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It’s been a minute since someone called me “fake news.” Forgot how hilarious it sounds when it’s said seriously.
It happened early Tuesday afternoon at the Cole Manor Motel on Harry Hines Boulevard, where I’d gone to check out a joint that city attorneys allege has long been “a storefront for prostitution, drug use, and the sale and manufacturing of illicit drugs.” A Dallas police car was pulling out as I was turning in.
Just inside the shabby, square-shaped motor court whose swimming pool was long ago filled in, a half-masked security guard who appeared to be wearing a bulletproof vest helped a woman roll a new mattress into a dark room. He directed me to the front office, where a young woman stood behind thick, murky glass that made her look out of focus.
I asked who the owner was. She said she didn’t know. There were notes taped to the glass: “NO ID, No Room.” “Toilet Tissue Roll $1.00.”
As I was pulling into Cole Manor on Tuesday afternoon, a Dallas police car was exiting. A DPD spokesperson said it was for a “routine investigation” but offered no further specifics about the visit.
Robert Wilonsky
The security guard went to get another woman, who acted like she was in charge. I asked about the city’s lawsuit, filed in April, which calls Cole Manor an “infamous crime hub.” I mentioned the court order signed last month that requires the motel’s operator to pay the city nearly $1 million in civil penalties and demands the motel be secured by Dec. 21 with, among dozens of other things, a vehicle access gate and a license plate reader.
“Fake news,” the woman snapped before locking herself behind the bulletproof glass. I offered to go to the car to get legal docs.
“I don’t want to disclose any information about that,” she said. At which point, the guard suggested that maybe this interview was over.
I hadn’t visited the motel since Christmas Eve 2018, when it made Preservation Dallas’ list of this city’s most-endangered historic buildings — given its age (it opened in 1946 as El Sombrero Motor Courts), architect (the revered Charles Dilbeck) and proximity to an ever-expanding Medical District devouring surrounding properties. Dilbeck, responsible for hundreds of whimsical residences from Oak Cliff to Preston Hollow, revolutionized the look, feel and function of the post-war motor lodge, best evidenced by his most beloved local lodge, the Belmont Hotel.
There’s much to say about Cole Manor’s significance and past, which includes countless crimes dating back to a night in January 1950, when both local newspapers reported that three men stuck a gun in the face of the auto court’s manager and stole $300. That was the first time, but far from the last, the motel made news.
A March 25, 1958, Dallas Morning News story — about a “pants bandit” hitting, among other locations, the El Sombrero Motor Courts — was one of several crime stories from the 1950s that ran in this newspaper.
The Dallas Morning News
But first we must reckon with its present — and its future — as Cole Manor heads to trial next month. Because property owner Manor Hospitality Corp.’s attorney says this isn’t his client’s fault or problem. The motel’s longtime owner instead blames its rap sheet on the operator who’s allegedly been booted from the motel and is nowhere to be found, even in court.
The city doesn’t see it that way, citing sections of the Texas Local Government Code that place responsibility at the feet of the property owner. Jill Haning, the city’s deputy chief of the litigation division, said via email that when this case hits a courtroom next month, “The city will ask the court to either appoint a receiver to take possession and control of the property to abate the violations and ongoing criminal activity or issue an order requiring the property owner to do so.”
In court documents, city attorneys say they’ve been working with the motel’s owner since 2002 to identify and eradicate the crime and code violations — only to have the issues re-emerge time and again. That includes 28 police calls in the last three years, including numerous aggravated assaults, drug manufacturing and, police say, the shooting death of a 69-year-old woman.
“As the saying goes,” says the complaint, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
One of the biggest crimes at the Cole Manor Motel was the removal a few years ago of the sign planted along Harry Hines when the motor court was renamed decades ago.
Daniel Carde / Staff Photographer
The lawsuit also says federal and local law enforcement in February “took down a seven-person drug trafficking operation that operated out of the Cole Manor Motel for at least a year.” Per the suit, a search warrant resulted in five arrests and the recovery of six guns, fentanyl, crack and $20,000. The city finally sued Manor Hospitality Corp. and its operator, Bhumiya3 LLC, in April.
