Just Don’t Call John Barr the “Graffiti Czar”

Sam’s at City Hall for the council’s Love Field briefing, but he got there in time for the 1:30 announcement of the city’s new “graffiti czar,” attorney John Barr. Only, Barr told Sam in their post-announcement chat, “Don’t write that I’m a czar.” Whoops. My bad.Anyway. You remember Barr, right?…

Are You Dallas’s New Graffiti Czar?

No? Shame. No matter: He or she will be named tomorrow! From the city, this just in:Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert will announce a new initiative to fight graffiti in Dallas at the Wednesday, December 15th City Council briefing. He, along with District 1 Councilmember Delia Jasso will discuss the new…

The Flea Circus: Liveblogging Today’s Animal Shelter Commission Meeting

Merry afternoon, Friends. I’m here at City Hall for today’s Animal Shelter Commission meeting. They’ll be discussing the recently released, mildly damning Humane Society report on the troubled Dallas Animal Services, which, under the new leadership of interim manager Lieutenant Scott Walton, has been trying to do an about-face in…

Hunt on “New” Panhandling Ordinance

On Monday we sneak-peeked the ordinance creating those so-called Solicitation-Free Zones in downtown, Deep Ellum, Uptown and Victory; yesterday, with little to say other than “yay,” the council approved the revision to the City Code, adding to the existing law a $500 fine for panhandlers and extending its enforcement hours…

Dave Neumann, You Have a Challenger!

Council elections are in May, and this morning we learn that District 3 rep Dave Neumann will square off against a political newcomer (of sorts): Scott Griggs, with whom you’re probably familiar by now. The attorney is, after all, among the more outspoken and visible of the North Oak Cliff…

Downtown Dallas 360, Meet The Community

Last night a hundred or so folks interested in downtown development gathered at the Dallas Convention Center — where they were filming an episode of Chase! — to be presented with the findings from the Downtown Dallas 360 plan and, ostensibly, to provide some input and feedback. Bobsky and I…