DISD news roundup: No election, new CFO and another investigation

Lots of DISD action this week … here's a brief summary of some of what went down, along with (of course) a little commentary:

• After its embarrassing financial crisis, DISD is spending $258,000 annually to hire a new chief financial officer. Larry Throm comes via Austin and Lubbock, where he is credited with being a tough watchdog on district finances there. "Dallas is absolutely fixable," Throm told the DMN. "I would not have taken the job if I didn't think I could be successful. They need to install some internal controls, generally accepted accounting principals and some safeguards."

Save-a-Lot on Abrams closes

The Save-a-Lot no-frills grocery store, at the corner of Northwest Highway and Abrams, didn’t always smell quite right, but the produce was of good quality and cheap — as much as one-third less as elsewhere. But when I went to buy onions over the weekend, the store was closed and cleaned out. Not even a fixture was left.

Save-a-Lot apparently closed the location quietly. I have a call in to the Missouri corporate headquarters to see if this was a one-store thing, or if the chain is pulling out of the Dallas market. It still has a half dozen stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including one on Ferguson near Buckner.

DISD board vote may extend trustee terms and delay May election

When Carla Ranger starts looking like the reasonable one on the DISD
board, we might have a big problem. But that seems to be the case on
the board's possible vote today to delay the currently scheduled spring
elections for trustee seats currently held by Edwin Flores, Leigh Ann
Ellis and Ron Price.

In a nod to stability, the board is
considering extending board terms, which would mean the three trustees
wouldn't face re-election until 2010 as opposed to May 2009. The board
is relying on a state law that allows school boards to extend trustee
terms; DISD's lawyers apparently are giving the board the go-ahead even as Ranger cites other legal opinions saying such a move would be illegal.

Jim Schutze weighs in on the idea in this week's Dallas Observer, and most of his points are dead-on.

Extending
trustee terms is a good idea, giving the volunteers we elect a longer
period of time to learn the ropes and at least try to keep everything
honest on Ross Avenue.

But voting to extend the terms to get
around having an election, as opposed to making the term extension
effective after the next election cycle, essentially trumps our right
as voters to have a say on DISD's ongoing issues. It could very well be
in DISD's best interests — and it certainly is in Supt. Michael
Hinojosa's best interest — to keep these three supportive board members
on the job. But that's just not the way things should be done in a
democracy. An election to vote in new board members, if that occurred,
might make things even more messy at DISD, while re-electing these
three board members would send a message that stability is what voters
want.

But that's a decision for voters to make, and it
shouldn't be taken away from us by the very people whose actions many
are questioning.

Council subcommittee considers a smoking ban in bars, billiard halls

A city council subcommittee is considering expanding the city's current smoking ban from restaurants and workplaces to bars, billiard halls and within 15 feet of entrances to publicly accessible villages, according to the DMN. Our neighborhoods' councilmen, Sheffie Kadane and Angela Hunt, have different perspectives on the proposal, according to the News story and more comments on its blog.

I have to admit that when the city council first decided to restrict smoking in restaurants and other public places a few years ago, I had my doubts: It seemed like a draconian measure, and it seemed likely to drive business out of Dallas. Today, though, I haven't seen a single study indicating that significant business was lost to the more smoking-friendly suburbs, and the air in most places I go these days is cleaner and clearer.

Local chef to increase celebrity

In September we introduced many East Dallas/ Lakewood Advocate readers to Chef Blythe Beck (Hector's on Henderson) — and those of you who already knew her got to know her just a bit better.

Her acquaintances also know she has an incredibly charismatic personality, thus it comes as no surprise to learn she's part of Oxygen network's new "Live Out Loud" line-up. Her show, The Naughty Kitchen, looks like a hoot. In its quest for strong and successful women who live life loud and proud, the O network struck gold when they discovered Chef Beck!

Lakewood resident writes new book about Ebby Halliday

Neighborhood writer and entrepreneur Mike Poss is at it again: This time, he has written "Ebby Halliday: The First Lady of Real Estate." The book, which debuts in bookstores in February, details the life story of Halliday, who will be 98 in March. Also in the book, you’ll find lots of company history, comments from those who know Halliday best and a forward by former Dallas Cowboy Roger Staubach. Poss, who was recognized earlier this year as the creator of Ross Perot’s famous presidential election charts, is married to neighborhood resident Mary Poss, a former Dallas mayor pro tem and mayoral candidate who sells real estate with Ebby these days. If you can’t wait until February to get your hands on the book, visit Ebby’s website, where you can order the book right now for $30.95 (including shipping); all orders placed before Dec. 15 will be autographed for free by Ebby.

