Five tips for a safe Halloween

Your costume might be scary, but your night shouldn’t be.

As October draws to a close, make sure you and your kids stay safe this Halloween with tips from Dallas Police Department.

• Kids should always be accompanied by trusted adults or friends when trick-or-treating.
• Plan trick-or-treating route ahead of time, picking well-lit streets and familiar neighborhoods.
• Walk, don’t run, and stick to sidewalks. Look both ways when you cross the street and use crosswalks when available.
• Check candy for choking hazards and only eat prepackaged treats, not homemade ones.
• Make sure children have contact information of the adults they are trick-or-treating with in case they become separated.

Senior Corporal Binh Vu of the Dallas Police Department says to keep everyone safe, it is imperative to drive slower than usual through neighborhoods, especially if it rains.“Choose bright, visible costumes,” he suggests to trick-or-treaters. “You should always be alert while walking or crossing the street.”

Before you head out on Halloween night, read DPD’s full list of safety tips to keep you and your family safe.

 

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Dallas Public Library kicks off 2018 Winter Backpack Challenge

The Dallas Public Library is now collecting supplies and backpacks for their 2018 Backpack Challenge and Giveaway.  The annual event raises awareness of the issues facing homelessness in Dallas for National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.

Residents are asked to work with their families, coworkers and friends to fill gender neutral backpacks with the following materials:

• Gloves
• Winter hat
• Rain poncho
• Socks
• Scarf
• Fleece or wool blanket
• Deck of playing cards
• Water Bottle
• Notes of encouragement
• Travel size toiletries

Backpacks and supplies can be dropped off at any Dallas Public Library location by Tuesday, Nov.13. Backpacks will be distributed starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21 at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young St. This year’s goal is to collect and distribute 400 backpacks.

“Winter is a difficult and even dangerous time for our neighbors experiencing homelessness,” said Dallas Public Library Adult Services Administrator Heather Lowe. “The Backpack Challenge and Giveaway is an opportunity for us to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with our neighbors and remind them that we care.”

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Input needed from developers and contractors

Contractors and developers are encouraged to attend input meetings on the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). NOFA are capital funds used to fund permanent supportive housing projects from the 2017 Dallas Bond, which provided twenty million dollars for shelters and housing for the City’s un-sheltered citizens.

Representatives from City departments will be present to listen to feedback and answer questions related to the funds. Two sessions will be held at the Meadows Conference Center (2900 Live Oak – Oak Corner Room):

• Session 1 Oct. 30, 10-11 a.m.
• Session 2 Oct. 31, 3-4 p.m.

If you are not able to attend, you can provide feedback by emailing the Office of Homeless Solutions at homelesssolutions@dallascityhall.com.

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Developer Input needed for Single-Family Rental Program update

Dallas Code Compliance is updating the City’s Single-Family Rental Program and would like community input on proposed changes.  The Single-Family Rental Program is designed to ensure rental properties follow the City’s minimum housing standards to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Dallas residents.

“The City is committed to ensuring Dallas residents have a voice in how the City updates its property standards,” said Nadia Chandler-Hardy, Assistant City Manager & Chief Resilience Officer, “All are welcome to participate and share feedback with the Code Compliance Department,”

This is a continuation of a series of August meetings seeking community feedback on the current system. The October and November meetings will showcase how the feedback received in August was implemented into the city program.  Click here for an FAQ on the current Single-Family Rental Program.

The schedule for the meetings is below:

• Monday, Oct. 29, 6-8 pm, Lake Highlands North Recreation Center
• Tuesday, Oct. 30, 6-8pm, Umphress Recreation Center
• Thursday, Nov. 1, 6-8pm, Dallas West Library
• Monday, Nov. 5, 6-7:30 p.m., Highland Hills Library
• Monday, Nov. 12, 6-7:30 p.m., Thurgood Marshall Recreation Center
• Wednesday, Nov. 13, 6-7:30 p.m., Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center
• Monday, Nov. 19, 6-7:30 p.m., Janie C. Turner Recreation Center

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How to [successfully] travel with kids at Dallas Love Field

Flying can be a stressful experience.

Flying with infants and/or toddlers can be even more stressful during the holidays. To help relieve the pressure of your travel days, here are a few tips to help you navigate Love Field Airport with children.

