6 DECEMBER 18 - 24, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | CULTURE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS with the same type of behavior, and I chal- lenge each and every one of you to put the people that elected us to serve first and fore- most.” As Blair pointed out, finding a way to work together is something the council needs to do in the upcoming year. One question posed by council member Paul Ridley was whether it is most appropri- ate to allocate the funding toward rental as- sistance. In recent months, the Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee has re- ceived briefings on the possibility of using tiny homes or pallet homes as a strategy to aid Dallas’ homeless population. Although those briefings were met with general sup- port, the council hasn’t been able to fully commit to a plan. That is a trend that has been ongoing for years. Kahn told Ridley that the $10 million approved on Dec. 11 won’t be used for any capital programs. City Manager Kimberly Tolbert said that if those strategies are something the council wants to pursue, they need to get serious about the tough questions — one such being, where in the city are those facilities supposed to be lo- cated? “I think what we’ve got to get to are some very clearly defined standards about what you want that to be and where you want that to be,” Tolbert said. “In the meantime, we’re not stopping and waiting for that.” Mendelsohn and Bazaldua have each defended their respective positions from their initial squabble via Facebook com- ments. Mendelsohn argues that she felt Bazaldua’s line of questioning was “rude” and that by inviting Kahn to the podium, he was attempting to force a volunteer presenter into a debate, “something [the committee] doesn’t do.” Bazaldua, on the other hand, has stated that asking ques- tions and engaging in a “robust conversa- tion” over briefing items is “a critical part of [the] committee process,” and that by “denying colleagues the ability to ask questions,” Mendelsohn was wasting ev- eryone’s time. The majority of the council seemed unin- terested in siding with either of them. “If you want to know what doing nothing looks like, come to my community,” Council member Maxie Johnson said. “When noth- ing gets done, people suffer.” . PUBLIC HEALTH IT BETTER BE WORTH IT CITY BAN ON VAPING INCLUDES $500 FINE. BY KELLY DEARMORE V apers of Dallas, pay attention: You’ve had a year to get ready for this, but as of Dec. 11, you can get hit with a hefty penalty if you’re caught Juuling, e-puffing, dabbing or whatever else folks are calling vaping these days. Because the new city ordinance will be- gin to include electronic cigarettes in its of- ficial definition of “smoking,” anyone caught hitting their vape in public spots that prohibit smoking, which in Dallas in- cludes all indoor and enclosed spaces, city parks and areas within 15 feet of building entrances. How much is the fine, you ask? $500, so that hit had better be worth it. The ban unanimously passed the City Council last year after more than a year of discussions with the city’s Environmental Commission and the Office of Environmen- tal Quality and Sustainability. “I am here today to thank you for taking this up and realizing that electronic smoking products do create a hazard in workplaces,” Kay Kamm, a Duncanville resident and rep- resentative of the American Cancer Society, told the council in 2024 when the ordinance was approved. “This is an extremely impor- tant step for the city of Dallas to join other cities that have done this.” Other major American cities have al- ready taken action against vaping in various ways. In 2014, Chicago updated its Clean Indoor Act to include a ban on indoor vap- ing, while San Francisco banned all fla- vored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, in 2019. San Antonio passed a similar vaping ban to the new one in Dallas last year. Experts say that vaping intro- duces those nearby to harmful secondhand effects in much the same way smoking cig- arettes does. The Centers for Disease Control says that most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, so many of the dangers of smoking tradi- tional cigarettes are still present. Reality TV star Fraser Olender recently an- nounced that he suffered a heart attack and other problems, he says, due to vap- ing. The Below Deck cast member says he also had vaping use-associated lung injury, or VALI, a condition first identified in 2019 that causes extreme respiratory trou- ble and can lead to death. Dallas County Health and Human Ser- vices (DCHHS) has been sounding the alarm on the possible dangers of vaping for years, long before the ban was approved. “The ongoing reports are highly con- cerning and the severity of many of these illnesses has been tragic,” said Dr. Philip Huang, DCHHS director, all the way back in 2019. “I cannot emphasize enough that e-cigarettes should not be