steps around a thicket of tasajillo, or rattail cactus, just down the road from his small ranch near Rio Grande City. Tasajillo thorns stick you like a fish hook, he says. Then there’s the cola…
So, it took a while to get the answer directly from Radiohead’s U.K. peeps, but thanks to the tenaciousness of the band’s NYC PR folks, we now have the exact second at which tickets will go on sale for Radiohead’s May 18 show at Starplex. Ready? Here goes. They will…
After more than an hour of debate, the Dallas City Council voted today to approve two addendum items that will spend $170,000 of taxpayers’ money on a feasibility study to refinance the Dallas Convention Center and $500,000 of Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau cash on an option to potentially spend…
Best part of the Jason Kidd trade: his girlfriend, Hope Dworaczyk I’ll have more details on the Jason Kidd trade come morning — and, says the latest version of the ESPN report, Jerry Stackhouse “ain’t going nowhere” –but for now, here’s why I hate it. Granted, your chances for an…
John Wheeler If a Canadian developer gets its way, this Howard Meyer-designed building on Turtle Creek will become a hotel-condo high-rise with a restaurant. Local architect Cliff Welch sends word today of another important Dallas building on the chopping block: the Howard Meyer-designed office building at 2505 Turtle Creek Boulevard…
Mavs owner Mark Cuban has, in recent days, vehemently poo-poo’d the idea of bringing Jason Kidd back to Dallas from the New Jersey Nets. But former Dallas Morning News’er Marc Stein, now at ESPN, brings word that the deal’s back on — and damned near done. Wrote Stein moments ago:…
Eric Dickerson’s mentioned somewhere in this item, and in a nice way. Hard to top last week, when we said goodbye to two assholes (Bill Belichick and Bobby Knight) and hello to a hero (Nolan Ryan). Today, however, could be just as delicious as sports climbs atop Capitol Hill. NFL…
