Articles for June, 2010
Dwaine Caraway Pumps Up ExxonMobil Gas
When it comes to getting gassed up, Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway believes in pumping local. “It would not be fair to stand here and not submit to you that I only use Exxon gas,” Caraway told hundreds of people at the Dallas Arboretum this morning. “I pass a lot of gas stations and go on ’til I find an Exxon station. When you have a company like Exxon–who for years … has been giving back to the community–never forget where you’re coming from.”
Caraway (shown in photo by Jeanne Prejean) disclosed his petrol preference during “special remarks” at a reception and awards ceremony for the 2010 ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program. This is the 20th year the Irving-based energy giant has bankrolled eight-week paid internships for local nonprofits like DOWNTOWNDallas and the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. This year it’s coughing up $270,000 to cover intern salaries and program expenses in North Texas.
A Professor and a Plagiarist Walk Into a Waffle House in Fort Worth
I’ll echo what The Awl said: “This is fascinating.” At a Waffle House in Fort Worth, Michael Erard meets with the overwhelmed student he caught plagiarizing and finds out the effects the incident had on her — and him.
2009: The Year of the Hamburger at City and Regional Magazine Conference
Please forgive any errors in the following as I’m sitting in an airport in Florida and trying to post this before I have to board. I just spent the past four days in Providence, Rhode Island, at the City and Regional Magazine Association’s annual conference.
According to Dan Brogan, president of the CRMA, 2009 was the year of the hamburger (he said just a few years ago that it was all about steak). People were cutting back last year, and this was reflected in the articles magazines printed. But I felt like the consensus of the 2010 CRMA conference was that of guarded optimism. I talked to an employee of B-Metro, a magazine that was created last year by a five-member staff who felt Birmingham magazine wasn’t providing its readers the right content. I asked her if last year was really a great time to launch. She smirked and asked, “When is it a great time to launch?”
Although many mentioned not having layoffs recently, they all did admit that if someone leaves, generally they haven’t replaced the position.
And though the economy was a topic of great interest, the thing that stole the show this year was Next Issue Media’s Robyn Peterson’s presentation. Five media giants gathered and said, “We’ve got to do something about this whole future of journalism/technology thing.” Thus NIM was born. With two board members each from Time Inc., Hearst Corporation, Condé Nast, Meredith, and News Corporation, NIM is diving headfirst into creating magazines for tablets.
What To Do In Dallas Tonight: June 8, 2010
I love spending an evening at Times Ten Cellars, the adorable Lakewood winery that’s located in a historic post office. I would probably love spending a morning there, too, but they never let me in. Anyway, the wines are reasonably priced, and tasty. If you’re like me, you’ve probably ordered a cheese plate after a couple glasses, and that’s fine and all. But here’s the secret: you can also get delivery from Scalini’s, Cafe Izmir, Nandina, Lover’s Pizza, and Angelo’s right to your table. It might be difficult to pair your wine with Paciugo, but their Lakewood location will also deliver gelato to Times Ten, which pretty much makes for the cutest date ever. Bonus: tonight they also have jazz from the Mike Drake trio. And cupid will be there shooting arrows straight into your crush’s heart. Well, maybe not…but who knows?
MGMT is playing tonight at the House of Blues, and that sounds fun, too.
Chris Cree to Celebrate Wedding Anniversary With D Magazine Words With Friends Tournament
(This is the third of four mini-profiles of the semifinalists of the D Magazine Words With Friends Tournament. Chris Cree will face Rich Goff in one of our two semifinals on June 9. Read to the jump to see this member of our Finally Four answer the same questions as our 10 Most Beautiful Women in Dallas nominees.)
Chris Cree
55, owns a wholesale forklift business and is co-president of the National Scrabble Players Association
Lives in: University Park
How committed is Chris Cree to finishing off the competition in our tournament? June 9 — the day of our live semifinal and final matches — also happens to be Cree’s wedding anniversary. Not only will he be here to play, but his wife Carla will attend as well.
It’s a fitting enough celebration for them, considering that they met thanks to Cree’s hobby of competing in Scrabble tournaments all over the country. (more…)
Leading Off (6/8/10)
1. There is a daring cat burglar on the loose in Old East Dallas. Police released this image of the culprit, caught on a security camera.
2. Celina is offering to help defray the cost of the next Dallas North Tollway extension, if the NTTA decides to build it through their town. Couple of questions: where is Celina? And: seriously, where?
3. A Denton County deputy had to help deliver a baby after what he thought was a routine traffic stop. Complicating the delivery? The gigantic bow on the child’s head. But everyone’s okay, so no big deal.
4. In related news, we’re planning on having our Q4 company happy hour there, too, since Cowboys Stadium will pretty much take any event.
5. “How did school administrators let Tony Mitchell play basketball at Pinkston High School given his more than 100 unexcused absences?” Quick guess: he’s super awesome. But read the rest here, if you want.