used by youth, young adults, pregnant women or adults who do not currently use tobacco prod- ucts.” . EDUCATION ‘SHAM’ SCHOOLS IN A 5-2 VOTE, THE GRAPEVINE- COLLEYVILLE ISD APPROVED CLOSING THREE SCHOOLS BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR. PARENTS CALL BS. BY ALYSSA FIELDS T he Grapevine-Colleyville Indepen- dent School District (GCISD) board voted last week to close two elemen- tary schools in the district for the 2026 - 2027 school year, despite widespread community opposition. The two schools, Dove and Bransford El- ementary Schools, are closing for the same reasons as many others across North Texas: decreasing enrollment and budget deficits. “This summer, when the legislative ses- sion closed and gave no financial relief to our district and when we began school 200 students down from what was projected, at that point the charge was refined,” GCISD board president Shannon Braun said during an October board meeting. GCISD, like many other districts in the area, is struggling under a several-million- dollar budget deficit, and schools across the nation are witnessing the latent effects of decreasing birth rates and families moving out of their area. “This is not the GCISD that I used to be proud of,” said parent Marissa Perry at the board meeting. “This is not the GCISD that I moved here for. This is a sham.” The board, which was divided on the is- sue, eventually voted 5-2 in favor. “This is painful,” said Braun. “We were elected to lead. And we were elected to make hard choices that protect the long- term health and excellence of our schools. And the truth is that there is no viable alter- native.” Even Booming Schools Closing S chool closures have become a harsh reality for many North Texas school districts, which operate under con- siderable financial constraints. Earlier this month, McKinney ISD ap- proved closing three elementary schools by the end of the 2026-2027 school year. Lewis- ville ISD shuttered five schools for the cur- rent school year. Over the next three years, Fort Worth ISD will close 18 of its campuses. Even districts in regions noted for signifi- cant population growth are not immune to school closures. Plano ISD, regarded as one of the best districts in the state in many ar- eas, closed four schools in May. Recently, Frisco ISD, another attractive district to many, approved the closure of a middle school, despite Frisco’s deputy superinten- dent telling KERA last year that the district had been growing by 3,000 students per year for 15 years. A rare case of a potential school closing not coming to fruition in North Texas recently was Town Center Elementary, a Coppell ISD ele- mentary school, which the district protected in response to public outcry. “Our district will now explore other measures to address the significant budget challenges we continue to face,” CISD said in an October press release. “These deci- sions are not easy and will require thought- ful consideration to ensure we protect the long-term financial stability and educa- tional excellence of Coppell ISD. … We will work to keep all stakeholders informed and to ensure the impact on students is as mini- mal as possible.” Repurposing Buildings When a campus closes, the students are ab- sorbed by other campuses, buses are re- routed and in place of a former community hub stands a vacant and large building. Sometimes, empty schools are leased out or sold for other ventures. Other times, they’re just left alone. But the last three schools announced to close in McKinney ISD will be repurposed. “We know this decision carries deep emotion,” said Shawn Pratt, McKinney ISD superintendent, in a statement. “Our schools are more than buildings — they are commu- nities filled with relationships, memories, and traditions. This decision was made only after thoughtful planning and a clear under- standing of the challenges facing our dis- trict.” More To Continue Most districts in North Texas, and across the state, are operating under huge financial constraints as the Legislature-controlled public education funding system lags far be- hind the inflation rate. For the first time in a long time, the state approved an increase in the basic student allotment, the primary funding system for public schools, of around $100 per student. The increase, which critics argue is insuf- ficient, comes as some districts still have no choice but to close campuses. On top of that, the state’s controversial school voucher program opened applications this week and will begin allotting portions of the $1 billion it set aside to fund the program in the new year. “Remember this day next time a school closes in your neighborhood,” state Rep. James Talarico said at a news confer- ence the day school vouchers passed. “... Re- member this day next time your local property taxes rise because the state govern- Unfair Park from p4 Adobe Stock Vaping in nonsmoking areas in Dallas is now a no-no.
