Samuell Boulevard [Update]

The repairs/reconstruction on Samuell from Lawnview out to Buckner are expected to take until 2011 apparently because of all of the utilities located there.

3 years for 3 miles -- seems outrageous.

The schedule is to be completed in 2010 -- and it is supposedly because of all of the utilities. Still seems like a really long time.

Dolphin Road [Update]

The construction seems to be taking forever with very little progress.

I have contacted Pauline Medrano's office for an update on when this project will be completed. It doesn't appear hopeful that they will be finished by the time of the State Fair and with all of that traffic, we will be gridlocked.

I talked with Public Works who assures me that it is on schedule and is supposed to be completed by the end of the year. The County is the lead on this. He said they should be pouring concrete soon.

3227 Kinmore

This from Maureen:

"the demolition hearing for 3227 Kinmore is set for 8/12.
If you or any of your neighbors would like to attend the hearing to tell the judge about the detrimental effect the property has on your neighborhood, let me know and I will inform Mary Supino and Janet Spugnardi, the attorneys handling the case."

This is the drug house that burned some months back.

I responded that I couldn't attend and inquired about at least having letters from the neighbors on file.

Culver & St. Charles Work [UPDATED]

I spoke to the Atmos foreman who is overseeing the work being done near the intersection of Culver and St. Charles.

It turns out that there is a small gas leak somewhere near the area and they are attempting to locate the leak to repair it. They will be working until the leak is repaired.

In case the leak is between the main and the meter of a residence, they will be replacing the line (at Atmos expense) even if the leak is on private property.

[UPDATE] Turns out the gas leak is under St. Charles Ave adjacent to 3002 Culver. They will be installing a new gas line next week. It appears as though damage was done to the gas line during the installation of new streets a few years ago.

Mrs. Williams

Long time resident at 3001 Culver, Mrs. Williams, has passed away this week. Funeral is planned for Sunday.

Dog Update

I called 311 yet again about the dogs from 3222 Culver. They filed 2 reports -- one for loose dogs and one for violating the pooper scooper law since I was able to list 4 places where the dogs have done their "business".

The dispatcher was able to find at least 3 other complaints, so I am hoping that we will get some action.

Jugs of Water

On my walk this morning, I stopped to talk to a woman who had plastic jugs of water at the corners of her yard. She told me that supposedly, they will keep the dogs from crapping in your yard.

She has complained about the same white pit bull I have complained about from 3222 Culver. So the whole block doesn't like it, but unless the dog is out when Animal Control comes, nothing is done.

Prostitute Update

Robert called to report on his efforts to get the police to deal with the prostitution on Dolphin Road.

He has corresponded with the chief over the Central Division (their territory starts on the North Side of I-30.) She said she will work with the SE Division (our side of the freeway).

Apparently there may be some problem because neither division goes into the other's territory. Of course, that doesn't stop our ladies of the night who freely traverse Dolphin Road from division to division.

She has promised increased presence to deal with the prostitutes and drugs.

Court for Prostitutes

In a recent article online at the Observer, beginning July 21 a new STAR (Strengthening, Transition and Recovery) Court will begin dealing with many habitual prositutes in Dallas County - one of 11 specialty courts.

You can find the article (here). Maybe this court can help some of our local "lovely ladies" lining the Dolphin corridor.

Bus Service

Those of you on the bus route probably will not welcome this news, but those of us who take the bus are pleased that DART will be restoring 20 minute service during rush hour on August 3. Currently, the service is only every 40 minutes.

Dog Days of Summer

Robert has been seeing the prostitutes and has been vigilant about calling them in. He reports that one got a citation and one carted off to jail. He has also written to the chief over the NE Substation (their area starts just across I-30 from us). Most of the prostitutes are hanging around over there on Samell and around El Az de Oro.

One thing the construction has accomplished is to make Dolphin Road pretty inhospitable to soliciting a trick.

The drug house on Kinmore on the other side of Dolphin is still a problem but all the appropriate officials have been contacted.

Also, Shorty -- who many think has been responsible for much of the theft in our neighborhood for years -- is once again back in the neighborhood. So keep an eye out on your things. He is called Shorty since he is about 5'4".

5334 St Charles Avenue

A few things to share regarding this property. The most recent tenant was a female minister that rented the property for about a year. She faced a myriad of issues in the house including lack of a hot water heater for over a month, rat infestation, three burglaries, etc.

