Clay Jenkins

Does Clay Jenkins Really Have a Heart or Is He Scamming Us?

Before I get on my high horse, I usually check back upstream to see what sort of feet of clay I may have myself on an issue. Great thing and terrible thing about the Internet. It's all still there. So this morning before leaping to the saddle to whack people for calling Dallas County Clay Jenkins ba ... More >>

Highland Park ISD Wants Parents to Know They Are Safe From Clay Jenkins and His Family

This week, Highland Park school district's "Nurses's Corner" is an attempt to assuage parents' fears about the Ebola risk at HPISD schools. There is no risk, the letter says, despite Armstrong Elementary parent Clay Jenkins being in close contact with members of Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan's f ... More >>

Clay Jenkins and Inmate Groups Push Dallas County to Stop Profiting from Jail Phone Calls

They successfully fought contract provisions that would have banned in-person visits at the Dallas County jail while the county made money from new video visits. Now exonerated inmates, prison rights advocates and County Judge Clay Jenkins aim to make the county among the first in the nation to stop ... More >>

After Preserving In-Person Visits, Clay Jenkins Takes Aim at County Jail Phone Commissions

Two weeks ago, County Judge Clay Jenkins led a successful effort to change a contract that would have ended in-person visits with jail inmates while the county collected a share of the money a private company made from charging for the video visitation that was to replace it. See also: Dallas Count ... More >>

Dallas County Will Not Ban In-Person Visits for Inmates After All

Dallas County commissioners are asking for new bids on a controversial contract for the management of visitation and phone services to jail inmates, after County Judge Clay Jenkins and inmate advocates objected to a proposal that would have ended face-to-face visits while letting the county profit o ... More >>

Heart of Clay

Why Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins was so quick to come to child migrants' rescue.

The Surge

Why Central American kids are flooding Texas, and what it means in Dallas.

Way More Than 2,000 Migrant Kids Are Coming to Dallas, and Way More Are Already Here

Local protests have increased in recent weeks against the expected influx of thousands of unaccompanied Central American children, part of an unprecedented surge of kids fleeing poverty and violence in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. As resources are stretched at the border, at Lackland Air For ... More >>

Outside Clay Jenkins' Home, a Protest, a Lemonade Stand and Some Awkwardness

Sarah Buchanan's mother grizzly was showing. On her Highland Park block, in which the large branches of trees provided some relief from the 100-degree day, her son and his friends had set up a lemonade stand in front of her house. Two doors down was the home of Judge Clay Jenkins, who has made headl ... More >>

Why Isn't Clay Jenkins the Headline on the Immigration Story? Guess.

As a lifelong reporter, I can't help looking at the babies-at-the-border story and worry about the way my own craft tends to tilt a narrative like this. And don't think I think I'm Goody Two-Shoes. If anything I know the drill too well. A front-page story in The New York Times yesterday was called ... More >>

Decision to Shelter Immigrant Kids Brings Out More Protesters on Both Sides

It's been a few weeks since Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins' startling announcement that Dallas would help shelter the influx of Central American kids. Initial reaction was, in general, positive if riddled with questions. Faith groups across the area have been busy raising funds and holding food an ... More >>

Where Migrant Kids Will Likely Live in Dallas

With Central American kids streaming across Texas' border and nothing but partisan posturing on the horizon, Dallas County, under the leadership of County Judge Clay Jenkins and in partnership with the feds, is preparing to shelter thousands of unaccompanied minors from Honduras, El Salvador and Gua ... More >>

Clay Jenkins Is Clay-J, Our Soprano Sax from the Heart

At the risk of repeating myself, every time I see, hear or read Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins speaking about the immigrant kid issue, I'm struck by something dramatically new, almost shocking, in the way he frames the question. He starts from the heart. The heart. We don't get much of that lately ... More >>

County Commissioners Field Community Response to Undocumented Kids Plan

It's not every Tuesday that you see reporters from three Dallas TV stations live tweeting a Dallas County Commissioners' meeting, but that's just what happened today. Why the hubbub? This meeting was a de facto public hearing on County Judge Clay Jenkins' plan to house up to 2,000 undocumented minor ... More >>

Dallas Preps for Incoming Immigrant Kids, But Will Obama's Promise of Federal Funds Be Enough?

