Commercial Roofing Contractors in New Hope, TX

Dallas leaders have worked for years to combat homelessness, but anyone who drives through the city can still see homeless people living in tents and under bridges.

The most recent figures from 2022 found 4,011 homeless people in Dallas and Collin Counties with almost a third of them unsheltered.

In recent years there have been a parade of task forces and commissions appointed by Dallas City or Dallas County leaders to combat homelessness.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson Thursday announced a new task force he calls HOPE: Homelessness, Organizations, Policies and Encampments.

He says this task force will be different.

“This isn’t a dog and pony show. This is about getting work done,” Johnson said.

Johnson wants a report from the group by June 15.

“There will be actionable recommendations out of this report. The task force’s work at that point will be done. And then it will be the policymakers' work to find the resources based on the recommendations to do it, so that’s the difference,” Johnson said.

Former Mayor Mike Rawlings, who served as a Dallas Homeless Czar and Chairman of the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance before getting elected, appointed a Homelessness Commission when he became mayor.

That commission issued a final report in November 2016 that was discussed in joint city-county meetings starting in November 2017.

“It’s an effort to do a better job to draw down more federal money and use it to change people’s circumstances,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said that day.

In June 2021, Dallas city and county officials announced a $70 million plan for rapid rehousing and other programs.

Peter Brodsky, who became chairman of the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, now called Housing Forward Dallas, says the investment has produced results.

Brodsky said 1,500 homeless people have been housed of the 2,700 goal by 2024.

He said 70 people received housing from one homeless camp when it was closed.

“We have never had between the city and the continuum of care such a robust collaboration. And one can’t do it without the other,” Brodsky said.

The federal government recently announced another $22.5 million will be awarded to Dallas homeless service agencies.

As the new HOPE task force begins work, Brodsky said Dallas is at a much better starting point for progress, but there is much more work to do.

“Nothing is off the table,” Brodsky said. “Look at this with fresh eyes, be open to everything.”

The co-chairs of the HOPE Task Force are:

Other Members are:

Following up her stunning 2019 EP You & I and a run of singles throughout the pandemic lockdown, producer and singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin is releasing her solo album I Hope You Can Forgive Me independently this spring.

McFerrin caught our ear during a World Cafe Live show in 2019 with Kingsley Ibeneche and Great Time; it was a sort of homecoming gig for her, since she spent her youth in the Philadelphia area before going to school in Boston and settling in Brooklyn. In early 2020, McFerrin performed a breathtaking Key Studio Session that we described at the time as existing “in the space between Juliana Barwick and Solange.”

News of the new album comes with a new single, “(Please Don’t) Leave Me Now,” and a dreamlike music video to accompany it. The song rides a rippling groove with McFerrin’s voice at once feeling gently low-key and about to take flight, as she lyrically ruminates on endings of all sorts. In a press release, McFerrin had an extensive description of the song and video:

“Being able to walk away from a near-death experience without physical harm is one of the greatest blessings I’ve received in this life. It reaffirmed my purpose as an artist. Writing ‘(Please Don’t) Leave Me Now’ became an incredibly therapeutic and cathartic experience. Being able to express that kind of fear while still creating a fun environment was key to making this song.

Death showed up in more ways than one in the process of making this video. In the weeks leading up to the shoot, multiple family members on the production side passed unexpectedly, bringing our plans to a halt. The fate of the video was in flux. Thanks to the tenacity of my team, we were able to regroup and move forward, albeit with a delay.

For the video, we wanted to capture the feeling of not being prepared to die. I’m talking to myself both above and within the grave, grieving both who I was and who I could be. I didn’t expect being in a grave for multiple hours in a day would affect me, but it definitely contributed to my journey in processing a near-death experience. This song and video are a manifestation of my own personal growth as not only a musician, but as a human.”

I Hope You Can ForgiveMe is out May 5th, and can be pre-ordered here. McFerrin is going on a U.S. tour this spring, including a California date supporting South African vocal legends Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and appearances at South By Southwest. No Philly show at the moment, but McFerrin will play Elsewhere in Brooklyn on June 29th. Check out her full schedule below and get details on the tour at McFerrin’s website. For more, revisit our 2019 interview with Madison McFerrin.