Not surprisingly, she finally gave up on the non-cooperative landlords and the neighborhood crime and moved out of the house. She left in her wake a significant amount of garbage, furniture, and a refrigerator. All of this is left in the front driveway and now, over a month later, the landlord has missed two opportunities to have this refuse removed during bulk trash week.

Beginning this week, the property's garbage is being reported to the city code office. If any others out there are tired of looking at this mess, please report this yourself - you can do so online (here).

I am not sure what will become of this house. Over the past six years, there have been many short term and sketchy renters - one particular "family" had to be called in numerous times for domestic violence and illegal noise.

Until the landlord begins to make some necessary improvements to the house, I can only assume the house will return to being short-term renting with sketchy people so long as they neglect to fix issues and clean out the rats.

The return of "Yellow Jacket" and the Prostitute

Robert gave this name to the son of some people in the 3200 block of Fairview last winter because he was always wearing (wait for it) a yellow jacket. His mother would let him come in and she would feed him, but not let him stay there. We suspect that he may be responsible for some of the burglaries in the neighborhood.

He is often seen in the company of a prostitute. He also hung out some at the boarded drug house and police had to be called there when he assaulted her.

All of this to lead up to the fact that they were in the park this morning as I waited for the bus. I didn't know who they were until I checked with Robert but am suspicious of people I don't know in the park at 8 in the morning drinking beer. So I challenged them and they left muttering and complaining I was harassing them (down the alley toward St. Charles). I saw them in the church parking lot as the bus went past.

Both are African American, she had on a white top and black knee length bottom, he a white t-shirt and jean mid-calf length pants. Robert has seen them in Samell Grand Park and they appear to be homeless. Both medium height and build.

So be on the lookout and don't get lax about locking up your stuff.

prostitutes again

This morning at 3am a prostitute knocked on my truck window at Samuell and Dolphin while I was at the red light and propositioned me. Again I got into a screaming match. Her pimp came yelling at me but back off when I told him he lives at 3443 Kinmore with his mother and needs to get out of the neighborhood. I called the police but they never called back. At 5:45am I came home and saw 2 prostitutes and 2-3 drug dealers in the parking lot at El Oz de Ore. I called the police again. They did call but I don't know the outcome. I have called Vice again and e-mailed the council person for that area asking for more aggresive police attention.

Neighborhood Night Out

I met with the city prosecutor for our neighborhood last night (6-30-08) Neighborhood Night Out has been changed in Texas this year to Oct. 7,2008. This a trial to see if more people will come if it is cooler. Currently I do not know where it will be. The prosecutor is leaning towards Owenwood Park. She wants to combine Owenwood, Dolphin Heights (South of Schepps Dairy) and Jubilee Park (near Fairpark) and have one big event. She believes this would be easier on the police and council members that try to show up.

The house at 3227 Kinmore is still scheduled for demolition. I asked about 3111 Kinmore and 3011 Kinmore. She stated they are still working on these and that one of them is probably a tear down house. She has given addresses to 100 properties in her area to the Land Bank Attorneys (foreclosures). One of these was 3218 Culver. She hopes to find out in the next month a time period when these will go to court.

prostitutes again

The white prostitute with long brown hair was out again last night. At 2am she was at Dolphin and Samuell stopping cars. She was with 3 black pimps in a newer silver car. We got into a screaming match and I called the police. They did not return my call. She was still there at 6am. I called the police again. They called me back at 7am and stated they could not find her. They did say they would alert the White Rock police station to keep a closer eye on that area. I left another message for Vice. The blond prostitute received a 2nd citation a couple of days ago.

prostitutes again

The prostitute I last wrote about was out again last night. She is about 45 yrs old, white with long brown hair. She was at Samuell and Dolphin at 2 am stopping cars. We got into a screaming match and I called the police. I asked to be called back but did not receive a call. She had three black guys in a silver car pimping her. I went back by there at 6 am and she was still there. I called the police again. They called back an hour later and stated they did not see her but they said they would alert the White Rock police station to keep a closer eye on this area. The smaller blond prostitute received another citation a couple of days ago again at the By-Lo Liq. store. The police told me it takes up to 60 days before she would have a court date. If she doesn't show up for court a warrant will be put out on her. Then if they stop her again they can arrest her