How Dallas ISD 2015, 2020 bond funds were spent on South Dallas schools

How Dallas ISD 2015, 2020 bond funds were spent on South Dallas schools

Security enhancements, classroom renovations and other upgrades came to South Dallas schools.

South Dallas

Renee Umsted - March 5, 2024

What South Dallas residents want to see in the ForwardDallas update

What South Dallas residents want to see in the ForwardDallas update

Read residents' feedback on land use problems in the area, which should be incorporated into ForwardDallas 2.0.

South Dallas

Renee Umsted - February 23, 2024

South Dallas will elect a new trustee this May

South Dallas will elect a new trustee this May

Dallas ISD School Board President Justin Henry announced this week he will not seek reelection as the District 9 trustee, and a four-way race to replace him is underway.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - February 16, 2024

‘A South Dallas renaissance’: Juanita Craft legacy mural unveiled

‘A South Dallas renaissance’: Juanita Craft legacy mural unveiled

The new mural depicting Craft at the corner of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. is the first in a series of four South Dallas “legacy murals.” Commissioned by the The Walls Project, The Epiphany Foundation, and New Era Booking, the blue-and-yellow homage to the late civil rights leader was created by South Dallas native and Legendary Lincoln High School graduate Lakeem Wilson.

South Dallas

Michaela Rush - February 13, 2024

Kroger, Bonton Farms, ICDC bring groceries to South Dallas with a delivery service, not a storefront

Kroger, Bonton Farms, ICDC bring groceries to South Dallas with a delivery service, not a storefront

Bonton Farms, Kroger and the Innercity Community Development Corporation are partnering to bring South Dallas neighbors a new grocery option: Grocery Connect. 

Food Apartheid

Michaela Rush - February 7, 2024

What neighbors can expect from Bonton Farms’ new health clinic construction

What neighbors can expect from Bonton Farms’ new health clinic construction

Bonton Farms is set to open a health clinic in early 2025. Most neighbors are excited for the resource, but some had questions about the farms' communication and decision-making process.

South Dallas

Michaela Rush - January 31, 2024

Does revitalizing a neighborhood start with community health?

Does revitalizing a neighborhood start with community health?

Bonton Farms adds a wellness center to the community as an answer to revitalizing the South Dallas neighborhood, which will open in 2025.

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - January 25, 2024

Follow-up: Direct Express Card unreliable solution for “unbanked” neighbors

Follow-up: Direct Express Card unreliable solution for “unbanked” neighbors

Residents continue to maneuver through the Social Security system to access their funds, but still can't find solutions.

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - December 20, 2023

Great Trinity Forest leak spills 3.6 million gallons of water, Environmental Commission questions Dallas Water Utilities’ response

Great Trinity Forest leak spills 3.6 million gallons of water, Environmental Commission questions Dallas Water Utilities’ response

Bonton representatives want to know why no one told them about a city water leak lasting 11 months and spilling more than 3.6 million gallons of water into their community. The Dallas Environmental Commission brought up these questions in an October meeting with Dallas Water Utilities. DWU Assistant Director Regina Stencel presented to the commission. […]

Dallas News

Dallas Documenters - December 11, 2023

Vista Bank is opening a branch in South Dallas as other banks attempt to increase “community banking”

Vista Bank is opening a branch in South Dallas as other banks attempt to increase “community banking”

After nearly three decades since a bank branch opened, Vista Bank will enter South Dallas to help lift financial barriers for businesses. 

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - November 22, 2023

Follow Up: South Dallas leaders help make GoLink successful, will DART make it permanent?

Follow Up: South Dallas leaders help make GoLink successful, will DART make it permanent?

DART has four rail stops and seven bus routes in and around South Dallas. Yet it takes residents long stretches of time — sometimes hours — to travel by bus within the neighborhood, from their homes to the grocery store or community center. South Dallas leaders like former Dallas councilwoman Diane Ragsdale looked at DART’s […]

South Dallas

Michaela Rush - November 9, 2023

50 new homes in Mill City spring from a partnership between Matthews Southwest and Urban Specialists

50 new homes in Mill City spring from a partnership between Matthews Southwest and Urban Specialists

When complete, the development will provide 50 two-story single-family homes that can be purchased by eligible individuals and families.