Bhumiya3 appears to be one person, Irving resident Nilam Patel, whom I couldn’t reach. He also never responded to the lawsuit and didn’t appear in court last month, resulting in a judge slapping him with a pile of code violations totaling $960,256.
Manor Hospitality Corp.’s president is Mike Patel, whose number is the same as Cole Manor’s and doesn’t work anyway, in case you were considering making reservations. Patel has owned the Cole Manor for more than 25 years.
I asked Lance “Luke” Beshara, Manor Hospitality’s Fort Worth-based attorney, how long Bhumiya3 was running the motel on his client’s behalf. He said he didn’t know, but noted that its lease was terminated after the city filed its suit. When I asked who was running the place now, he said he didn’t know.
“Probably a new tenant,” he said. “I am sure my client is trying to find someone who wants to keep it open. They’re not going to let the property sit vacant. That would be a terrible idea, A vacant motel? You really think it’s going to stay vacant? People would break in.”
Beshara said his client met with Dallas’ attorneys earlier this year, at which point, he said, Manor Hospitality first became aware of the city’s numerous allegations.
“So,” I said, “you’re telling me your client was not aware of what was going on at the motel?”
Beshara said that was “not a fair question.” I asked why.
The swimming pool that used to sit in the middle of the motor court was long ago paved over.
Robert Wilonsky
“No, my client was not aware of any of these incidents,” he said. “Later on the city did send a letter referencing its nuisance ordinance and provided a list of certain alleged offenses. They said we have these reports. We got a letter with unsubstantiated offenses that supposedly occurred and were somehow related to my client’s property.”
He said that after a meeting with city attorneys, Patel hired a security guard and installed a gate, though where, I have no idea. And I drive by the Cole Manor at least once a day every day.
But there’s no need to try this here. A temporary injunction hearing set for Jan. 8, to be followed by a trial 18 days later, will help decide the future of the Cole Manor.
New apartments are going in behind the Cole Manor Motel on Empire Central Drive.
Robert Wilonsky
As for its past, I called architect Willis Winters, Dallas’ former parks department director, to confirm the motel is a Dilbeck. “Absolutely,” he said. Winters would know, as author of a forthcoming Texas A&M University biography of the architect.
“You can tell by the architectural vocabulary of the building, how the façade was very complex, visually interesting,” Winters said of the motel. “It engages your eye as you’re trying to understand why it’s doing what it’s doing. The octagonal windows, the roof overhangs, the cupolas along the roof, the vents. All these items he added for visual texture and visual character to draw interest to the building and make people driving by in 1946 want to turn in there and check in for the night.”
Winters said he used to drive past the Cole Manor every day, but turned in for the first time earlier this year. He stayed only as long as it took him to turn around and leave.
Justin Sourdif gave Capitals fans one of the most fun individual efforts of the season, recording five points and scoring his first career hat trick against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday. Sourdif had fantastic chemistry with Connor McMichael and Ryan Leonard in their first game together.
Now the question becomes – Can the Young Guns 2.0 keep it up against a usually-stingy, defensively stout Dallas Stars team?
With Tom Wilson and Aliaksei Protas out again due to injury, Brett Leason will make his season debut with the Capitals. Meanwhile, Dylan McIlrath will remain in the lineup.
The Stars come into on a six-game losing streak. Casey DeSmith will start in goal over Jake Oettinger while the Capitals will counter with Logan Thompson.
Puck drop for today’s game is scheduled for a little after 7:00 pm. The game’s national and on TNT.
I’m dedicating my work tonight to Callie. I love you, my sweet girl. 💔
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Beauvillier
Strome
Ovechkin
McMichael
Sourdif
Leonard
Duchene
Johnston
Rantanen
Puck is dropped. McMichael-Sourdif-Leonard and Fehervary-Carlson get the start.
Ilya Lyubushkin to the box for holding Jakob Chychrun at 2:44.
Stars’ Radek Faska goes 1 on 3 shorthanded and scores after Logan Thompson loses sight of a rebound. WHAT WAS THAT.
SHG: Radek Faksa (2). Assists: E. Lindell (14). Time: 3:06
Back to the power play and… Justin Sourdif gets tossed from the faceoff dot, starts screaming at the official, Connor McMichael comes in, says something, and he gets an unsportsmanlike doncut penalty, killing the rest of the team’s power play. You can tell Carbery is fuming.
