SAVE THE DATE: Dallas South to host first “Get Into the City” event on March 13th

Posted on February 24, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Photo by John Spriggins

On Friday, March 13th, Dallas South will host our first “Get Into the City” event. The quarterly gathering is planned as an opportunity for Dallas South readers to experience more of Dallas by visiting venues they may not otherwise have ventured out to.

The first “Get Into the City” will be held at Texas Caribbean Food at the South Side on Lamar and feature the work of local artist John Spriggins. Feel free to use this and subsequent post to R.S.V.P. to let us know that you are dropping by. Everyone reading this message is invited.

Dallas South’s “Get Into the City”

Texas Caribbean Food at the South Side on Lamar
1409 South Lamar Street, Unit 011
Dallas, TX 75215-6800

Friday March 13, 2009
7:00 p.m.

The Allen Group Completes Land Sale at Dallas Logistics Hub to Oncor Electric Delivery Company

Posted on February 23, 2009 by Shawn Williams

DALLAS, Texas, (February 19, 2009) — The Allen Group, developers of the Dallas Logistics Hub (DLH), a 6,000-acre multi-modal logistics park in southern Dallas County, announced today that Oncor Electric Delivery Company LLC (Oncor), a regulated electric distribution and transmission company, acquired a 9.3-acre-land parcel for an electric transmission substation within the DLH.

Construction of the new electric transmission substation is scheduled to commence by May 2009 and is being constructed, in part, to support the more than 60 million square feet of planned industrial growth within the Dallas Logistics Hub. The site will become the third substation within the boundaries of the DLH and the fourth within the service area of the DLH.

Oncor is responsible for planning and building the electric transmission system, from the generator to the distribution substations, in portions of northern, western, and central Texas. Oncor is additionally responsible for operating its transmission system and maintaining the structures, wires, and associated facilities necessary for the reliable transmission of electricity.

“The infrastructure within the Dallas Logistics Hub continues to grow,” said The Allen Group’s Texas Division President Daniel J. McAuliffe. “This electric transmission substation, along with the existing facilities, will enable users within the DLH to receive redundant electrical power from a very high quality and reliable service provider.”

The DLH was represented by Jason Elms and Dan McAuliffe and the buyer was represented by Wendell South and Billy Dearmon in the real estate transaction.

For more information about The Allen Group and the Dallas Logistics Hub, please visit www.dallashub.com.

CONGRESSWOMAN EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON ANNOUNCES $3.3 MILLION GRANT TO LOVE FIELD

Posted on February 20, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Washington, DC – (February 20, 2009) Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration has awarded the Dallas Love Field Airport a grant for $3,387,010. The money will be used to construct a taxiway and to rehabilitate runway lighting.

“Love Field is a convenient, accessible airport that has served the people of North Texas well for decades,” Congresswoman Johnson said. “This funding will enable the airport to repair and modernize its runway system, and I know it will be money well-spent.”

Dallas Love Field Airport is located in Congresswoman Johnson’s Congressional District. According to a recent report by the Texas Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division, the direct economic output attributable to the airport is estimated at more than $352.7 million.

Additionally, scheduled airlines, and to a lesser extent, general aviation aircraft, transport over 1.7 million visitors to the area each year, supporting more than 18,000 visitor-related jobs and $377.8 million in payroll. Visitor expenditures are also responsible for $659.7 million in direct economic output.

Earl Lucas, designer of sleek new 2010 Ford Taurus from Dallas

Posted on February 20, 2009 by Shawn Williams

The Dallas Morning News had a nice profile in this week’s business section on Earl Lucas who lead the design team of the 2010 Ford Taurus. Lucas is a former resident of Dallas who attended Booker T. Washington High School. Here are some highlights from Taurus designer has roots in Oak Cliff written by Terry Box.

As design manager for the Taurus, Lucas oversaw the complete revamping of the sedan’s exterior, he said Wednesday at the Dallas Auto Show after the Texas introduction of the striking 2010 Taurus SHO.