South Dallas

Tanya Raghu - November 8, 2023

New South Dallas tech hub at ICDC offers face-to-face help with digital connections

New South Dallas tech hub at ICDC offers face-to-face help with digital connections

Tucked inside the Innercity Community Development Corporation (ICDC) offices off Spring Avenue is a new Connected Dallas “anchor site” for technology access and training for South Dallas neighbors. Here, residents can receive free one-on-one help from trained professionals, access to high-speed internet, help applying for local and federal benefits, and all of their technology questions […]

South Dallas

Michaela Rush - October 27, 2023

$67 million community park, outdated facilities highlighted in Fair Park First annual report

$67 million community park, outdated facilities highlighted in Fair Park First annual report

The latest on Fair Park First’s efforts: Fair Park First showcased their 2023 annual report to the Park and Recreation Board during the board’s September meeting. The report included the groundbreaking plans for a new community park and budgets for updating facilities. Why this matters to South Dallas: Fair Park First has a 20-year city […]

Public Meeting Briefs

Dallas Documenters - October 24, 2023

A South Dallas solar rooftop offers neighbors training for ‘green’ careers

A South Dallas solar rooftop offers neighbors training for ‘green’ careers

Green Careers Texas opens its first rooftop training site in South Dallas to pave a way towards a living wage through green careers.

South Dallas

Tanya Raghu - October 19, 2023

$45 million renovation at Madison High School has one more year of construction ahead

$45 million renovation at Madison High School has one more year of construction ahead

The “Great” James Madison High School continues its ongoing construction and the community wants to stay informed on its progress.

South Dallas

Michaela Rush - October 13, 2023

Park South Family YMCA renovation delays blamed on city’s permitting process

Park South Family YMCA renovation delays blamed on city’s permitting process

The community is excited about the new amenities and upgrades to their Park South YMCA, but permit delays leave them without their Y until the end of 2024 or early 2025.

South Dallas

Lynn Pearcey - October 11, 2023

City shows South Dallas residents big plans for land use in their neighborhood

City shows South Dallas residents big plans for land use in their neighborhood

As Dallas works to create the city's first comprehensive land use plan, South Dallas neighbors ask how their input will be considered.

South Dallas

Michaela Rush - September 28, 2023

Tell us what you think: Fair Park First asks South Dallas neighbors about new community park and three-story parking garage

Tell us what you think: Fair Park First asks South Dallas neighbors about new community park and three-story parking garage

On August 28, Fair Park First CEO Brian Luallen presented plans for a community park and parking garage, seeking input from South Dallas.

South Dallas

Michaela Rush - September 8, 2023

In harm’s way: Social security benefits elude South Dallas residents with blocked debit cards

In harm’s way: Social security benefits elude South Dallas residents with blocked debit cards

South Dallas residents face hurdles in accessing social security benefits and struggle through a lengthy process with uncertain results.

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - September 1, 2023

New cloud kitchen is a solution for South Dallas culinary entrepreneurs

New cloud kitchen is a solution for South Dallas culinary entrepreneurs

The new cloud kitchen at 2839 S. Ervay is the final piece in Cornerstone Baptist Church’s development project at The Crossing. Pastor Chris Simmons says this space gives local entrepreneurs the opportunity to expand their business and create affordable and livable wages in the neighborhood.

South Dallas

Michaela Rush - August 31, 2023

Activist Ernest McMillan retraces Dallas’ Civil Rights movement in his memoir, ‘Standing’

Activist Ernest McMillan retraces Dallas’ Civil Rights movement in his memoir, ‘Standing’

This excerpt from Ernest McMillan’s book, “Standing: One Man’s Odyssey through the Turbulent ’60s" is a glimpse into the work of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, or SNCC, in South Dallas.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - August 16, 2023

Meet Lincoln High School’s new principal: Lance Williams

Meet Lincoln High School’s new principal: Lance Williams

Lincoln High School welcomes a new principal, Lance Williams. Dallas Free Press sat down for a conversation with Williams to learn more about his vision for the 2023-24 school year.

South Dallas

Michaela Rush - August 11, 2023

H-E-B’s Joe V’s is coming to Dallas. We went to Houston to see what all the fuss is about.

H-E-B’s Joe V’s is coming to Dallas. We went to Houston to see what all the fuss is about.

H-E-B’s press release announced the new stores would be Joe V’s Smart Shop, which offers “a price-conscious shopping experience.” Both will be located in southern Dallas; the first store opening next summer at the corner of West Wheatland Road and Highway 67, and a second store opening in 2025 at the corner of Buckner and Samuell boulevards.

