Dallas, TX
Texas Supreme Court rules in favor of HERO; Dallas City Council ordered to remove 3 charter amendments from Nov. ballot
![Texas Supreme Court rules in favor of HERO; Dallas City Council ordered to remove 3 charter amendments from Nov. ballot Texas Supreme Court rules in favor of HERO; Dallas City Council ordered to remove 3 charter amendments from Nov. ballot](https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2024/09/12/755c08e7-5778-4559-bebb-49478f59e797/thumbnail/1200x630/3325785b924069b077bb19eaa7c70bf1/gettyimages-157478838.jpg?v=eed8fba9acd13199742a248f804168a1)
DALLAS — The Texas Supreme Court ordered the Dallas City Council to remove three charter amendments from the Nov. ballot, ruling in favor of the Dallas HERO Initiative.
The citizen-led bipartisan initiative claimed the council’s amendments were meant to nullify their amendments. The court agreed, saying the propositions contradict each other and the language would “confuse and mislead voters.”
In June, the Dallas HERO Initiative successfully petitioned to have three amendments added to the November ballot, submitting over 169,000 signatures. HERO said those signatures exceeded the city’s requirement of at least 20,000 signatures for each of the three proposed amendments.
The city secretary certified HERO’s petitions.
HERO’s three proposed amendments would:
- Increase the total number of Dallas police officers and guarantee that the starting salary of DPD officers is on par with the top five of all major city police departments in North Texas.
- It also calls for a portion of annual excess revenue to be allocated to the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System.
- Subject the city manager to performance-based pay
- Allow citizens to sue government officials who don’t follow the law
In August, the Dallas City Council held several meetings to discuss a special election on proposed amendments.
Several council members did not approve of HERO’s proposed amendments, the Supreme Court documents state, and moved to include three additional proposed amendments.
The council’s proposed amendments gave the council the final say in all city funds and would ensure the city’s government immunity and prevent residents from filing suit, according to the court’s ruling.
HERO and a Dallas resident who signed petitions to get the HERO proposals on the ballot filed suit to block the council’s proposed charter amendments.
On Sept. 11, the Texas Supreme Court issued its ruling and directed the council not to include its propositions on the Nov. ballot.
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Dallas, TX
Could a new system help police address random gunfire? Dallas hopes to find out
![Could a new system help police address random gunfire? Dallas hopes to find out Could a new system help police address random gunfire? Dallas hopes to find out](https://dmn-dallas-news-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PTI5HJBLC5BL3HOF2FHVFCP3CA.jpg?auth=dd61cc5e84eaf6082a905298a5d528625eede05e742bac1d307836d673c90519&height=467&width=830&smart=true&quality=80)
The Dallas Police Department will soon try out a new system to better pinpoint random bursts of gunfire.
The City Council on Wednesday approved a three-year contract for $336,362 with Crime Gunshot Intelligence Technologies for its gunshot detection program, FireFLY LE. The system works by alerting a police employee when it picks up on the sound of a potential gunshot. That employee will evaluate the noise, and if they tag it as gunfire, patrol is notified to its possible location.
Council members have voiced concerns in recent years about random gunfire in Dallas, with some noting that residents constantly report the problem and complain about feeling ignored. Police usually label random gunfire calls a lower priority.
Police officials have said random gunfire happens across the city and often spikes on holidays. So such gunshots result from celebrating, while others result from people discharging a firearm while intoxicated or as an intentional violent act.
Dallas police reported 8,301 random gunfire calls this year as of Wednesday, with the highest volume in the southern sectors of the city. By this time last year, the department recorded 9,754.
Gunshot detection systems are used across the U.S. but have spurred questions about accuracy, expense and level of impact. ShotSpotter — one of the most popular — is used in more than 150 cities, but has been rejected by areas such as Atlanta and Portland, according to CNN. In Chicago, one of the largest cities to use it, officials have been immersed in debate about whether to renew their contract, The Chicago Tribune reported this week.
Dallas has considered gunshot detection technology before, but the idea was nixed because of accuracy concerns and high costs. Police Chief Eddie García raised worries to council last year, noting the “jury’s still out” on the efficiency of such systems. Instead, he said at the time, he’d prefer more license plate readers.
Tim Kelly, CGIT’s president and co-founder, told The Dallas Morning News on Wednesday that FireFLY LE is different from legacy systems in that it’s transportable, not fixed into place — which he believes makes it more economical and ethical. The technology is not targeting one community, he said, but can instead be moved based on where police believe the gunfire is occurring.
