Find a back issue

Front Burner Blog

D Magazine Staffers on Councilman Philip Kingston’s Toll Road ‘Nice’ List

Posted in Local News, Politics & Government, Transportation Nov 13, 2014 at 4:29 pm Jason Heid

Rudy Bush has posted City Councilman Philip Kingston’s Trinity Toll Road “Naughty and Nice” list, identifying those he considers on the wrong (pro-) and right (anti-) side of the debate over building a highway between the levees.

Among those on the “nice” side of the ledger are our own Tim Rogers and contributors Eric Celeste and Patrick Kennedy. Plus, Wick Allison, who even charts a pull quote:

“I learned from the Trinity mistake. Maybe the biggest prejudice of all human beings is presentism. That is to say, what is has always been and will always be.”

Top of the naughty list: Mayor Mike Rawlings and former city manager Mary Suhm. So, yeah, no surprises. For whatever it’s worth, via the DMN:

Full Story

Things To Do In Dallas Tonight: Nov. 13

Posted in Entertainment, Things to Do in Dallas Nov 13, 2014 at 12:13 pm Chris Mosley
A dress rehearsal for Nice. Courtesy of DGDG.

Judging from the last DGDG production I attended, Dirty Filthy Diamonds at the Margo Jones Theatre, I am very much looking forward to what the troupe has in store. They have a defiant yet controlled recklessness that’s simultaneously visceral and playful. This should prove very interesting in such literally lofty confines, as opposed to a historic theater in Fair Park.

Full Story

You Want Better Public Transit? Let DART Know What You Want.

Posted in Local News Nov 13, 2014 at 9:05 am Peter Simek

A few days ago I wrote about how DART needs to follow the lead of other cities, such as Houston, and reroute their bus system. Well, DART officials say that’s exactly what they may do as part of the 10 Year Service Plan the transit organization is beginning to develop. Public meetings began this week to solicit feedback from riders about how the bus system can evolve to best suit their needs. There’s also an online survey you can fill out to offer feedback on what you believe DART’s priorities should be. (Here’s a cheat sheet for one of the questions: Frequent “to you” means buses every 10-15 minutes, no matter who “you” are.)

Full Story

Leading Off (11/13/14)

Posted in Local News Nov 13, 2014 at 7:08 am Zac Crain

Thomas Eric Duncan’s Fiancee Lands Book Deal. Louise Troh’s memoir “will tell of her life with Duncan and how her faith had been ‘tested but not broken'” by his death from Ebola. It’s scheduled to come out April 28, published by The Weinstein Company and Perseus Book Group.

Northeast Gateway Toll Road Dead — For Now. The controversial project is expected to be left out of Mobility 2035, a long-range planning document that will go before the Regional Transportation Council today. Good job, Hunt County residents.

Debate Over Highland Park ISD’s Book Policy Continues. Currently, they are just on the edge of a potential Footloose situation, so it’s probably best to get this locked down.

Clayton Kershaw Wins Cy Young Award. The Highland Park grad won his third Cy Young after going 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA and throwing a no-hitter. He’ll find out today if he’s also the National League’s MVP.

Full Story

Alex From Target Gets the New York Times Treatment

Posted in Entertainment, Local News, Media Nov 12, 2014 at 4:39 pm Michael J. Mooney

The story of Alex from Target (from Frisco) is now a story about us looking at ourselves looking at ourselves looking at beautiful, polite people. When he left for work that morning, he had a little more than 100 followers on Twitter. Now he has around 733,000.

“To say Alex is ‘a sweet kid,’ as his parents describe him, is an understatement. He’s shy and exceedingly polite. He often chuckles to himself after speaking. While he answered most of my questions with short and sheepish replies, when I asked him about his girlfriend, Lindsey, he lit up, telling me that they met in chemistry class after sitting next to each other for a lab assignment.”

Full Story

Dallas Rates Well on LGBT Inclusion. The Suburbs Not So Much.

Posted in Politics & Government, Ranking Stuff Nov 12, 2014 at 3:03 pm Jason Heid

The Human Rights Campaign, a nonprofit organization working on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights, issued a report today called the Municipal Equality Index in which 353 American cities were rated on their inclusion of, and support for, LGBT residents.

Dallas scored well, 91 out of a possible 100, credited especially with having enacted nondiscrimination laws and for city leadership’s support of the LGBT community. Among the state’s biggest cities only Austin did better (a perfect 100.) Fort Worth got an 83.

But, according to HRC’s standards, Dallas’ suburbs have a ways to go. Irving and Mesquite scored perfect zeroes. Plano got a 22. McKinney a 12, Arlington 11, and Garland a 10.

Full Story

ESPN The Magazine and Sports Illustrated Both Have J.J. Watt on Their Cover

Posted in Media Nov 12, 2014 at 2:16 pm Tim Rogers

Two magazine covers. Same football player appears on both. Neither issue is online yet; these are teaser covers released early. (ESPN actually did three covers, with Tony Romo and Demarco Murray appearing on the other two.) So why am I sharing this with you? What does J.J. Watt have to do with Dallas? Well, our own Mike Mooney wrote the story for ESPN (driving to Houston and back on the same day to have dinner with Watt, Mike’s only face time with his subject). I think my favorite detail about this deal is that the Houston Texans had the gall (presumably) not to tell each publication that another was working on a Watt story — and then the team bragged about the coverage. Well played, Texans. Well played.

Full Story

Moss Haven Elementary Students Sing ‘We Are The World’ to Fight Ebola

Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Education, Health & Medicine, Local News Nov 12, 2014 at 1:46 pm Jason Heid
The students at Moss Haven Elementary

As the Advocate notes, some youngsters over at Moss Haven Elementary in Lake Highlands have produced their own remake of “We Are The World,” the well-intentioned all-star tune we all were made to get thoroughly sick of thanks to its constant play on MTV in 1985.

The Moss Haven video is part of an effort to raise $5,000 for Doctors Without Borders to help fight the Ebola epidemic.

If you have anything snarky to say after watching it, what kind of monster are you?

Full Story

Dirk Nowitzki Is Now The Highest-Scoring Foreign-Born NBA Player Ever

Posted in Sports & Leisure, Super Heroes Nov 12, 2014 at 10:58 am Zac Crain

It happened last night during the Mavs’ awesome comeback over the Sacramento Kings — who, P.S., have not beaten the Mavs in Dallas since 2003. He passed Hakeem Olajuwon, and it probably would have been more fitting if it had come off one of his patented, one-legged, lean-back jumpers, but a midrange shot is probably just as good. Dirk will more than likely finish just behind Shaquille O’Neal on the scoring list this season. If he plays through his entire three-year contract somewhere near this level, he has an outside shot — no pun intended — to finish his career ahead of Wilt Chamberlain as the No. 5 scorer of all-time. That is amazing. I SEE YOU, BIG GERMAN.

Full Story

Top 10 Names Rejected by Gwyneth Paltrow for Her Pop-Up Store in Dallas

Posted in Shopping Nov 12, 2014 at 10:29 am Tim Rogers

You’ve probably heard the news by now that Gwyneth Paltrow will open a pop-up store at Highland Park Village. It will be called GOOP. While the DMN says it is unclear whether Paltrow will make an appearance at the opening, I’ve heard from someone involved with the project that she will be there (take it to the bank). Anyway, here are the top 10 names she rejected before settling on GOOP:

Full Story