In Dallas, the ACLU Pushes Back Against “Extremists”
“You see,” somebody smiled, reaching for another hors d’oeuvre, “there are liberals in Texas!” The scene was the ultra-modern new home of Charles MarLett and James Vasilas in Northwest Dallas (white walls, linoleum-looking floors, cutting-edge art). That’s where about 50 people gathered late yesterday afternoon for a fund-raising party with Terri Burke, a former Dallas Morning News editor who’s now executive director of the ACLU of Texas.
Among the guests were Dawn Rizos (shown in photo here by Jeanne Prejean). Rizos owns The Lodge, an upscale Northwest Highway gentlemen’s club that she used to run with her (now) ex-husband, Nick. Waiting for Burke to address the crowd, Rizos was talking about a new eatery called Elaine’s Brasserie she’s planning to open in Uptown this fall. Exotic dancers; New Orleans-style food; named after Dawn’s mother, who’s 90 and “may hostess” once in awhile. (Reason for the new joint? “I turned 48 and I’m bored,” Rizos said. “Plus, I wanted to do something on my own.”)
Accessory of the Week: Nathan Nash
While the ever-gorgeous Raya wrangles up Dallas’ “Ten Most Beautiful Women,” we think we’ve discovered another nice “Accessory of the Week” to dress up the blog. Our submission this week is Hunter Equity’s Nathan Nash (pictured). Besides being pretty darn adorable in person, he’s also president of the Texas Tech Alumni Association (Dallas Chapter) and membership chair for The Real Estate Council Young Guns.
Sports Agent Trennis Jones Doesn’t Want to Let Down Mom in Words With Friends Tournament
(This is the second of four mini-profiles of the semifinalists of the D Magazine Words With Friends Tournament. Trennis Jones will face Rhett Miller in one of our two semifinals on June 9. Read to the jump to see this member of our Finally Four answer the same questions as our 10 Most Beautiful Women in Dallas nominees.)
Trennis Jones
28, sports agent
Lives in: Uptown Dallas
Trennis Jones has worked for sports agency Octagon, in the basketball division, for 5 ½ years. The agency represents clients like Chris Paul, Rudy Gay, Stephen Curry, and Kirk Hinrich. His largest personal signing this year was Tweety Carter from Baylor University. He’s working hard to make sure Tweety’s name is called June 24 during the NBA Draft.
Free Tickets to See One of the World’s Best Choreographers
If you’ve never been to a professional dance performance not called “The Nutcracker,” seize the opportunity.
Dallas Fed Chief Richard Fisher: “Let’s Get Some Real Banking Reform”
Richard Fisher, the Dallas Federal Reserve chief, recently gave a talk to the SW Graduate School of Banking. Yesterday, Simon Johnson boiled the speech down to its essentials. Fisher is an elegant speaker, and Johnson is a good boiler. After having read this, you’ll feel smarter.
An Intern Reports on Last Weekend’s Dog Bowl
Hannah Boen is spending part of her summer learning all about journalism here at D Magazine HQ. Note to Mr. Boen: we are doing our best to turn her away from journalism as a career option and get her pointed toward something that might give you a better ROI for those college bucks. You’re cool having a plumber for a daughter, right? In any case, here’s what Hannah has to tell us about the pooch festival known as the Dog Bowl, which went down on Sunday at Fair Park (PS: the pics are hers, too):
Dallas Residents to Resolve National Debt Issue
Can a bunch of ordinary people really get together for a few hours, chew the fat, and then tell D.C. leaders how to get a handle on the national debt? That’s what an outfit called AmericaSpeaks says is going to happen Saturday, June 26, when Dallas becomes one of six main sites for an “unprecedented,” nonpartisan, national town meeting on ways to put the federal budget on a sustainable path.
Organizers are hoping as many as 500 people will gather at the Dallas Convention Center that day. They’ll be linked up there with other sites in other U.S. cities, using keypad polling and groupware technology. To make sure the attendees are racially, politically, economically and age diverse, the local participants are being solicited via groups like the League of Women Voters, the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce and LULAC. (You can also register on the web site.)
All of which sounds great. Whether anyone winds up listening to their ideas is something else again.
Rhett Miller of the Old 97s Dedicates Words With Friends Tournament Performance to His Grandma
(This is the first of four mini-profiles of the semifinalists of the D Magazine Words With Friends Tournament. Rhett Miller will face Trennis Jones in one of our two semifinals on June 9. Read to the jump to see this member of our Finally Four answer the same questions as our 10 Most Beautiful Women in Dallas nominees.)
Rhett Miller
39, Musician
Lives in: Upstate New York, with frequent trips home to Dallas
The question remains open: Is Rhett Miller just an all-round more impressive human being than you are? He’s already been a rock star for years, garnering a legion of adoring fans. Add to that the simple fact that he’s advanced all the way to the semifinals of the D Magazine Words With Friends Tournament, and he’s already achieved more in his time on this planet than a good percentage of the population ever will.
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