* Love Field has an array of family-friendly restaurants. There are sit-down, grab-and-go and fast food options in the main food court, offering something the whole family can enjoy.

* Family-friendly restrooms are located in both the secure and non-secure portions of the terminal. A nursing room is located in the stem near Sky Canyon.

* While waiting to board a flight, families can enjoy the Lil’ Luv Lounge, a children’s play area located in the stem portion of the concourse.

* Shop at Creative Kidstuff, a popular retail shop offering many educational games, toys and books for children.

* Love Field Lost and Found, part of the Customer Experience division, is located in the terminal and is open seven days per week. Items lost at the TSA checkpoint or within the terminal go to Love Field Lost and Found. Items let on a jet bridge or in an airplane go to the respective air carrier’s lost and found.

* Early mornings are busiest at the airport, so if you are concerned about crowds while traveling with children, mid-day or early afternoon flights would be best. The TSA checkpoint is busiest 6 a.m. before the first flights of the day.

* During busy travel times, such as holidays, Love Field personnel will be in the terminal promoting the Captain Kiddo Club. Children who sign up for the Captain Kiddo Club have the chance to make a Love Field button, receive a free T-shirt and have their photo taken.

Follow @dallaslovefield on Instagram and Twitter to learn more about the airport and ask about the Captain Kiddo Club.

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Five festive ways to celebrate Halloween in Dallas

Looking for a way to celebrate Halloween this year? Look no further than these five fun, festive and frightening options to enjoy the holiday. Don’t forget your costume!

Halloweekend at the Dallas Zoo
Enjoy Halloween all weekend long at the Dallas Zoo. The festivities offer something the whole family can enjoy, including trick or treating and a pumpkin patch. Throw on your costume and head to the Zoo on Oct. 27 and 28.

Spooky Celebrations at Dallas Parks
There are so many opportunities to celebrate the holiday at recreation centers all over the City. Check out Halloween carnivals, trunk or treats and more throughout the week.

15th Annual Ghost Tales at the Bath House for Adults
Halloween is not all about the candy, and it certainly is not only for kids. On Oct. 26 and 27, adults can enjoy scary stories presented by the Dallas Storytelling Guide at the Bath House Cultural Center.

Spooky Tales at the Bath House
Want to bring the kids along? On Oct. 27, the Dallas Storytelling Guild will present spooky stories meant for an elementary audience.

Trick or Treating in the Children’s Adventure Garden
This spook-tacular event is just one of many fall events hosted at the Arboretum. Get your costumes ready to visit on Oct. 27 and 28, when kids can enjoy a nighttime trick or treating excursion through the Halloween maze from 6-9 p.m.

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Veterans Job Fair draws over 150 employers

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the City of Dallas and Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas are teaming up to connect Texas veterans and their spouses with local employers who value the experience, discipline and other valuable qualities inherent with a military background.

The seventh annual Hiring Red, White & You! Job Fair will take place on November 8 at Gilley’s Dallas. The event is open to the public with a special emphasis on veteran and faith communities. More than 150 employers will be available between 10am and 2pm.

In addition to the job fair, those who register can attend a breakfast at 8:30 a.m. with guest speakers from the Department of Veterans Affairs as well as breakout sessions between 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. These sessions will address a variety of issues veterans face, including suicide prevention and mental health, survivor benefits, veteran disability and education and more.

To register for this event, visit .

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Levee slides are natural byproduct of heavy rain

Residents near the levees and commuters who cross the Trinity River may notice cracks and bulging along certain areas of the earthen levee system. These “slides” are superficial to the outer layers of the levee and are common to see after a period of heavy rain. Dallas Water Utilities flood control crews walk the levees daily, and if a slide is identified, the slides are covered with tarp to prevent additional rain from seeping in. The slides cannot be repaired until the area is dry and the river recedes from the levee. Several days of dry weather and wind help speed up the drying process.

The repairs include cutting and replacing the levee with new and existing clay and lime, which can take several months. The repairs do not pose a safety risk to the public. The public is advised not to enter work zone areas.

The City of Dallas works together with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to monitor the levees during periods of heavy rainfall. The levees system is working as intended, and both the City and the Corps are confident there is no risk of levee failure.

Below are examples of levee slides. Click here to learn more about the proactive measures the City takes to prevent flooding.

