Our own Dr. Janet Morrison provides this entry. Reading this really puts me in touch with what some of my friends face every day here in inner city Dallas, Texas. Most of us take basic city services for granted. In many neighborhoods the basics just aren't being covered. I'd love your reaction. You can visit the blog that features community writers at http://www.lovethyneighbors.blogspot.com/.
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Have you noticed how dark it is as you drive down Bexar Street by Turner Courts?
I didn't really notice it before, but now that we've had Daylight Savings time, it seems much more apparent. Probably because it's dark when the kids leave the After-School Academy...and it's darkest right there.
As I drove down Bexar, I noticed the street lights right along Bexar and the one on the corner of Bexar and Parsons are both really dim. I wonder how many more are like that. If anyone else is interested in doing anything about that, let me know. Maybe if we get several people together, we can get Dwaine Carroway, our city council member, down here and we can talk to him about it.
The other thing that bothered me is when I found out the DART buses don't run down there after dark anymore. That is something like 6:00! What about people going to or getting off of work?? That's not right. I heard it's because people have been throwing bricks or eggs and such at the buses (maybe some of that would decrease if our street lights worked). If that's true and people are doing that, I wouldn't want to drive in that either.
BUT...we don't need to just accept it! We need to do something! What can we do? Could we form some sort of watch group and communication with the police for kids/people who do that? Can we talk to DART? Maybe this is another issue for Dwaine Carroway. After all...he is OUR city representative!
We can't expect him to do it all by himself. We have to work together. But at least we could start the conversation. Who is interested?? Let me know or let Sylvia know and she can get in contact with me.
ONCOR has a hotline to report street lights that are out or are not putting out any light. The number is (888) 313-4747. I find that they are pretty responsive. In those rare occasions where they are not, I have the name and mumber of the person in charge and the person in City Hall responsible.
ReplyDeleteLee~
ReplyDeleteThanks! I am going to save this information. We are planning a community gathering when we get back from the holidays. I will take this information to the group so we can take some steps. If nothing happens, I may need to give you a call to find out how we keep going up the ladder. Thanks!
I dropped the ball. Janet had asked me to set up a meeting with Dwaine Caraway for the residents of Turner Courts.
ReplyDeleteMy mistake...I'm on it.
Lee, part of the problem we've experienced first hand is the hard fact that what works well in one part of town, doesn't apply in the south. Just a cruel fact of life in Dallas.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michael. Go Janet!
Larry, I have been out of town since Thanksgiving and have just seen the last posting. I know that there is an issue in come parts of town, which is why I make a point of calling Oncor when I see strings of lights out in the lower income parts of town. Dave Levinthal at DMN has made an issue of the street lights. i will forward a message to you that I received today. Let me know whenever I can make contact with Oncor and the City.
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