The two teams are now playing four-on-four.
Puck bounces over Dylan Strome’s stick on a wide-open net down low after a great setup by John Carlson.
Stars are outshooting the Capitals 5-0, 5:30 into the first period.
Apparently Beck Malenstyn has returned to the Capitals because one of the commentators said he just made a play. Lmao. No one on the Capitals even wears no. 47.
Sam Steel ailing and holding his left arm after a big hit by Ethen Frank.
At intermission: The Stars lead 1-0. The Caps didn’t really do anything in the first period. They were there. They existed. But that was about it. Shots on goal are 10-8 Dallas.
Puck is dropped.
Ilya Lyubushkin and Brandon Duhaime throwing punches at each other after the play at 1:12. Lyubushkin is going down the tunnel due to a cut on his nose.
John Carlson… just watching a pass through the paint to his man, no stick lift or anything, just chillin.
Goal: Sam Steel (7). Assists: T. Harley (14), M. Duchene (6). Time: 2:37
Ryan Leonard fakes a dump-in and almost scores with a crazy shot to the far side from center ice.
Brandon Duhaime and Ilya Lyubushkin drop the gloves right off a faceoff at 12:53. Duhaime punches Lyubushkin about 5 times hard in the back of the helmet. Hope his knuckles are doing okay. The Caps crowd is finally into it, though.
Logan Thompson stops Roope Hintz on a two-on-none breakaway after Nic Dowd fails to get the puck deep. Caps look awful.
Mikko Rantanen slashes Justin Sourdif at 15:55. Caps going back to the power play.
At intermission: The Stars lead 2-0. Dallas leads in shots on goal 20 to 13.
Puck is dropped.
Anthony Beauvillier takes it hard to the net, and gets two opportunities but can’t whack the puck through.
Nic Dowd to the box for hooking at 4:57. The Caps look awful. Just listless. Can’t get anything going. A lot of standing around.
4 shots by the Stars on the power play. Thompson keeping the Caps close.
McMichael ices the puck at the end of the kill.
Caps have one shot on goal through the first 7:03 of the third period.
Jason Robertson rips one hard off the post. Thompson is flopping all over the place to keep the puck out.
McMichael and Duchene trade opportunities down the wing off the rush.
Beauvillier sends a horrible pass backwards to Matt Roy in the defensive zone, turnover to the Stars’ Steel, and Wyatt Johnston scores easily in front of the net. YIKES.
Goal: Wyatt Johnston (24). Assists: S. Steel (9). Time: 2:37
Caps pull Thompson with 2:26 remaining. Why not?
Alex Ovechkin scores his 915th career goal via a one-timer at the top of the left circle.
Goal: Alex Ovechkin (18). Assists: J. Carlson (23), J. Chychrun (17). Time: 17:41
Capitals pull Thompson again.
Timeout Washington with 1:20 remaining.
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SACRAMENTO — The Mavericks were shorthanded the last time they fell to the Kings.
That fact remained true Tuesday night without P.J. Washington, but they brought reinforcements back to Sacramento with Anthony Davis and Brandon Williams, a duo that missed the last meeting at Golden 1 Center just 11 days ago.
When the Mavericks needed him most, Williams delivered. He drilled the go-ahead 3-pointer with 33.3 seconds left to help the Mavericks to a 100-98 win in front of a national audience.
“Just shot it with confidence,” Williams said. “I could kinda see it in Cooper’s eyes that he was gonna get off of it so I just had to be ready to shoot. Regardless of what my percentage says, I’m always ready to shoot.”
The Kings had three chances to take the lead following Williams’ clutch triple, but Dennis Schröder and Russell Westbrook went cold and missed 3-pointers. Sacramento regained hope when Naji Marshall missed a pair of free throws with eight seconds left, but DeMar DeRozan couldn’t convert on a running triple at the final buzzer.
It appeared as if rookie Cooper Flagg would be the one to save the day once he connected on a turnaround bank shot, but DeRozan temporarily stole the moment away from the Mavericks rookie by drilling a contested midrange jumper over the outstretched hands of Marshall.
