Dallas, TX

Public intoxication gets a humane response at Dallas’ Sobering Center

Published

2 months ago

March 16, 2024

Public intoxication gets a humane response at Dallas’ Sobering Center

It’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend, time for green beer, revelry and, unfortunately for some, arrest for public intoxication.

But in Dallas, some of those arrestees will be diverted away from the steely holding cells of the City Detention Center and to its more compassionate Sobering Center dorm.

Established three years ago, the center gives some noncombative intoxicated people a safe place to sober up and be counseled by understanding caseworkers about any underlying problems such as homelessness, alcoholism or mental illness. By agreeing to go there, they avoid being charged and saddled with lifelong criminal records.

Now the city is considering whether to divert other low level “quality of life” crimes there, too, Dallas City Marshal David Pughes told us. Those could include sleeping in public, prostitution and other Class C misdemeanors, he said.

That’s a good idea. The Sobering Center frees up municipal courts and patrol officers, while thwarting further crime by linking people with the help they need. We caution the city, however, not to overburden the center with more cases than it has the resources to handle.

Pughes said his office has begun working with Dallas police, the city attorney’s office and municipal court judges to identify other crimes that could be diverted. He expects to submit a proposal to the Dallas City Council’s public safety committee next year and give a general update of center activities to the committee next month.

Years ago, public intoxication suspects were often taken to the city jail, charged, brought before a magistrate and released with a court date. But too many didn’t show up. So the city in 2021 set up the Sobering Center as a more practical and compassionate way to deal with some of those cases.

To be eligible for diversion, a person must be 17 or older, nonviolent, and experiencing no serious medical problems. That person also must not be suspected of any crime other than public intoxication, or been a “client” at the center more than twice before in the same calendar year. Clients run the gamut, from homeless people to Uptown partiers to, yes, St. Patrick’s Day paradegoers. The center is particularly busy during Texas-OU weekend.

Once sober, usually after 4 hours or so, clients are interviewed individually with a caseworker, asked about their lifestyle and sometimes offered a referral to an outside agency. Of 7,712 clients so far, 1,292 have agreed to services. Some are given clean clothing if they need it.

Interview rooms have fresh paint, murals and calming “inspirational decor,” a city document reads. Program manager Kristen Kubat told us the whole point is “to give a little grace to humanity here.” That’s a worthwhile endeavor, and one we’d like to see carefully considered extending to other low-level crimes.

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Dallas, TX

2024 UIL tennis regional results: See how boys and girls from Dallas-area schools fared

Published

3 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Press Room

2024 UIL tennis regional results: See how boys and girls from Dallas-area schools fared

CLASS 6A

THURSDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Brandon Cowling/Kate Delgado, Wylie d. Caroline Artho/Barrett Stroud, Amarillo, 6-1, 7-5

THURSDAY’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Trevor Short/Hope Willis, Wylie d. Brandon Cowling/Kate Delgado, Wylie

Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

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Dallas, TX

Dallas Cowboys Add ‘Jack-Of-All-Trades’ Receiver in 2025 NFL Draft?

Published

10 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Press Room

Dallas Cowboys Add ‘Jack-Of-All-Trades’ Receiver in 2025 NFL Draft?

Could the Dallas Cowboys add a versatile and elusive wide receiver in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft? Dallas drafts Oregon transfer receiver Evan Stewart with the No. 26-pick in the latest mock from ESPN.

Talk about a homecoming! Stewart is a Frisco, Texas-native, which is where the Dallas Cowboys headquarters is located.

Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart attempts to avoid defensive back Solomon Davis during practice / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

Could Stewart be a Dallas star alongside receiver CeeDee Lamb? Currently the Cowboys room is highlighted by Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, Kavontae Turpin.

“I want to show that I am a jack of all trades,” said Stewart during Oregon practices. “…I can go up and get it like a big receiver, I can move like a little receiver. I’ve got great hands, I’m very quick, very fast.”

Stewart transferred from Texas A&M, totaling 1,163 receiving yards and six touchdowns in two seasons in college station, despite an early season ankle injury in 2013 that resulted in diminished production. Stewart’s undeniable talent and experience was highly sought after in the portal, ranking as a top-5 overall athlete in the portal.

Stewart’s goal for the Oregon 2024 football season is clear.

“That ball, man. I’m trying to get those passes,” Stewart said during Oregon’s spring practices. “(Oregon suited everything that I was looking for. I wanted to be in a great program that had a lot of order and construction. Everything is so much better here, honestly, I’m happy with my decision.”

Stewart already turned heads in a Duck uniform during spring football practices. Possibly the biggest get for the Ducks in the transfer portal this year by coach Dan Lanning. Oregon enters their inaugural season in the Big Ten Conference as one of the favorites to win the Big Ten Title, with much thanks to additions like Stewart.

Dallas’ rookie mini camp is May 10-11. It’ll be a first-look at the Cowboys’ first-round 2024 NFL Draft selection Tyler Guyton. The hope is that Guyton, a former Oklahoma offensive tackle, can help reinforce the Cowboys offensive line quickly.

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Dallas, TX

What we learned in FC Dallas' win over Memphis

Published

17 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Press Room

What we learned in FC Dallas' win over Memphis

Photo via FC Dallas

FC Dallas picked up another much-needed win on Tuesday night, a US Open Cup Round of 32 win over USL Championship side Memphis 901.

This morning, as I am sitting at a pub in the Pittsburgh Airport, I thought I would take a few minutes to discuss the comments made by head coach Nico Estevez and the game’s goal scorer, Logan Farrington, after last night’s win. I’m also going to take a quick look back at a game that FC Dallas had control over…for the most part.

This won’t be our normal breakdown of the game since we do need to quickly turn our attention to Saturday’s game with Austin FC.

For a coach who needed to go for it in a Cup tournament game at home against a lower-division team, Estevez really didn’t push things all that much with his lineup choice. He stuck it out once more with the 3-4-3, as he reintroduced Jesus Ferreira and Asier Illarramendi back into the lineup after the two weren’t ‘fully fit’ enough, Nico’s words there to do so in Toronto last week.

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