But its first in-house unveiling – to a group of high-level Ford executives – was decidedly less than a success.”They said, ‘If that’s the best you can do, we’ll cancel the whole program,’ ” said Lucas, 38, who attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas with singers Norah Jones and Erykah Badu as well as jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove.

Lucas, a big, good-natured man unfazed by challenges, sat down with his designers and figured out how to fix the car – so well, in fact, that the new Taurus has been featured on the covers of at least two major car magazines and is viewed as one of Ford’s most significant new cars in decades.

He joined Ford Motor Co. 10 years ago and designed the interior of the Ford Flex crossover vehicle. But, he said, he had been lobbying hard to do an exterior when he was assigned the Taurus – about as big a design job as you could land at Ford.Auto industry consultant Wes Brown, among others, appreciates Lucas’ work. “It’s got a real nice profile,” said Brown, an analyst at Iceology in Los Angeles.

Not sure, but I think credit for the image with the post goes to Michael Ainsworth.

Getting out: Trinity River Audubon Center (Part 3 of 3)

Posted on February 20, 2009 by Shawn Williams

While The Jonas Brothers and former First Lady Laura Bush have already experienced the greatness of the TrinityRiver Audubon Center (TRAC), many Dallas residents still don’t even know that it exists. A couple of weeks ago my son and I met some friends on the outskirts of Pleasant Grove to make our initial tour of the facility.

First I have to send a shout out to District 5 City Council Candidate Tiffinni Young who saw on my Facebook page that I was heading out to the TRAC and offered to hook us up with a pass. Facebook to the rescue once again.

I guess the most amazing thing about this wonderful nature center -besides the fact that it’s a $30 million trash heap reclamation project- is that it’s actually inside the city limits of Dallas. I mean, duh, but when you think about the fact that the grounds of this facility probably look a lot like it did when the area was settled years ago, it’s really something.

I was looking for the center to check on construction while it was being built, but I never could figure out where it was actually located. Since it sits about a half mile off Loop 12 you’d never know it was back there if the sign wasn’t alerting you to its presence.

Trinity River

Driving up to the TRAC is quite a stunning site, especially when you factor in its location and the whole trash heap thing. An architecture review by David Dillon in the Dallas Morning News describes the building as follows:

From above, the Trinity River Audubon Center looks like a bird in flight, its broad wings sweeping out over forests and floodplains; at ground level it seems more like a giant insect picking its way across the landscape.

A gravel path meanders from the parking lot to the front door, crisscrossing wetlands and landfills that the city spent $30 million to clean up. Directly ahead, wrapping a majestic cedar elm is the reception area, and beyond it an assembly hall with a ceiling of recycled blue jeans depicting fish or fossils or feathers or leaves – you get the idea.

To the right is the classroom wing, wrapped in renewable cypress siding and sloping upward like a small ski jump; opposite it sits the exhibit hall, with its porthole windows and weathering steel skin that give it the look of a ship’s hull. A third piece, the tail of the bird, contains offices and staff space.

The actual building (which is very good but not quite great), is secondary to grounds. There are trees, brush, ponds, and lookouts throughout a four mile stretch of trails. In the two plus hours that we spent at the center we may have made it through half of the trails.

Even though it was almost dusk when we left, there were still plenty of interesting birds to see. The staff told us we would have more luck in the early morning hours. They were very knowledgeable and lead a couple of guided nature walks on Saturdays. And there’s a nice video in the theater about the Trinity River – the longest river that stretches only through Texas (you know how we do).

So get out and take the fam to the Trinity River Audubon Center. I hope you have as much fun as we did.

Hours of Operation

Tuesday thru Saturday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Third Thursday of each month, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. (FREE)
Closed Mondays

Admission

TRAC members: Free
Adults (Ages 13-59): $6.00
Children (Ages 3-12): $3.00
Seniors (Ages 60+): $4.00
Children age 2 and under: Free

Kevin Ross: Internet Radio to the Rescue (Part 5 of 5)

Posted on February 20, 2009 by Shawn Williams

INTERNET RADIO TO THE RESCUE

By Kevin Ross

No wonder bloggers and specifically the black blogosphere have become the go-to folks for bringing issues such as these to the forefront. And for many, sites like Blogtalkradio are assisting in that effort. One of several online stations that have come on the scene in the last few years, Blogtalkradio allows anyone with a phone and a computer to host and podcast their own Internet radio program for free.