More stink about White Rock Lake

Looks like someone at NBC5 might be reading your comments here at
Back Talk. This morning as I was groggily preparing for the day, I
heard anchorman Brenden Higgins say something
about "stench" and "double-crested cormorants" and I said to myself,
"hey — he's talking about the infamous "putrid pathway" that we
discussed here a couple days ago.

 

Marines go the extra miles

A couple months ago I wrote about some Marines stationed in Okinawa, Japan who would attempt to run the Dallas Running Club Half Marathon … in Japan at the same time we would run it here in Dallas. For further explanation, read the story here. The whole platoon ended up running it, and the DRC has posted an update.

For
those of you complaining about the 70-something temperatures out there
the day of said race, you really need to read about the Marines'
experience. Here's a sample: "…the Marines ran something around 13.1
miles with no plan, no
water stops, no food, soaking wet, on short warning, on a darn-near
empty base, with nothing at the end except protein bars from a
convenient store, some fast-food, and beer…one Marine stopped after
cellulitis in his knee burst and the pus
started draining down his leg. Another Marine with some berthing crud
couldn’t stop throwing up so he stopped as well. Everyone else
finished."

Read more pleasantries here.

Also,
be sure and click on the pic to see a larger version — 2nd Lieutenant
Ryan Bintz sent it to me, but it got here a little too late to be
included with the printed version of the story.

Doctor’s Hospital signs on with White Rock Marathon

Doctor's Hospital at White Rock Lake is getting in on the White Rock Marathon weekend (Dec. 12-14) — they've just signed on as title sponsor for the marathon's two-day health and fitness expo. Organizers are still seeking the top-dog title sponsor for the marathon. Hmmm, I can see it now … The Advocate Publishing White Rock Marathon …  what do you think, Mr. Wamre?

While I wait to hear back on that … the aforementioned fitness expo sounds like a pretty cool deal, with more than 100 vendors demonstrating, peddling and promoting all sorts of stuff — clothing, jewelry, shoes, athletic gear, food and supplements, upcoming events and good-to-know-about services, to name a few. Plus, if you are running the race, you have to go to the expo to pick up your packet so you might as well take it all in while you're there.

I don't know exactly how the Doctors Hospital sponsorship will affect race participants — I don't think very much. But sponsorships, from what event chair Chuck Dannis told me a while back, help absorb costs of putting on such an enormous event and allow organizers to donate a larger sum to the benefiting charity, Scottish Rite.

Also, if you are training to run the marathon and you're getting antsy, you are eager to read anything and everything there is to read about the event. It's just five weeks away and I can't get enough of stuff like this, from the Dallas Morning News Fitness Blog.

Franki’s of Casa Linda in trouble, at best

It’s been a turbulent few days for area restaurants. First, neighborhood favorite Brothers Chicken on Gaston shut down — much to the sorrow of many neighbors. La Parrillada and Bailey's bit the dreaded back-tax dust. Then, there were reports that Franki’s Lil Europe in Casa Linda had shuttered. Then there were more reports that Franki’s was going to re-open soon. It’s no surprise that Franki’s was in trouble. In fact, they sent out an e-mail to customers about six weeks ago reaching out for help:

"Times are tough all over; even the major banks need help, so who do the little guys have to turn to.  In talking to several of our regular clients, it was suggested that we should honestly turn to our clientele," wrote owner Jeffrey Batt. “As the economy has hit a rough patch and the Casa Linda area has undergone some dramatic age shifts, our business has diminished to an inoperable pace.  Combine that with the construction project going on and we are in very dire straits.  However, it is our contention that when the renovation of the square is completed and the area stabilizes, our product and concept will shine.”

The letter goes on to say that the restaurant is actively tapping the surrounding community for investors and partners, and that he hopes patrons will respect his decision to lay it all out there — blisters and all. “Sometimes you have to open, honest, and brash if you truly believe that you dreams are worth preservation,” he concludes.

I haven’t been able to reach Batt for details, and I wonder if they’ll be able to hold on through the Casa Linda construction period (no doubt rent has gone up in the past year). I hope they find a way to pull through. Franki’s has been a part of this neighborhood for a long time — I remember going there as a kid and thinking it was sooo fancy with it's birdbath-y waterfall outside and all. It’s been pretty reliably good eatin’ ever since.