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The petition from Lopez is filed under the state's 202 petition, which allows the power to investigate potential claims before an actual lawsuit.
DALLAS — A doctor at UT Southwestern is taking legal action against the Dallas hospital alleging discrimination over its decision to stop offering certain transgender surgery procedures to new patients.
Dr. Ximena Lopez filed a petition to take a deposition before a lawsuit, alleging discrimination by telling her to not "provide gender-affirming care to specific patients solely on the grounds of the patient's gender identity."
In a statement, UT Southwestern officials said the hospital "does not comment on pending litigation."
The UT Southwestern statement also added: "UT Southwestern is committed to providing equal opportunities to all members of the campus community and to maintaining an environment that is free from unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation."
The Texas Governor and Attorney General are criminalizing being a transgender child, period. They won’t listen to...
Posted by Ximena Lopez on Thursday, February 24, 2022
The move by UT Southwestern came as state officials, including Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, began directing investigations into parents of transgender children, accusing them of child abuse.
Gender Education and Care, Interdisciplinary Support, or Genecis, was a program for the hospital created by Children's Health and UT Southwestern and at the center of this issue. It provided health care for transgender youth.
UT Southwestern said in November that the hospitals wouldn't be taking on new patients for hormone or puberty suppression therapy, which inevitably ended the program.
Through her petition, Lopez is claiming this violates the university's nondiscriminatory policy. She also said she wants to know who is making the decisions to cut off this care. Lopez has requested certain documents and communications from UT Southwestern.
Earlier in March, Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston said it was going to stop providing hormone therapy to transgender children after Abbott's announcement about his investigations. | 2022-03-17T17:43:51Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas doctor files petition about care for transgender patients | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-doctor-petition-hospitals-medical-care-transgender-patients/287-d555d90b-dffa-42c9-8c4d-a658f29da206 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-doctor-petition-hospitals-medical-care-transgender-patients/287-d555d90b-dffa-42c9-8c4d-a658f29da206 |
This is Joshua Elmore' first full-time job as a musician with the orchestra. His love of music is something that runs in the family.
FORT WORTH, Texas — When you go backstage at the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra it can be intense, as each musician feels the pressure to uphold an international reputation.
Imagine that feeling for the symphony's youngest musician, principal bassoonist, 24-year-old Joshua Elmore.
This is Elmore' first full-time job as a musician with the orchestra. His love of music is something that runs in the family.
"My mother played music throughout school," Elmore said. "Most of my family did. My uncle was a very theatrical guy."
Elmore started early too, not knowing one day he would almost be in a class by himself as a young African American bassoon player, among so much talent.
"Being the youngest person, I think, you know, you're surrounded by people that have been in the orchestra some of them longer than you've been alive," he said.
Elmore's fellow symphony musicians have taken him under their wings. He is constantly learning from his colleagues.
But despite the support, Elmore has had challenges answering his own questions about his love for classical music.
"And you're like, 'Do I really fit into this space? Do I really belong here?'" he said. "I think my biggest challenge as a musician definitely is the lack of representation and not really seeing myself portrayed back in me from the stage.
That lack of representation is changing. There's more Black history being made at the symphony.
For the next two years, Elmore's guest principal conductor will be Kevin John Edusei.
Edusei opened up about his music history, family talent and when he fell in love with classical music.
"That's a long time ago," Edusei said. "I come from a musical. Musical family. Classical music, and particularly, I always have played a very important role in our family life."
Edusei's visit to Fort Worth in September 2020 resulted in a Texas-sized offer of a lifetime. Now, the Munich, Germany resident will travel back and forth for two years to serve as the 2022-23 guest principal conductor, connecting with the audience and the Fort Worth orchestra.
Edusei's goal while on stage is to marry the components of a performance to make it an unforgettable experience for everyone.
"There is this whole model between the orchestra, a composer, a conductor, the musicians and the audience," Edusei said. "There's a magic bond."
It's a magic bond he'll also create with Elmore.
"Kevin is incredible. He is an incredible conductor," Elmore said. "He originally friended me on Facebook probably a couple of months ago, and just reached out to me and introduced himself. So, that was cool."
For an up and coming bassoonist, it's almost as cool as the two making music and history in Fort Worth together. | 2022-03-17T23:18:46Z | www.wfaa.com | Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra young bassoonist Joshua Elmore | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/music/black-bassoonist-and-guest-conductor-making-history-with-fort-worth-symphony-orchestra/287-2012a224-e0dd-45ad-87ed-3b0dfaa9729a | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/music/black-bassoonist-and-guest-conductor-making-history-with-fort-worth-symphony-orchestra/287-2012a224-e0dd-45ad-87ed-3b0dfaa9729a |
The lawsuit also says Cuban offered Nelson $52 million to take back a wrongful termination claim and sign a confidentiality statement related to those claims.
DALLAS — Former Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson sued his former team Tuesday, according to a lawsuit filed in a Dallas County court.
Nelson is alleging that owner Mark Cuban abruptly fired him last offseason without an explanation, and Nelson believes he was fired in retaliation for reporting to Cuban that a high-level Mavericks executive sexually harassed and sexually assaulted a job applicant.
The lawsuit says Cuban offered Nelson $52 million to take back a wrongful termination claim and then sign a confidentiality statement related to Nelson's claims.
Nelson says in his lawsuit that the executive is Jason Lutin, who he describes as Cuban's "right-hand person" and who still works for the team and is involved in the owner's business endeavors.
The lawsuit also claims Mavericks employees and players were at risk for being sexually harassed by Lutin. At one point, it goes into detail about Lutin allegedly sexually assaulting Nelson's nephew.
Mark Cuban is calling these allegations false and "a way to get back at us."
Here is the full statement Cuban provided WFAA:
"The filing is full of lies and ridiculous. The NBA is and was fully aware of our investigation into Mr. Nelson and his claims. They fully supported our conclusion that the only person to violate The Mavs and NBA policies was Mr. Nelson, and they were fully supportive of our decision to terminate Mr. Nelson. I can only guess that this is sour grapes and a way to try to get back at us."
Nelson said the main incident this lawsuit stems from happened during a trip to Chicago for the NBA All-Star Game in 2020. At the time, Nelson's nephew was interested in a job in the sports and entertainment industry.
The lawsuit claims because of this, Nelson asked Lutin if he would visit with his nephew about job possibilities with the Mavericks.
After a lunch meeting, Lutin insisted Nelson's nephew come to his hotel room to discuss job possibilities, the lawsuit says. According to the lawsuit, Lutin then sexually harassed and sexually assaulted Nelson's nephew.
His nephew went on to tell the Mavericks of Lutin's wrongdoing, the lawsuit says, before Cuban and the Mavericks settled the claims without telling Nelson.
Nelson claims he later learned about the alleged February 2020 incident in the hotel room a full five months after it happened.
After Nelson brought up his issues with Lutin and his behaviors towards Mavericks employees to Cuban, the lawsuit says Cuban and the Mavericks then asked the general manager to "sign a confidentiality agreement to keep quiet about Lutin's sexual harassment in the hotel room."
The lawsuit also alleges that Cuban sent Nelson a text message in September 2020 pushing back discussions of a contract extension and saying, "But honestly, before I can talk I have to find out more of what's going on with the other matter. Since it's related to some of the discussions we have had."
Cuban's attitude towards Nelson allegedly changed after discussions around the allegations arose. and the Mavs owner gave Nelson "the proverbially cold shoulder", the lawsuit says.
Cuban fired Nelson in June 2021 after he served as general manager and president of basketball operations for 24 years. In December 2021, Nelson filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charge against the Mavericks for illegal retaliation for firing him.
The Mavericks responded and said the team fired Nelson for poor job performance, and that the charge is false.
The lawsuit says that, despite this claim, this is then when Cuban allegedly offered Nelson $52 million to withdraw the charge and sign a confidentiality agreement.
Nelson also provided WFAA with a statement, saying:
"I filed this lawsuit on behalf of my family and all the Mavericks employees who have experienced harassment, discrimination, or retaliation in the workplace. Filing a lawsuit is not something to be taken lightly, however it was extremely important that I speak up. The facts that come out in this lawsuit will hopefully protect the incredible people I’ve had the honor and privilege of working with during my 24 years with the Mavericks."
The lawsuit makes other claims that include saying Cuban doesn't care about a workplace free of discrimination, that he tolerates a sexist environment and that, at one point, Cuban intentionally destroyed evidence related to an African-American employee finding a hangman's noose in the Mavericks workplace during Black History Month.
During his 24 years with Dallas, Nelson served as assistant general manager and assistant coach before becoming president of basketball operations. His father, Don Nelson, was with the Mavericks as coach and general manager from 1997-2005.
Nelson's lawyer, Rogge Dunn provided WFAA with this statement:
"I’m proud to represent Donnie Nelson who has the courage to file this lawsuit. I hope anyone who has been sexually harassed by a Mavericks’ employee will also speak out. I trust that people who have knowledge about the facts and issues in this lawsuit will step forward. It’s important that employees who witness problems in the workplace stand up and be heard. That protects workers everywhere. The best way to ensure a workplace free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation is for people to speak up when they see wrongdoing. Based on my investigation and the Mavericks’ track record on these issues, it is my opinion that Mr. Nelson will win his lawsuit against the Dallas Mavericks."
Rick Carlisle says he's not returning as Mavericks head coach
Dallas Mavericks and GM Donnie Nelson agree to part ways | 2022-03-17T23:18:52Z | www.wfaa.com | Lawsuit: Ex-GM Donnie Nelson sues Dallas Mavericks | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/ex-gm-donnie-nelson-sues-mavericks-claims-one-of-cubans-executives-sexually-assaulted-nephew-team-denies-allegation/287-bd1b9dfb-9cc1-4cee-af4e-b001cd7580a0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/ex-gm-donnie-nelson-sues-mavericks-claims-one-of-cubans-executives-sexually-assaulted-nephew-team-denies-allegation/287-bd1b9dfb-9cc1-4cee-af4e-b001cd7580a0 |
From Dolly Parton-soundtracked skate sessions to bar crawls through Uptown Dallas, these are the top events happening in DFW this weekend.
DALLAS — Temperatures may be starting to rise in North Texas as winter officially turns to spring, but who says we can't still keep cool?
In fact, two of the three events we're recommending this week are so cool, they're literally taking place on ice.
Here are all the details.
Skate with Dolly and Friends at Galleria Dallas (Dallas)
Get your ice skates and your girlies -- it's time to get down with Dolly! In honor of women's history month, Galleria Dallas is celebrating our iconic queen, Ms. Dolly Parton herself. The country legend is releasing her 52nd album this spring -- yes, I said 52nd! -- and the Galleria Dallas Ice Skating Center will be playing hits from across her five decades in the industry for skaters to groove to on Saturday. The event runs from 3 to 5 p.m., and it costs $12 to get on the ice -- or $17 if you need to rent skates.
The 5th Annual LuckyPalooza St. Patrick's Day Crawl at Blackfriar Pub (Dallas)
Oh, you thought St. Patrick's Day celebrations were over? No way. You're going to want to start hydrating now, because you'll need all the help you can get to make it through this Uptown Dallas bar crawl. Group rate tickets start at $20 a head, and in exchange, you and the gang can experience exclusive drink specials, amazing local food and -- the best part -- no cover charge at any of the participating venues. Don't worry about wasting time on making these festivities look good for the 'gram, either. Because there will of course be a professional photographer on hand to document it all for you! The fun kicks off at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Blackfriar Pub on McKinney Avenue.
Disney On Ice presents Let’s Celebrate! at the American Airlines Center (Dallas)
It's time for magic! Grab your Mickey ears and get ready for non-stop fun at this event as 50 of your favorite Disney friends come to life through world-class ice skating. That's right: Disney on ice is coming to the American Airlines Center on both Saturday and Sunday! Who doesn't wanna see Goofy do some tricks, right? Well, you'll have plenty of chances, and there will be three shows each day. Tickets, meanwhile, start at around $15 a person, depending on when you go. | 2022-03-18T00:59:24Z | www.wfaa.com | Three things to do in Dallas-Fort Worth this weekend: Stay cool | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/events/three-things-to-do-in-dallas-fort-worth-this-weekend-dolly-parton-ice-skate-st-patricks-day-bar-crawl-disney-on-ice/287-36b979ae-f1fe-459c-a550-2640fcf46691 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/events/three-things-to-do-in-dallas-fort-worth-this-weekend-dolly-parton-ice-skate-st-patricks-day-bar-crawl-disney-on-ice/287-36b979ae-f1fe-459c-a550-2640fcf46691 |
Police told WFAA this shooting happened at a party where there was a disturbance and someone pulled out a gun and fired.
FORT WORTH, Texas — One person has been killed and three others were hospitalized in a shooting at a party overnight in Fort Worth, police told WFAA.
The Fort Worth Police Department said in a news release that officers were dispatched at approximately 12:39 a.m. Friday to the 1600 block of Northwest Loraine Street, in the North Side neighborhood, for a shooting call. When officers arrived, they found a man "with at least 1 apparent gunshot wound to his torso."
He was taken to a local hospital, where he later died, police said.
Police said three other people were transported to local hospitals as well to be treated for their injuries. The conditions of those victims were unknown Friday morning, according to police. | 2022-03-18T15:18:32Z | www.wfaa.com | Fort Worth police: 1 killed, 3 injured in shooting at party | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/fort-worth-party-fatal-shooting-northwest-loraine-street/287-5ff33770-bc18-438d-bd64-4fd2c565b1cd | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/fort-worth-party-fatal-shooting-northwest-loraine-street/287-5ff33770-bc18-438d-bd64-4fd2c565b1cd |
Individual tickets for all games except the April 11 home opener go on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Friday March 18.
Author: Paul Livengood, Associated Press
ARLINGTON, Texas — Are you ready for some peanuts and cracker jacks, Rangers fans?
Opening Day for the 2022 Major League Baseball season is just around the corner, and tickets will be available for purchase beginning Friday. Individual tickets for all games except the April 11 home opener go on sale at 10:00 a.m. on Friday March 18.
You can purchase tickets to these games at the Globe Life Field Southeast Box Office, at texasrangers.com, and by phone at 972.RANGERS.
Texas Rangers officials said there will be 31 giveaway nights on the 2022 schedule, including Charley Pride Bobblehead Night, Texas Chili Company Dollar Hot Dog Night, Blue Bell Ice Cream Sunday and more.
The Rangers have opened up their pocket books in the offseason, spending more than $561 million in free agent signings. Headlining those moves is the signing of star free agent shortstop Corey Seager after he agreed to a 10-year, $325 million deal.
The Rangers also recently traded shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa to the Minnesota Twins for catcher Mitch Garver.
You can check out the full 2022 Texas Rangers schedule here on the team's website. Opening Day for the Texas Rangers is scheduled for April 8 against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Rangers' home opener is scheduled for April 11 against the Colorado Rockies.
