Eighteen youths have been killed so far in 2025. Local leaders are turning to mentorship, counseling, and community programs to reach kids before violence does.
Dallas voters narrowly passed a new city charter that mandates the Texas city maintain a police force of at least 4,000 cops, an increase of about 900 positions. It’s unclear when the city will complete the “monumental task.”
Local officials are sorting out the impacts from the approval of 16 propositions. Voters rejected salary increases for councilmembers, tightened term limits and streamlined pathways to sue officials.
Future in Context
After guiding the Texas county through the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Philip Huang, its health director, pushed for collaboration and long-term strategies to prepare for future crises. Data modernization proved to be crucial.
Dallas’ data analytics operation works hard to partner with agencies across city government, cultivating relationships and breaking down barriers. It’s a path other cities should follow.
The field of public health has been notoriously behind the times when it comes to data. Dr. Philip Huang has changed that in Dallas County, while helping other communities to modernize.
The City Council approved a three-year, $336,362 contract with a gunshot detection program, which alerts police when it picks up the sound of a potential gunshot. Gunshot detection systems have long sparked questions of accuracy, expense and efficacy.
A study found that earthquakes before 2017 in Texas’ Delaware Basin originated at shallow depths that correspond to where wastewater from fracking was disposed. Nearly 2,000 earthquakes hit West Texas in 2021.
Texas ranked 10th in the nation for auto thefts per capita last year and Dallas had the fifth-highest number of car thefts among U.S. cities. But early data from this year reports that thefts are down by about 7.25 percent so far.
The merger will combine departments that oversee zoning and permitting, the 311, non-emergency line, real estate deals and workforce challenges. At least one office is eliminating 5 positions.
Boston and Dallas have achieved success in bringing down murders and other violent crimes by deploying an array of promising programs and approaches.
The City Council unanimously approved a three-year, $815,000 contract with RollKall Technologies. The move comes in direct response to a 2018 audit that criticized the agency’s lack of oversight.
Experts predict that the celestial event could drive millions of dollars for local businesses, including a $179.8 million boost to the restaurant industry and $221.8 million for hotels.
Although population losses have slowed in most major cities, they haven't stopped. New York has lost nearly a half-million people since the start of the pandemic.
The City Council abandoned an ordinance that allows the demolition of homes smaller than 3,000 square feet within a Landmark District to “address substandard structures.” The rule disproportionately impacted Black, brown and low-income neighborhoods.
The rising number of gun deaths in Texas has inspired a $3 billion industry of active shooter training, consultants, surveillance technologies and safety infrastructure. Some experts aren’t certain the touted strategies are effective.
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