Gunshot detection systems typically use microphones and other acoustic devices in neighborhoods to pick up the sound of a gunshot, locate the area where the muzzle blast happened, and then alert police.
Once the FireFLY LE sensor picks up on a bang, Kelly said, the system compares it to a library of sounds — like car backfires, single gunshots and machine guns — to evaluate what it could be. Police make the final classification, and the data would be owned by the city of Dallas, Kelly added.
He called it “a tool in a bigger process,” emphasizing it’s meant to help police recover shell casings, which can then be analyzed to gauge whether that gun was used in other crimes. Residents in vulnerable communities where shootings occur don’t always report gunshots, Kelly said, which makes the system vital for alerting police.
“It’s about providing leads to detectives,” said Kelly, formerly an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Phoenix has used the program for about five years. An Arizona State University study published in 2021 by the U.S. Department of Justice found that after the sensors were in place, patrol officers were more likely to respond to gunshots, responded more quickly and incident reports were more likely to be filed.
“Will it reduce gun violence?” Kelly said on Wednesday. “That’s really kind of a hard question. My personal opinion — not standing alone. It needs to be part of a larger process.”
He pointed to DPD’s use of hot-spot policing. As part of the department’s violent crime reduction plan, every 60 days, police hone in on about 60 “hot spots” — 330-by-330 foot grids — that account for a disproportionate amount of crime.
Dallas police Major Yancey Nelson told the council’s public safety committee this week that the department will start with 24 sensors, which will provide coverage of about 1 to 2 square miles. Police officials opted for a solar-powered option, he added, which allows them to put sensors on top of a building or mount them on a utility pole.
He noted the hot spots targeted by DPD are usually areas that see large amounts of random gunfire. Similarly, Kelly said, FireFLY LE helps focus on small geographical areas. Because the system is transportable it can be moved each time police change hot zones.
“It actually overlays our crime plan perfectly,” Nelson told the committee.
Dallas, TX
Former Stars Defenseman Retires After 12 Seasons
![Former Stars Defenseman Retires After 12 Seasons Former Stars Defenseman Retires After 12 Seasons](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5000,h_2812,x_0,y_33/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/breakaway_on_si/01j7ethjhgnt7rc1fh5b.jpg)
Longtime Dallas Stars defenseman Jordie Benn is hanging up his skates after 12 NHL seasons, he told Chek News Monday. The 37-year-old’s last NHL act came with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022-23.
“It’s a weird feeling that training camp is not around the corner, but it’s been a really fun ride,” Benn said.
Benn, older brother of Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn, took a very unconventional path to the NHL. He played junior hockey in the British Columbia Hockey League, but after going undrafted, he started his professional career with the Victoria Salmon Kings, the Vancouver Canucks’ former ECHL affiliate, in 2008-09. Then as his brother was establishing himself with the Stars, he worked his way up through the organization and eventually made his NHL debut in early 2012.
Jordie would go on to play six of his 12 NHL seasons alongside his brother in Dallas, getting to live out his childhood dream in the best league in the world.
“My brother and I just loved playing hockey,” Jordie said. “When we weren’t on the ice we were in the garage shooting pucks, we just loved the game.”
Later in his career, Jordie would play for the Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota Wild and finally the Maple Leafs. In 607 NHL games, he scored 26 goals and 137 points. Like his brother, though, Jordie was a physical presence with , 244 penalty minutes, 751 hits and 944 blocked shots throughout his career.
Last year, Jordie played for Brynas IF in Sweden, recording three goals and 22 points in 39 games.
Jordie’s NHL career is perhaps best defined by one word: persistence. He didn’t let his unconvential career path define him, and managed to enjoy a long and fruitful NHL career as a result. In fact, he even has a tattoo on his arm that says “Never Quit.”
“A lot of people thought I never should have made it, and maybe I shouldn’t have, but I just worked as hard as I could every night and tried to be the best teammate possible,” Jordie said.
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Dallas, TX
Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb On His $136 Million Contract Signing And What He Learned During Holdout
![Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb On His 6 Million Contract Signing And What He Learned During Holdout Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb On His 6 Million Contract Signing And What He Learned During Holdout](https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/66e116c5f4e5065c3122d856/0x0.jpg?format=jpg&crop=1871,1053,x0,y44,safe&height=900&width=1600&fit=bounds)
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb details that he was “ecstatic” when he found out about his … [+]
CeeDee Lamb is a happy man these days.
The Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver is only weeks removed from signing a four-year, $136 million contract which includes a $38 million signing bonus — a record for a wide receiver — and $100 million guaranteed. The contract was agreed upon shortly before the start of the season after Lamb had held out during the entirety of training camp.
The 25-year-old receiver explains that he was actually in Florida — he stayed in shape during his holdout in Fort Lauderdale — when he found out the news and that he was “ecstatic.”
“I was actually in Florida when I first found out and how did I feel? I was ecstatic,” says Lamb with a big smile on his face during a one-on-one interview. “It didn’t feel real. I think we posted a video on it with my reaction when I was on the phone with my agent. I couldn’t believe it. Once he told me, it was like finally, the deal is done. Now I can go play ball.”
Lamb is now the second-highest paid wide receiver in the NFL after he was originally due to earn just a shade under $18 million this season. Not only will he earn $34 million on an annual basis, he’s locked in with the Cowboys through the 2028 season.
The fifth-year receiver is all smiles after earning his big contract with huge production last season. Lamb posted an NFL-leading 135 catches with 1,749 receiving yards — both franchise records. The young receiver explains how it’s still a “surreal” feeling two weeks after he signed the contract.
“I’m just like, ‘Wait a minute, let’s enjoy this. Take a step back,’” says Lamb. “I just think about all the things that I’ve been through in my life and my family’s life and just continuing to grow as a man and be that pedestal for my brothers and my cousins and all my little ones that’s under me and obviously just being a leader to the community. It’s an amazing feeling. It’s so surreal.”
Although Lamb missed practicing with his teammates during training camp, he didn’t seem to miss a beat during the Cowboys’ season-opening win over the Cleveland Browns. Lamb posted a team-leading five receptions for 61 receiving yards in the 33-17 victory.
He explains that while his cardio isn’t up to his liking, he felt “amazing” during Week 1 and that his endurance will only go up the more reps and games he plays moving forward.
“I felt amazing,” says Lamb during his 2024 NFL season debut against the Browns. “Felt a bit of fatigue in the back end (of the game), but that’s where the difference is from training and playing football. I felt a slight step back, but as we go throughout these things and I get more practices, I’ll be back.”
Lamb reveals that he actually stayed in shape during his training camp absence while working out for three hours a day for three-to-five days a week. He says that he definitely missed the “camaraderie” with his teammates during training camp. The star receiver also says that he has yet to make any big purchases since signing his deal.
“I wish I went to training camp, I will say that, just to build that camaraderie with my guys — be that leader that I’m supposed to be,” says Lamb. “I can lead from a distance, but it’s nothing like the presence. I wish I was there for my guys, but I had to handle some business.”
The three-time Pro Bowl receiver is speaking on behalf of his partnership with BodyArmor, whom he has had a working relationship with for several years now. Lamb mentions how the popular sports drink actually helped him stay “hydrated” during his “difficult” workouts while holding out in training camp.
“Doing three-hour workouts for three-to-five days a week, I feel that’s pretty self-explanatory,” says Lamb. “The hydration process, it was very important, very imperative for me. I just knew that it was something that I needed to get done and stay on top of to come back and be in the right state of mind and physically in shape. BodyArmor helped get that done. The workouts were very difficult — and it was worth every bit of it.”
While the strawberry banana flavor is Lamb’s favorite BodyArmor drink, there’s a new limited edition drink featuring the Cowboys receiver on the bottle. Outside of it being available in only limited quantity, it’s notable because it features a “consumer AR
Arweave
“Grab your phone, put the picture on it and it’ll take you right to the link,” says Lamb. “At that point, you have fun. Show me your football skills, it’s fun on the power, that’s the whole objective here. I’m very excited to launch it. Can’t wait for the people to have it, can’t wait for the kids to have it.”
While Lamb is financially set for life, he details what he learned during the long negotiation period when it came to his contract.
“Trust in what you believe in, you’re not wrong — know your worth,” says Lamb. “What’s for you will be for you. I felt like I really stood on my gut and continued to be myself and understood my value to the team. I understand my value to the game and how much I put into it. Again, it’s surreal, I can’t really put into words because it happened so fast. But obviously, it took so long for it to happen. But throughout that journey, I’ve learned so much as far as maturing and composing myself mentally, developing different things, different traits and can’t wait to use it.”
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