The schedule is set! pic.twitter.com/vBO4C17Ide
The Texas Rangers spend a reported $561 million in free agent signings, and Twitter absolutely cannot handle it
Rangers reportedly agree to deal with star shortstop Corey Seager
Texas Rangers tickets to go on sale Friday | 2022-03-18T15:18:50Z | www.wfaa.com | Texas Rangers 2022 season: Here's how to get tickets | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/texas-rangers-tickets-go-on-sale/287-d51b920b-c43f-4d17-b034-73886243e4f8 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/texas-rangers-tickets-go-on-sale/287-d51b920b-c43f-4d17-b034-73886243e4f8 |
Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Kenny G to hold concert series with Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra this weekend
There are three shows scheduled this weekend at Bass Performance Hall, including a Sunday matinee.
Kenny G performs with CHON at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Indio, Calif. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
FORT WORTH, Texas — A big name in jazz music is returning to North Texas after his much-anticipated performance last year was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will accompany award-winning saxophonist Kenny G.
The Seattle, Washington native spends much of his time in his home studio writing and producing music when he is not on the road. He's promising music lovers a show they will never forget this weekend in Cowtown, which he as visited in the past.
The Grammy winner has has sold more than 75 million copies of his music and has always dreamed of big live performances.
"When we go on tour, normally it's just the guys," Kenny G said. "So, we don't have an orchestra with us. So, we play and we have our synthesizers with us to try to recreate as much as we can, but it's not the same thing. So, it's so fun to hear that music with that beautiful sound."
Kenny G is the highest-selling instrumental musician of our time. The concert series this weekend will include a full line up of hits like Havana, Forever in Love, Heart and Soul, Silhouette and My Heart Will Go On.
"It's a wonderful feeling knowing that somehow those melodies make things better for people," Kenny G said. "Obviously, when I write them, I am not thinking of making them do that. I couldn't do that; I am not that good."
The shows are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and wrap up with a 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinee at Bass Performance Hall.
"Somehow, the music that I created in my little home studio seem to connect with people all over the world. It's one of those things you can't say why it happens. It's just one of those beautiful things," said Kenny G.
If you would like to buy a ticket to the show, click here. | 2022-03-18T21:25:40Z | www.wfaa.com | Kenny G. to perform with Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fort-worth-symphony-orchestra-accompany-award-winning-saxophonist-kenny-g-this-weekend/287-c65e3f8d-a967-4ba3-b8fc-7c642535dd4c | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fort-worth-symphony-orchestra-accompany-award-winning-saxophonist-kenny-g-this-weekend/287-c65e3f8d-a967-4ba3-b8fc-7c642535dd4c |
EASTLAND COUNTY, Texas — An Eastland County Sheriff's Office deputy died while trying to save others from the Eastland Complex fire Thursday, according to a social media posts from the Cisco Police Department and the deputy's son.
"It is with very heavy hearts that today we learned of the death of one our Eastland County Deputies who put it all on the line last night trying to save people from the horrible fires," the Cisco Police Department said in the post. "Our sister Barbara Fenley will be deeply missed. She was a special servant and an attribute to our profession. We will kneel in prayer for her family, friends and colleagues as they mourn. RIP dear friend, you will be missed."
"I wanna thank everyone for the thoughts and prayers, and I wanna thank everyone for helping us find mom," Jon Fenley said. "Unfortunately, with the saddest news my mom has passed away. I just ask that you give us privacy in this moment while we collect our thoughts. I love everyone and I know she loved everyone and she loved the community of Gorman and Eastland County."
As of Friday afternoon, the Eastland Complex Fires had burned more than 45,000 acres and was 10% contained. | 2022-03-18T21:25:52Z | www.wfaa.com | Eastland Co. deputy dies saving people from Texas wildfires | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/eastland-complex-fires-deputy-dies-saving-people/287-e230bf0c-f8a8-4cec-920f-ac47cc0711a8 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/eastland-complex-fires-deputy-dies-saving-people/287-e230bf0c-f8a8-4cec-920f-ac47cc0711a8 |
Guru Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda, also known as Sri Swamiji, is recognized for healing people worldwide through his music.
FRISCO, Texas — Iconic figure Sri Swamiji visited North Texas this week.
His spiritual work is not only recognized here in North Texas, but around the world.
Reporter Malini Basu spoke to Sri Swamiji one-on-one before he left Frisco.
Swamiji initially hadn't been able travel to Frisco due to the coronavirus pandemic. But he made his way back this week and visited Karya Siddhi Hanuman temple, which he founded.
“This is such a big deal, you’re here after two years. How does it feel?" Basu asked.
"I’m very happy. I’m missing my family members,” responded Swamiji.
Swamiji is referring to the crowd when he arrived in Frisco.
“I met my family after two years,” he said.
Throughout the week, thousands of people waited in line for hours to get his blessings.
“People is very happy. Excitement. They forget everything,” said Swamiji.
Just to give you an idea of how popular Swamiji is, people from around the world flew in to see him, including a woman from Columbia. Another couple waited two years to get married -- until they would see Swamiji.
“They believe, Swamiji is a protector. Protecting all the time,” said Swamiji.
Swamiji has spiritual centers worldwide with millions of devotees.
His presence alone, lights up a room.
“How do you heal them? What do you say to them?" asked Basu.
"Some people don’t ask anything. They feel with Swamiji. They want to sit with Swamiji," he said.
He has won at least nine Guinness world records, including longest chanting marathon, for more than 24 hours, at the Frisco temple.
At 79 years old, “I’m fit for my work, work is worship. I bless you, I’m always with you,” said Swamiji. | 2022-03-19T00:28:50Z | www.wfaa.com | Sri Swamiji visits Frisco temple he founded | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/iconic-guru-visits-sri-swamiji-frisco-temple/287-4b29b88d-4d86-4c0e-ba5f-189fbbd8e3e5 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/iconic-guru-visits-sri-swamiji-frisco-temple/287-4b29b88d-4d86-4c0e-ba5f-189fbbd8e3e5 |
"I'm proud of my ancestors. I'm really proud of them. They left a legacy for us," said Mae Clark Broadnax.
LEWISVILLE, Texas — Volunteers will converge on another historic Black cemetery on Saturday in Lewisville.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, hundreds of volunteers helped clean up the Champion-Macedonia Cemetery, an L-shaped grove of trees just yards from Interstate 35 and tucked behind the parking lot of a car dealership.
"Yes, I did not know it was here," said Jackie Shaw, the social justice minister at Westside Baptist Church.
"I felt guilty when I found it," said Shaw.
Saturday, the same volunteers will descend on the Fox-Hembry Cemetery, a plot of land hidden between railroad tracks and Valley Ridge Boulevard. The first burial there is believed to have taken place in 1845.
It remains a burial location of choice for many African American families in North Texas, as does the Champion-Macedonia Cemetery several miles to the south.
WFAA visited the cemetery with Mae Clark Broadnax and her family. When her time comes, she said she will be buried alongside her first husband and near other members of the Fox family, including her great-great grandparents.
"I'm proud of my ancestors. I'm really proud of them. They left a legacy for us," said Broadnax.
But even at this cemetery, with its 140 years of history, it is not a legacy everyone respects. The entrance to the cemetery, a gravel road, parallels railroad tracks. An illegal dumping site of household furniture, tires, and other debris grew just yards from the entrance.
Shaw said that after WFAA's first story back on MLK Day, a Houston company volunteered to clean up the debris. It has since been removed.
Credit: Fox-Hembry Black Historical Cemetery
The cleanup effort at the Fox-Hembry Cemetery in Lewisville will begin Saturday March 19 at 9 a.m. Volunteers are asked to bring their own lawn tools, rakes, chainsaws, and mowers, as they restore the cemetery as much as possible to its original state.
Volunteers help map forgotten graves at Waco's Greenwood Cemetery
Volunteers honor MLK by restoring historic African American cemetery in Lewisville | 2022-03-19T00:28:56Z | www.wfaa.com | Volunteer to help restore Fox-Hembry Cemetery in Lewisville | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/volunteers-to-restore-historic-black-cemetery-saturday-in-lewisville/287-a8feeb55-4c2d-42fe-9673-b9a9190f95f3 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/volunteers-to-restore-historic-black-cemetery-saturday-in-lewisville/287-a8feeb55-4c2d-42fe-9673-b9a9190f95f3 |
Scenes from WFAA's Family First Spring Break event at the Dallas Museum of Art
From March 15 through March 18, WFAA and Family First hosted free Spring Break events and interactive activities for all to enjoy at the Dallas Museum of Art!
DALLAS — Spring break may have taken school out of session across North Texas this month, but that didn't mean education came to a grinding halt.
Quite the opposite!
From March 15 through March 18, WFAA and Family First hosted a slate of free events and interactive activities at the Dallas Museum of Art -- all with the intent of helping families around the region rediscover their creativity.
And to do it in such a hallowed, welcoming space? That was just the very tip of the iceberg for these families, who got to enjoy guided tours, explore amazing exhibits, learn how to save the environment, make posters and so much more as part of the experience!
Special thanks to the Dallas Museum of Art for making it happen! | 2022-03-19T01:58:57Z | www.wfaa.com | Scenes from WFAA's Family First Spring Break event at the Dallas Museum of Art | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/events/family-first/wfaa-family-first-spring-break-event-at-the-dallas-museum-of-art/287-6f738c6d-470c-4797-84cd-6db5eee35346 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/events/family-first/wfaa-family-first-spring-break-event-at-the-dallas-museum-of-art/287-6f738c6d-470c-4797-84cd-6db5eee35346 |
Austin Street Center's new 60,000-square-foot expansion will open next month. The $15 million facility is more than just a temporary place to sleep.
DALLAS — It was the second chance that saved Autry Manuel’s life.
“I used to pray to God to just take me away,” Manuel said.
Several years ago, drug addiction took away just about everything from Manuel: her job, her family and her home. It all started with a doctor’s prescription of Xanax, and it took years to overcome.
“I literally slept on the sidewalk around the corner,” Manuel said as she pointed toward the corner of Jeffries St. in South Dallas.
Just steps away is the center that would change her life.
Manuel sought help from Austin Street Center, one of the largest homeless shelters in Dallas.
It was the beginning of her path to a better life. Manuel, who has been a client at the shelter over the last two months, is undergoing a program that will help her secure permanent housing.
“That’s what they’re helping me do, just try to get myself back,” Manuel said.
Now, the nonprofit is getting ready to help even more people off the streets.
Next month, it’ll open a new $15 million dollar, 60,000-square-foot extension. The new building, which is privately-funded, is several years in the making.
Teresa Thomas, Austin Street Center’s director of communications, said they saw a rise in need during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the ability to help clients became difficult. Before the pandemic, the nonprofit served around 400 clients, but with social distancing requirements, it had to cut the number of clients served to 250.
With the new extension, the nonprofit will be able to serve nearly 500 clients, double the amount of people they’ve served since the pandemic.
“We absolutely need more space and not just Austin Street Center, Dallas, as a community, needs more space and needs more services to help our homeless neighbors,” Thomas said.
The extension will not only give people a place to stay, but help them achieve lifelong success through job training, counseling and healthcare needs. The new facility houses the nonprofit’s first kitchen, several classrooms and meeting rooms for healthcare needs.
“We’re trying to get at the root issues of homelessness to help people permanently get off the streets,” Thomas said.
Data from Austin Street Center found that in 2021, more than 23% of the shelter's 1,489 clients were placed in permanent housing.
That’s the goal for Manuel, who is two months into the nonprofit’s rapid housing program. Her goal is to go back to school and earn a bachelor’s degree.
“Everything I’ve gone through, I finally did something to make my mother proud,” Manuel said.
Her mother is no longer alive, but now, Manuel can feel proud of herself for the first time.
Austin Street Center's Humble Beginnings Luncheon
Austin Street Center Announces its 21st Annual Humble Beginnings Luncheon
One year later: COVID-19's impact on Dallas' largest homeless shelter | 2022-03-19T14:09:29Z | www.wfaa.com | One of the largest shelters in Dallas is about to get an expansion | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-austin-street-center-expansion/287-6a33e2f2-a45d-4d56-a7a8-72fea990cf5b | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-austin-street-center-expansion/287-6a33e2f2-a45d-4d56-a7a8-72fea990cf5b |
The driver of a Honda Accord died after crashing into the back of a TxDOT work convoy truck that was stopped in the left lane of S. Central Expressway.
RICHARDSON, Texas — One person died in a crash overnight Saturday in Richardson after running into a Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) vehicle, according to police.
The Richardson Police Department (RPD) said officers responded at approximately 12:30 a.m. to a crash in the 800 block of S. Central Expressway. Police said the driver of a Honda Accord, identified as 29-year-old James Antoine Cody, of Grand Prairie, was traveling southbound when he crashed into the back of a Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) work convoy truck that was stopped in the left lane.
According to RPD, the TXDOT work truck was equipped with a rear attenuator (crash barrier), as well as a large “work convoy” sign and flashing yellow arrow, indicating approaching traffic should move to the right.
Cody was transported from the crash to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the TXDOT work truck was not injured, police said. | 2022-03-19T16:07:52Z | www.wfaa.com | 1 killed in overnight Richardson crash, police say | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/richardson-crash-march-19-txdot-work-truck-s-central-expressway/287-cf168461-8616-4bfb-a860-07c5c4106fd7 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/richardson-crash-march-19-txdot-work-truck-s-central-expressway/287-cf168461-8616-4bfb-a860-07c5c4106fd7 |
According to investigators, the cause of the fire was "incendiary in nature," but they are still working leads to determine who started the fire and why.
DALLAS — Fire crews extinguished a house fire in southeast Dallas early Saturday morning, and investigators said they believe it may have been intentionally set.
Dallas Fire-Rescue (DFR) units responded at 2:44 a.m. Saturday to a 911 call for a structure fire at a home, located at 10315 Hillhouse Lane. When firefighters arrived, they found smoke coming from a one-story duplex.
DFR said attack teams deployed handlines, moved inside for an offensive fire attack and found the seat of the fire in the back bedroom. Firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof to ventilate the smoke from inside and had the fire taped out by 3:15 a.m. Saturday.
Fire officials said there was no one inside the home when the fire began, so there were no injuries to report. The person living at the address came home and was met with a plume of black smoke when he opened the door to go inside, Dallas Fire-Rescue said. He immediately backed out and called 911.
According to investigators, the cause of the fire was incendiary in nature, but they are still working leads to determine who started the fire and why. | 2022-03-19T16:07:58Z | www.wfaa.com | Southeast Dallas house fire seems to have been intentionally set, investigators say | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/southeast-dallas-house-fire-10315-hillhouse-lane/287-5b421db0-2622-4021-9e22-11bc0c9030d0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/southeast-dallas-house-fire-10315-hillhouse-lane/287-5b421db0-2622-4021-9e22-11bc0c9030d0 |
The Dallas Cowboys are still in the business of reunions as they signed Leighton Vander Esch to a one-year deal to help bolster the linebacker corps.
DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys are no strangers to bringing back familiar faces and that continued this week with a new contract for linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, who returns in 2022 on a one-year, $3 million deal.
Vander Esch was selected by the Cowboys with the 19th overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft and proceeded to become a Pro Bowl and All-Pro performer as a rookie, but wear and tear took its toll on his body over the next three seasons.
Neck and collarbone injuries limited the young linebacker in his second and third seasons, as he was able to play in just 19 games during those campaigns with waning production. The injuries sapped some of Vander Esch’s effectiveness and he’s been unable to experience the same high level of play that he enjoyed as a rookie.
However, the 2021 season turned out to be one a bit of a revival for Vander Esch. The former Boise State Bronco had 77 tackles, added a sack, and picked off his first pass since his rookie year. He didn’t play starters snaps, but Dallas meted out playing time to help keep Vander Esch fresh.
Cowboys now expected to have Micah Parsons, Leighton Vander Esch and Jabril Cox back at linebacker for next season https://t.co/0XN367bLEl
This type of deal has become commonplace for the Cowboys. The team likes to look for short-term, cheaper contracts to fill out the roster while spending the bulk of their money on keeping their homegrown stars. With Vander Esch, they were killing two birds with one stone. Ultimately, it’s a strategy that keeps the team from giving out bad long term deals and frees them from having to use a draft pick to fill a glaring need.
Ironically, the team had previously declined to use their fifth-year option on Vander Esch last offseason but brought him back for his fifth season in an unconventional fashion at a cheaper price. The Cowboys likely feel more comfortable keeping Vander Esch at a fraction of the cost for manageable playing time.
The Leighton Vander Esch signing is an OK move, classic Cowboys too.
It doesn't stop the team from signing someone else and as the worst case scenario, it gives the defense some depth at a position where they lack numbers. Solid players are needed at LB and LVE is that.
Vander Esch can still be a valuable player for Dallas’ defense, and he can start if needed while still having the ability to make plays. The injury history cannot be ignored, but, with the Cowboys no longer counting on Vander Esch to be one of their major contributors, his return makes sense.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys are also bringing back linebacker Luke Gifford for another year to further address their depth at the position. Gifford rejoins Vander Esch, Micah Parsons, and Jabril Cox on the roster and is another familiar face after landing with the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Gifford has mostly been utilized as a core special teams player, but the former Nebraska Cornhusker can play at LB if needed.
Neither of the signings prevent the Cowboys from being more aggressive in adding a playmaker on defense, but they do provide some early stability at LB. Cowboys fans can still hold out hope that the team will sign Bobby Wagner, or another big-name free agent, while the team continues to fortify the depth chart.
Are you happy to see Leighton Vander Esch return for the 2022 season? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi. | 2022-03-19T16:08:10Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas Cowboys re-sign LB Leighton Vander Esch on one-year deal | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nfl/cowboys/dallas-cowboys-leighton-vander-esch-signed/287-44645f11-a39b-4a2e-911f-28eab6c4f5d2 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nfl/cowboys/dallas-cowboys-leighton-vander-esch-signed/287-44645f11-a39b-4a2e-911f-28eab6c4f5d2 |
According to police, one vehicle followed another from a fast food restaurant to a residence where the shooting occurred.
FORT WORTH, Texas — A man has been killed and a woman was injured in a shooting that stemmed from a road rage incident in Fort Worth, according to police.
The Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) said officers responded to the 4400 block of Wayside Ave. for a shooting call on Saturday. When the officers got to the scene, they found a man and a woman with "at least one apparent gunshot wound."
Both victims were transported to area hospitals to treat their injuries. The man died at the hospital, and the woman's condition was unknown.
Police said the shooting stemmed from a road rage incident that started at a nearby fast food restaurant. According to the FWPD, one vehicle followed the other to a residence where the shooting occurred.
The suspect is cooperating with homicide detectives in the investigation, but no arrests have yet been made, according to police. | 2022-03-19T19:52:35Z | www.wfaa.com | 1 dead, 1 injured in Fort Worth road rage shooting, police say | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/fort-worth-road-rage-shooting-wayside-ave/287-658eb39e-7172-42ca-9e1c-677079886678 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/fort-worth-road-rage-shooting-wayside-ave/287-658eb39e-7172-42ca-9e1c-677079886678 |
The city of Dallas has been struggling with a permitting problem for years.
A view of downtown Dallas, before a news conference at City Hall, Wednesday, April 22, 2020.
DALLAS — The city of Dallas has been struggling with a permitting problem for years now.
And while some minor progress has been made since Mayor Eric Johnson created a special working group to address the issue, the delays are still dramatic and it’s costing the city business and angering residents.
“So, the short term is basically getting those days that you’re waiting for a permit down. And we’re looking at 42 days now, which is still not acceptable,” council member Paula Blackmon said on Inside Texas Politics.
The Real Estate Council says $9 million in city revenue is lost for every three months in delay. District 9 council member Blackmon chairs the working group and says she’s aware of those numbers and they’re accurate.
“There is a serious economic issue that’s at hand,” said Blackmon. “It’s problematic, especially from a city who makes money on property taxes. That’s how we fund services.”
The councilwoman says bureaucracy is not the root cause, but one of many that have led to the problem.
“It’s a big city. Our zoning laws are complex. We’ve had personnel issues, that, you know, people have left the city that we haven’t filled,” she said. “And so, when the pandemic hit, it really put the spotlight on the issue.”
Blackmon says the city has been busy hiring personnel and outsourcing to three vendors. And she says the city is looking to add a fourth vendor to help with the process.
And while many employees were hybrid, working from home and the office, she says all employees will return back to the office after a remodeling project is complete.
“We are looking at anything and everything to cut those days down. 42 is still a long time. It really should be one or two or three days for a simple renovation,” she said. | 2022-03-19T21:38:35Z | www.wfaa.com | Permits in Dallas still delayed at least 42 days | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/dallas-permits-still-delayed-at-least-42-days/287-f25a28f1-46fd-420b-8cbc-7119eff665ae | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/dallas-permits-still-delayed-at-least-42-days/287-f25a28f1-46fd-420b-8cbc-7119eff665ae |
'There’s a lot of me in that building': Worshippers show resilience after fire destroys historic Ranger church
Five generations of Nelda Rogers’ family have been members of Ranger’s Second Baptist Church. A fire destroyed the church and six other downtown buildings.
RANGER, Texas — For more Sunday mornings than Nelda Rogers can count, she’s entered the red brick building in downtown Ranger to worship, teach Sunday school or help in the nursery.
“My family’s gone here since the beginning,” she said. “Five generations of my family have gone to Second Baptist Church. My grandfather, dad, and brother were all deacons.”
This Sunday morning brought a first.
The red brick building that housed Second Baptist in this small Eastland County town is now a blackened, charred shell.
Instead of walking inside, Rogers and fellow church members set up lawn chairs and worshipped outside.
“It’s a wonderful analogy of faith. There’s no denying what happened. It’s right over there. You can’t miss it,” said Pastor Wade Berry, pointing to his burned church.
“And yet we carry on doing what’s really important - gathering in Christ’s name, worshipping God, loving one another and our community.”
Second Baptist was one of six downtown Ranger buildings that caught fire Thursday when extreme drought conditions, high wind and low humidity made even the smallest of sparks easily spread.
The fire was not related to the series of wildfires just a few miles south in Eastland County, but crews were stretched thin trying to respond to it all at the same time.
Days after the fire, the city of Ranger announced an arrest.
A man was charged with arson, according to the Ranger Police Department's Facebook page.
Several congregations joined Second Baptist in the outdoor Sunday morning worship service.
Berry thanked the volunteer firefighters who worked tirelessly, and he prayed for nearby wildfire victims.
“We’re going to rebuild. We just don’t know how, or where or when yet,” Berry said.
“We’re not going anywhere, we’re going to continue to serve this community and serve Jesus.”
Rogers said she is still numb.
“It’s a building, but a building full of memories,” she said.
"If you think about it, everything you touch you leave a little bit of yourself in that spot. And there’s a lot of me in that building. A lot of love and a lot of history," she added.
Texas wildfire ravages through parts of Hood and Erath counties, residents worry for livelihoods | 2022-03-21T04:03:15Z | www.wfaa.com | Ranger, Texas fire: Community gathers outside historic church | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/worshippers-show-resilience-fire-destroys-historic-ranger-texas-church/287-4971409c-ad70-49b7-9b33-e36268f63d3a | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/worshippers-show-resilience-fire-destroys-historic-ranger-texas-church/287-4971409c-ad70-49b7-9b33-e36268f63d3a |
Why the Mavs traded Kristaps Porzingis, what comes next in the roster building around Luka Doncic, and more
DALLAS — Nearly nine months ago, the Dallas Mavericks hired Nico Harrison to become their new general manager, taking over amidst a month of turmoil, upon the departure of longtime GM Donnie Nelson and head coach Rick Carlisle.
"I didn't realize what a hornets nest I was walking into," Harrison said with a laugh, before discussing how he went about taking control of the situation. "Leadership is everything. Whenever there is a little bit of disarray, I think that's when leadership - you have to have it. That's when it's most important. So just being present, and then looking at it as an opportunity. Versus being like 'oh, so much stuff has to change.' No, it's an opportunity. So come here, be present, and be the leader that they need."
It has to be noted, these remarks came during an interview taped on March 9th, approximately a week before the news broke of Nelson's lawsuit against the Mavericks.
Harrison took over, and began leaving his imprint on the Mavericks roster, bringing in a few role players in Reggie Bullock and Sterling Brown. And then just before the trade deadline, he made his biggest move yet, trading Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards, netting Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans in the deal.
"The trade at the end of the day was really about the Mavericks, and how can we make us better," Harrison said. "It was less about Kristaps. A lot of people would say 'oh, he's injured a lot.' And he was, but he's still a talented player... he would've had good games here, he's going to have good games wherever. I think we had an opportunity, really, in Davis and Spencer, to make our roster better. And that was ultimately the decision."
That move has worked out quite well so far, though. Dinwiddie has already hit a pair of game-winning threes for the Mavs, in his first few weeks in town.
"You want it to turn out that way," Harrison said. "But hey, it's basketball, it's cyclical. If we do this interview in a week, and who knows, Spencer had two bad games, can't hit a shot, why'd you make that trade?"
The trade was the latest step in the evolution of the Mavericks roster, that now needs to continue this summer in free agency, as Dallas tries to build a championship roster around superstar point guard Luka Doncic.
"I think we just continue to get the roster better. How do we get players that fit around Luka? And I don't think there's a magic bullet. I don't think there's one player that does it. I think you just continue to work it and work it, until you get that right combination."
Helpful in that process, though, will be Harrison's relationship with many of the biggest stars across the NBA, from his time working as a high-level executive with Nike.
"Dallas is going to get a seat at the table, for free agents that they want," Harrison said. "I'm not sure if Dallas had previously had a seat at the table. But, I think, and it's not just about me -- if you look at Jason Kidd, if you look at Mark Cuban -- between the collective group, we'll get a seat at the table, for sure."
To watch the entire, unedited 16-minute conversation with Nico, click below: | 2022-03-21T05:58:23Z | www.wfaa.com | 1-on-1 with Mavs GM Nico Harrison | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/1-on-1-with-mavs-gm-nico-harrison/287-5e2c9b9b-163e-479b-9c93-92e3fbd1cc41 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/1-on-1-with-mavs-gm-nico-harrison/287-5e2c9b9b-163e-479b-9c93-92e3fbd1cc41 |
With NFL free agency in full swing, the Dallas Cowboys pressed on with changes to their roster as they welcomed some new names while a long-time starter departed.
DALLAS — The offseason keeps rolling along for the Dallas Cowboys as another high-profile player was handed their walking papers. The Cowboys began a busy weekend by releasing right tackle La’el Collins while designating him as a June 1 cap casualty, which means the team saves $10 million against the salary cap, beginning on that date.
In a league that is short on quality offensive linemen, the motive to rid themselves of Collins always felt suspect. Being unable to find another team willing to send them a draft pick for Collins’ services is also puzzling.
But, in the end, after not finding a trade to their liking, the team showed Collins the door and will move on.
The @dallascowboys released T La'el Collins on Thursday. The Cowboys designated Collins as a post-June 1 release.
Despite an inefficient end to his time on the roster, there are reasons why the organization was ready for life after Collins.
After signing the former LSU standout as an undrafted free agent in 2015, the Cowboys used him at left guard before moving him to tackle. Collins played well enough to earn himself a five-year, $50 million deal with $35 million guaranteed before the start of the 2019 season.
Collins’ play gave the Cowboys one of the best set of bookend tackles in the league, with Tyron Smith at left tackle.
However, before the 2020 season, things began to deteriorate. Collins arrived at training camp out of shape, which contributed to a hip injury that caused the veteran tackle to miss the entire season.
Then, just after the 2021 campaign kicked off, Collins was suspended for five games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. His appeal to the suspension also revealed that Collins had tried to bribe a league office tester.
RELATED: Cowboys release RT La'el Collins for $10 million in cap relief
That seemed like the final straw for the team, who didn’t reinsert Collins back into the starting lineup upon his return from suspension. The trust appeared to evaporate and thus Dallas was comfortable moving on from a lineman that started 71 games for the Cowboys over the last seven seasons.
It didn’t take long for Collins to land on his feet. The AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals came calling and scooped up the talented lineman on a three-year deal.
As for the Cowboys, the plan at right tackle, as of now, is to start third-year pro Terence Steele, who has played well enough over his first two years to win the job. There is still time in free agency to sign another option or to draft Colins’ replacement, but Steele is the frontrunner in March.
With Steele in the mix, count Collins as another highly paid player who the Cowboys recently gave a long-term extension to that has now been jettisoned this offseason, joining wide receiver Amari Cooper. Dallas began the process of adding to their wide receiver room by signing former Pittsburgh Steelers wideout James Washington to a one-year deal on Sunday.
Meanwhile, as the Cowboys were releasing Collins on offense, the defense was trying to re-tool after missing out on Randy Gregory. With Gregory out, and the team unable to recruit another star pass rusher, Dallas turned to Plan C by re-signing defensive end Dorance Armstrong to a two-year deal worth $13 million.
Armstrong isn’t as good as Gregory, but he’s an ascending player who just had his best season where he finished with a career-high five sacks and 20 pressures in 2021. The Cowboys drafted Armstrong in the fourth round in 2018, and he will be just 25-years old when the season starts.
Signing Armstrong wasn’t the only move that the Cowboys made to restock their improving defense under coordinator Dan Quinn. The former coach of the Atlanta Falcons welcomed an old face to a new place as Dallas signed pass rusher Dante Fowler, Jr. to a one-year deal.
Fowler had 11.5 sacks as recently as two seasons ago and brings 35 career sacks with him to Dallas after playing for Quinn in Atlanta in 2020 following stops in Jacksonville and Los Angeles.
The team also brought back safety Malik Hooker on a two-year deal worth up to $8 million. Hooker, who was coming off a season-ending Achilles injury in 2020, signed late during training camp with the Cowboys. After a slow start, his play got better as the year went on.
