6 December 12 - 18, 2024 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents dosed.” The 15-year-old, identified as “J.G.” in court documents, was a student at New- man Smith High School in Carrollton. “Family members called 911 when they found J.G. unresponsive, face down on her bed on Tuesday, June 13 [2023]. She was trans- ported to the hospital and pronounced de- ceased shortly thereafter,” the news release stated. “Inside the child’s bedroom room, agents found ten counterfeit Percocet pills in- scribed M/30, which later tested positive for fentanyl. On her Instagram, they found com- munications between the girl and Ms. Prieto from approximately 24 hours before the death. In messages, Ms. Prieto allegedly offered to sell J.G. 13 fentanyl pills for $100 dollars (sic), confirmed she could pay with cash, and asked for her address. A short while later, Ms. Prieto allegedly advised J.G. that she was pulling up to the home to deliver the pills.” Lopez and Prieto are two of many who were arrested for their roles in dealing fen- tanyl to students in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD last year. A February 2023 Dal- las Morning News report broke the news that three CFISD juveniles had died from fentanyl poisoning and at least six others had been hospitalized for fentanyl over- doses. More deaths and hospitalizations would follow in Carrollton in 2023, includ- ing incidents where students were found unresponsive with apparent opioid overdose symptoms on school grounds. According to investigators, in most cases, the pills were counterfeit opioids made with fentanyl, but not marketed as such. The sentences for Lopez and Prieto are not the most severe punishments handed down in connection to the Carrollton deaths and overdoses, however. In May, Julio Gon- zalez, 19, was sentenced to 15 years in fed- eral prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance, and Luis Navarrete was sen- tenced to 20 years. “Selling poison in the form of fentanyl to our youth is one of the most treacherous and evil ways to hurt our community,” said Edu- ardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Dallas Field Division in the news release. “To all of those who still continue to traffic fentanyl pills: DEA Dallas and our law enforcement partners such as Carrollton PD will find you and hold you accountable for your selfish actions. The safety of our fami- lies and community depends on it.” ▼ FUN HEY, WE’RE FUN?! MUSEUM-HATING NUMBER CRUNCHERS RANK DALLAS LOW IN FUN. BY ALYSSA FIELDS A recent report leaves Dallas out of America’s Top Five most fun cities. In fact, the list leaves Dallas out of the Top 10, the Top 20 and the Top 30. That’s right, Dallas ranks 31st on the list of most fun cities in America. Clearly, the re- searchers have never been here before. The study from WalletHub compares 182 U.S. cities across three categories — enter- tainment and recreation, nightlife and par- ties, and costs. Then, 64 different metrics within the three categories were assigned a point value. For instance, bowling alleys per capita within the entertainment and recre- ation section are worth one point. Single points are given for shopping malls, spas and fitness centers, of which Dal- las has no shortage. But some of the metrics are downright discriminatory. Public beaches per capita and “ideal weather” are worth one point each. Marinas, fishing facil- ities, boat tours and hiking trails are also worth a point. We never stood a chance. Researchers awarded points only for amenities within city limits, meaning fun lo- cales such as The Star, AT&T Stadium and Six Flags do not get us brownie points. Based solely on the attractions within city limits, maybe 31st is not so bad after all. Researchers combined the total averages to determine the fun-o-meter, but individual ranks for the three subcategories are also provided. Dallas came in at 24 for nightlife and parties, which is no surprise, consider- ing Deep Ellum has long stood as a cultural and musical center point of the South. Big D ranked 39th for entertainment and recre- ation (oof). Oddly enough, museums were not considered in the fun rankings, so the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Garden and the Perot Museum of Nature and Science are all in vain. The point system is a little flawed, giving major favorability to cities with lax drinking laws and high casino presence. Casinos per capita and time of last call are both worth 2.86 points. Not surprisingly, Las Vegas ranks as the most fun city by a landslide, 10 points ahead of Orlando. Theme parks are also of high value. Had last year’s bills to approve ca- sino gambling passed the in the state legisla- ture, maybe Dallas would rank higher. Fifteen Lone Star cities were ranked. Austin placed sixth by earning major points for rec- reational activities. Houston ranked ninth on the list and San Antonio came in at 25. Also to no one’s surprise, the city loses points for its lack of natural resources. But it catches up with a strong presence of concert venues, prolific bar districts and unrivaled shopping. The report ranked cities by cost, with first place being most