For a major bureaucratic initiative, County Judge Clay Jenkins' plan to house around 2,000 unaccompanied immigrant children in Dallas County is falling into place very quickly. Just this past Saturday, Jenkins announced at the Texas Democratic convention his plan to shelter these kids in Dallas by t ... More >>

As Parkland Moves to Increase Minimum Wage, Clay Jenkins Pushes for Others to Join

The worst-paid workers at Dallas County's Parkland Hospital make $8.78 an hour, a buck and change more than the federal rate of $7.25. But that's still not enough to live, hospital officials said this week, so they recommended increasing the base salary of entry-level positions to $10.25 an hour. If ... More >>

As the Obama Administration Sues Texas Over Voter ID, Craig Watkins and Clay Jenkins Take to MSNBC

Update at 11:43 a.m.: Attorney General Eric Holder officially has Dallas County's back: Holder statement on new Texas voter ID lawsuit: pic.twitter.com/YhdZstRCLF— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 22, 2013 Original post: On Tuesday, Dallas County Commissioners voted 3-2 to join Congress ... More >>

Activists File Complaint with Feds, Say Dallas County Truancy Courts Violate Students' Rights

Dallas County established its truancy courts a decade ago with the hope that a specialized judicial system would better address the root causes of chronic absenteeism (mental health problems, family issues, etc.) than school discipline or adult courts. County Judge Clay Jenkins has declared the prog ... More >>

Aerial Spraying Against West Nile Needs Debate

We're getting only half the story about the risks and dangers of pesticides.

Five Things Dallas County Commissioners Should Have Done Instead of Giving Themselves a Raise

Being a Dallas County Commissioner is tough. You have constituents whining all the time about this and that, you have to read through a lot of boring paperwork, and those chairs around the horseshoe aren't nearly as comfortable as they look. All that for a measly salary of a bit more than $126,000. ... More >>

The Rest of Dallas County Will Get Its Aerial Coating of Poison Tonight at 9

Last night it most of the north and east parts of Dallas and the Park Cities; tonight it's everywhere else. County Judge Clay Jenkins and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings held a press conference at the Dallas County Administration building this afternoon to lay out their plans to murder every single mosqu ... More >>

Dallas County Declares State of Emergency, Requests Planes for Aerial Pesticide Spraying

Dallas County escalated its war on mosquitoes today, with County Judge Clay Jenkins declaring a state of emergency and requesting that five planes be made available from the Texas Department of Emergency Management in order to begin spraying pesticide aerially over North Dallas and the Park Cities. ... More >>

What Does A "Playful" Gavel Grab Look Like, Anyway? John Wiley Price's YouTube Channel Is Here To Show Us.

The folks over at the Morning News' City Hall blog alerted the world yesterday to County Commissioner John Wiley Price's Youtube channel, namely a video in which he calls out the "mainstream media" for running a "character assassination on our Black elected officials." He's not talking about the rep ... More >>

The Ropes Will Stay at Dallas County Commissioner's Court, But is it Really That Big a Deal?

The Dallas County Commissioners Court will vote today on whether to keep in place the rope barriers that sparked an outcry (from the media at least) put up three weeks ago. County Judge Clay Jenkins said he made the order to maintain order and decorum, but, coming as it did on the heels of the FBI's ... More >>

The Woman Who Wants to Replace Dickey

​Speaking of the Dallas County Commissioners Court (or at least I was, to myself, since you're probably doing something far better with your last holiday-break day off) ...Late last night Cecile Fernandez sent word that she wants to replace back-to-BBQ Maurine Dickey as the commissioner for the ne ... More >>

Before This Morning's Constables Hearing in Federal Court, Let's Review the Filings

​Today's The Big Day (well, all right, a big day) for Dallas County Constables Ben Adamcik, Beth Villareal and Roy Williams and many of the deputy constables who say Dallas County is eliminating their jobs because some of them blew the whistle on Dallas County Precinct 1 Constable Derick Evans and ... More >>

It's Official: Toni Pippins-Poole Is Now Your Dallas County Elections Administrator

Photo by Sam MertenToni Pippins-Poole​Last night, Dallas County spokesperson Maria Arita sent word: Toni Pippins-Poole has been named Dallas County Elections Administrator, thus removing the word "interim" from her title. No doubt, longtime observers of county politics aren't stunned by this news. ... More >>

Bad Company: Price and Friends Had Plenty of Enablers.