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - July 10, 2023

Mural reveals Fair Park’s role in Juneteenth’s history

Mural reveals Fair Park’s role in Juneteenth’s history

“Fair Park has a lot of historical significance,” Moore says as he describes the panoramic painting in the courtyard of the South Dallas Cultural Center.  He chose to paint a chronological display of Fair Park’s role in promoting the understanding and awareness of Juneteenth.

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - June 20, 2023

Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Museum reopens, honoring Dallas’ first Black woman elected to school board

Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Museum reopens, honoring Dallas’ first Black woman elected to school board

The Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Museum recently reopened on Wendelkin Street in South Dallas. Honoring the legacy of Mrs. Kathlyn Joy Gilliam, the museum showcases the civil rights leader’s life story featuring original furnishings, photos, and artifacts in the home she lived in for 35 years.

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - May 26, 2023

Neighborhood-led protest ends South Dallas-Fair Park PID ‘tax’

Neighborhood-led protest ends South Dallas-Fair Park PID ‘tax’

The South Dallas Fair Park Public Improvement District is coming to an end. Property owners of neighborhood homes and businesses advocated against extending the PID for another seven years, saying they didn’t feel the additional tax burden translated to tangible community benefits.

South Dallas

Manuel Holguin - March 15, 2023

South Dallas real estate company works to keep the community in community development 

South Dallas real estate company works to keep the community in community development 

Ferrell Fellows' business model is simple: She buys off-market properties in South Dallas in need of serious repairs then renovates these homes, preserving character and history. They become residences for first-time homebuyers, long-term rentals for people not ready to take that leap, and shared housing for people she comes across in her community work, everyone from single parents to immigrants to prostitutes. Fellows believes everyone deserves a dignified way to live.

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - February 24, 2023

Q&A with Tabitha Wheeler Reagan: District 7’s New Plan Commissioner

Q&A with Tabitha Wheeler Reagan: District 7’s New Plan Commissioner

South Dallas District 7 has a new plan commissioner — Tabitha Wheeler-Reagan. She will join 14 plan commissioners to hear zoning cases and make recommendations to the City Council.

South Dallas

Jeffrey Ruiz - January 11, 2023

<strong>Fair Park First hopes partnering with Sunny South Dallas Food Park will create a welcoming space for Black neighbors</strong>

Fair Park First hopes partnering with Sunny South Dallas Food Park will create a welcoming space for Black neighbors

Desiree Powell hopes that the food park can be a living example of Black excellence and history in South Dallas. That’s one of the reasons she decided to partner with Fair Park First.

South Dallas

Jeffrey Ruiz - December 9, 2022

Watermark wants a zoning change for its South Dallas church in the historic Pearl C. Anderson School. Neighbors want to know: Why?

Watermark wants a zoning change for its South Dallas church in the historic Pearl C. Anderson School. Neighbors want to know: Why?

Watermark submitted a proposal to the City of Dallas for a new planned development district (PD) for the almost 10-acre space on July 12 — less than two weeks before it held its second community meeting.

South Dallas

Jeffrey Ruiz - November 18, 2022

A new public safety project in Mill City may be a solution to the city’s 311 problem

A new public safety project in Mill City may be a solution to the city’s 311 problem

A task force on safe communities is spending $150,000 to help clean up nearly 600 vacant lots in Mill City, with the goal of cutting crime along with the grass in the neighborhood.

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - October 17, 2022

Park South YMCA swim team enjoys year-round swim

Park South YMCA swim team enjoys year-round swim

Last year, Madel Perez coached the Park South YMCA Sharks into a fifth-place victory in the regional competition. What made this such a remarkable win was that the South Dallas Sharks were one of the few teams with a diverse group of students.

South Dallas

Sophie McCauley - October 14, 2022

‘Where do you go on Saturday morning?’ How a zoning plan could make way for new businesses in South Dallas

‘Where do you go on Saturday morning?’ How a zoning plan could make way for new businesses in South Dallas

Tabitha Wheeler-Reagan, the co-chair of the South Dallas/Fair Park Area Plan Task Force, says the neighborhood’s PD 595 deters new businesses from coming into South Dallas. PD 595’s initial goals were to police alcohol sales and prevent gentrification, she explains, but she and the task force believe the zoning needs to be updated — still protecting the community, but encouraging local entrepreneurs, too.