After getting acclimated in Dallas, Hooker had one of his best seasons in his first year with the Cowboys and the team is hoping to cash in on his potential to be one of the NFL’s top safeties. As the 17th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, Hooker has the pedigree to be a difference-maker at a position where the Cowboys haven’t had an elite player in a long time.
Do you like the moves that the Cowboys have been making ahead of the 2022 season? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi. | 2022-03-21T15:21:58Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas Cowboys’ roster continues to take shape during free agency | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-cowboys-roster-continues-to-take-shape-after-first-wave-free-agency/287-d15b848b-5dbe-4a37-a266-3483e75a9d50 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-cowboys-roster-continues-to-take-shape-after-first-wave-free-agency/287-d15b848b-5dbe-4a37-a266-3483e75a9d50 |
Christopher Hill, 25, fell from the rooftop bar on March 12 and died shortly after.
DALLAS — Family members of the man who fell from a Northeast Dallas bar and later died are taking legal action against the restaurant, according to the law firm representing them.
The parents and brother of Christopher Hill, the 25-year-old man who fell from 77 Degrees Rooftop Bar in Dallas on March 12 and died shortly after, are filing a temporary restraining order against the bar.
The owners of the bar have ignored requests to begin an investigation, according to the Simpson Tuegel Law Firm.
WFAA reached out to 77 Degrees Rooftop Bar but has not received a response yet.
The request in the filing is that representatives of the Hill family should be granted immediate access to the property and any evidence relevant to the incident as part of their investigation.
The filing says that the bar has failed to respond to previous requests to access the premises before any alterations are made.
“By failing to respond to our requests to enter the property and begin our investigation, the owners of 77 Degrees are making a horrific situation even worse and raising serious questions about the safety of their business,” said Michelle Simpson Tuegel, who is one of the attorneys representing the Hill family. “Through this action, we are beginning the process of ensuring all relevant facts come to light and the Hill family gets justice for Christopher.”
RELATED: 1 dead, 1 injured in Fort Worth road rage shooting, police say
There was a large police and EMT presence at the location around 11:30 p.m. the day Hill fell and died.
According to police, witnesses stated that Hill went over the railing of the rooftop and onto the ground. A police report said Hill landed on bar equipment, but further information was not released.
In addition to requesting a temporary restraining order, the filing alleges the railing at 77 Degrees Rooftop Bar was too low and was a dangerous risk. It also claims on the evening of the incident, the bar was very crowded, and the bar did not have enough staff, including security, to ensure the safety of the people at the restaurant.
“We are confident that a legitimate and thorough investigation will reveal that Defendants’ negligence ultimately led to Christopher’s injuries and death,” said Mike Simpson, another attorney representing the Hill family. “His family deserves nothing less than complete transparency as we begin the painful process of investigating the events leading up to this tragic incident.”
The petition and request for the restraining order was filed in Dallas County against Ginger/Degrees Dallas Group, LLC d/b/a 77 Degrees Rooftop Bar and 2107 N Henderson Avenue LLC. | 2022-03-21T21:26:37Z | www.wfaa.com | Family of Dallas man who fell from rooftop suing bar | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/family-of-dallas-man-died-after-falling-from-rooftop-suing-bar-owners/287-0a598146-e9fc-47e5-932d-1c1a1287ea28 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/family-of-dallas-man-died-after-falling-from-rooftop-suing-bar-owners/287-0a598146-e9fc-47e5-932d-1c1a1287ea28 |
JACKSBORO, Texas — We're expecting strong to severe storms in North Texas through Monday. Stick with WFAA for continued coverage throughout the day, including updates from Chief Meteorologist Pete Delkus at 5, 6, and 10.
Storm damage has been reported near Jacksboro, Texas, about 60 miles northwest of Fort Worth.
Jacksboro Elementary School also reportedly suffered damage.
Principal of Jacksboro High School describes the moments when the building was hit by a reported tornado | 2022-03-21T23:14:34Z | www.wfaa.com | North Texas storm damage: Reported tornado near Jacksboro | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/north-texas-dfw-storm-damage-reported-tornado-monday-march-21-2022/287-0987348d-46ba-4b26-b56c-0fdbe2860b3b | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/north-texas-dfw-storm-damage-reported-tornado-monday-march-21-2022/287-0987348d-46ba-4b26-b56c-0fdbe2860b3b |
School district officials said a section of the roof over the fourth- and fifth-grade wing at the school was damaged.
WATAUGA, Texas — Storms damaged a "large section of the roof" at a Birdville Independent School District elementary school, canceling classes for at least Tuesday, officials said.
The damage was at Grace E. Hardeman Elementary School in Watauga, near Watauga Road and Rufe Snow Drive.
School district officials said a section of the roof over the fourth- and fifth-grade wing at the school was damaged during the severe storms that moved through Tarrant County on Monday evening.
Officials said water penetrated six classrooms during the damage. District officials were working with engineers to make sure the rest of the school was safe to resume classes, which were canceled Tuesday.
Officials will be in touch with parents later Tuesday about school plans for the rest of the week.
The school was among the damage being reported Tuesday following a band of severe storms that moved through North Texas around 6 p.m. Monday.
Further to the northwest, the small town of Jacksboro got heavy storm damage by a reported tornado. The damage included the town's high school and elementary schools, along with 60-80 homes.
One Bowie resident showed WFAA the damage that was done to his home. He said he saw the storm coming and ran into his house for safety. | 2022-03-22T13:01:16Z | www.wfaa.com | North Texas storm damage cancels classes at one elementary | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/storm-damage-cancels-classes-at-birdville-isd-grace-hardeman-elementary/287-eedcd363-a949-467a-a984-eb29f2d9c2dd | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/storm-damage-cancels-classes-at-birdville-isd-grace-hardeman-elementary/287-eedcd363-a949-467a-a984-eb29f2d9c2dd |
It’s been 15 years since the Texas Rangers have had a plus bat at first base but after a solid second half in 2021, Nathaniel Lowe is looking to break that trend.
DALLAS — Since 2007, when Mark Teixeira was traded away in a landmark deal that ignited a run to back-to-back World Series appearances, the Texas Rangers have not had a first baseman finish in the top ten of the league at the position in OPS.
Players such as Hank Blalock, Chris Davis, Mitch Moreland, Michael Young, Prince Fielder, Mike Napoli, Joey Gallo, and Ronald Guzman have donned the first baseman’s mitt in the interim to varying degrees of success but at a position where having an impact slugger is preferred, the Rangers have been unable to find a long term, high-caliber answer.
Texas is hoping that Nathaniel Lowe will become that answer in 2022.
Flash the leather, @nathaniel_lowe. pic.twitter.com/UHlO1zK5dq
After two average stints over two seasons spanning 71 games in the big leagues, the Rangers acquired Lowe from the Tampa Bay Rays via a trade in December 2020 that included prospects from Texas’ deep cache of lower-level position prospects.
For a rebuilding Texas team, the former 13th round pick in the 2016 MLB draft out of Mississippi State was handed the starting job for the 2021 season with the hopes that he was ready for a breakout campaign to set the Rangers up with a solution to their issues with finding a permanent first baseman.
One season into the Lowe experience and the Rangers are still awaiting that breakthrough. Lowe started 157 games for Texas in 2021 and produced an OPS of .771 which ranked 18th among qualified starters at the position. In total, Lowe hit .264 with 24 doubles, 18 home runs, and 72 RBIs. Once again, the Rangers had a solid player at first base, but they didn’t have the masher that they had coveted.
There were signs in the second half that Lowe was starting to become the kind of performer that the Rangers had traded for, however. After slashing .257/.358/.404 in the first half of the season, Lowe improved to a .273/.356/.429 line after the All-Star break.
Better still, the biggest strides came in the season’s final month when Lowe produced an OPS of .842 in 119 plate appearances. An OPS of .842 over a full season would have been good enough for 11th best in baseball in 2021.
Last minor update from that conversation with Woodward today. He said he thinks Nick Solak will get a lot of work in left field this spring, and also a little bit at first base (though Nathaniel Lowe is still going to get the bulk of the playing time there).
After flirting with acquiring All-Star first baseman Matt Olson from the Oakland Athletics this offseason, the Rangers appear to have settled on seeing if Lowe’s stellar final month can carry over to a full season in 2022. If it does, the Rangers will have found their long-awaited answer at first base with Lowe, who will turn just 27 years old during the 2022 season.
If Lowe is able to take that step forward, he sets himself up as being a part of the core for when the Rangers are eyeing October baseball once again. However, if Lowe is unable to improve upon his 2021 campaign, it might be back to the drawing board at a position that has vexed Texas for many summers.
Do you think Nathaniel Lowe is ready to take a step forward at first base for the Rangers in 2022? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter @BaseballTX.
Jury finds former Angels employee in pitcher Tyler Skaggs' death guilty | 2022-03-22T17:13:36Z | www.wfaa.com | Texas Rangers positional preview: Will Nathaniel Lowe blossom at first base? | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/mlb/rangers/texas-rangers-positional-preview-nathaniel-lowe/287-cace9e58-2471-408d-859c-6cd7c9723afa | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/mlb/rangers/texas-rangers-positional-preview-nathaniel-lowe/287-cace9e58-2471-408d-859c-6cd7c9723afa |
Jankovich posted a 125-64 (66.1%) record over six seasons as head coach, the second-highest winning percentage in SMU history.
DALLAS — Editor's note: The video above is a WFAA report from 2020.
SMU men's basketball coach Tim Jankovich announced Tuesday he is retiring and will not return as the Mustangs' coach next season.
Jankovich's coaching career spanned 39 seasons, with the last 10 spent at SMU. He was named head coach at SMU on July 8, 2016, after four years as associate head coach.
Jankovich posted a 125-64 (66.1%) record over six seasons as head coach, the second-highest winning percentage in SMU history, according to Mustangs Athletics. His teams also held the highest winning percentage at home in program history (82.7%).
"It has been an honor and a privilege to have coached at SMU for the past ten years," Jankovich said in a statement. "I am grateful to Dr. Turner and Rick Hart for their support and leadership. I am also grateful to all the outstanding players, coaches, managers and support staff I have had the opportunity to work with along the way. Basketball has been at the center of my life since the 8th grade, including 39 years in college coaching. I have loved and cherished every minute of it. But with those incredible memories has come tremendous sacrifice. I find myself at a stage in life where I no longer can in good conscience make the necessary sacrifices that this position demands. I feel a strong pull to spend more time with the people whom I have unfortunately neglected the most over the years - my dad, my family and my friends. This is why I have decided to step down and retire from my position as head basketball coach. We have loved our time here at SMU and will cherish our memories forever."
▶️ https://t.co/ihu0CiyayE pic.twitter.com/y2kbhRsQgD
— SMU Basketball (@SMUBasketball) March 22, 2022
Jankovich's retirement comes after the Mustangs finished 24-9 overall and 13-4 in the American Athletic Conference. The Mustangs were the No. 2 seed in the American Athletic Conference and lost to the No. 3 seed Memphis in the semifinals. SMU was not selected to compete in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, but secured an NIT bid. The 2022 season ended for SMU after a loss to Washington State in the second round.
"I am grateful to Tim for his loyal service to SMU. He elevated Mustang basketball on and off the court during his time on the Hilltop. Tim led our program with class, integrity and a commitment to our institutional values. He and his staff are tremendous coaches and have earned my admiration and respect," said SMU Director of Athletics Rick Hart. "On behalf of SMU, I want to thank them and their families for their years of service to our University."
▶️ https://t.co/ihu0CiyayE pic.twitter.com/7ewE1cRIqs | 2022-03-22T19:11:36Z | www.wfaa.com | Retirement: SMU basketball coach Tim Jankovich stepping down | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/ncaa/ncaab/smu-basketball-tim-jankovich-retirement/287-36f97fee-0189-440e-a054-5e78f6b2ccea | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/ncaa/ncaab/smu-basketball-tim-jankovich-retirement/287-36f97fee-0189-440e-a054-5e78f6b2ccea |
The Dallas Cowboys are bringing back safety Jayron Kearse on a two-year deal after he had a breakout season within Dan Quinn’s defense.
DALLAS — While the Dallas Cowboys have shied away from signing outside free agents in recent years, they have maintained their philosophy of keeping their own. That hasn’t been easy for a franchise that had 21 of their own free agents to retain coming into the offseason, but the Cowboys have been busy trying to preserve their priority players.
One of the players who was identified as someone that Dallas wanted to bring back was safety Jayron Kearse. It might have taken some time, but the Cowboys and Kearse finally agreed to a deal to keep the veteran safety with the team for two more years.
It is two-year, $10M contract for Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse, source said. Deal is worth a maximum of $11M. Nice pay day for the 2016 seventh-round pick, who fills a number of roles on Dallas defense. https://t.co/xPNm1X7l4q
Kearse has been in the league for six years and was originally drafted in seventh-round by the Minnesota Vikings. The former Clemson standout next played for the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Ravens before landing with the Cowboys last offseason.
Most of Kearse’s career has been spent as a special teams player, which was what many thought his role would be with the Cowboys. However, Kearse turned out to be a key member of the defensive turnaround in Dallas.
Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn found a role for Kearse, who responded with the best season of his career. Kearse had career-highs in tackles (101), interceptions (two) and passes defensed (10). The 101 tackles led the Cowboys in 2021.
The key to unlocking Kearse’s potential was in using him as an extra enforcer near the line of scrimmage on occasion, a role in which he excelled. The veteran safety was also outstanding in coverage, often eliminating an offense's top tight end. Per Pro Football Focus, he was the most improved player on the Cowboys in 2021.
Per PFF: “Kearse took on a starting job with the Cowboys in 2021 and ended up as the 12th highest graded player at the position for the season. He led all safeties in pass breakups with 10, tied for fifth in defensive stops with 33, finished second in missed tackle rate at 3.9% (four misses on 109 attempts) and tied for third in total pressures with 11.”
All told, Kearse provided fantastic output for someone who might not have been thought of as an impact player heading into the season. Kearse’s breakout also garnered attention throughout the league with the Carolina Panthers among the teams trying to pry Kearse away from Dallas.
The Cowboys can rest easy as they got their man. The commitment to Kearse, as well as fellow safety Malik Hooker, is proof that Dallas is finally taking the safety position seriously after years of neglect. The pair, along with fourth-year safety Donovan Wilson, offers a strong group for Quinn’s defense and gives the team some depth at a position that has often been an afterthought.
In addition, the Cowboys will benefit when the draft comes along as they will not be desperate for help at safety as has often been the case.
Kearse’s new contract is also a modest deal for the Cowboys. The two years for a possible $11 million is good business for a solid safety. The team didn’t overpay for one year of production and if Kearse repeats his success, the Cowboys get a bargain.
Not gonna lie, I thought the Cowboys would pay much more for for Kearse. No problems with that deal at all!