expensive. Dallas came in at 114th, which is great. So, our cost of living makes us a winner and, really, noth- ing is more fun than having money. ▼ ANIMALS FOREVER HOMES IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES OFFERS FREE ADOPTIONS . BY ALYSSA FIELDS A t almost 140% of capacity, Dallas Animal Services continues to have trouble finding homes for its pets. DAS will continue to waive adoption fees through Dec. 17. The program is inspired by the gift-giving season, but experts urge cau- tion when giving pets as presents. The free adoption campaign is assisted by the Bissell Pet Foundation, which has stepped in to supplement the lost revenue. The initiative is part of Bissell’s Empty the Shelters program, which pays a stipend per pet adopted, $50 for dogs and $20 for cats. The program is the largest funded adoption event in the country. “Empty the Shelters – Holiday Hope is more than an adoption event; it’s a lifeline for shelter pets,” said Cathy Bissell founder of Bissell Pet Foundation in a press release. The program is driven by the holidays, but various animal organizations have spoken out against offering pets as presents. “When shelters offer animals up for a pit- tance (or for free), they devalue them and encourage impulse adoptions by eager peo- ple who haven’t considered whether they or their gift recipients are ready to invest the substantial amount of money, commitment, and care that the animals will need,” said PETA on its website. Local nonprofit and foster-based adop- tion organization, Dallas Cat Lady, also ad- vises against gifting pets for Christmas. “Gifting a cat or kitten as a surprise may seem like a heartwarming gesture, but it’s important to consider the long-term com- mitment and responsibility that comes with pet ownership,” the organization wrote on Instagram. In a statement provided to the Observer, a spokesperson for DAS stressed that the de- cision to adopt a pet should not be taken lightly, regardless of when it might happen. “Dallas Animal Services is proud to have offered free adoptions since 2020, with no significant impact on our return rate,” the statement read. “This holiday season, we en- courage families to make a collective and prepared decision to bring a pet home to love and cherish. Adoptions, which include spay/neuter, vaccines, and microchips, will continue to be free for the duration of the holidays!” But free adoptions may be one of the few remaining solutions to the overcrowding of shelters that burdens North Texas. Waiving adoption fees is a regular, and ethical, prac- tice for shelters, according to Ed Jamison, the CEO of Operation Kindness, a no-kill shelter in Carrollton. “Free adoptions can be an effective and compassionate solution to shelter over- crowding, especially during times of year when shelters are at or over capacity,” Jamison said in an email. “By removing cost barriers, more people are encouraged to adopt, helping animals find loving homes more quickly. Placing animals into homes faster opens up space in shelters to help more animals.” But free adoptions are likely to incentiv- ize those considering a surprise pet for un- prepared recipients. This in turn can initiate a revolving door of returned pets, regardless of which time of the year the gift is given. “Some shelters may see a slight uptick [of returned animals] as families return to nor- mal routines after the holidays and realize they are unprepared for the responsibilities of pet ownership,” said Maura Davies, a spokesperson for the SPCA of Texas in an email. “However, research shows that pets given as gifts during the holidays are no more likely to be surrendered than those acquired at other times, especially when adopters or gift recipients are well-prepared.” According to a mid-year report from Shelter Animals Count, 481,000 dogs were surrendered in the United States in the first half of 2024. Surrendering is a major issue for shelters across DFW. At the Linda Mc- Natt Animal Care and Adoption Center in Denton, the waitlist for animal surrender is often over 100 pets long. A less ethical, but frequent, solution to overcrowding is euthanization. Last year, the Fort Worth Star Telegram reported that Fort Worth was euthanizing hundreds of animals each month across several shelters. Fort Worth shelters are less crowded but still near capacity. DAS currently has 388 kennels but is housing 508 dogs. The population is down 3% from the summer, but significant change will still be necessary to reduce the over- whelming homeless pet problem. Seven shelters in North Texas partner with the Bissell Pet Foundation to reduce shelter overcrowding. DAS has not clarified whether adoption fees will return in the week before Christmas, once the Empty the Shelters program has ended. In a press release, Paul Ramon, director of DAS, highlighted the importance of fos- tering in combatting overcrowding while also offering quick Christmas companion- fixes without the long-term commitment of adoption. “These animals are eager to become cherished members of a family,” said Mark Graham Dallas waives adoption fees as shelter population reaches 140% of capacity. Unfair Park from p5 >> p8