South Dallas

Jeffrey Ruiz - September 30, 2022

New Malcolm X Plaza hopes to provide a solution to gun violence in South Dallas

New Malcolm X Plaza hopes to provide a solution to gun violence in South Dallas

South Dallas’ newest summer attraction resides along South Malcolm X Boulevard, sandwiched between Marburg and Southland streets. Once a vacant parking lot next to a DART bus station, Malcolm X Plaza is now a multi-use gathering space for family and friends with a broader goal, organizers say, to improve public safety on one of the […]

South Dallas

Sophie McCauley - July 29, 2022

Goal of MLK Food Park, now in Fair Park, is ‘welcoming’ South Dallas residents and people of color

Goal of MLK Food Park, now in Fair Park, is ‘welcoming’ South Dallas residents and people of color

Phase 4 of the month-long food park aimed to create a community environment for South Dallas residents and businesses of color.

Food Apartheid

Fatima Syed - July 25, 2022

Froswa’ Booker-Drew resigns her post as ‘the great connecter’ between the State Fair of Texas and South Dallas-Fair Park neighbors

Froswa’ Booker-Drew resigns her post as ‘the great connecter’ between the State Fair of Texas and South Dallas-Fair Park neighbors

A bombshell dropped on South Dallas this week when Froswa’ Booker-Drew announced that her last day at the State Fair of Texas would be next Friday, April 15.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - April 9, 2022

Groceries in a SNAP: Amazon provides free delivery to EBT customers

Groceries in a SNAP: Amazon provides free delivery to EBT customers

Already, 65,000 people in DFW are enrolled in Amazon’s SNAP delivery program, but the company found that people who live in “food deserts” weren’t using the service, so launched a new outreach program Jan. 1.

Food Apartheid

Sujata Dand - April 5, 2022

Diane Ragsdale: A lifetime of community organizing in South Dallas

Diane Ragsdale: A lifetime of community organizing in South Dallas

The Hon. Diane Ragsdale, who will turn 70 this year, has spent her entire life in South Dallas. Her story has been shaped by the neighborhood and, likewise, she has shaped her neighborhood in significant ways. She’s still fighting some of the same issues that led her to run for Council, and as a registered nurse, she approaches the systems as she would her patients — a belief in preventative medicine that will treat the underlying causes, not just the symptoms.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - March 31, 2022

Cornerstone Baptist’s profitable nonprofit grocery store ‘creates dignity’ in South Dallas

Cornerstone Baptist’s profitable nonprofit grocery store ‘creates dignity’ in South Dallas

Southpoint is proving to be a miracle in this sparsely populated South Dallas neighborhood between Al Lipscomb and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards. Access to healthy, affordable food has been among the top concerns for residents here.

Food Apartheid

Sujata Dand - February 24, 2022

Is the City of Dallas going to save the Save-U-More grocery store in southern Dallas?

Is the City of Dallas going to save the Save-U-More grocery store in southern Dallas?

Highland Hills fresh foods grocery store, Save-U-More, struggles to stay open and widen the food desert gaps happening in South Dallas.

Food Apartheid

Sujata Dand - December 28, 2021

Tried GoLink yet? DART extends South Dallas pilot through Jan. 21

Tried GoLink yet? DART extends South Dallas pilot through Jan. 21

DART’s GoLink program is to easily get riders to a nearby rail station in areas where bus routes are scarce. Still, leaders found there was a significant need for more accessible transportation within the neighborhood. DART's Golink Pilot service is a curb-to-curb model being measured for its success in neighborhoods until January 21st.

South Dallas

Shardae White - November 19, 2021

South Dallas nonprofit Miles of Freedom features and funds incarcerated artists through ‘Arts of Oppression’ exhibit

South Dallas nonprofit Miles of Freedom features and funds incarcerated artists through ‘Arts of Oppression’ exhibit

Art comes in many forms and the ‘Arts of Oppression’ exhibit conveys that art is not limited to paintings or drawings, but extends to things like music, dancing and many other things which can be accessed if incarcerated individuals have access to resources.

South Dallas

Ian Wright - November 5, 2021

A parking lot symbolizes the State Fair of Texas’ racist history

A parking lot symbolizes the State Fair of Texas’ racist history

Historians and journalists have documented — and today’s staffers recognize — the State Fair of Texas’ racist history. In the early 1900s the fair hosted one “Colored People Day” per year. It was discontinued in 1910.  On a Wednesday in fall 1923, Ku Klux Klan Day drew some 160,000 Klansmen to the fairgrounds for the initiation of the “largest class in the history of Klandom,” according to the flier, which included an application for membership on the back.  Negro Achievement Day launched in 1936. Each year on Oct. 14, Black fairgoers were admitted inside the gates. 