The Cowboys said they wanted Jayron Kearse back and they held true to that. Kearse will again be tasked with playing a pivotal role in Quinn’s defense, and he showed what he was capable of with his stellar play in 2021. Dallas will be hoping for more of the same during the next two campaigns.
Are you happy to see Jayron Kearse return to the Cowboys? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi. | 2022-03-22T19:11:42Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas Cowboys re-sign safety Jayron Kearse to two-year deal | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nfl/cowboys/dallas-cowboys-resign-jayron-kearse/287-a886608f-441d-4f9c-a950-c80d4c6b2040 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nfl/cowboys/dallas-cowboys-resign-jayron-kearse/287-a886608f-441d-4f9c-a950-c80d4c6b2040 |
Officials said no one was injured in the drive-by shootings, and the suspect was quickly apprehended.
FORT WORTH, Texas — A suspect is in custody after firing shots at both a Fort Worth Fire Department training facility and a fire station Tuesday, officials said.
Around 3:30 p.m. the Fort Worth Fire Department says a suspect driving a white Ford Taurus fired shots at the Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex at 505 West Felix, where about 30 fire personnel were training. The department said about five shots hit the building but no one was injured in the shooting.
Then, the suspect drove the vehicle less than a mile to Fire Station 17 and fired another three rounds, striking the building, Fort Worth Fire Department says.
Officials said Fort Worth police officers were called to the scene, and the suspect was quickly taken into custody nearby the fire station.
Fort Worth Fire Department told WFAA the identity of the suspect has not been released at this time, nor the motive for the shooting.
The department says while there is no known threat to fire personnel, the department is using precautionary measures to ensure safety.
“We are incredibly grateful that no one was injured in this drive-by shooting today. The safety of our firefighters is a priority and this senseless act of random violence will be handled with the utmost attention and diligence,” Fort Worth Fire Department said in a news release Tuesday. | 2022-03-23T03:56:29Z | www.wfaa.com | Shooting at Fort Worth fire station: Suspect arrested | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/suspect-in-custody-after-fire-shots-at-fort-worth-fire-training-facility-fire-station/287-fbbc879a-8e5b-4d6c-ac5d-735713ece7c6 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/suspect-in-custody-after-fire-shots-at-fort-worth-fire-training-facility-fire-station/287-fbbc879a-8e5b-4d6c-ac5d-735713ece7c6 |
Here's a look at where the Dallas Stars fit in the 2022 NHL playoff race.
Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) celebrates with the bench after scoring his second goal, in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes in Dallas, Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
DALLAS — Just two seasons removed from a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Dallas Stars again are eyeing the playoffs.
After finishing runner up to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020, the Stars missed the playoffs in 2021.
Below, WFAA will keep track of the Stars' playoff picture. The top three teams in each division earn berths in the playoffs. The next two teams in terms of total points in the conference, regardless of division, earn the wild card spots. This provides a total of eight teams from each conference.
As the 2022 season wanes, the Stars are in the hunt for a wild card spot. Here is a look at where the Stars lie in the standings (as of March 23):
Colorado: 95 pts
St. Louis: 79 pts
Minnesota: 78 pts
Calgary: 84 pts
Los Angeles: 78 pts
Edmonton: 75 pts
Wild Card Race
Nashville: 78 pts
Dallas: 73 pts
Las Vegas: 72 pts
Winnipeg: 70 pts
Vancouver: 68 pts
Anaheim: 65 pts
San Jose: 64 pts
Chicago: 53 pts
Seattle: 46 pts
Arizona: 44 pts
Here are the tiebreaker rules:
In the event teams are tied in the standings, the following tiebreakers are applied to determine which team receives the higher seeding:
The fewer number of games played (i.e., superior points percentage).
The greater number of games won in regulation (not including games won in overtime or a shootout).
The greater number of games won in regulation and overtime (not including games won via shootout).
The greater number of games won in any fashion.
The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first game played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included. If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any "odd" games, shall be used to determine the standing.
Goal differential. | 2022-03-23T14:52:06Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas Stars playoff picture: Where are they in NHL standings? | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nhl/stars/dallas-stars-2022-playoffs-picture-nhl/287-18d00a4f-c547-4591-8221-bcd0519b519b | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nhl/stars/dallas-stars-2022-playoffs-picture-nhl/287-18d00a4f-c547-4591-8221-bcd0519b519b |
Barbara Fenley was 51 years old and a sergeant with the sheriff's office.
Author: WFAA Staff, Adriana De Alba
CISCO, Texas — Editor's note: The video published above is a WFAA report from last week when we spoke with Fenley's son, Jon. The video will be updated with the story about Fenley's funeral service after it airs.
Friends, family and the Eastland community gathered Wednesday to honor the life of Barbara Fenley, an Eastland County Sheriff's Office deputy who died trying to save others in the Texas wildfires last week.
Hundreds of law enforcement officials also came from all over the country to honor the fallen deputy.
The family of Eastland County Deputy Barbara Fenley is here. Hundreds of law enforcement officials are showing them their support.
I’m told they traveled from allover the country for the funeral. (@wfaa) pic.twitter.com/vsXXfcKI1h
— Adriana De Alba (@adealbaWFAA) March 23, 2022
Last week, WFAA spoke with Fenley's son, Jon.
"She was out helping," Jon Fenley told WFAA. "I just think it got to the point where it wasn't enough for her, I feel like she felt like she wasn't doing enough because that's how she is."
According to the sheriff's office and her son, Fenley went to check on an elderly resident in the Gorman area, when she ran her vehicle off the road and was engulfed in the flames. Fenley told WFAA that he started to worry when his mom didn't answer his phone call after not returning home. The next day, he got a call that his mother had been found.
"I got a call and they told me they found the car and all that stuff," Jon Fenley said. "Knowing everything, I'm proud of her. She paid the ultimate sacrifice to help people out. That's the biggest thing that I'd like people to know."
Barbara Fenley's funeral was held at the Myrtle Wilks building in Cisco. | 2022-03-23T20:57:00Z | www.wfaa.com | Hundreds mourn loss of Eastland Co. deputy at funeral | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/eastland-county-deputy-barbara-fenley-funeral/287-d87032fc-ecb1-43c4-bed8-2b237e9d6e12 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/eastland-county-deputy-barbara-fenley-funeral/287-d87032fc-ecb1-43c4-bed8-2b237e9d6e12 |
The Mavs made the playoffs as a No. 7 seed in 2020 and again as a No. 5 seed in 2021. Will they make the top four in 2022 to host a first round series?
DALLAS — As the 2021-22 regular season comes to a close, the Dallas Mavericks are potentially fighting for homecourt advantage in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs.
Since Luka Dončić joined the team in the 2018-19 season, the Mavs have made the playoffs twice. Dončić's rookie season – and Dirk Nowitzki's last – marked the last time Dallas missed the playoffs. The Mavs returned to the playoffs in 2020 for the NBA bubble and again in 2021, falling to the Los Angeles Clippers both times in six and seven games, respectively.
This year, the Mavs are flirting with the possibility of hosting a first round playoff series. Here is a look at the latest standings, as of March 23. Remember, the top four seeds will have homecourt advantage in the playoffs.
Memphis Grizzlies: 9 games back
Golden State Warriors: 11 games back
Utah Jazz: 13 games back
Dallas Mavericks: 14 games back
Denver Nuggets: 15.5 games back
Minnesota Timberwolves*: 16.5 games back
Los Angeles Clippers*: 23 games back
Los Angeles Lakers*: 27 games back
New Orleans Pelicans*: 28 games back
*Denotes teams to play in the play-in tournament | 2022-03-23T20:57:18Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas Mavericks playoff picture: Will they get to host a series? | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nba/mavericks/dallas-mavericks-playoff-picture-2022-nba-luka-doncic-wfaa/287-2d0f9c29-6667-4544-a113-4ac4d06a0bd7 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nba/mavericks/dallas-mavericks-playoff-picture-2022-nba-luka-doncic-wfaa/287-2d0f9c29-6667-4544-a113-4ac4d06a0bd7 |
Officials expected power in the city to be restored by Wednesday evening.
JACKSBORO, Texas — Two days after an EF3 tornado with 150 mph winds tore through Jacksboro, repairs and cleanup are far ahead of schedule, according to city and county officials.
The storm destroyed 80 homes and injured nine people, but no one was killed.
City officials said in a briefing Wednesday they expected power to be fully restored by the evening, but noted they had issues with downed lines causing a grassfire and smoke in a home, and urged residents to stay cautious.
Kim Veselka was at work when the tornado came through, but her husband was under a mattress at their home that’s now missing a roof and its back half.
“There’s a barn in the back and then my house is there - or was,” she said. “You don’t even know what to start and what to do.”
A couple blocks away the Jacksboro elementary and middle schools, the tornado ripped off gymnasium roofs and caved in walls. Crews are working to clean up debris and repair what they can.
RELATED: From school to home, Jacksboro principal deals with damage from EF3 tornado
“I was here when this building went up and to see it come down in such a catastrophic fashion is – it’s heartbreaking,” Superintendent Brad Burnett said.
Burnett said he’s still in disbelief, shocked at what happened and shocked everyone survived.
“We can replace these buildings. We can’t replace the students’ lives,” he said. "I’m grateful for my staff. My elementary school principal I believe is a hero. I think he and his staff’s action saved lives when that tornado hit, and I’m just so grateful for them. I’d ask our parents in the community and our students for patience. We’ll get back to normal as soon as possible.”
Elementary students will learn in nearby churches for at least three weeks as repairs continue, but high schoolers will return as soon as Monday or Tuesday.
“So that our students can get back into a routine, see their friends, see their teachers, experience some type of normalcy,” Burnett said.
Ripped sheet metal, flipped cars and broken branches are everywhere in Jacksboro, but so are the signs of recovery.
“Now we’re trying to just get whatever, and then just start over,” Veselka said. | 2022-03-23T23:59:41Z | www.wfaa.com | Jacksboro tornado: Crews work to restore power, clean up debris | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/cleanup-continues-in-jacksboro-after-ef3-tornado-destroyed-80-homes-schools/287-7f233e5a-5981-46f7-9860-f21b2196f9d3 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/cleanup-continues-in-jacksboro-after-ef3-tornado-destroyed-80-homes-schools/287-7f233e5a-5981-46f7-9860-f21b2196f9d3 |
The shooting happened around 8:45 p.m. on March 14 outside of the Urban Air park on Childress Avenue, near Interstates 635 and 30.
MESQUITE, Texas — Police on Wednesday released an update with bodycam and surveillance video of officers shooting a man outside of an indoor trampoline park in Mesquite earlier this month.
The video released by police showed a suspect, 28-year-old Ladarious Davis, pulling what appeared to be a gun from a backpack and firing at officers, just outside the doors of the Urban Air.
Two officers returned fire, striking Davis, who was then taken into custody. He was transported to a hospital, where he was treated and released into custody.
Davis on Thursday remained in the Dallas County jail on charges of aggravated assault against a public servant and burglary of a habitation.
The burglary charge stemmed from how the shooting incident ultimately started, police said.
Earlier that day, a 911 caller reported that Davis had entered his Mesquite apartment with a gun before going back downstairs to his unit. Police tactical officers responded but couldn't make contact with Davis, who had left the apartment complex.
Around 8:45 p.m. that same day, police heard from a relative of Davis that he was at the Urban Air trampoline park, several miles away.
Police responded and saw Davis walking out of Urban Air. Bodycam video from one of the officers showed the officer yelling multiple times for Davis to put his hands up.
As this happened, surveillance video showed Davis pull a gun from a backpack and fire toward the officers, police said.
Two officers returned fire – one fired three times, the other fired once – and Davis ran around a corner of a building and fell down.
Officers then secured the area, and Davis was taken to a hospital. Davis had a 9mm Smith and Wesson handgun, police said.
The two officers who fired shots at him have not been named by officials. They were placed on administrative leave as the department investigates the shooting.
The officer who fired his weapon three times is a three-year veteran, police said. The officer who fired his weapon one time is a six-year veteran.
Mesquite police release body and dash camera videos of 2 shootings involving officers, including 1 fatal | 2022-03-24T14:30:02Z | www.wfaa.com | Mesquite police shooting at Urban Air: Video released | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/mesquite-texas-police-release-video-of-officers-shooting-man-who-shot-at-them/287-31dec99b-55bf-4fe3-b928-cbd3010026d4 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/mesquite-texas-police-release-video-of-officers-shooting-man-who-shot-at-them/287-31dec99b-55bf-4fe3-b928-cbd3010026d4 |
Markus DeWayne Vine, 28, pleaded guilty in May 2021 to carjacking a woman entering her Toyota Highlander outside a grocery store in Irving.
IRVING, Texas — An Irving man has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to an armed carjacking in August 2020.
Markus DeWayne Vine, 28, pleaded guilty in May 2021 to carjacking and brandishing a firearm. Vine admitted that on Aug. 20, 2020, he carjacked a woman entering her Toyota Highlander outside a grocery store in Irving.
Officials said Vine pointed a 9mm pistol at the woman as she tried to get into her vehicle and lock the doors. The woman allowed Vine to steal her car and he drove away to a nearby gas station, where he robbed the clerk and got away with money.
Vine drove to a second gas station 15 minutes later and robbed that clerk, as well, federal officials said in a press release.
Vine was arrested on August 22, 2020, while entering the stolen vehicle, which was parked at an Irving apartment complex.
“Mr. Vine is one of the reasons as to why ATF exists," ATF Dallas special agent in charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II said in a news release. "ATF and our partners, like the Irving Police Department, are dedicated to taking the worst of the worst off of our streets. He was the definition of a menace to society: a carjacking followed by a gas station robbery. We are safer with him behind bars,”
Police also recovered the pistol from inside an apartment where he’d been staying, officials said.
RELATED: Irving police to target aggressive drivers with new specialized vehicles
RELATED: School employee carjacked outside of Burleson elementary, police say | 2022-03-24T16:37:43Z | www.wfaa.com | Irving man sentenced for armed carjacking, robberies | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/irving-texas-carjacking-markus-dewayne-vine-sentencing-grocery-store/287-d2195314-1bec-415b-bf3c-a12e10a347ca | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/irving-texas-carjacking-markus-dewayne-vine-sentencing-grocery-store/287-d2195314-1bec-415b-bf3c-a12e10a347ca |
The program will begin this fall, and it won't be limited to just Arlington residents.
ARLINGTON, Texas — One of the larger school districts in North Texas will now offer free pre-Kindergarten to all four-year-old students.
The Arlington Independent School District announced the new universal pre-K offering Thursday.
The program will begin this fall, and it won't be limited to just Arlington residents; non-residents can also enroll their child in the free pre-K program, which will have a curriculum that emphasizes STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
While the program is free for all families, they'll still need to fill out federally-required qualifying paperwork to enroll. Registration will begin April 1 on the Arlington ISD website.
"The innovative new STEM curriculum will give students an introduction to lessons involving science, technology, engineering and math, which is a game changer," the district said in a release on its website. "Art, music and movement will also be integrated into every classroom throughout the year for students to receive a powerful whole-child education."