Before the Mavs' Parade, Fans Sweated in the Streets While Local Officials Fawned

Photos by Patrick MichelsLike Jim says, don't let yourself get carried away. It's just sports.​After hanging out along the parade route for a while this morning, Nick and I ducked into the convention center for what we'd been told would be a half-hour interview session with the Mavs before they fl ... More >>

Dallas County's Now Light 28 Deputy Constables Who Just Wouldn't Do Their Jobs

Photos by Patrick Michels​First, an apology: Patrick's all out of good photos of Maurine Dickey, Clay Jenkins and John Wiley Price at that very first media what-for during which the unholy trinity acknowledged that mistakes had been made and that many Dallas County deputy constables had lied about ... More >>

Jenkins: Dallas County Deputy Constables Faked Visits to Serve Notice of Evictions, Civil Suits

Patrick MichelsSorry, from all your friends at the Dallas County Commissioners Court​If you've been evicted without a heads-up in the last two years or so, Dallas County would like to apologize. This morning, County Judge Clay Jenkins and commissioners John Wiley Price and Maureen Dickey did so in ... More >>

Activists Hail Dallas County Commissioners Court For Demanding State, Feds Clear the Air

​Anti-gas drilling activist Raymond Crawford sends word this morning: Moments ago the Dallas County Commissioners Court voted to adopt a resolution demanding the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency do something about cleaning up Dallas's air. Long ... More >>

Dallas County's Car Czar Vows He'll Make it Easy to Reclaim Cars from Dowdy Ferry Lot

Patrick MichelsDallas County's "Car Czar" Bob McGrath, alongside County Commissioner Clay Jenkins and Sheriff Lupe Valdez. Dallas County Commissioner Clay Jenkins rounded up reporters this morning to help spread the good word about the county's plan to help owners get reunited with cars impounded a ... More >>

John Wiley Price: "Y'all Wanted a Code of Conduct, You Got a Code of Conduct."

Photos by Sam MertenA protester across the street from the Dallas County Administration Building this morning.​The Dallas County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a new code of conduct for commissioners this morning in response to Commissioner John Wiley Price last week telling several ... More >>

John Wiley Price? Problem? What Problem? Nothing to See Here, Folks.

​I refuse to jump up and down and scream about John Wiley Price. There's this story floating around the media that they had to shut down yesterday's meeting of the Dallas County Commissioners Court because Price had a meltdown when some in the peanut gallery called him the county's "chief moolah." ... More >>

County Commissioners Vote, Three to Two, Not to Bring Back Sherbet As Elections Consultant

Patrick MichelsCounty Judge Clay Jenkins reminds the room, "I did not ask Mr. Sherbet to resign." This morning he voted not to re-hire Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet as a consultant.Down at Dallas County Commissioners Court this morning, where the fire marshals were out to keep the overflow c ... More >>

County's Maurine Dickey Wants Bruce Sherbet Running Elections Again -- As a Consultant

Mark GrahamMaurine Dickey​Take a look at the formal agenda for tomorrow's meeting of the Dallas County Commissioners Court. On Page 7 you'll find Court Order 34, which reads, simply:Approving by a voice vote of the Commissioners Court that Mr. Bruce Sherbet be approved for this agreement and a two ... More >>

News & Notes: Jenkins Surgery Update, Who Sent Sherbet's Stuff Home and Former Cowboys QB Poised to Swap Senate Teams

Photo by Sam MertenClay Jenkins​What a Week For the New County Judge Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins has been pummeled in the media and political circles for playing Scottie Pippen to Commissioner John Wiley Price's Michael Jordan in the game to push out Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet ... More >>

Sherbet Is Out. Now Watch Who Gets Paid.