South Dallas

Christina Hughes Babb - October 8, 2021

The State Fair of Texas is trying to remedy past injustices to South Dallas via its urban farm

The State Fair of Texas is trying to remedy past injustices to South Dallas via its urban farm

It’s a tragic irony that the largest agriculture promoter in the state, the State Fair of Texas, is surrounded by a food desert, the neighborhood of South Dallas.

Food Apartheid

Christina Hughes Babb - September 21, 2021

A South Dallas artist residency aims to ‘capture the now before the future’

A South Dallas artist residency aims to ‘capture the now before the future’

John Spriggins, manager of the South Dallas Cultural Center, launched the Juanita J. Craft House Artist in Residency to provide artists with studio space to create work that “capture[s] the immediacy of the moment where historical neighborhoods are rapidly changing due to socio-economic shifts."

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - August 31, 2021

People need jobs. Nonprofits need volunteers. Socialwyze’s solution is hourly wages for good work.

People need jobs. Nonprofits need volunteers. Socialwyze’s solution is hourly wages for good work.

The for-profit company connects nonprofits with unemployed individuals who can earn hourly wages by doing community benefit work.

South Dallas

Steven Monacelli - July 20, 2021

What’s keeping Dallas from having a food truck scene like Austin’s

What’s keeping Dallas from having a food truck scene like Austin’s

MLK Food Park organizers say City of Dallas rules around food trucks encourage the kinds of fried delicacies that Dallasites can find en masse at the State Fair of Texas but discourage healthy options. That’s why they created a mobile food task force to examine Dallas’ food policies for special events.

Food Apartheid

Sujata Dand - July 9, 2021

New grocery store reflects Cornerstone church’s belief that ‘South Dallas deserves beautiful things’

New grocery store reflects Cornerstone church’s belief that ‘South Dallas deserves beautiful things’

A new neighborhood grocery store in South Dallas is part of Cornerstone Baptist Church's overall vision for a healthy community.

Food Apartheid

Sujata Dand - June 16, 2021

Laying out food pantries like grocery stores gives choice and can lead to healthy habits

Laying out food pantries like grocery stores gives choice and can lead to healthy habits

Aunt Bette's food pantry at St. Philip's in South Dallas is set up like a grocery store to provide choices to hungry neighbors. This can create the kind of positive psychological environment conducive to healthy consumer habits, experts say.

Food Apartheid

Bekah S. McNeel - May 19, 2021

To feed community members, Crossroads partners with churches, public housing facilities and neighborhood centers

To feed community members, Crossroads partners with churches, public housing facilities and neighborhood centers

"Most people that come to our [Red Bird] food pantry come to it as a last resort, when their food stamps have run out at the end of the month,” says Katie Peters, who manages community relations at Crossroads Community Services. “The unique thing about our community partners is that they typically have recurring clients."

Food Apartheid

Michelle Aslam - May 18, 2021

Coming soon: A Dolphin Heights community gardener in residence

Coming soon: A Dolphin Heights community gardener in residence

At 80, Anna Hill still tends the Dolphin Heights Community Garden next door to her home. A new 450-square-foot cottage on the garden site will give Hill much needed help, and give the gardener in residence an affordable house.

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - May 12, 2021

Black and Brown ‘Lit Lab’ library opens in Bonton’s Bridge Builders

Black and Brown ‘Lit Lab’ library opens in Bonton’s Bridge Builders

Bridge Builders, a nonprofit in the Bonton neighborhood of South Dallas, has recently opened a Black and Brown library called the Lit Lab. The library’s purpose is to showcase only Black and Brown authors and characters in hopes that the children can have a relatable experience while reading.  Tracy Lindsey, director of the kids program, […]

South Dallas

Diante Marigny - May 7, 2021

Cornerstone Baptist Church is opening a grocery store to address food insecurity in South Dallas

Cornerstone Baptist Church is opening a grocery store to address food insecurity in South Dallas

In an effort to address food insecurity in the community, Cornerstone Baptist Church is opening Southpoint Community Market, a neighborhood grocery store that will sell fresh and affordable food.

Food Apartheid

Sujata Dand - May 6, 2021

Non-profit grocery store Jubilee Market in Waco fills a gap for affordable, nutritious food

Non-profit grocery store Jubilee Market in Waco fills a gap for affordable, nutritious food

Jubilee Market in Waco has attracted the attention of city leaders from across Texas looking for innovative ways to provide affordable and nutritious foods in low-income neighborhoods. However, Jubilee may be a unicorn, because it relies on a leader who lives in the neighborhood, a strong base of supporters and a financial safety net.

