Starting Monday, voters will decide if Dallas becomes the latest – and largest – city in Texas to decriminalize misdemeanor pot possession.
On Thursday supporters are calling the endorsement of Texas music icon Willie Nelson a huge lift to drive voter turnout.
The 91-year-old said “Marijuana is an herb, not a crime,” in a recent post supporting what’s called “Proposition R” in Dallas.
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Jessica Ramirez works with Ground Game Texas, the Austin-based nonprofit that spent most of the summer collecting enough signatures to place an amendment on the ballot decriminalizing possession of four ounces or less of pot.
“I was in the field getting signatures for this petition and having those genuine conversations with folks – they’re just like ‘Texas needs to come on with it,’” Ramirez said.
Similar pot efforts have passed in Denton and Austin with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton suing both cities saying measures in each violate state law.
Outgoing police chief Eddie Garcia said in August, that Dallas police officers already don’t enforce possession under two ounces, and warned increasing it to four ounces wouldn’t help lower crime.
Dallas councilmember Cara Mendelsohn said during a briefing in August the measure would benefit “drug dealers and drug houses.”
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On Thursday, she told NBC 5 she hopes voters reject all 18 charter amendments on the November 5 ballot, echoing a sentiment she shared in a Dallas Morning News editorial co-authored with Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson earlier this month.
“If people would like to decriminalize or legalize marijuana, they need to be talking to their state reps and state senators, their congressmen and their (U.S.) senators,” Mendelsohn said.
Ramirez said Thursday, Ground Game Texas will work on block-walking and canvassing Dallas neighborhoods this weekend to motivate voters ahead of the start of early voting Monday, for what could be a record-setting turnout on November 5.
She adds having Willie Nelson connected to the effort could make a meaningful impact for undecided voters in Dallas.
“His endorsement means a great deal to us,” Ramirez said.
According to the Chinese New Year, 2025 was the year of the snake, and Dallas shed more than its fair share of restaurants and bars.
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We actually started off on a high note with the closure of Salt Bae’s restaurant, Nusr-Et, which had the audacity to charge upwards of $1,000 for a steak.
After that, local favorites started dropping like flies. Many leases seemed to come to an end with an increase in demand for space sending rent skyrocketing. Along with rising food costs, local restaurants are taking a hit.
It’s not all bad, though. Peppered into the mix are some restaurants and bars in Dallas that closed, but were remodeled and reimagined into new concepts. Others are looking for new spaces with lower rent. The rest, however, are gone for good.
The beginning of this year will likely be no better than the last, and it’s as good a time as ever to get out and support your favorite local spots. Money tight? We know where to go.
These are all the Dallas restaurants that closed in 2025.
Dallas Mavericks star big man Anthony Davis might be facing season-ending left hand surgery after being injured in Thursday night’s game against the Utah Jazz, ESPN reported on Friday.
Davis reportedly underwent an MRI exam on Friday that showed ligament damage in the hand. Davis reportedly will seek a second opinion to see if surgery is needed.
ESPN reported Davis would miss at least six weeks if surgery is avoided.
Davis was injured with 2:52 left in the 116-114 loss while defending Utah star Lauri Markkanen on a drive to the basket. Davis was in obvious pain after the play and left the contest with 2:08 remaining after he was holding the hand and unable to defend Markkanen’s next basket.
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The timing of the injury could affect Dallas’ trade plans. The club reportedly planned to shop Davis prior to the 5 February trade deadline.
Davis hasn’t even been with the Mavericks for a year yet. He came over in the controversial and disastrous deal in which star Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Davis, who turns 33 in March, is making $54.1m this season. He is due to make $58.5m next season and has a player option for $62.8m in 2027-28.
Davis has played in just 29 games for the Mavericks – nine last season and 20 this season.
He is averaging 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots this season. He is a 10-time All-Star.
Dallas Police Central Business District officers recovered 39 bags of crack cocaine during an arrest Tuesday.
The officers, working with the U.S. Marshal’s North Texas Fugitive Task Force, seized the drugs when they arrested 40-year-old Velisa Purvis, who was wanted on four outstanding felony warrants.
Officers spotted Purvis in the 1500 block of Garrett Avenue near Old East Dallas and took her into custody.
In addition to the cocaine, officers recovered two bags of suspected methamphetamine, drug packaging, money and marijuana.
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She now faces additional charges of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance between four grams and 200 grams and manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance between one and four grams for the crack cocaine, methamphetamine, currency, and individual packages with the intent to distribute.
