Homeless pushed to East Dallas
Downtown Dallas’ homeless encampments are no longer being addressed — they’re just being pushed around. And now the fallout is landing in East Dallas, including my neighborhood of Bryan Place.
We’re seeing trash, open drug use, fires and real safety concerns. At one point, people built makeshift tree houses and started bonfires on our block. When police were called, we were told it was “private property” and to contact landlords, many of whom are unreachable because these are abandoned lots or corporate-owned properties.
This isn’t compassionate. It’s not effective. And it’s not safe: for residents or for people living on the street, many of whom are clearly dealing with serious mental health issues and keep getting cycled back out with no long-term support.
Why are we still displacing people instead of housing them? Why aren’t we building real solutions, supportive housing, treatment access and accountability, instead of pretending the problem disappears when it moves a few blocks east?
Opinion
This is out of control, and Dallas can do better.
Paul Levatino, Dallas/Bryan Place
Looking for conservative news
I have been reading The Dallas Morning News for many years now — every morning virtually cover to cover. Unfortunately, as a conservative-leaning person, the newspaper is leaving me more and more. Most of the first part of the paper is dedicated to national and international news, with some local stories sprinkled in. And most of those national and international stories come from major news organizations, for example The Associated Press.
A recent edition had 11 stories from national news services and three written by Dallas Morning News writers. Now here’s the issue from my perspective. I suggest one do a search on those national news organizations that The News regularly uses — every one comes up as “left-leaning.”
I can’t help but wonder why those are the only organizations The News uses. Are there no stories from conservative-leaning news organizations available?
Disappointing, and I believe it leaves your readers with a one-sided view of the news.
Mario Vitale, Southlake
We can still make a difference
Re: “2025 a national nightmare,” by Joe Milligan, Monday Letters.
Thank you for sharing your concerns about the challenges facing our country. Your call for civic engagement resonates deeply in that voting and participation are indeed the bedrock of addressing our shared struggles. It does feel useless sometimes, I know. The affordability crisis you mention is undeniably real and touches nearly every household. Grocery bills, housing costs and everyday expenses have strained family budgets across the political spectrum.
Yet, I’d suggest that framing this moment as a “national nightmare” could obscure the agency we still possess. Throughout American history, periods of profound challenge such as economic depressions, civil unrest and constitutional crises have often preceded remarkable renewal, precisely because ordinary citizens refused to accept decline as destiny.
Your closing advice is the most vital part of your message: participate. But I’d expand it beyond just voting. Attend local council meetings where zoning and housing policies are decided. Support or start mutual aid networks in your community. Engage neighbors across political divides in conversations about shared concerns rather than tribal allegiances. Write to representatives about specific policies, not just general frustrations.
I don’t know what your musical preferences are, but I really tune into With a Little Help From My Friends from the Beatles as well.
Steve Ballard, Addison
Vaccine news a nightmare
Re: “4 shots nixed from schedule — Flu among removed recommendations; 11 others maintained,” Tuesday news story.
After reading the revised vaccine recommendations, I find myself somewhat in shock because we now have a shaman as a leader of our Centers for Disease Control and Prevention instead of a scientist. I keep waiting for the bones and the incense and the incantations to come out.
Make no bones about it, however. In the history of our species, the groups that have the best scientists always win, and those with the worst scientists always lose.
We have decided that the best way to develop immunity is just to have a disease. Think about that. About 300 children died from the flu last year. How many children and adults are going to die this year from preventable communicable disease?
The difference between science and speculation is evidence. Bobby, show me the evidence! I keep thinking that I am having a dream and then when I wake up all of this group hysteria will have passed, but when I wake up each morning, I read the paper and there it is.
We should not forget the words of Carl Sagan, “Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.”
William Burton Fears, MD, South Dallas
Worried about Ukraine
Re: “Success, failure in Venezuela hinges on this — Will true, popular reform happen, or will the same people continue running the show?” by Orlando J. Pérez
You wonder every day, what next?
I read with interest Professor Perez’s column about steps to take now in Venezuela to facilitate a transition to democracy along with your editorial on what needs to happen immediately on messaging. They made sense but, based on what we’ve seen thus far, how likely is President Donald Trump to follow this course of action? He appears to have moved on to talking again about taking over Greenland.
What has really broken my heart this year is Trump’s cavalier treatment of Ukraine. For some reason, he blames Ukraine for the war and proposes a peace agreement that is lopsided in favor of Russia. I have read that Russia is in bad shape after four years of war and bringing the right leverage against it could force a more equitable settlement. But Trump will not go against Vladimir Putin. Shouldn’t we support a fledgling democracy?
I have written to both Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn about the Russia-Ukraine war and both have responded to me by saying that the war must end in a way that will be a loss for Russia. I wish they would make this statement forcefully in the public square.
Donna Gregory, Dallas