Food Apartheid

Sujata Dand - April 28, 2021

In Dallas’ food deserts, community gardens ease — but don’t end — hunger pangs

In Dallas’ food deserts, community gardens ease — but don’t end — hunger pangs

Community gardens have been a way of life for people in South Dallas for years. Without a nearby grocery store, residents have often had to rely on their own gardening skills for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Food Apartheid

Nazarene Harris - April 27, 2021

Vaccine hesitancy, not availability, now South Dallas’ largest barrier

Vaccine hesitancy, not availability, now South Dallas’ largest barrier

Now that anyone who wants a vaccine can get one, the challenge is overcoming barriers such as internet access needed to register for the vaccine and transportation needed to get to appointments, plus the even more daunting barrier of trust.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - April 26, 2021

‘No interruption’: Wireless network gives South Dallas students reliable internet access at home

‘No interruption’: Wireless network gives South Dallas students reliable internet access at home

Dallas ISD built a large cell tower on Lincoln High School’s campus to extend the existing WiFi signal to homes within a two-mile radius of the school so students and their families could access the internet for free.

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - April 15, 2021

Organizers hope pop-up MLK Food Park becomes permanent in South Dallas

Organizers hope pop-up MLK Food Park becomes permanent in South Dallas

A month-long outdoor food park is opening in South Dallas on weekends in April and early May to help support neighborhoods chefs and food entrepreneurs whose businesses have been impacted by the pandemic and the State Fair’s cancellation.

South Dallas

Vivian Berreondo - March 30, 2021

Drive-by parade honors Bobbie Blair, 51-year early education teacher with ChildCareGroup

Drive-by parade honors Bobbie Blair, 51-year early education teacher with ChildCareGroup

Bobbie Blair, lifetime early education South Dallas teacher is honored with a drive-by parad as she retires from 51 years of teaching at ChildCareGroup.

South Dallas

Diante Marigny - March 5, 2021

Live broadcasts, robotics team coming to Thompson, Dunbar schools

Live broadcasts, robotics team coming to Thompson, Dunbar schools

Paul L. Dunbar and H.S. Thompson schools in South Dallas received grants to support innovation in areas like leadership, technology, STEM.

South Dallas

Amber Gaudet - March 4, 2021

Two fires char Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Museum in South Dallas

Two fires char Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Museum in South Dallas

A couple doors down from the corner of Driskell and Wendelkin streets in South Dallas is what used to be a beautiful historic landmark, the Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Museum, now completely damaged from two intentionally set fires.

South Dallas

Diante Marigny - February 24, 2021

After the storm: Resources for South Dallas neighbors

After the storm: Resources for South Dallas neighbors

Dallas Free Press has compiled a list of resources for South Dallas residents in the aftermath of the winter storm.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - February 22, 2021

A farmers market on wheels aims to combat southern Dallas ‘food deserts’

A farmers market on wheels aims to combat southern Dallas ‘food deserts’

The idea formed a few years ago, when UNT Dallas biology professor Kelly Varga took her students to the Mill City neighborhood to help clean up a community farm. The woman who ran the farm told Varga she saw a need in her neighborhood for quality food and a healthy outlet for young people.

Food Apartheid

Amber Gaudet - February 14, 2021

How some South Dallas families are navigating the pandemic

How some South Dallas families are navigating the pandemic

For many families in South Dallas, COVID has forced them to choose between sending their kids to school and facing financial and health risks, or keeping them home and dealing with isolation and learning loss.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - February 5, 2021

Nearly five high schools worth of Dallas ISD students are MIA

Nearly five high schools worth of Dallas ISD students are MIA

Dallas ISD high school, middle school, and elementary students have missed days of school. Authorities presented a plan to address this.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - February 5, 2021

‘Transformational’ news on South Dallas’ historic Forest Theater coming in February

‘Transformational’ news on South Dallas’ historic Forest Theater coming in February

“I’ve never seen the marquee light up before,” noted Elizabeth Wattley in a September 2019 podcast about CitySquare’s restoration of the historic Forest Theater. As a child, the theater was an icon Wattley knew well, and even though the Forest was unoccupied in much of Wattley’s remembrance, she still recognized it as “a landmark and a […]

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - January 21, 2021

Not My Son founder Tramonica Brown transforms Dallas

Not My Son founder Tramonica Brown transforms Dallas

Officers ordered protesters to get on the ground and began throwing smoke bombs and tear gas that blended their flashing red and blue lights into purple fumes. The air was filled with smoke screens and screams. More than 600 protesters, lying face down on the concrete, had their hands zip-tied behind their backs. A few even jumped over the side of the bridge in an attempt to get away from the arresting officers and flying projectiles. But not Tramonica Brown.