Most Texas school districts, including Dallas and Fort Worth, offer pre-K in some form, though eligibility might be limited based on need. The Texas legislature-established pre-K program allows automatic eligibility for children who meet certain criteria.
Over 250 Fort Worth elementary students receive shoes, socks thanks to nonprofit and community donations
Gov. Abbott unveils 'Parental Bill of Rights' plan during North Texas campaign stop
Biden plan seeks to expand education, from pre-K to college | 2022-03-24T16:37:49Z | www.wfaa.com | Texas pre-K school: DFW district offering to all 4-year-olds | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/education/north-texas-arlington-isd-district-offering-universal-free-pre-k/287-6fa17b31-2bca-4d2a-b327-a66ef8aa79c7 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/education/north-texas-arlington-isd-district-offering-universal-free-pre-k/287-6fa17b31-2bca-4d2a-b327-a66ef8aa79c7 |
The Texas Rangers began one of the most shocking spending sprees in baseball history when they signed Marcus Semien to become their new second baseman.
DALLAS — A week or so after the trade deadline last summer, after the Texas Rangers had cleared out the Major League roster of anyone left who was no longer a part of the long term plans, general manager Chris Young addressed the media and mentioned that the team planned to be very busy in free agency.
In the days following the 102-loss 2021 campaign, Young again alluded to the team having money to spend. Reports suggested that the Rangers could add anywhere up to $100 million to their annual payroll. However, given the state of the team coming off three last place finishes in the previous four seasons, there was a healthy amount of skepticism that Texas could stick the landing when it came time to land premium free agents.
The next time Chris Young speaks, people will listen. On November 28, 2021, it was reported that the Rangers were the first team to strike for a top free agent when they grabbed one of the four coveted free agent shortstops on the market. Marcus Semien had signed a seven-year, $175 million dollar deal to alter the landscape in Arlington.
The Rangers have officially agreed to terms with 2B Marcus Semien on a seven-year contract through 2028. He had 45 homers and 102 RBI and won Rawlings Gold Glove with Toronto in 2021. He finished third in A.L. MVP voting.
— John Blake (@RangerBlake) December 1, 2021
The Rangers were not even close to done as, just a day later, we found out that they had signed former Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager to a massive 10-year, $325 million deal as a double dip on elite shortstops stunned the baseball universe.
With Seager in the mix, Semien was only the shortstop of the present for the Rangers for a mere 24 hours as he happily slid back over to second base on the depth chart, a spot on the diamond where he won a Gold Glove with Toronto and set the all-time single-season record for home runs (45) at the position in 2021.
Marcus Semien’s 44th homer made him the all-time single season leader for homers by a 2B.
pic.twitter.com/WHl92yJq9e
— OddsShopper (@OddsShopper) September 29, 2021
Semien arrives in Texas fresh off arguably one of the greatest seasons for a second baseman in league history and provides a massive upgrade to a position that hasn’t had a stable presence in Arlington since the days of Ian Kinsler.
The players who manned second base hit .255/.317/.388 for the Rangers in 2021. Nick Solak was responsible for most of the playing time with 121 games with Andy Ibáñez and Yonny Hernandez combining for another 40 games. That trio combined for an OPS of .705 and placed Texas at 20th in the league which made second base one of the weak spots in the lineup.
Meanwhile, Semien had a slash line of .265/.334/.538 in 162 games for the Blue Jays in 2021 as he led the league in plate appearances, made his first All-Star game, and finished third in the American League MVP voting. Semien’s OPS of .873 was 24th overall in baseball and his WAR of 6.6 was tied for third-best in the league. Having been a shortstop for much of his career, Semien’s defense is considered elite at second base, which adds another dimension to his value.
Semien isn’t a one-hit wonder, either. Drafted in the sixth round by the Chicago White Sox in 2011, Semien was traded to Oakland before the 2015 season and had been a solid contributor at shortstop for the Athletics over the next six seasons. In 2019, Semien had a breakout season when he hit 33 home runs and slashed .285/.369/.522 in 162 games, which garnered him his first top-three finish in the MVP voting.
Though they paid the premium in years and dollars to bring him to Texas, Semien represents a renovation from below average output to essentially the best player at his position. As a first-day leader and veteran presence for a team growing out its foundation, Semien will be counted on to be the example to follow as he tries to guide the Rangers back to October in the coming years.
Do you think Marcus Semien has another high MVP placing ahead of him for the Rangers? Share your predictions with us on Twitter @BaseballTX. | 2022-03-24T18:37:16Z | www.wfaa.com | Texas Rangers preview: Marcus Semien brings new era to 2B | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/mlb/rangers/texas-rangers-positional-preview-second-base-marcus-semien/287-30f0db31-58c0-4c10-8c85-cc7e333df45b | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/mlb/rangers/texas-rangers-positional-preview-second-base-marcus-semien/287-30f0db31-58c0-4c10-8c85-cc7e333df45b |
Officer Kris Hutchison died in 2021 after a four-week battle against COVID-19 in the ICU. Officer Gary Hires was shot and killed while on duty in 1993.
Credit: Haltom Police Department
Courtesy: Haltom Police Department
HALTOM CITY, Texas — The Haltom City community joined its police department Thursday to honor two of its fallen police officers.
At an unveiling ceremony hosted on Thursday morning, the 5000 block of Hadley Street in front of Haltom Middle School – where Officer Kris Hutchison had served as a school resource officer (SRO) – was formally renamed Hutchison Way. Members of both Hutchison's family and the SRO team attended the event and helped install the new signs.
Officer Hutchison passed away last year after a four-week battle against COVID-19 in the ICU. He served four years in the United States Marine Corps before entering law enforcement in 2014. Over the course of his career, he worked in the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, the Kennedale Police Department and the Haltom City Police Department, the last of which he spent five years serving.
RELATED: 'We are heartbroken': Community mourning the loss of Haltom City officer who died from COVID-19
The new address for Haltom Middle School is now 5001 Hutchison Way.
The department also on Thursday installed new street signs dedicated to late officer Gary Hires, who was shot and killed in 1993. He served the Haltom City Police Department for 19 years.
The signs in the 5000 block of Hires Lane were replaced by new ones featuring a HCPD badge with Hires' badge number in remembrance of his service and sacrifice to Haltom City. Hires' family was in attendance at the Thursday ceremony, and his son helped install the sign, according from the Haltom City Police Department.
Giving Back to Women: Kendra Scott celebrating Women's History Month with sale | 2022-03-24T20:29:26Z | www.wfaa.com | Haltom City honors two fallen police officers with street signs | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/community/haltom-city-renames-two-streets-after-late-police-officers-wfaa/287-c147ee5d-5bbe-4a37-9d53-1b44d0b1a84d | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/community/haltom-city-renames-two-streets-after-late-police-officers-wfaa/287-c147ee5d-5bbe-4a37-9d53-1b44d0b1a84d |
Nearly 200 North Texas property owners don't know what county they live in
Kaufman or Henderson? Nearly 200 Texas property owners aren't sure which county they live in
Unknown error causes hundreds of Texas property owners to be caught in county line dispute
KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — There are more than 180 properties in an approximately six-mile-long path between two North Texas counties currently being disputed.
There is a 1,200 foot-wide area along the Kaufman County and Henderson County line that remains in limbo until the Van Zandt County District Court attends to the case filed between the two counties. The argument revolves around which county this stretch of land belongs to.
Decades ago, a northern area of Henderson County suddenly became considered part of Kaufman County without an explanation, according to Kaufman County Judge Hal Richards.
Now that this error has become known, Richards says residents are wondering who to pay their property taxes to while the litigation continues.
In July 2021, a letter from the State of Texas General Land Office explained that the area in question is a part of Henderson County and not Kaufman County. The correct boundary line is shown on the General Land Office 1942 map of record, according to Richards.
“We appreciated the clarification from the General Land Office about this issue and we notified residents in that area, that their properties are, in fact, inside Henderson County,” Richards said. “The problem now is that Henderson County has not yet added the properties into the Henderson County tax rolls. Of course, Kaufman County cannot collect taxes on Henderson County properties. So, owners of these properties should expect to pay taxes to the Henderson County Tax Office. It should be good news to those taxpayers that Henderson County tax rates are lower than Kaufman County rates.”
RELATED: Add this one to the list: Another H-E-B is in the works for North Texas
In Texas, county lines are straight lines, East–West and North-South unless the line is defined by a natural geological feature.
The only way a county line can be moved is by an act of the Texas Legislature. No legislation exists that changes the Henderson County and Kaufman County straight boundary, Richards said.
In an effort to communicate with the owners of the approximately 180 properties, Kaufman County has asked the Van Zandt County District Court to provide a statement to those residents letting them know what to do about paying their property taxes while litigation is pending.
According to articles 3307 & 3308 of the Texas Property Tax Code, a property owner cannot be penalized if a tax bill has never been sent. It says that even if a property owner gets a tax bill, there might be a small late fee, but there will be no attorney’s fees for at least six months.
It is advised that these property owners seek their own legal advice on how to move forward during the pending litigation, Richards said. | 2022-03-24T20:29:38Z | www.wfaa.com | Texas counties fighting over 1,200-foot-wide border | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/kaufman-henderson-texas-counties-fighting-over-six-mile-long-border-includes-nearly-200-properties/287-99963adc-bff5-44bd-bd3f-e1cd5bf148a8 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/kaufman-henderson-texas-counties-fighting-over-six-mile-long-border-includes-nearly-200-properties/287-99963adc-bff5-44bd-bd3f-e1cd5bf148a8 |
Ford issues recall on 200,000 trucks and SUVs because of brake fluid leak
The deadline to apply is Friday, March 25.
Credit: annanahabed - stock.adobe.com
DALLAS — Employees in certain service industries in Texas are eligible to apply for up to 12 months of free child care, according to a state-funded program. But the time to apply is running out.
The deadline to apply for the Service Industry Recovery (SIR) program is Friday, March 25.
Organizers with the ChildCareGroup say the program is for employees in industries including the arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services, and retail who have to work "in close quarters with their customers."
Here are the eligibility requirements:
Employees must be working at least 25 hours a week for a single-parent family, and 50 hours (combined) for a two-parent family.
Employees must meet income guidelines, which are available on the ChildCareGroup website. (A qualifying family of four, for example, must have an annual pre-tax income of $64,043 or below.)
The SIR program is funded by the Texas Workforce Commission and is administered by local Workforce Solutions organizations.
“Parents can’t work if quality child care is too expensive or difficult to access, and employers can’t keep their businesses going if they don’t have employees or their employees are distracted by child care problems,” said Shari Anderson, vice president of child care assistance at ChildCareGroup.
“Access to reliable child care equals employees who are reliable at their jobs," she continued.
Those interested must be enrolled by March 31. This is why organizers say applications must be submitted by Friday, March 25.
"The program is open to a wide range of service industry employees, not just hospitality workers,” Anderson said. “Don’t make assumptions about your eligibility — visit our website to find out more about income guidelines and whether or not your job qualifies you for assistance.” | 2022-03-24T22:17:30Z | www.wfaa.com | Texas service industry employees can apply for free child care | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-service-industry-employees-can-apply-year-free-child-care/287-87117e01-25a8-449e-baf0-2148c0962490 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-service-industry-employees-can-apply-year-free-child-care/287-87117e01-25a8-449e-baf0-2148c0962490 |
CASA radars are located in seven North Texas cities: Addison, Arlington (UTA), Cleburne, Denton (UNT), Fort Worth, Mesquite and Midlothian.
MIDLOTHIAN, Texas — The National Weather Service of Fort Worth said its network of seven unique weather radars helped detect Monday's EF-1 tornado near River Oaks.
“What's nice about (CASA radars) is that they are cheaper, but they are also higher resolution and they scan much faster,” Ted Ryan, NWS Fort Worth’s science and operations officer, said.
“We're the only pilot in the country right now for this type of actual network,” Ryan said. There are plans to put an eighth CASA radar in Collin County, he added.
D-FW’s network of CASA radars has been in place for roughly the last four years, and they’re funded through a collaborative grant between the National Science Foundation and local entities across the Metroplex, Ryan said.
“We use the traditional weather radar to kind of give us that lead time to see when things are getting more favorable for tornadoes, but we use that CASA radar to actually see that it's occurring and see exactly where it's occurring,” Ryan said.
Here’s how it all works: The National Weather Service radars can reliably see roughly 150 miles away in a straight line, according to Ryan. Meanwhile, the Earth is curved.
“The problem is, as you go out 100 or 150 miles, the beam is actually 10,000-20,000 feet above the ground,” Ryan said.
So, it’s hard to get a clear view of what’s actually happening closer to the ground.
The solution? These CASA radars.
“Because it's only going about 15 to 20 miles, the beam just doesn't have time to get that far off the surface,” Ryan said. So, the CASA radar network tends to look a lot lower in the sky.”
This network of lower-looking cameras helped detect a tornado in Tarrant County this week.
“What was unique about Monday was that the spin-up process or the tornado developed from a process from the ground up. So that's why the CASA radar network was able to detect it, whereas the traditional radar network was not,” Ryan said.
WFAA asked Ryan if crews would’ve been able to see the EF-1 tornado near River Oaks if it hadn’t been for the CASA radars.
"Most likely not. There probably would not have been a tornado warning issued for the River Oaks tornado,” Ryan said. “It would have been one of these very brief and very shallow tornado processes that just weren't detected by the traditional methods.” | 2022-03-25T00:00:59Z | www.wfaa.com | CASA radar helped detect North Texas tornado, NWS says | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dfws-casa-radar-network-river-oaks-tornado-would-not-have-been-seen/287-41691f9a-17da-449a-880c-103a70324b8a | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dfws-casa-radar-network-river-oaks-tornado-would-not-have-been-seen/287-41691f9a-17da-449a-880c-103a70324b8a |
Dallas Summer Musicals, which began in 1941, has announced a new operating name to better reflect its mission
Credit: Broadway Dallas
Courtesy: Broadway Dallas
DALLAS — Dallas Summer Musicals, the long-running performing arts organization that brings national touring productions to the Music Hall at Fair Park, is changing its name to Broadway Dallas.
The rebrand allows Broadway Dallas to launch new sub-brands that better reflect the non-profit's core mission and investment in educational programs and community partnerships, according to the organization's press release.
"We changed our name from Dallas Summer Musicals to Broadway Dallas to accurately capture who we are and what we do," said Ken Novice, president and CEO of Broadway Dallas.
Broadway Dallas began in 1941 as Opera Under the Stars. Since then, the organization has evolved into one of the country's premier regional performing arts organizations.
Broadway Dallas, a 501(c)(3), seeks to 'share the spirit of Broadway' by emphasizing the importance of equitable access to arts and arts education.
In 2021, Broadway Dallas and Dallas ISD partnered to create a curriculum using Hamilton to get students excited about STEM education.