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City to hold home repair meeting for contractors

The Office of Business Diversity will be hosting the City Home Repair Program for independent and corporate contractors. The program gives contractors who specialize in home building, roofing, electrical, plumbing, foundations, sheet rock installers, haulers, HVAC, etc., the tools and resources for them to receive a bid with the City.

On Tuesday, Oct. 23, interested contractors are invited to a special information meeting, at City Hall from 2 – 4 p.m. David Noguera, Director of Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization for the City, will be the special presenter at this event.

To sign up for the event, click here.

To learn more about the City Home Repair Program contact Laura Hurtado at laura.hurtado@dallascityhall.com

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City of Dallas employees celebrate Diversity Month

City of Dallas Employees are celebrating the City’s vibrant, progressive and diverse workforce with Diversity Month. From October 11 through November 6 there will be several events for employees to learn about different cultures, values, and beliefs.

Diversity Month is hosted by the City’s six Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): AAACE (Asian American Association of City Employees), HACER (Hispanic Association of City Employees for Results), BEST (Black Employees Support Team), LGBT Employee Association of Dallas (LGBT), Generation Now, and Veterans Employee Resource Group (VERG).

The City of Dallas continuously works to maintain a diverse workforce in order to assure that employees are a direct reflection of the citizens in Dallas.

To learn more about Diversity Month contact Vanessa Gray at DallasDiversity@dallascityhall.com.

Employees learn how to effectively communicate with co-workers from various populations

Robert Collier speaks to City employees

 

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October proclaimed Domestic Violence Awareness Month

One in three Texans will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes. Armed with that knowledge, the City of Dallas proclaimed the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

On Wednesday, October 3, Councilmember Jennifer S. Gates read a Mayoral proclamation making the declaration and recognized members of the Mayor’s Domestic Violence Task Force, a group she chairs. City Councilmembers, all wearing purple in some form or fashion applauded her announcement.

City of Dallas proclaims October Domestic Violence Awareness Month

At 8 a.m. on Friday, October 26, the Annual Domestic Violence Report Summary will be released over breakfast in the Flag Room at Dallas City Hall.

Mayor Rawlings and Councilmember Gates will reveal the results of the report as well as honor Dallas community advocates in the effort to stop Domestic Violence. For more information about the event, please contact Lauren Clayton at Lauren.Clayton@dallascityhall.com

If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, below is a list of resources to help:

Dallas Police Department Family Violence Unit

City Attorney Domestic Violence Unit

Resources List

Shelter List

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE

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Last chance to register to vote in the upcoming election

Today, October 9, is the deadline to register to vote in the November election.  If you would like to check to see if you’re already registered, click here.

If you need to register to vote, here are the qualifications in Texas:

• Be a citizen of the United States
• Be a resident of the county in which the application for registration is made
• Be at least 17 years and 10 months old (you must be 18 to vote)
• Not be finally convicted of a felony, or if a convicted felon
• You must have fully discharged your punishment, including any incarceration, parole, supervision, period of probation, or be pardoned
• Have not been declared mentally incompetent by final judgment of a court of law

Need to Register? Register in person at your County Registrar’s Office. You can pick up an application from the County Registrar’s Office, some libraries or high schools and mail in your application however, it must be postmarked 30 days before November 6. Or visit an online website, complete and print the application then mail it to your County Registrars.

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Dallas Public Library to present Indie Author Day Oct. 13

The Dallas Public Library will welcome local indie authors to a day of workshops, presentations, panels and discussions dedicated to self-published authors. Indie Author Day will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 on the third floor of the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, 1515 Young St.

Indie Author Day provides writers an opportunity to navigate through the process of getting their book published, either through traditional means or self-publishing. In addition to hosting the event, staff will also unveil the Library’s new Local Authors Collection, also located on the third floor.

For more information and to register for Indie Author Day visit:

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Dallas earns a perfect score on HRC Municipal Equality Index

The City of Dallas is proud to share it earned a perfect score (100) on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s Municipal Equality Index (MEI). This year’s criteria is the most demanding since the report’s debut in 2012. According to the HRC, the MEI is the only national rating system of LGBTQ inclusion in municipal law, policy, and services.