Last year the social networking site saw exponential growth with hundreds of hosts from all racial and ethnic groups. In November 2008, some 3.8 million listeners tuned in to Blogtalkradio, nearly 750,000 or 16% of which were African-American alone. These folks clearly have something to say and are finding an audience, albeit small, eager to hear it.

Obviously these hosts are playing in the minors while superstars like Limbaugh reign supreme in the big league.

“I have a very simple philosophy … put the very best product you can on the air, regardless of origin,” says Gabe Hobbs, a senior vice president for programming at Clear Channel for twenty-five years.

Hobbs was among those recently laid off at the San Antonio, TX based company as a result of low ad sales.

In 2010, blacks are estimated to spend $1 trillion dollars. Hispanics are on tap to exceed $1.2 trillion by 2011.

Both groups listen to talk, yet unanswered text messages to radio execs are saying loud and clear, “I’m just not into you.”

“These hiring authorities, in contrast to their reputations for being visionaries and innovative programmers, don’t appear to be as either visionary or innovative; but, rather, they seem awkward or clueless, oblivious or insensitive about their responsibility for inclusive hiring. This lack of inclusiveness appears to be a failure of leadership rather than as outright racism or the intentional exclusion of minorities,” says Meyers.

Meyers goes on to point out that the widely-held perception that mainstream, majority-owned AM Talk Radio stations are broadcasting mostly or only Caucasian talk show hosts daily is accurate. “This is a problem of defacto racial segregation that is both easily recognizable and easily fixed. It is a challenge to the stations’ executives– people of good-will, to a person, we are sure– for prompt, corrective action,” Meyers concludes.

These were the identical words he used in 2000. Eight years later, News/Talk became the number one format in terrestrial radio.

Sound check one-two, one-two! Is this thing on?

There’s a saying that goes “I can’t hear you, because your actions are speaking too loudly.” Well, for radio companies such as Cumulus, Westwood One, Citadel, CBS, Premiere, Cox, Salem and Clear Channel, the silence of minority voices is most certainly not golden. In fact, it’s just the opposite.

To the point of being deafening. John &

Kevin Ross is president and CEO of strategic marketing firm 3BAAS Media Group. A former talent on KABC, he currently hosts his own show on Blogtalkradio and blogs at 3 Brothers And A Sister.

L.E.A.N. Program Training to Visit Texas, Combats Childhood Obesity by Targeting Parents

Posted on February 20, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Innovative L.E.A.N. Program Training to Visit Texas

February 27th – March 1st

Renowned Pediatrician, Dr. William Sears’ New Program

Combats Childhood Obesity by Targeting Parents

DALLAS, TX. – Since 2007, Dr. Sears’ L.E.A.N. Program training has provided instructors with the tools to teach parents how to create an environment rich in nutrition and exercise for children between the ages of 3 and 12 years. The course targets individuals who are passionate and wish to promote the importance of healthy behaviors in children’s lifestyles through the interactive L.E.A.N. Start Program.

This month, Dr. William Sears’ interactive program will be introduced to Dallas, TX. This will be part of a nationwide training event targeting a number of cities across the country to combat childhood obesity on a national scale. The L.E.A.N. Coach Training & Certification course will be held in Dallas from February 27th – March 1st.

Although childhood obesity is a concern across the country, this program is especially valuable as Texas ranks sixth in the nation for childhood obesity. More than one-third of the state’s kids are overweight or obese.

“To make a significant change in the health of our children, we must emphasize the role parents play in modeling healthy behavior, and must educate parents on the benefits and principles of nutrition.” Said Dr. Sears, who is also the author of The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood. “Because parents are responsible for the shopping and preparation of meals, it is imperative that we target them first in order to shape children’s tastes.”