​In the '08 Obama/Clinton primary election, it was clear we had two Democratic Parties in Dallas County. We had the one that won that election -- the smart Obamacrats. And then we had the losers, the Dallas County Demacrooks, the usual suspects, the ones who took all that Clinton money but did ... More >>

County Judge Clay Jenkins Still Under Fire for the Sherbet Spill That Will Not Go Away

Claire Jordan​The majority of Dallas County's courtrooms were closed today because of inclement weather, but the commissioners court pressed on and held its weekly meeting this morning. Freezing temperatures and icy roads kept us and others away, but a dozen or so supporters of ousted Election ... More >>

More From Yesterday's Elections Commission Meeting Turned Bruce Sherbet Rally, Including the Postgame Interview With Clay Jenkins

Perhaps most disappointing to everyone gathered in support of Bruce Sherbet at yesterday's Election Commission meeting was the refusal of Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins to face his critics after he and two other Democrats, County Clerk John Warren and County Tax Assessor-Collector John Ames, voted ... More >>

Before Bipartisan Protest, County GOP Chair Pushes Judge Jenkins to Open Doors at Today's Election Commission Meeting to Public

AnonymousThis has been making the rounds. Can't imagine why its creator isn't looking for credit.​Dallas County Republican Party chair Jonathan Neerman says today's 3:30 p.m. meeting of the Election Commission -- the first such gathering in more than two decades -- should be relocated to the c ... More >>

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins Blames Bruce Sherbet for Appointment of New Elections Administrator, Then Bolts

Photos by Sam Merten The scene outside the Dallas County Administration Building this afternoon.​[This story has been updated to amend the quote from Darlene Ewing.] A passionate group of approximately 100 election judges, precinct chairs and other folks from all sides of the political spe ... More >>

Top 10 Schutze Columns of '10

​Nothing slow about us, but just when you thought my third annual list of Schutze's best columns wouldn't take shape, Jim's check finally cleared, so I took the time to look back at his fine work throughout the year and picked out the 10 that made me fall in love with him all over again. As in ... More >>

News & Notes: Kunkle Gets New Gig, Cortes Loses His & Irving Needs People

I think we can all agree: We will miss this picture.​A few follow-ups with which to begin the day:Sam went to Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle's retirement wingding in the Cedars yesterday, where the commish announced he'd be consulting for and teaching at the W.W. Caruth Jr. Police Institute at t ... More >>

Who the Hell is Clay Jenkins, And Why Am I Being Told to Vote for Him for County Judge?

SMU's Jillson Says Local Democratic Elected Officials "Are Not to Be Trusted," Questions Friends Chosen By Jenkins

Danny FulgencioCal Jillson​Much like Richard Allen's interview, our conversation with Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson didn't make it into the cover story on Dallas County Judge Jim Foster appearing in last week's paper version of Unfair Park. But that's not to say ... More >>

Who is Clay Jenkins? We'd Like to Know Too, But He Ain't Talkin'.

Claire JordanIt took 11 days and a lot of effort from us just to get a statement from Clay Jenkins, who wants to replace Jim Foster as county judge.​Fifty-two votes. That's all that kept Clay Jenkins from securing the Democratic nomination for county judge on March 2. Instead, he'll take on fo ... More >>

Tonight in North Dallas, Your Chance to Fire Questions at the Democratic Candidates for County Judge and District Clerk

Sam MertenWith Foster and Jenkins highlighting the race to take on Republican Wade Emmert for county judge in November, it's easy to forget Larry Duncan is also part of the mix.​That's right. Wanna know why Johnny Gomez thinks he's got a shot against incumbent Gary Fitzsimmons? Or why lawyer C ... More >>

Wade Emmert Emerges as Party Favorite in GOP Effort to Take Back County Judge Seat

flickr member: cedarhillchurchofchristEmmert is charged with helping the local Republican Party rebound by jumping from a council member in Cedar Hill to Dallas County Judge.At the Dallas County Republican Party's annual Reagan Day Dinner in February, we described Cedar Hill City Council member Wade ... More >>