RELATED: Dallas ISD students to participate in special STEAM program around hit musical 'Hamilton'
As part of that program, 3,400 Dallas ISD students attended a free performance of the Tony Award-winning musical during its run at the Music Hall in December.
The organization's annual High School Musical Theatre Awards provides scholarship opportunities for high school performers and the chance to compete at the national Jimmy Awards presented by the Broadway League Foundation.
Rebranding to Broadway Dallas resolves a slight misnomer baked into the organization's previous name, Dallas Summer Musicals, since the group offers productions year-round.
Along with the name chance announcement, Broadway Dallas revealed its upcoming 2022-2023 season lineup of shows in partnership with Broadway Across America.
The new season begins with the Tony Award-winning production of Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations starting on September 6.
Beginning November 1, Broadway Dallas welcomes a renowned production of the Lerner and Lowe classic, My Fair Lady.
Broadway Dallas is bringing the Tudor era to Fair Park starting December 6, with the new national tour of SIX, the smash hit musical that features the six wives of Henry VIII as pop music queens performing in a concert.
Kicking off the new year, Pretty Woman: The Musical takes the stage starting January 24, 2023, in a musical adaptation of the Hollywood romance.
The Tony Award-winning stage treatment of Baz Luhrmann's revolutionary film, Moulin Rouge, visits Fair Park starting March 15, 2023.
Tootsie, the musical adaptation of the 1982 film, is the sixth show in the upcoming Broadway Dallas season presented by Germania Insurance. The production begins April 18, 2023.
Aaron Sorkin's rewrite of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning work, To Kill a Mockingbird, rounds out the season at the Music Hall starting May 16, 2023.
Irish dancing will be featured in Broadway Dallas's season option, Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show, in a limited engagement from June 6 through June 8, 2023.
“With new blockbusters, classics, and crowd favorites, it’s a stunning season that offers many opportunities to make new memories with your friends and family," Novice said.
Broadway Dallas' 2022-2023 offerings:
Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations (starting Sept. 6)
My Fair Lady (starting Nov. 1)
SIX (starting Dec. 6)
Pretty Woman: The Musical (starting Jan. 24, 2023)
Moulin Rouge (March 15, 2023)
Tootsie (starting April 18, 2023)
To Kill a Mockingbird (starting May 16, 2023)
WFAA is a sponsor of Broadway Dallas.
West Side Story: Breathtaking cinema 'Tonight' or any night | 2022-03-25T01:45:24Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas Summer Musicals now Broadway Dallas: Schedule, shows | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-summer-musicals-music-hall-fair-park-schedule-will-now-be-known-as-broadway-dallas-heres-their-2022-23-lineup/287-32ed5da3-c373-436a-b80c-9e9e79a21e6c | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-summer-musicals-music-hall-fair-park-schedule-will-now-be-known-as-broadway-dallas-heres-their-2022-23-lineup/287-32ed5da3-c373-436a-b80c-9e9e79a21e6c |
City and school board elections in the area have become increasingly heated and driven record voter turnouts, but Mayor John Huffman says Southlake is united
SOUTHLAKE, Texas — Tune in to WFAA News 8 at 10 for the full story.
Mayor John Huffman describes Southlake as welcoming and unified.
“People move to Southlake intentionally,” he said in a recent one-on-one, sit-down interview with WFAA. “They want to be here.”
Recent city and school board elections, though, have demonstrated that the city is far from united. Heated debates and passion over the direction of the town and its school board have driven record voter turnouts in races traditionally overlooked.
Huffman isn't surprised by that. He says the city’s identity is tied to its school district, and that Carroll ISD is major reason many move to the area.
"The top of everybody’s list is the schools, the incredible schools," he said in his WFAA interview. "Beyond that, it’s the community feeling."
Despite its relatively small size of just over 30,000 city residents and 8,000 district students, the community and its schools alike have repeatedly been the focus of national and local coverage in recent years. Huffman says he believes this could be because of the many successes to be found in his city, where the median household income is more than $240,000.
“You know I can’t speak for why,” Huffman said. “I know Southlake historically has gotten a lot of press because, I mean, it’s a very aspirational community.”
Very little of the coverage, however, has focused on wealth.
Southlake started popping up in the media's crosshairs in 2018, when a video went viral of students chanting the N-word. A second, similar video surfaced in 2019, drawing further attention.
Then, during a multi-year debate over a controversial school district diversity plan, hundreds of current and former students submitted testimonies of bullying within the district.
More recently, international news coverage centered around a recording that captured a district administrator telling teachers to offer students books with opposing viewpoints on issues that might come up in class -- including, even, the Holocaust.
"When humans treat each other poorly, and it manifests itself in things like -- like some of the things you’ve seen..." Huffman said.
"...like racism?" WFAA asked. "Do you think that Southlake has a problem with racism?"
"No, no," Huffman said. "Does Southlake have a problem with racism? Is it a racist place? Absolutely not."
After the first slur video went viral in 2018, Huffman -- then a councilmember -- told a local news outlet that "racism is real, it's around us and sweeping it under the rug is not going to help."
Southlake isn’t alone in having to publicly deal with issues of changing racial justice or polarized politics. But when the federal government launched an investigation into three student complaints at Carroll ISD, Huffman theorized in a Facebook post that "this investigation is retaliation" for voters recently electing candidates opposed to a school district diversity plan.
Carroll ISD's superintendent later confirmed, however, that the complaints were filed months before the election.
Still, Huffman is steadfast that he opposes the intrusion from the feds.
"To have the federal government usurp the voter direction that was given and say, 'We want the new Superintendent to address them how we want them to address them,' to have them come in and usurp them, was at best counterproductive,” Huffman told WFAA.
That hasn't happened, though. Not to this point in time, anyway. The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights says its investigation is ongoing, and they have not yet told the district to enact any particular policies.
Huffman's children are homeschooled and do not attend Carroll ISD. The mayor also recently hosted a fundraiser at his home for Tarrant County District Attorney candidate Matt Krause, who has become a central figure in book-banning debates across the country. In October, Krause sent a letter to school districts, asking if they had any of roughly 850 books that discuss race, gender and LGTBQ issues.
Huffman doesn't think any of those matters rise to the level of "issues" in Southlake. He points to cultural heritage events the city hosts as evidence that the community welcomes all.
"Southlake is an amazing welcoming place," Huffman said to WFAA. "It’s disappointing to see it portrayed [that way], especially in the national media -- because, honestly, it doesn’t reflect reality."
He and recent school board members were all elected to their positions by near identical 70-30 voting margins, and a vocal minority says they're being increasingly ignored by elected officials whose views oppose their own. Huffman disagrees with that sentiment, and says his office door is open to all.
"There’s a difference between not being heard and not being agreed with," Huffman said. "There are some philosophical differences that, frankly, some folks will never be able to bridge the gap with me."
In August of 2020, Huffman was in attendance at an event where then-Texas GOP leader Allen West gave a speech told the crowd they should tell non-conservatives who move to Texas to "go back to where you came from."
Huffman had no response when asked about the speech.
Instead, he says that the best thing for people with concerns to do is voice their opinions at the ballot box. But after several recent elections -- including his own -- it's clear that the divisions within this community are still as wide as ever.
"The great thing about Southlake," Huffman told WFAA, "is we work through those issues together."
New federal complaint against Carroll ISD claims district creates hostile environment for certain students
Carroll ISD rejects long-debated diversity plan in new lawsuit settlement | 2022-03-25T01:45:30Z | www.wfaa.com | Southlake mayor says city doesn't have problem with racism, unity | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/southlake-mayor-says-city-doesnt-have-problem-with-racism-or-unity-amid-student-complaints-parent-concerns-and-national-coverage/287-733b0746-eadd-481a-915f-256d68a31a1e | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/southlake-mayor-says-city-doesnt-have-problem-with-racism-or-unity-amid-student-complaints-parent-concerns-and-national-coverage/287-733b0746-eadd-481a-915f-256d68a31a1e |
The CEO of Refugee Services of Texas told WFAA an estimated 12,000 Ukrainian refugees will resettle throughout Texas.
DALLAS — The U.S. is gearing up to welcome refugees from Ukraine.
On Thursday, the White House announced that the U.S. will welcome 100,000 Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian war in Ukraine.
Russell Smith, the CEO of Refugee Services of Texas, told WFAA he anticipates his organization will help between 3,000 to 5,000 refugees resettle, but details on a timeline are still in the works.
In total, Smith estimates up to 12,000 Ukrainian refugees will arrive in Texas.
“My guess is that number will increase over time,” Smith said. “It’s a moral and ethical duty to help people who are in harm’s way.”
More than 3.6 million refugees have fled Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began, according to UN refugee agency data.
While millions of Ukrainians have fled, many have chosen to stay.
Nataliia Samkova, a native of Ukraine who lives in Dallas, has parents living 20 minutes outside of Kyiv.
“It’s been hard,” Samkova said. "Every day, I call my parents. They just text me, we are alive. Then, I go to bed."
Her concern for her parent’s safety has only grown in the last month of war.
“For two weeks I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, I was crying, couldn’t do anything. How to help? You lose so much energy,” Samkova said.
While the U.S. prepares to welcome Ukrainian refugees, Samkova’s parents refuse to leave their country.
“I’m begging them, please come to the United States. They said, ‘No Natalia, this is our war. Our country,’” Samkova said.
It’s that love of country that makes the images of Ukrainian cities turned to rubble so heartbreaking for Samkova.
“I just can't wait when we finally receive the text message, the war is over,” Samkova said. “I wanna run and hug my parents, the people of Ukraine… they’re all in pain, you know?” | 2022-03-25T05:05:11Z | www.wfaa.com | Texas getting ready to welcome thousands of Ukrainian refugees | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas-organizations-gearing-up-welcome-thousands-ukrainian-refugees/287-83bb0a86-8bb8-4d1b-b788-3bb46d5842ea | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas-organizations-gearing-up-welcome-thousands-ukrainian-refugees/287-83bb0a86-8bb8-4d1b-b788-3bb46d5842ea |
Houston advances to take on Villanova in the Elite 8 on Saturday.
These Cougars are much different than the ones coach Kelvin Sampson took the Final Four last year — their first since going three times in a row during the Phi Slama Jama era from 1982-84.
Arizona had one of the least-experienced teams in Division I this season; according to KenPom.com, the Wildcats average 0.63 years of experience, ranking 355th out of 358 teams. But they won 33 games, and two of their losses were on the road during the regular season against top-20 teams. | 2022-03-25T14:21:52Z | www.wfaa.com | UH vs. Arizona Sweet 16 matchup | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/houston-cougars-arizona-wildcats-sweet-16/285-bfc4c762-01fd-49b7-9e4d-8c3eabc409af | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/houston-cougars-arizona-wildcats-sweet-16/285-bfc4c762-01fd-49b7-9e4d-8c3eabc409af |
Oscars preview: How to watch, and our picks for the top awards
There really is no such thing as a guarantee when it comes to the Oscars, but the supporting acting categories are as close as they come this year.
DALLAS — The 94th Academy Awards are almost here! Watch the Oscars on WFAA at 7 p.m. on Sunday
Here's our preview of the top awards:
There really is no such thing as a guarantee when it comes to the Oscars, but the supporting acting categories are as close as they come this year. With Supporting Actress, the three best performances weren't even nominated. That's Catriona Balfe in "Belfast," Ann Dowd in "Mass" and Cate Blanchett in "Nightmare Alley." Given the nominees, Ariana DeBose is a great choice. Her versatility as the fiery Anita in the reimagining of "West Side Story" is award-worthy, not to mention her terrific dancing. She's also been very public with her pride as an Afro-Latina and identifying as queer. So, she ticks the box for diversity.
Ditto for representation for Troy Kotsur, for Supporting Actor in "CODA." He plays the deaf father of a teenaged girl who hears. She's crucial to his fishing business, so when she wants to go away to college and pursue her love of music, it tears the family apart. Along with DeBose, Kotsur has run the table on awards coming into the Oscars. And, like her, there's no reason to change course now. He beautifully represents a community rarely seen in film. I might have gone Kodi Smit-McPhee as the mysterious son in "The Power of the Dog," but Kotsur it will be on Sunday night.
This is an interesting category. All five women are nominated in movies that are not nominated for Best Picture. Their performances are strong enough to stand on their own. Jessica Chastain has the momentum on this one, for her spot on (and mascara on) portrayal of Tammy Faye Bakker in "The Eyes of Tammy Faye." All the others are worthy, too.. not a weak performance in the bunch. Olivia Colman might have been the favorite if she hadn't recently won.. twice. Chastain is also a producer on the film, and this is a passion project she's been working to bring to the screen for years. Everyone knows that. The 'eyes' have it! Though the film isn't that great, she is. I can go along with it.
Like Chastain, Will Smith has likely produced himself to his first Oscar. There's a huge swell of support for him as the brash and passionate father of Venus and Serena Williams in "King Richard." As his character wills his daughters to superstardom (with tons of sweat equity by the gifted girls), so too, as one of the more popular men in Hollywood, he'll likely will his way to his first Oscar. By the way, if you're keeping score, all four of the favored acting nominees would be first-time winners. That's something to celebrate in itself! My choice would have been Andrew Garfield in "tick, tick...BOOM!" A non-singer learning voice and keyboards to so energetically tell the story of "Rent" creator Jonathan Larson, he was simply magnificent. Benedict Cumberbatch is also deserving in "The Power of the Dog," and Denzel Washington is none too shabby in the "The Tragedy of Macbeth." But Hollywood likes to spread the wealth, and it looks like Smith will cash in.
Like the other categories, one name has come up as Best Director at virtually all the awards shows to this point: Jane Campion for "The Power of the Dog." She does a magnificent job leading a perfect cast in this story of toxic masculinity in Depression-era Montana. Due to pandemic restrictions, she filmed in her native New Zealand. The mountains look entirely different. But it's something you have to forgive. Her work is flawless, her film is close (despite what "1883's" Sam Elliott says) Steven Spielberg brought "West Side Story" back to life in such a vibrant and creative way, he could rightly claim the prize, but no way it's going to happen. Lin Manuel Miranda should have been nominated for his genius approach to "tick, tock...BOOM!" but was overlooked. So, power to Jane!
That brings us to Best Picture. At one point, Campion's masterpiece looked to be a shoo-in. Now it could be a two or three-way race. "CODA" has come up big at the SAG Awards, the Producers Guild Awards, even the BAFTAs in London, and the momentum could carry it all the way to the top prize on Sunday night. People love rewarding the love portrayed in this movie. But the Best Picture winner is determined in an odd preferential way. If the leading vote-getter doesn't get more than 50%, the number two votes get consideration. (Suffice it to say, it really complicated.) If "Power" and "CODA" are split, "Belfast" could sneak up and win. If "Power" and "Belfast" split the top votes, "CODA" could come through. Any way you shake it, the biggest prize of the night, could be the surprise of the night. As for my pick, my heart is with Kenneth Branaugh's heartfelt tribute to his troubled hometown in "Belfast," but my head is with "Power." | 2022-03-25T15:56:18Z | www.wfaa.com | Oscars preview: Who will take home the Academy Awards? | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/movies/academy-awards-oscars-preview-how-to-watch-on-wfaa-and-our-picks-for-the-top-awards/287-6f809cc5-82d7-4c74-8a7c-91e9405e0f0e | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/movies/academy-awards-oscars-preview-how-to-watch-on-wfaa-and-our-picks-for-the-top-awards/287-6f809cc5-82d7-4c74-8a7c-91e9405e0f0e |
With 'The Lost City' and 'Infinite Storm,' two women, two very different adventures
Sandra Bullock gladly takes up the mantle in her new comedy/adventure "The Lost City."