South Dallas

Vivian Berreondo - December 15, 2020

Zoning vs. small business: Three South Dallas stories

Zoning vs. small business: Three South Dallas stories

“The more things that we bring in that keep our residents in our community spending their money here, the more we create that ecosystem of a sustainable economy that is going to give back to this community, instead of all of our dollars being spent elsewhere,” says Councilman Adam Bazaldua.

South Dallas

Nicolette White - December 3, 2020

Questions answered: South Dallas Fair Park Public Improvement District (PID)

Questions answered: South Dallas Fair Park Public Improvement District (PID)

Dallas Free Press recently asked questions about the South Dallas Fair Park PID to try to understand how these tax dollars are benefitting the neighborhood, and how COVID might be impacting the work.

South Dallas

Nicolette White - November 30, 2020

It’s 2020 but banks’ redlining practices still stifle southern Dallas

It’s 2020 but banks’ redlining practices still stifle southern Dallas

This WFAA airs from reporter David Schechter reveals how banks are still redlining southern Dallas neighborhoods.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - November 22, 2020

New gym, storm shelter coming to Dallas’ James Madison High School

New gym, storm shelter coming to Dallas’ James Madison High School

A new competition gymnasium at James Madison High School is being constructed as part of roughly $29 million the school received in Dallas ISD’s voter-approved $1.6 billion 2015 bond package.

South Dallas

Skye Seipp - November 4, 2020

New dashboard tracks costs, construction for South Dallas school bond projects

New dashboard tracks costs, construction for South Dallas school bond projects

The Nov. 3 presidential election is attracting record numbers of early voters in Dallas to the polls, but there are local decisions to be made, too, including five Dallas ISD bond propositions totaling $3.7 billion.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - October 27, 2020

South Dallas leaders press DART for curb-to-curb transportation service

South Dallas leaders press DART for curb-to-curb transportation service

A community survey showed that 45 percent of the people in the South Dallas zip codes of 75210 and 75215 don't have cars. Community leaders want to bring DART's GoLink service to the neighborhood.

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - October 21, 2020

This mental health podcast from a South Dallas native recognizes we all need help

This mental health podcast from a South Dallas native recognizes we all need help

For Reynolds, a South Dallas native who grew up in the South Blvd/Park Row neighborhood, The Help Show has been a spiritual journey that has allowed her to process her grief.

South Dallas

Sriya Reddy - September 17, 2020

Could internet access in Dallas shift from a luxury to a utility?

Could internet access in Dallas shift from a luxury to a utility?

South Dallas’ Lincoln High School could place an antenna on its roof and transmit broadband signals to household receivers. A student could then type a code into her laptop and sign on to the network from home.

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - September 8, 2020

As schools prep for virtual learning, 1/3 of Dallas families lack internet access

As schools prep for virtual learning, 1/3 of Dallas families lack internet access

Co-published by our media partner, KERA. Listen to the radio version on KERA’s website. Jamaala Karim walks into the Paul Dunbar Learning Center cafeteria. It’s filled with staff hired to help distribute technology to students’ families.  “Having to go from single mom to teacher, it’s like, uhhhhhh,” she sighs heavily.  Karim picks up two clear backpacks. […]

South Dallas

Sujata Dand - September 1, 2020

How to claim property when you don’t hold the title

How to claim property when you don’t hold the title

When South Dallas residents don’t hold the title to the property they own, it can cause all kinds of problems.  Without a title, the property can’t be sold and isn’t eligible for government-funded home repairs or homestead exemptions that give a property tax discount.  It’s a financial problem, definitely. It’s also a legal problem, says […]

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - August 20, 2020

Frazier pop-up camp breaks up long, hot, homebound summer

Frazier pop-up camp breaks up long, hot, homebound summer

Co-published by our media partner, The Dallas Weekly Wearing colorful masks, groups of children trickle into the empty parking lot near the Frazier community center to check-in to the Frazier Revitalization Pop-Up Camp. As they wait in line, they eye the red and yellow tea-flavored popsicles being handed out by Mind Over Matter Tea and […]

South Dallas

Sriya Reddy - August 12, 2020

South Dallas businesses, residents opt to pay extra taxes for public improvement

South Dallas businesses, residents opt to pay extra taxes for public improvement

Parts of South Dallas and Fair Park are using self-imposed tax dollars to improve the community by cleaning up streets, fixing infrastructure issues and increasing public safety and security.

