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How Far East Dallas groups headed off NIMBYs with townhome development

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How Far East Dallas groups headed off NIMBYs with townhome development


Founded decades earlier as Bethel Baptist Tabernacle, the church in Far East Dallas had been shrinking for years. Leaders had tried to attract new worshippers to its sanctuary on Ferguson Road, but membership dwindled until it was down to a few dozen people in the early 2020s.

Mike Chism, a former associate pastor whose grandfather was a charter member of Bethel, said remaining members decided to merge with a church in Mesquite. That left Bethel with a four-acre campus of sturdy, cream-colored brick buildings surrounded by expansive parking lots they needed to sell.

The situation could have deteriorated into another disheartening story about a dying church with an empty building that decays into a neighborhood eyesore.

Instead, it’s an encouraging tale of a church determined to see something good grow on its former property and a watchful nonprofit, the Ferguson Road Initiative, that helped ensure its redevelopment fit the area’s needs. In a city where strident NIMBYism often obstructs redevelopment, it’s a story where NIMBY never happened.

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“We had been members of [the Ferguson Road Initiative],” Chism said. “They were aware that we were struggling and needed help figuring out what we wanted to do with the property. They put us in touch with a developer.”

Bethel sold the property to a local developer active in the area and committed to building homes for middle-income families. The deed transferred in March. Proceeds from the sale went to the congregants’ new church home in Mesquite.

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Dallas County commissioners agreed in November to kick in $1 million to help pay for underground infrastructure. By mid-2027, construction should be underway on 53 new, single-family, detached townhomes that police officers, teachers and social workers could afford to buy.

“We are absolutely committed to building ‘missing middle’ housing in this community,” said Vikki Martin, the initiative’s executive director.

Her organization’s involvement helps explain why the deal progressed relatively smoothly. The Ferguson Road Initiative has been steadily organizing neighborhood associations and crime watch groups since 1998. It does not run programs; it convenes meetings and coaches local leaders. When there’s a zoning change request, or a major property for sale, the initiative has a process to ensure local residents help guide what happens next.

Martin’s group will arrange a preliminary meeting to bring together the developer, property owner, neighborhood association leaders, relevant City Council and Plan Commission members and a few others. The leaders take the information back to their associations and solicit comment. The process leaves room for reasonable discussion and compromise.

“It’s all very organized,” Martin said. “There’s no yelling.”

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The vacant church, with its distinctive, blocky tower, still stands near the intersection of North Buckner Boulevard and Ferguson Road. After it’s gone, something very different, but very much needed, will rise in its place. Bethel’s final legacy in Dallas will be new homes and an example of how redevelopment can grow from trust and goodwill.

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Friends are rallying for Ruby Gonzalez’s family after the crash

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Friends are rallying for Ruby Gonzalez’s family after the crash


A young mother is dead and her husband remains hospitalized after Dallas police said the couple was hit and killed by a wrong-way driver along US-75 early Monday.

“She’s been that person connecting everybody. She can get this whole group together,” said Samantha Cosio.

Amanda Martinez, Evelyn Duarte and Samantha Cosio said 30-year-old Ruby Gonzalez was the glue of their friend group.

“Ruby had this energy where we just all gravitated towards her,” said Cosio.

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They say it’s hard to comprehend that someone who loved life is suddenly gone.

“It’s just a nightmare,” said Evelyn Duarte.

Dallas police said Gonzalez and her husband were driving in the southbound lanes of North Central Expressway near Royal Lane, when they were hit head on by a wrong-way driver just after one a.m. Monday.

The wrong-way driver and Gonzalez were killed.

Friends say her husband, Kevin, remains in critical condition in the ICU.

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Her parents have taken over caring for their three children.

“She was always with her children. She lived for them, and now I’m so, so worried about them. I’m praying so hard that Kevin will make it and he’ll be ok, but they’ll never have what they had with Ruby being gone,” said Amanda Martinez.

The couple’s youngest is just two months old.

“He’ll never get to know how beautiful and how much of a light that she was,” she said.

Friends have started an online fundraiser for the family. They say Gonzalez gave them each other.

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Now they’re stepping in to fill the gaping hole she leaves behind, while trying to live life a little more like Ruby.

“She taught me how to live and you know, take the trip, wear the dress, put the heels on, you know, enjoy your life while you can, take the pictures now,” said Martinez.

Police say the wrong-way driver died at the scene. The medical examiner identified him as 23-year-old Christopher Ourfalian.



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Ranking the top 10 players on the Cowboys’ 2026 roster: #8 Tyler Booker

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Ranking the top 10 players on the Cowboys’ 2026 roster: #8 Tyler Booker


Just a little over a week stands between the Dallas Cowboys and the start of 2026 OTAs. While the offseason has not fully come to an end, Dallas and the other 31 NFL franchises have made almost all of the significant moves they will make before the start of training camp.