Tour Dates Mar 2 – The Continental, San Jose, CA Mar 3 – Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, CA *supporting Ladysmith Black Mambazo Mar 13 – 18: SXSW, Austin, TX May 20 – Artyard, Frenchtown, NJ June 1 – Zebulon, Los Angeles, CA June 2 – The Independent, San Francisco, CA June 4 – Hult Center, Eugene, OR June 5 – Doug Fir, Portland, OR June 13 – Sleeping Village, Chicago, IL June 15 – Rambling House, Columbus, OH June 23 – Creative Alliance, Baltimore, MD June 24 – Love, Velma, Ellenville, NY June 25 – The Falcon, Marlboro, NY June 29 – Elsewhere Zone One, Brooklyn, NY July 9 – North Sea Jazz Fest, NL August 10 – 13 – We Out Here Fest, UK

AUSTIN, Texas (KTRK) -- Education is a top issue for lawmakers in Austin this legislative session, and part of that is school safety. One local representative is pushing a law that would put an extra layer of security in every classroom in Texas.

Texas has 6 million students in 1,200 districts. Every one of them is a potential target.

In Willis ISD, every staff member on every campus is armed with a panic button on their cell phones, used to react instantly if and when there is a life-threatening emergency.

Since 2018, they have used the Rave Panic application. Willis ISD Superintendent Tim Harkrider called it one of their security tools.

"We evaluate what's working, what's not working. It's a daily conversation," Harkrider said. "It (the app) caught my attention, number one, because it's an app. Everybody has a cell phone, so the connection was pretty seamless."

Willis is not the only district using panic alarms, but State Representative Shawn Thierry of Houston said she wants them in every classroom across the state.

SEE RELATED STORY: Montgomery Co. schools to roll out panic button in wake of deadly Uvalde shooting

"It's software that allows teachers, students, faculty, in the event of an active shooter, or any other emergency, to immediately communicate with first responders," Thierry told ABC13.

She has introduced House Bill 669 which would require panic alarms in some form. She's already secured a $20 million grant to help districts pay for it.

"Everyone now sees the importance of school safety," Thierry said. "We cannot continue to kick the can down the road."

She has bipartisan support. Senate Bill 838 is its companion, and the chair of the Senate's education committee, Republican Brandon Creighton, backs Thierry's efforts.

"I think school safety would be at the top of the list for many of the members," Creighton said. "Most of the members would be at the top of the list without a doubt."

It certainly is a priority for Tim Harkrider and his district.

"I hope we pay for this for the next 100 years and never have to use it," Harkrider said. "We have got to be ready to protect our staff members and kids when something terrible does happen."

Fishbone have spent the last few years working on new music produced by NOFX's Fat Mike and featuring almost the entire original lineup of Fishbone for the first time since 1993 (everyone except guitarist Kendall Jones), and today they've released the new single "All We Have Is Now" and revealed that an EP is coming later this year on both Fat Wreck Chords and Fat Mike's new label Bottles to the Ground. "All We Have Is Now" also appears on the new Bottles to the Ground compilation Bottle Music for Broken People, which is also out today in full. The song is great and it comes with a video directed by Chris Graue. Bassist Norwood Fisher says:

Fishbone and NOFX go waaaay back. We’re in the mutual admiration club, great appreciation for our individual approaches to the music that we’re known for. I don’t remember exactly when Fatty 1st expressed interest in producing Fishbone but it seems like it was a long time ago. A random encounter in a parking lot in more recent history, led to the current song. Mike’s batshit crazy but highly functional, with incredible integrity and follow through. Just right for Fishbone’s batshit crazy, dysfunctional world. Yet we are functional enough to make it this far, asses! It was a long time coming and we hope you love it like we do. Enjoy if you will.