South Dallas

Skye Seipp - August 7, 2020

The MLK library branch remains closed, but neighbors can view its South Dallas history exhibit online

The MLK library branch remains closed, but neighbors can view its South Dallas history exhibit online

The plan was to host a physical exhibit at the MLK library from April through June, but the COVID-19 pandemic changed their plans and made things more uncertain.

South Dallas

Sriya Reddy - July 30, 2020

A $7 million facelift will transform South Dallas’ MLK school into an arts academy

A $7 million facelift will transform South Dallas’ MLK school into an arts academy

This fall, the school opens as a Dallas ISD “transformation” school focused on performing and fine arts.

South Dallas

Skye Seipp - July 8, 2020

Amid a pandemic, Restorative Farms plants seedlings for South Dallas growth

Amid a pandemic, Restorative Farms plants seedlings for South Dallas growth

More than 300 of Restorative Farms’ GroBoxes are now producing basil, okra, peppers and more in backyards, front yards and patios across Dallas, including more than 50 in South Dallas.

Food Apartheid

Sriya Reddy - July 8, 2020

MLK Community Center’s Juneteenth celebration different but ‘impactful’

MLK Community Center’s Juneteenth celebration different but ‘impactful’

Normally, center turns into a festival on Juneteenth, with vendors and music in the parking lot, but with COVID-19 numbers still breaking record highs in Dallas County, this year’s event was done differently.

South Dallas

Skye Seipp - June 24, 2020

‘Stay vigilant’: Local leaders urge caution, protection as businesses reopen

‘Stay vigilant’: Local leaders urge caution, protection as businesses reopen

Co-published by our media partner, The Dallas Weekly When Dr. Ahmad Garrett-Price leaves his home in West Dallas, he always takes his self-made “care package” with him. It’s a recyclable grocery bag holding key items to protect himself and others from the novel coronavirus: a mask, disposable gloves, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipers and disinfectant spray. […]

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - May 13, 2020

Johnson says minority communities will get ‘their fair share’ of coronavirus relief funds

Johnson says minority communities will get ‘their fair share’ of coronavirus relief funds

Co-published by our media partner, The Dallas Weekly Mayor Eric Johnson and District 3 Councilman Casey Thomas spent Friday morning on group phone calls with Dallas clergy and small minority-owned business owners, making sure they knew about grants and loans available to them and their communities. The federal government gave the City of Dallas $5 […]

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - May 6, 2020

How to defer a rent payment under Dallas’ new eviction ordinance

How to defer a rent payment under Dallas’ new eviction ordinance

Co-published by our media partner, The Dallas Weekly In the state of Texas, if a tenant is late paying rent, the landlord has a legal right to evict. “There’s no protection in Texas law for that,” says Sandy Rollins, executive director of the Dallas-based Texas Tenants’ Union. “It’s a default on the contract when you don’t […]

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - May 6, 2020

Reentry groups respond to pandemic’s early release of prisoners

Reentry groups respond to pandemic’s early release of prisoners

During a typical month, Dennis Gant may welcome one or two new residents to the former South Dallas apartment building that now operates as a dormitory for men who just left prison and are trying to get on their feet. In the last three weeks, however, six new residents have been released to the care of Trinity Restoration Ministries.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - April 22, 2020

South Dallas nonprofits join forces to address COVID-19 diaper shortages

South Dallas nonprofits join forces to address COVID-19 diaper shortages

Dallas County had declared a state of emergency two weeks prior as cases of the novel coronavirus rose. Williams reached out to Carter, whose nonprofit Carter’s House provides children’s clothing and baby items to families from its headquarters at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center. The two women had teamed up previously to host pop-up baby boutiques for single parents, and they decided to face the pandemic head-on in another joint effort.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - April 8, 2020

Parkland officials respond to COVID-19 crisis in DFW

Parkland officials respond to COVID-19 crisis in DFW

The coronavirus pandemic already is taking its toll on Dallas. And COVID-19 is likely to more fiercely attack disenfranchised sections of the city.

South Dallas

Keri Mitchell - March 25, 2020