This gem from the police blotter is too long to be the Skulduggery of the Week, but it deserves to be spotlighted:

At 2:50 p.m. Aug. 26, a thief stole a $200 Blackberry that a woman had placed on the counter at El Ranchero in Wynnewood Village. The woman didn’t realize her phone was missing until she was walking to her car. She went back inside the restaurant and asked the cashier to call her phone. When the cashier dialed the number, the phone rang in the back pocket of the thief’s jeans. The thief ran out of the restaurant and fled in a white Nissan.

City Councilwoman Delia Jasso said that at last night’s town-hall budget meeting, held at Methodist Dallas Medical Center’s Hitt Auditorium, there was a lot of talk about the arts programs and libraries (again).

Jasso said she was pleased with the turnout — at least 70 community members showed up to voice their opinions on the city’s proposed 2011-12 budget.

“Many people were concerned about the 10-percent cut to the arts programs,” Jasso said. “We recognize this is something we need to look at in more depth, as well as our libraries.”

Jasso, who is vice president of the recently created Arts, Culture, and Libraries Committee, said it’s very clear to her that the city needs to put more focus of funding and expanding its arts programs.

“Oak Cliff has a big artist community and we want to protect that,” Jasso said.  ”We’ve got to come up with a better plan.”

The next town-hall budget meeting in Oak Cliff will be tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m. at the Martin Weiss Recreation Center (1111 Martindale), with Delia Jasso.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services hit Methodist Dallas Medical Center with a federal warning for regulation deficiencies, just three days after the hospital announced its $108 million expansion plan on August 23.

The hospital was warned to correct the problems posing “immediate jeopardy” to patients or risk losing Medicare and Medicaid funding, which accounts for $391 million of Methodist’s patient revenue.

A spokesperson for Methodist said most of the problems are related to the increased volume and space limitations in the emergency department.

A special task force of Methodist clinicians and administrators is conducting a thorough review of the survey recommendations and will address each one in their CMS response plan. The plan must be submitted not later than September 10 or the hospital’s license to accept Medicare and Medicaid payments will be terminated the following week.

For more information, read this week’s edition of Oak Cliff People.

If bikes have a special place in your heart, know this: The Oak Cliff Cultural Center wants locals — you — to submit original art that uses bicycles as “the inspiration, subject matter, and/or medium, with the goal of creating playful, amusing, nostalgic, or poignant commentaries on the roles of bikes in the Oak Cliff community.”

Tiny Spokes: The Oak Cliff Bike Experience kicks off with an artists’ reception in December, and will run until February at the cultural center. Submissions are due Nov. 15.

From a press release:

The two-wheel revolution of this alternate mode of transportation in Oak Cliff has yielded a myriad of events and positive change. Bikes can be a powerful art medium, conjuring up memories of childhood, past friendships, and other recollections. For this reason we have decided to celebrate the bike in an engaging, fun, and above all, playful exhibit!

All  items must be original, and new to the Oak Cliff Cultural Center. Note, too, that it’s a “small works” show — submissions can’t exceed 10 inches by 10 inches — so we can’t be decking out entire bikes, here. Roll on by the center’s website for more guidelines and an entry form.

We’ve plugged Norma’s retro prices aplenty, so here’s a different anniversary-food deal on Davis Street: Tejano Mexican Restaurant and Club —  just “Tejano’s,” to some regulars — turns 30 years old today. Enchilada and taco dinners are $1.99, and margaritas just 99 cents.

This note first came as a Good Neighbor submission, by the way. Here’s what the writer said:

Thanks for keeping us informed about all the happenings and doings around The Cliff. However, there is one local institution that never seems to get any mention. Tejano’s Restaurant (voted best enchiladas in Dallas by D Magazine!) will be celebrating their 30th (yes, their THIRTIETH!) anniversary on Tuesday, Aug. 30th. Specials all day. Go by and congratulate Sam and the rest of the gang!

Sam is owner Sam Benson. Congrats!

Carla Ranger

DISD Trustee Carla Ranger posted on her blog that she is resigning from the school board, “effective on the earliest date of Board acceptance.”

Ranger further said in her post, “It is my hope that the board will appoint a replacement until the next regularly scheduled election date. Immediate acceptance and appointment of a new trustee prior to the September board briefing would be appreciated.”

On Thursday night, Ranger lost a decision on redistricting. The board approved to move four precincts out of her district into board president Lew Blackburn’s district, in an 8 – 1 vote. Ranger abstained from voting.

The precincts are in the Wilmer-Hutchins area, and one is home to Wilmer-Hutchins High School and Elementary School.

Mesa bartender Nael Rodriquez whips up his signature mojito.

Head over to Mesa this weekend, chow down on their authentic coastal cuisine, and enjoy some super delish drinks — for a darn-good bargain. (Or skip the food, and cocktail it up…as long as you’re not driving, of course.)

Frozen margaritas are $4
Peach bellinis are $5
And wine is half-price (OMG…I’m in heaven.)

Find these inexpensive cocktail treats at 118 W. Jefferson Boulevard. Yum!