Sometimes a note to self finds its way to the song form. 'All We Have Is Now' is a prime example. Philosophically, it’s far from a new concept. Eckard Tolle, Allan Watts, Joseph Campbell and many others have contemplated and pontificated on this topic. The pursuit of self inquest, in the hopes of experiencing an extended, extraordinary sense of Being, the song, wrapped in a fully blown Fishbone party, reminds me to take advantage of the gift of the ever present now. Feel free to interpret it however it speaks to you. Ain’t nuttin’ buttah potty…

Fishbone also have tour dates coming up, including SXSW, Punk Rock Bowling, Supernova Ska Festival, This Is Not Croydon Fest, a headlining show at NYC's Gramercy Theatre on April 23, and more. All dates are listed below.

Fishbone -- 2023 Tour Dates3/17 - SXSW - Austin, TX (The Noise Company Showcase, official sxsw show)3/31 - Ramas Fest - Rincón, Puerto Rico *4/21 - Baltimore Soundstage - Baltimore, MD (w/ The Slackers) *4/22 - This is Not Croydon Ska Festival - Croydon, PA *4/23 - Gramercy Theatre - New York, NY *4/25 - Brighton Music Hall - Boston, MA *4/29 - Speaking Rock Casino - El Paso, TX *5/6 - Levitt Pavilion - Denver, CO *5/16 - South Shore Room at Harrah's Lake Tahoe - Stateline, NV +5/17 - South Shore Room at Harrah's Lake Tahoe - Stateline, NV +5/18 - Bluenote Summer Sessions - Napa, CA +5/20 - Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium - Santa Cruz, CA +5/21 - The Observatory North Park - San Diego, CA +5/23 - Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre - Salt Lake City, UT +5/24 - The Mission Ballroom - Denver, CO +5/27 - Punk Rock Bowling Music Festival - Las Vegas, NV5/28 - Punk Rock Bowling Music Festival - Las Vegas, NV (w/ Son Rompe Pera and HR)6/14 - Lillie Zenith - Lille, FR (with Sum 41)6/15 - Hellfest - Clisson, FR6/17 - Copenhell - Copenhagen, DK

* - headline show+ - support for Les Claypool’s Flying Frog Brigade

Boston-based alternative pop band, Ripe have shared “All or Nothing,” the latest single from their upcoming album, Bright Blues, out March 10th via Glassnote Records. Pre-orders/pre-saves are available now HERE. the track follows previously released singles, “Queen of the City,” “Noise in the Forest,” and “Settling.” Listen to it now below.

“We all have that one friend who truly embodies the hopeless romantic,” says lead singer Wulfsohn, “Someone who loves so explosively that you almost find yourself rooting for them, because it would be the most wonderful thing if love was actually something we could get completely lost in, something that could hold us completely. This song was written on a day that our hopeless romantic was unsure if his latest love was ending, and was then in part recorded on what turned out to be the last day me and my now-ex were in the same room while in that relationship, singing about a friendship in my life that at that moment felt like it was in a state of collapse. We feel there’s an earned edge of desperation in the call for ‘All or Nothing,’ and we hope this song can help in the moments where you want to scream out of equal parts confusion and love.”

Widely known for their inspired, high energy live show, Ripe will mark the arrival of Bright Blues with a North American headline tour getting underway March 28 at Dallas, TX’s Deep Ellum Art Co. and then traveling through late April. All tour dates can be found below with tickets HERE.

RIPE – TOUR 2023

MARCH

28 – Dallas, TX – Deep Ellum Art Co.

29 – Austin, TX – Scoot Inn

31 – Nashville, TN – The Basement East

APRIL

1 – Atlanta, GA – Center Stage Theater

2 – Asheville, NC – Salvage Station

3 – Charleston, SC – The Charleston Pour House

5 – Detroit, MI – El Club

6 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall

7 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall

8 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway

11 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom

12 – Millvale, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre

13 – Washington D.C. – 9:30 Club

14 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia

15 – New York, NY – Terminal 5

18 – Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theatre

19 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground

21 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues

22 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater

23 – Kansas City, KS – Record Bar

24 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater

25 – Salt Lake City, UT – Soundwell

27 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore

28 – Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre

29 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom

JULY

6/29-2 – Scranton, PA – Peach Music Festival *

7-9 – Marshfield, MA – Levitate Music & Arts Festival *

26-30 – Floyd, VA – Floyd Fest *

* FESTIVAL APPEARANCE