The L.E.A.N. Coach Training and Certification course stresses nutrition fundamentals, effective teaching strategies and outreach resources. Candidates for the training course should hold a professional degree or license from an accredited institution, or should have some teaching experience in small groups or classrooms.

The L.E.A.N. Coach Training and Certification Course will take place at the MCM Elegante Hotel, at 2330 W. Northwest Highway, in Dallas. Please visit http://www.discoverlean.com to register for the L.E.A.N. Coach Training and Certification course while spaces are available.

About the L.E.A.N. Start Program:

The L.E.A.N. Start Program was first developed by Dr. William Sears (“America‘s Pediatrician”) and Sean Foy, M.A., a leading exercise physiologist and nutrition expert. While most nutrition education programs target children, the L.E.A.N. Start Program is one of the first to be uniquely designed for parents and caregivers.

The L.E.A.N. Start Program was first launched in Orange County, Calif. in 2007 and has educated more than 1,000 parents since its inception. Dr. Sears created the program after several years of trials and developments in response to growing concerns over childhood obesity, nutrition deficit disorder and reported ineffectiveness of government-funded programs aimed at children.

Since the program’s launch, the percentage of children of participating caregivers who ate three or more servings of fruits and vegetables increased 19 percent and 23 percent respectively. Additionally, caregivers who participated in the L.E.A.N. Start Program’s workshop have reported a substantial decrease in television and computer usage among young children and an increase in physical activity.

About Dr. William Sears:

William Sears, M.D. practices pediatrics in partnership with his three pediatrician sons in San Clemente, Calif. Dr. Sears received his pediatric training at Harvard Medical School’s Children’s Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and is an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine.

He is the author of more than 35 books on childcare and nutrition, and he has shared his expertise in more than 100 television programs including: Dr. Phil, The Doctors, Oprah, Dateline, 20/20 and Good Morning America where he is often referred to as “America‘s Pediatrician.”

More information about the L.E.A.N. Start Program can be found at

http://www.discoverlean.com or www.drsearslean.com.

CONTACT: Michelle Dackis, +(908) 872-6197, michelle.dackis@gmail.com, for Dr. Sears’ L.E.A.N. Programs.

James “Bird” Guess: What You Must Know About Taxes for 2009

Posted on February 20, 2009 by Shawn Williams

By James “Bird” Guess

What if I lost my job?
Over 3 million Americans fell victim to job loss in 2008. Unfortunately, losing your job may create new tax issues. Severance pay and unemployment compensation are taxable. Payments for any accumulated vacation or sick time are also taxable.

What if I am searching for a job?
You may be able to deduct certain expenses while looking for a new job in the same occupation, even if you do not obtain employment. Such expenses may include travel and transportation, copying, printing and mailing of resumes and employment/outplacement agency fees. Stay focused and keep “grindin”

What if my 401(k) dropped in value?

In 2008, Americans lost over $2 trillion in their retirement savings and watched their 401(k)’s be reduced to 201 (k). You cannot claim a capital gains loss on your retirement accounts since they are already receiving favorable tax treatment.

What if I can’t pay my taxes?

You can contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) at 1-877-777-4778. TAS, is an independent organization within the IRS whose employees assist taxpayers who are experiencing economic harm, and who are seeking help in resolving tax problems that have not been resolved.

What if I’m missing a W-2
If you have not received your W-2, contact your employer to ask if and when the W-2 was mailed. If it was mailed, it possibly could have been returned to the employer because of an incorrect or incomplete address. If contacting your employer does not resolve the issue and if you have not received your W-2 by February 17th, contact the IRS for assistance at 1-800-829-1040.