The shot appeared to be the one for Sacramento to sandwich a five-game losing streak with another rare win. However, Williams’ shot proved to be the difference maker and the Mavericks escaped with their first road win since Dec. 1.
Williams entered the night shooting a career-worst 18.8% from beyond the arc. He only had three conversions out of his last 18 3-point attempts since Dec. 18, but he was relieved once he saw the ball snap through the net on his final attempt of the night.
“It’s been a minute since I hit a 3,” Williams said. “It kind of felt good for the ball to go in. It was like 30 seconds left so we had to finish the game out for me to really feel good.”
Dallas trailed by as many as 12 points, but rallied after halftime to force their 28th clutch game thanks to its 30-point third quarter.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd pointed to turnovers and the Kings’ shotmaking ability as primary reasons why his team suffered a 113-107 loss on Dec. 27. It was a game that marked the Kings’ last victory, which was followed by six straight losses.
Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) yells back towards a group of fans after the Mavericks win over the Sacramento Kings in an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif.
Scott Marshall / AP
It appeared to be the same story for Tuesday’s defeat as Dallas coughed the ball up 17 times, which led to 19 points for Sacramento.
The Kings (8-29), who sit at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, aren’t the best team but for some reason they have the Mavericks’ number through the first two meetings of the season. Sacramento will visit American Airlines Center for the season finale on Feb. 26.
Tuesday marked the first of a three-game road trip for the Mavericks, who snapped their seven-game losing streak in opposing arenas.
The Mavericks were led by Flagg, who played through an injury scare and finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Davis added 19 points and 16 rebounds. Williams added 18 points off the bench, but none were more important than his rare triple that gave the Mavericks the edge for good.
Flagg, who’s already one game shy of the 37 he played as a freshman at Duke, has been quite durable despite minor bumps and bruises throughout the season. That appeared to be in jeopardy in the third quarter when his left knee collided with the left knee of Kings forward Precious Achiuwa.
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg lays on the court after suffering an injury to his knee against the Sacramento Kings during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Sacramento, Calif.
Scott Marshall / AP
After going through a series of tests to assess the strength of his knee, Flagg returned to the game, which was the best case scenario for a Mavericks roster who’ve had more than their fair share of injuries this season. Washington missed Tuesday’s game with a right ankle sprain suffered in Saturday’s win over Houston. Flagg said his knee was a little swollen, but assured that “it’ll be alright.”
Davis provided a much-needed boost on the boards along with Daniel Gafford, who finished with a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds. Davis has seen his fair share of shooting struggles so he’s familiar with what Williams is going through this season, but he said a game-winner is a confidence booster.
“That’s when you find it,” Davis said. “Those are the shots that lead to carryover shooting and carry over confidence for the rest of the season, so even if he was lacking confidence, which we know that he doesn’t, plays like that…you find confidence in plays like that.”
The Mavericks will look to build on their momentum Thursday against the Utah Jazz. Williams also missed the last loss to the Jazz on Dec. 15, so he’s looking forward for the opportunity to avenge that loss as well.
On Twitter/X: @MikeACurtis2
Find more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
It became Dallas County’s new, contemporary facility to house accused criminals in 1993. Today, close to 7,000 men and women each day either serve time, wait for trials, or transfer to state prison inside the county’s Lew Sterrett jail.
The elected leader of county government, Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins, says it’s time for a new facility — and it will cost billions to build it.
“We’ve got to begin planning and doing the work, because we can’t wait until this jail is absolutely just failing,” said Jenkins.
Expansion and development in and around downtown Dallas have the county keeping quiet about future locations.
“So we are looking at sites, and I think we’ll have land purchased this year,” Jenkins said. “And a land purchase in the relative scheme of things is a very insignificant financial amount of this.
“When I’m talking about starting on planning and building of a jail, I’m talking about something that will open perhaps 8 or 9 or even ten years from now.”
To complete a new facility in 10 years, Jenkins said the costs will be in the billions, based on a desire to build a jail that offers mental health and substance abuse treatment, trying to end the cycle of folks filling the jail, arrested over and over again for non-violent crimes.
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