Dallas’ roster looks significantly different from what it did at this time last year, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. With that thought in mind, today we continue our series ranking the top 10 players on the Cowboys roster for the 2026 season.

2025 Recap: It’s no secret the Cowboys love drafting talented offensive linemen in the first round. Dallas stayed true to this pattern in 2025, using another premium selection to once again upgrade the unit.

As we all know, the Cowboys decided on Tyler Booker out of Alabama. The selection came with a bit of a mixed reaction. Some believed Dallas was investing too much premium capital in the offensive line with other positions of need, but others were thrilled about Booker’s NFL projection and what he could add to the Cowboys’ offense.

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Flash forward a year, and those who were excited about the Booker pick are looking very right. The Alabama product had a fantastic rookie year, starting 14 games and looking like the next potential star at right guard. Booker finished the year with the seventh-highest (76.8) run blocking grade in the league, and his 72.0 overall offensive grade was just a little over one point behind Pro-Bowler Tyler Smith (73.5).

Booker was a force to be reckoned with in the run game and made a clear impact on Dallas’ ability to run the ball to the right side. While pass protection was not as strong as his work in the run game, Booker was nothing close to a liability. The rookie allowed only three sacks and went five of the final six games of the regular season without being called for a penalty.

2026 Preview: After such a great start to his NFL career, expectations are sky high for Booker in year two. With Tyler Smith already locked up long-term, the Cowboys could be looking at having the best guard duo in the league in the coming years.

It’s hard to believe, but Booker is still only just 22-years-old. As he matures both physically and mentally, he is likely only going to sharpen his craft and become an even better player than he was during his rookie year.

The Cowboys have plenty of talent on their roster, but Booker is more than deserving of the eighth spot in these rankings. It’s not easy for rookie offensive linemen to come in and seamlessly transition to playing at the next level, but that is exactly what Booker did. He made the Cowboys look very smart for selecting him 12th overall, and if he can stay healthy, he should have no problem making his first Pro Bowl and potentially All-Pro team this upcoming season.

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Prediction: Tyler Booker builds upon his impressive rookie year, starting all 17 regular-season games and making his first Pro Bowl.



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Dallas felon arrested after allegedly shooting 14-year-old inside vacant Pleasant Grove home

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Dallas felon arrested after allegedly shooting 14-year-old inside vacant Pleasant Grove home


A 14-year-old who lives in Pleasant Grove is at a children’s hospital recovering after he was struck by a shotgun round.

The injured teen was shot about a quarter mile away from his home. Police say the teenager ran while bleeding in his home, where his family called 911 frantic to get him to a hospital.

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Felon arrested after teen shot in Pleasant Grove

What we know:

66-year-ikd Victor Burnett is facing multiple aggravated assault charges and also unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. 

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It’s the latest in a lengthy arrest history for Burnett in Dallas County.

Burnett is accused of shooting two teens who were inside a vacant home in Pleasant Grove on Tuesday evening around 7pm.

Police say a 14-year-old boy was struck and ran back home on Godfrey Avenue. His 15-year-old friend took off in a different direction across the family’s front porch, and was caught on RING video.

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Witness photo and flock cameras lead to suspect

Dig deeper:

A second call to police came in from a witness, stating they saw Burnett with a shotgun getting into a green Dodge pick-up truck parked in the grass field.

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This witness is key in the investigation, taking a picture of Burnett’s license plate before he took off.

Flagged by a flock camera just a few miles away, Burnett was then taken into custody of Jim Miller Road.

Suspect claims teens were trespassing

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What they’re saying:

According to Burnett’s arrest warrant affidavit, he told police, “juveniles were constantly breaking into vacant/unoccupied new-built homes.”

The 15-year-old, who was not shot, admitted to police they were inside the vacant house and said, “Burnett entered the home, and then they heard a gunshot.”

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Thats when “they together jumped out of one of the windows of the bedrooms and ran together and that is when his friend was shot.”

Relationship with Victor Burnett

What’s next:

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FOX 4 checked out the vacant home on Thursday and multiple windows were damaged, one clearly with a bullet marker from police. 

Also, outside the new build, cameras and a sign that says ‘No Trespassing’, in the middle of construction, are being built by Robbie Hale Homes. The builder told FOX 4 over the phone on Thursday, that Burnett isn’t employed at the company, but confirmed he has been contracted out to mow lawns or provide security.

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The suspect, Victor Burnet, was brought back to police headquarters. A quick search by police, and they learned he’d been convicted of sexual assault and therefore is not permitted by law to own a firearm. 

Police say they found a shotgun and a stolen pistol in his truck.

The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 4’s Peyton Yager.

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Crime and Public SafetyPleasant Grove



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