It’s the 4^th time in a row Dallas scored 100. To view the full report, click here:

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New plan outlined for Dallas Police’s VICE unit

The Dallas Police Department is in the process of standing up its new Vice Unit. The department has spent the past year investigating the issues surrounding the dismantling of the previous Vice unit. Additionally, DPD worked to create a more well-rounded program, completely changing its philosophy in how it approaches these crimes.

Through this new Vice unit, DPD aims to be more effective in providing help to victims of prostitution. This includes collaborating with external partners to give victims direct access to services with incarceration as a last resort. Learn more about the program by clicking New plan outlined for Dallas Police’s VICE unit appeared first on Dallas City News.

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Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty opens in Fair Park

Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty, a groundbreaking exhibit is making its first appearance West of the Mississippi in Dallas. Hosted within Fair Park’s African American museum, the exhibition explores the lives of people enslaved at Monticello, the home of the United States third president Thomas Jefferson.  It’s an exhibit that was at least 50 years in the making, but well worth the wait.

The exhibition details the seemingly contradictory nature of Jefferson, who wrote in the Declaration of Independence, “All men are created equal,” yet held people in bondage.

“What people will see is a culmination of hard work, research, archeology as well as a lot of contributions from descendants,” says Gayle Jessup White, Community Engagement Coordinator for the Slavery at Monticello exhibit, “a lot of what was excavated was painful… because slavery was a very challenging topic to discuss and millions of people spent their lives oppressed and treated as property.”

Never before seen artifacts are featured in the exhibit, which has more than 300 objects, works of art, and documents from Jefferson’s Virginia plantation.  In addition, a special section of the exhibit is dedicated to Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman who negotiated freedom for her children, all fathered by Jefferson.

“Ultimately the story that people walk away with is one of inspiration,” White says, “because you see a people who managed within the confines of a situation to find lives for themselves, to form families, to form love relationships and to give their children a foundation so they would eventually become part of the American fabric.”

Watch the video below to see an interview with Gayle Jessup White,a descendent of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings as she discusses why the exhibit is important to her.

The African American Museum hosts the exhibit from Sept. 22 through December 31.  Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children and free for children 3 and under and African American Museum members. Tickets may be purchased in person at the African American Museum.  All proceeds benefit the African American Museum.

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Dallas to host regional environmental conference

The City of Dallas is committed to conserving natural resources for all people living and working with city limits. This year, the City is celebrating its 10-year anniversary of having an ISO 14001 certified Environmental Management System. To mark this milestone, the Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability (OEQS) is hosting the North Texas ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Conference in October. The conference is the first of its kind in North Texas specifically targeting local municipalities and businesses.

On October 18, OEQS will be welcoming dozens of representatives from regional municipalities and corporations to Dallas to meet and share practices to reduce impacts to the environment. The keynote speaker will be Dallas’ Director of Aviation Mark Duebner, speaking on the Aviation Department’s Environmental Management System Journey.

City of Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, Assistant City Manager Majed Al-Ghafry, and Gary Robinson, VP of Solutions for British Industrial Standards (BSI) will also speak on the benefits of an Environmental Management System.

The Environmental Protection Agency, will moderate a panel discussion on how an environmental management system helps operations, discuss lessons learned during the implementation of an environmental management system, and share universal best management practices. Panelists include industry experts from Eaton, Texas Instruments, Cisco, Lockheed Martin, the Dallas Zoo, and Dallas Park and Recreation.

Look for conference highlights and conclusions on GreenDallas.net at the end of October.

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New program helps businesses recover from natural disasters

A natural disaster strikes – not only are the effects devastating to the environment, but if you run a business, a bad storm can wreck you and your company financially.

The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is rolling out a new initiative with the Disaster Prepared Resident program and Public-Private Partnership programs to help Dallas communities return to a sense of normal faster after a disaster. This program is geared toward businesses of all sizes to help them answer the inevitable, “now what?” after a catastrophic event. The program is designed to help those in the private sector have the tools, communication strategies and resources necessary to contact employees, suppliers and customers and to get back to business.

According to FEMA estimates, 40 percent of small businesses do not reopen after a disaster and more than 60 percent of those that do recover fail within two years. This means that just 20 percent of small businesses survive these crisis situations. OEM is working with the Chambers of Commerce and industry professional groups for their input so that Dallas’s business community is more than just a statistic if disaster strikes.
For more information on this program, contact Rhonda Simpson at rhonda.simpson@dallascityhall.com.

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