What new tax credits are available?
First-Time Homebuyer Credit: This is a fully refundable tax credit (a refund even if you owe no taxes) for first-time homebuyers that can be worth up to $7,500 and is based on the purchase price of the home. The credit, however, is actually a no-interest loan because it must be repaid to the government annually over 15 years ($500/year). Those who purchased a primary residence after April 8, 2008 will qualify. However, a new homebuyer tax credit worth up to $8,000 for the purchase of a primary residence between January 1 and December 31, 2009 will not have to be repaid as part of President Obama’s recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The IRS has stated they are working on implementing and announcing the changes within the next few weeks. Why not take this free money and put it to work by starting a full-time or part-time hustle?

The Recovery Rebate Credit: This credit is similar to last year’s Economic Stimulus Payment except the Recovery Rebate Credit amounts are based on tax year 2008 instead of 2007. Most people already received their full benefit in the form of the Economic Stimulus Payment. However, a taxpayer may qualify for the Recovery Rebate Credit, if, for example, he or she did not get an Economic Stimulus Payment, had a child in 2008 or had a change in income level. If you receive this credit, it will be included in your refund and will not be issued as a separate payment.

Earned Income Tax Credit: This credit is called the “earned income” tax credit because you must work and have earned income to qualify. You have earned income if you worked for someone who paid you wages or you are self-employed. This credit is for people who work, but have lower incomes. A quarter of all taxpayers that qualify don’t claim the credit. If you qualify, it could be worth up to $4,800 this year.

Where can I file my taxes
This year, electronic filing options will speed the payment of refunds to millions of taxpayers. Taxpayers who
e-file and choose direct deposit for their refunds, for example, will get their refunds in as few as 10 days. Compare that to the approximate six weeks it takes for people who file a paper return and get a traditional paper check. Taxpayers can begin filing electronically on January 16, 2009 and can file their taxes online for free through e-file, if their adjusted gross income (total income minus allowable deductions) is $56,000 or less for 2008.

This information is provided for educational and informational purposes only. For complete tax credit information, laws, and eligibility requirements please visit www.irs.gov or consult with your tax advisor.

Source: www.IRS.gov

New York Post Issues Wack Apology

Posted on February 20, 2009 by Shawn Williams

The New York post did something on Thursday that I know that didn’t want to do by putting out a lackluster apology for their inflammatory cartoon.

Wednesday’s Page Six cartoon – caricaturing Monday’s police shooting of a chimpanzee in Connecticut – has created considerable controversy.

It shows two police officers standing over the chimp’s body: “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill,” one officer says.

It was meant to mock an ineptly written federal stimulus bill.

Period.

But it has been taken as something else – as a depiction of President Obama, as a thinly veiled expression of racism.

This most certainly was not its intent; to those who were offended by the image, we apologize.

However, there are some in the media and in public life who have had differences with The Post in the past – and they see the incident as an opportunity for payback.

To them, no apology is due.

Sometimes a cartoon is just a cartoon – even as the opportunists seek to make it something else.

New York Times

The “apology” just as their initial statement, spent time on people who they say see this as “opportunity for payback.” Just substitute the name Rev. Al Sharpton.

For folks they are trying so hard to trivialize, The Post brass sure have spent a lot of time talking about them. Why take this space to offer a backhanded dis to Rev. Sharpton and other protesters? It would have been nice to see them take more responsibility for this situation, but hey, they’re The Post. What more should we expect?

Old School Friday: The Jacksons

Posted on February 20, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Of course this week’s theme of the Jackson’s should be easy. Throw up “Billie Jean” , “Thriller” and “Control ” and call it a day right? But we’re supposed to dig a little and there’s so much to choose from. So let’s see what you think of what I came up with.

2300 Jackson Street

The beauty of OSF is that even though I think what I post will appear on everyones site, usually it doesn’t work that way. I’d think that the quintessential Jackson collabo would pop up on everyone’s site, but maybe not.

3T -Anything

Remember when Tito’s boys jumped into boy band craze? I’d forgotten how popular they were back in the 90′s. They also had a hit with Uncle Mikey.

Torture

The Jacksons only made two videos for songs from the Victory album, including this one for “Torture.” The album wasn’t quite as successful as I remembered it. But looking at this video, maybe I shouldn’t be that surprised. You’ve got to fight through the first five seconds or so of this video to get to it.