Posts by Claire St. Amant
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Leadership DISD Applications Due Friday
Perhaps you, like the late great Whitney Houston, believe that children are the future. And maybe, you’d like to do something to ensure the future is bright.
Enter Leadership DISD, a 10-month program open to the public and designed to increase student achievement. Apply today, because tomorrow’s the deadline.
By Claire St. Amant Jul. 19, 2012 | 6:58 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Meet Oak Cliff’s Most Eligible Bachelors
A sampling of the bachelors up for auction include: Desmond Patterson, 39; D. Ellis, 37; Curtis Ransom, 61
If you’re tired of the pick-up-a-guy-in-a-bar scene, perhaps you’d be interested in a more formal meet cute. TeCo Theatrical Productions has you covered, for a price. Thirteen eligible bachelors are up for auction to raise money for the theater company, and to win your heart.
Some of my favorite excerpts from the men’s bios include:
“While others have hopes and dreams, I have ways and means!” Khalil Long, 32
“I love acting, putting firecrackers in kids’ shoes, rapping, and watching First 48 with old church ladies and helping them eat prunes.” D. Ellis, aka Mr. Entertainment, 37
“I enjoy cooking, fine wine, and riding my motorcycle. People would be surprised to find out I am a cultured brother who loves live music and performances.” Warren Smith III, 47
By Claire St. Amant Jul. 13, 2012 | 11:33 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Observer Questions Motives of DISD Donors
Muckracker Jim Schutze has a new cover story titled “The North Dallas Plot to Takeover DISD.” In it, he questions the motivations of North Dallas and Park Cities residents (most of whom don’t have children at DISD campuses) in getting involved with the public school system.
An excerpt:
In the recent Dallas school board election, an unprecedented river of cash poured into a handful of campaigns, the lion’s share from donors in downtown, the Park Cities, Preston Hollow and far North Dallas. That money came from affluent people, the majority of whom are white, some of whom must think that sending their own kids to a public school in Dallas is like sending them to the gallows.
Schutze explores many possibilities for the sudden flow of cash, including the extremes that:
- “A bunch of wealthy white people” suddenly decided to start supporting DISD out of the goodness of their hearts, as DISD trustee (and Preston Hollow resident) Mike Morath claims.
- The flow of cash is actually a sinister one, meant to create charter schools that will pluck the best students out of DISD and leave the others “behind to rot,” as Black community activist Joyce Foreman believes.
The article isn’t just extremes, though. It holds a number of interesting points about various public school reform efforts. What say you, Cliff dwellers? Do you welcome North Dallas dollars (and the influence they buy) in DISD?
By Claire St. Amant Jun. 18, 2012 | 11:11 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Eagle Scout Helps Protect Nature Center
Troop 5 Boy Scouts including Alex Grissom, right, construct a fence at Twelve Hills Nature Center.
Alex Grissom’s Eagle Scout project for Troop 5 took place at Twelve Hills Nature Center on June 9 and 10. He extended a fence at the back of the nature center to provides a safety barrier in front of a 20-foot drop that goes down to the creek.
By Claire St. Amant Jun. 18, 2012 | 10:59 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Kessler Park Dads Featured in JC Penney Ad
If the interwebs are to be believed, then Kessler Park residents Todd Koch and Cooper Smith are starring in a new JC Penney advertisement about how cool dads are. Nice work, fellas! h/t D Magazine’s Frontburner.By Claire St. Amant May. 31, 2012 | 2:05 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Are You Willing to Bet on Casinos?
Preston Hollow resident Jack Pratt has been fighting to bring casinos to Texas for about 30 years. Today, you can bring that fight one step closer to entering the ring of public opinion. As D Magazine’s Tim Rogers pointed out, Proposition 3 on the democratic primary ballot reads thusly:
Should the Texas Legislature allow the people of Texas to vote to legalize casinogambling with all funds generated being used only for education?Now, this is just a vote to allow a vote, so don’t get too excited/hostile just yet. If I were a betting woman, I’d say we’re not likely to see neon lights and slot machines anytime soon.
By Claire St. Amant May. 29, 2012 | 5:19 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Felicella’s Performance Art Viewable Via Live Stream
Staff Photo: Chris McGathey
I’ll admit I don’t have a lot of experience appreciating performance art, but I can attest that this live stream is surprisingly captivating. Reporter Andrew Plock, the newest addition to People Newspapers, caught up with Beckley Club Estates resident Erica Felicella before she encased her self in Plexiglass and thought on North Clinton Avenue at 5 p.m. His story appears in today’s edition of Oak Cliff People, but to see how the artist weathers the next 48 hours on display, you need only an internet connection.
Felicella is spending her weekend in a 4-foot by 3-foot by 6.5-foot case with little more than a case of Ensure Clear, a bench, and a catheter. She will pass the time by recording her thoughts on slips of paper, which she will toss on the floor of her cage case until she is eventually encased in her own thought.
Bring on the popcorn. This is one movie-marathon that will last you through Sunday.
By Claire St. Amant May. 11, 2012 | 5:19 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Booker T. Ranks 15th Out of Texas High Schools
U.S. News & World Report has released its ranking of the top 100 schools in America. The No. 1 spot went to the School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center in Dallas. Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts grabbed the 15th state spot and a gold medal, in addition to a 134th ranking nationally. Sunset and Adamson high schools didn’t make the state or national cut.
Although U.S. News is a reputable organization, you should still take their reports with a grain of salt. If you believe everything they’ve written, Highland Park ISD has two high schools, and Thomas Jefferson High School is actually “Thomas Jefferso High School.”
By Claire St. Amant May. 8, 2012 | 2:11 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Jason Roberts, Women’s Rights Activist?
Jason Roberts is best-known for his biking advocacy, but the congressional candidate cares about more than two-wheeled transportation. His campaign website carries a disparate list of policy interests. The issues, presumably ranked by priority as there is no alphabetization and Roberts seems unlikely to throw it together willy-nilly, range from jobs to LGBT rights. Women’s rights are third-to-last on the list. But this Facebook ad would make you think Roberts is all about wombs.The fact that this ad popped up while I was browsing Facebook probably has more to do with my pair of X chromosomes than Roberts’ campaign platform. If I was, say, a 35-year-old male DISD teacher, I’d probably see an ad touting Roberts’ support of public education. Is this disingenuous campaigning or just a good example of targeted marketing? You decide. It’s the pro-choice way.
By Claire St. Amant Mar. 29, 2012 | 11:45 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Last Call: Where Do Your Kids Eat For Free?
I’ve followed up on the lead left by the kind reader in the comments section of this post, but I thought I’d give it one more shot. After calling more than two dozen restaurants in and around Oak Cliff, I was surprised to find only about 10 that offer free kids’ meals on a given night.
If you’ve snagged free food for your kid at a local eatery, name-drop the business in the comments so they can be featured in Friday’s issue of Oak Cliff People.
By Claire St. Amant Mar. 12, 2012 | 12:15 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS
