I just got a call from a People’s Choice winner, asking if we could e-mail her a copy of our logo to use on her company’s banner in the upcoming Mardi Gras parade. Of course, we were more than happy to oblige. If anybody else needs a copy of it for the same reason, call me at 214-523-5272.

Yesterday morning was a bad time to be out and about in the northernmost part of Oak Cliff. A pair of thugs were demanding money from people at gunpoint and pistol-whipping their victims.

According to incident reports on the Dallas Police Department’s website, at least three such crimes happened between 6:15 and 6:30 a.m. outside the post office on Interstate 30, the Valero gas station on Sylvan Avenue, and the offices of a concrete company on Commerce Street. Only at the gas station was a shot fired, and no one was hit.

But the victims in all three incidents were struck by these two geniuses, described as two Hispanic males in a black 1996 Nissan sedan, whose total haul for their efforts was $240.

All three of these incident reports reference a fourth crime (by case number only) that I’ve been unable to find on the DPD site. But I did find a fifth incident that happened at 7:20 a.m. at a house in the 800 block of Cumberland Street. Two robbers — again described as young Hispanic men, but this time in ski masks — broke down the front door and demanded money from a man sleeping on a couch. When he said he didn’t have any, one thug pistol-whipped him and the other fired a shot that didn’t hit anyone. They took his cell phone and left.

Big news for Tim Byres at Smoke: He’s up for “best new chef” in a national contest sponsored by Food & Wine.

The winner gets a profile in the magazine’s July issue – and a hefty portion of bragging rights.

Click here to cast a vote and read about Byres and other Southwest contenders.

Want to drum up extra support? Drop by Smoke for a free party pegged to the contest (read: free food, free beer, and free live music) at 7 p.m. Monday.

Surely you remember Decorazon.  MK Semos and Hugo Garcia-Urrutia’s business — formerly a Bishop Arts District gallery — is still tied to art shows at other locations. And by “other locations,”  they now mean Thailand.

A week from today, Bangkok’s La Lanta Fine Art will exhibit the couple’s Wooden Postcards collection. H.E. Arturo Puente, Mexico’s ambassador to Thailand, will apparently preside over the event.

Swing by, if you can. And you’ll obviously need to bring me with you.

One of my favorite other Dans on this planet is Dan Savage, the syndicated sex columnist whose off-color work can be found each week in the Dallas Observer. Did you know Savage is scheduled to speak at the Kessler Theater next month?

Got a spring in your step? The Oak Cliff-based Texas Dance Theatre is conducting auditions for company members this Sunday.

There was quite a tragic incident on North Bishop Avenue yesterday afternoon. From what I can tell from this Dallas Police Department incident report, an Elmwood man apparently had a heart attack at 1:05 p.m. while driving in the 1100 block.

By the time his car stopped moving, it had hopped a curb, struck two street signs, gone through several shrubs and a metal fence, hit two parked cars, damaged a wooden fence around a trash bin, and gone over a retaining wall.

One of the other cars was pushed over the same retaining wall, but not before hitting a small tree, causing it to fall against the roof of a home. Total damages from the incident were estimated at $6,500.

The driver was taken to Methodist Dallas Medical Center and pronounced dead at 1:35 p.m.

Amy Alburtis is filling our inboxes with announcements about the Oak Cliff Lions Club’s ninth annual Charity Golf Tournament. Personally, I won’t be able to participate, as I don’t play golf unless there’s a windmill or a clown’s mouth to aim at. But perhaps your sporting tastes aren’t so discriminating?

The tournament is scheduled for April 25 — that’s a Monday — at Thorntree Country Club in DeSoto. Registration fees are $175 for an individual and $400 for a foursome. Sponsorship opportunities start at $150 and run all the way up to 10 grand. For more information, visit the Lions Club’s website.