Ah, to be stuck in the jungle with Channing Tatum. Somebody has to do it! Sandra Bullock gladly takes up the mantle in her new comedy/adventure "The Lost City." She's a best-selling romance novelist. He's her cover model who tends to blur the line between fantasy and reality. She's also a reclusive widow. Her husband was an archeologist who specialized in ancient languages, and she's familiar, too. When a megalomaniac played by Daniel Radcliffe, is bent on finding a rare jeweled crown, he seeks her out. We call it 'kidnapping!' Soon she's off to an exotic island said to be home to this crown. Who comes after his damsel in distress, but hunky Tatum! He doesn't go it alone, though. He enlists a mercenary he met at a meditation retreat, played by Brad Pitt. Mayhem in the pursuit of bad guys follows.
Having last seen Bullock in the bleak drama, "The Unforgivable," I couldn't wait for a rom-com. While this is entertaining, (I'm sure everyone's heard about her pulling leeches off Tatum's backside) it's not the knockout that I was hoping for. Pitt sets the bar so high with his silly send-up, the rest never catches up. Bullock says this is her last movie in a while, wanting to devote more time to her kids. I wish she'd exit on a stronger note, but I'll take anything from her and enjoy it.
(Paramount Pictures. Rated PG-13. Running Time 1hr. 52m. In Theaters Only)
She's braved a tsunami in 2012's "The Impossible," now Naomi Watts is scaling the heights in "Infinite Storm." So, you'd think she'd be your go-to gal when danger descends. On the contrary. She says you'd want to go ahead and call someone else! "Infinite Storm" is based on the true story of Pam Bales, a seasoned climber and rescue team member in New Hampshire. One day she sets out on a hike, and a blizzard moves in. As she turns around to go back, she encounters a man who appears to be stranded but resists her help. Eventually, she learns they share life-changing stories of grief, and it all comes poetically full circle.
It's interesting what kinds of films were produced during the pandemic. They tend to deal with isolation and feature small casts. This fits that mold but is a cut above - a fine adventure about the lengths we're willing to put ourselves through to come out on the other side. Despite her humility, Watts is very convincing and is in steady hands with Polish director Malgorzata Szumowska. Mavericks fans, you'll be interested to know, the movie was filmed in Luka Doncic's homeland of Slovenia, while he's at the top of the NBA!
(Bleecker Street. Rated R. Running Time 1hr. 44m. In Theaters Only.) | 2022-03-25T15:56:24Z | www.wfaa.com | Movie Reviews: The Lost City and Infinite Storm | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/movies/movie-reviews-with-the-lost-city-and-infinite-storm-two-women-two-very-different-adventures/287-436acf6b-705c-483f-b635-78167ce41c0a | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/movies/movie-reviews-with-the-lost-city-and-infinite-storm-two-women-two-very-different-adventures/287-436acf6b-705c-483f-b635-78167ce41c0a |
Darlene Greene says the organizations doing the work in North Texas need more support from lawmakers to get resources, but in the meantime, donations help.
DALLAS — When women call Darlene Greene to request help with finding a shelter, she typically gives the same piece of advice: "Tell them you're running for your life," she said. "That's the only way they'll get it in."
Greene is the founder and executive director of the Ina Mae Greene Foundation, a non-profit organization that serves domestic violence survivors. Her organization is named after her aunt, who was murdered by her abuser.
"My mother lost her sister," Greene said. "I lost my sister and my cousin."
Greene was abused as well by her ex-husband.
Her experience, as well as the experiences of her relatives, fuel her passion to serve as an advocate for survivors in North Texas. They call her, and she connects them with resources and shelter.
The problem is, for the past nearly 10 years, there's been a shift. There's no room.
“The shelters are always full," Greene said. "They’re always full. Every shelter. We’re sending women all the way to Denton and halfway to Oklahoma, out to Tyler and Longview because we can’t…there’s no place for them to be.”
While there's been a recent sentiment that the influx of survivors is a result of heightened awareness, Greene said she believes more people are being abused than ever before with more societal pressure keeping survivors from getting help.
“This problem is getting bigger, and it’s not going away," Greene said. "It’s not going away. Women and children are dying every day, and if we don’t stop pretending like we and the people we know and love have not been in a violent relationship, then it’s never going to get better.”
Greene said her work isn't about "solving" the problem. She said they can't. The goal is to make sure there are resources for survivors to empower them to leave abusive situations, and to support them once they're faced with the hard work of rebuilding their lives.
She said that's hard to do when there are so many hurdles to getting shelter -- often one of the largest hurdles to seeking help.
Greene said there is a network of about a dozen shelters in North Texas that focus specifically on serving domestic violence survivors.
"We all work together," Greene said. "That's the only way we can stay afloat."
There's a voucher program that provides hotel stays for survivors when there isn't room in the shelter. Survivors have to qualify for a voucher through a screening process. Greene said groups are running out of money to be able to provide enough to meet the need.
“The issue with the vouchers, now, for hotels is there are so many women and we can only keep them in the hotels for so long," said Greene.
Debra Nixon Bowles is the founder and CEO of Women Called Moses Coalition and Outreach Inc., a group that focuses on serving survivors in the southern sector of Dallas.
Bowles said the influx of survivors is worse than she's ever seen, and she said the numbers skyrocketed during the pandemic lockdown.
Since Jan. 1, 2022, Bowles said her organization has provided more than 400 vouchers.
Greene said the total number of vouchers provided in North Texas is likely much higher.
"Not every agency is reporting the data," Greene said. "We can't keep up."
Greene said the organizations doing the work in North Texas need more support from lawmakers to get the resources they need, but in the meantime, donations help.
She said the greatest need is for facilities to expand shelters into, as well as monetary donations for vouchers and supplies.
Here are some organizations to reach out to if you'd like to help.
Ina Mae Greene Foundation
Women Called Moses or call 972-298-1155
The Family Place
One Safe Place
Brighter Tomorrows | 2022-03-26T04:06:12Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas-Fort Worth domestic violence shelters need donations | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/domestic-violence-shelters-across-north-texas-are-full-running-out-of-vouchers-for-survivors-hotel-stays/287-2345fcf4-8695-42e3-b2b9-cfd4cd3cd83c | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/domestic-violence-shelters-across-north-texas-are-full-running-out-of-vouchers-for-survivors-hotel-stays/287-2345fcf4-8695-42e3-b2b9-cfd4cd3cd83c |
Police say the man's body was found in a levee near South Riverfront Boulevard and Cadiz Street.
DALLAS — A homicide investigation is underway after a man was found dead with a stab wound in a levee near the Trinity River in Dallas, police said.
Police said they were called on Saturday to the 1200 block of Rock Island Street, near South Riverfront Boulevard and Cadiz Street. Arriving officers found the man's body in a levee and partially in the water, according to police.
Dallas Fire-Rescue arrived and confirmed the man, who appeared to be in his 50s, was dead, police said.
Police said the man had a stab wound in his upper torso and appeared to be beaten in his face. The cause of his death is unknown at this time.
Further details were not immediately released as police investigate the murder.
Anyone who may have information is urged to call police at 214-671-3083. | 2022-03-27T03:17:06Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas crime: Man found dead in levee near Trinity River | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/man-found-dead-stab-wound-levee-trinity-river-dallas/287-2c9d2093-67cd-49ef-b7ec-15ff68399d03 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/man-found-dead-stab-wound-levee-trinity-river-dallas/287-2c9d2093-67cd-49ef-b7ec-15ff68399d03 |
Fire officials said nearby residents should stay aware of developments and be prepared to leave quickly if they receive an evacuation order.
Aerial images of the Das Goat wildfire in Medina County, Texas, just west of San Antonio, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.
SAN ANTONIO — Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for Medina County Sunday as nearly two dozen agencies continue to battle the Das Goat Fire, which has burned more than 1,000 acres since Friday afternoon.
Three homes in the region have been destroyed by the blaze, but no deaths or injuries have been reported. The fire is about 10% contained as of Sunday afternoon.
About 200 firefighters were being enlisted to fight what has been officially named the Das Goat Fire, according to the governor; among those agencies which have contributed personnel are the Medina County Sheriff's Office, Texas Dept. of Public Safety, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens.
Mandatory evacuations were issued Saturday for some areas, and shelters are operational for families who have been displaced (more information below). Fire officials with Medina County said more evacuations were possible Sunday, adding residents in the area should be ready with a "go bag" in the car or near the exit of the home.
At the same time, Abbott, along with Medina County leaders, expressed optimism about the fight to suppress the Das Goat Fire, while also hoping for rain to assist. Meanwhile, crews are working to restore power to homes after the blaze affected powerlines in the area.
The Medina County Courthouse said on Sunday Chris Schuchart signed a local disaster declaration as well, due to the widespread and severe damage caused by the fire. A photo of the signed declaration was posted to their Facebook.
Medina County Judge, Chris Schuchart signed a Local Disaster Declaration due to widespread and severe damage resulting...
Posted by Medina County Courthouse on Sunday, March 27, 2022
Officials continue advising the general public to stay clear of the area. Smoke plumes will be visible from San Antonio and will directly impact the air quality near Medina Lake, Bandera, Pipe Creek, Boerne, Comfort and Kerrville.
A Red Flag Warning was issued for Sunday as well. See below for more information.
Loma Alta Middle School (266 County Road 381 South, until Monday)
A Black Hawk helicopter was flown over the fire to do water drops on Saturday, and planes were seen gathering water from the nearby lake.
“Whatever happens to this fire in the coming days, the most important thing you all can do is protect your lives," Abbott said. "Do everything you can to save your own life.” | 2022-03-27T22:09:03Z | www.wfaa.com | Updates on Das Goat wildfire in Medina County, Texas | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/400-acres-burning-in-medina-county-cause-recommended-evacuations-friday-night/273-709d8be8-d187-494d-b82c-59928c525ba9 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/400-acres-burning-in-medina-county-cause-recommended-evacuations-friday-night/273-709d8be8-d187-494d-b82c-59928c525ba9 |
Sean Penn Vows to Publicly 'Smelt' His Oscar Statues If Volodymyr Zelensky Is Not Invited to Speak
If the Academy did not invite Ukraine's president to appear at the 2022 Oscars, Sean Penn has vowed to bid farewell to his golden statues.
While appearing remotely from Warsaw, Poland, on Saturday, the two-time Oscar winner did not mince words as he told CNN's Jim Acosta he would "smelt" his Academy Award statues in public if it turns out Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not offered an opportunity to participate in the ceremony on Sunday.
"There is nothing greater that the Academy Awards could do than to give him that opportunity to talk to all of us," Penn said of Zelensky, a fellow former actor. "This is a man who understands movies and had his own very long and successful career in that."
Penn alleged, "It is my understanding that a decision has been made not to do it. That is not me commenting on whether or not President Zelensky had wanted to."
The acclaimed actor, who co-founded crisis response organization CORE, told Acosta, "If the Academy has elected not to do it, if presenters have elected not to pursue the leadership in Ukraine who are taking bullets and bombs for us along with the Ukrainian children that they are trying to protect, then I think every single one of those people and every bit of that decision will have been the most obscene moment in all of Hollywood history."
While he noted he hopes that's not what's happened, "If it turns out to be what’s happening," Penn continued, "I would encourage everyone involved to know that though it may be their moment -- and I understand that -- to celebrate their films, it is so much more importantly their moment to shine and to protest and to boycott that Academy Awards."
A winner himself, the 61-year-old performer took home statues in 2004 and 2009 for Best Actor in a Leading Role and has attended the annual ceremony several times over the years. At the start of March, Penn revealed that he and two colleagues walked miles to the Polish border after abandoning their vehicle in Ukraine. Amid Russia's attack, the actor was in Ukraine working on a documentary of the invasion.
As the countdown continues to this year's show, Penn urged his colleagues to demonstrate their support if Zelensky was not invited to join them. "I pray that’s not what’s happened. I pray there have not been arrogant people who consider themselves representatives of the greater good in my industry that have not decided to check in with leadership in Ukraine," he said, "so I’m just gonna hope that that’s not what’s happened and I hope that everybody walks out if it is."
Last week, 2022 Oscars co-host Amy Schumer appeared remotely on The Drew Barrymore Show and said she "pitched" that Zelensky speak at the ceremony.
"I wanted to find a way to have Zelensky satellite in or make a tape or something just because there's so many eyes on the Oscars," said Schumer, who is set to host tonight's ceremony alongside Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall. "I'm not afraid to go there, but it's not me producing the Oscars."
Schumer added, "I think there's definitely pressure in one way to be like, 'This is a vacation, let people forget, we just want to have this night.' But it's like, well, we have so many eyes and ears on this show -- I think it's a great opportunity to at least comment on a couple things.'"
Sean Penn Is in Ukraine Filming Documentary on Russian Invasion
Bethenny Frankel on Raising Money for Ukraine with Maksim Chmerkovskiy | 2022-03-28T01:55:38Z | www.wfaa.com | Sean Penn Vows to Publicly 'Smelt' His Oscar Statues If Volodymyr Zelensky Is Not Invited to Speak | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/sean-penn-vows-to-publicly-smelt-his-oscar-statues-if-volodymyr-zelensky-is-not-invited-to-speak/603-886f9796-d49d-4f96-b84c-c86dfb0f3897 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/sean-penn-vows-to-publicly-smelt-his-oscar-statues-if-volodymyr-zelensky-is-not-invited-to-speak/603-886f9796-d49d-4f96-b84c-c86dfb0f3897 |
North Texas doctors say the medical community is cautiously monitoring the BA.2, or "stealth omicron" variant.
DALLAS — The number of people in North Texas hospitals with COVID-19 is the lowest it's been since the state started tracking the data in April 2020.
According to the state's dashboard, there are 264 total COVID-19 patients in hospitals in the region: 205 of those patients are in general beds, 42 are in ICU beds and 17 are pediatric patients.
In January, there were more than 4,000 patients hospitalized in the region with COVID-19.
"It’s something you can feel," said Dr. Mark Casanova, a member of the the Texas Medical Association's COVID task force and a doctor at Baylor Scott & White. "You walk in our hallways…walk in our ICU…you can feel the difference. We’re getting there."
A study released last week from UT Southwestern showed that hospitalizations have plummeted in all age groups at Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Collin counties. The study also showed infection rates are down for all cities in Dallas County.
"Our numbers have been decreasing over the past several weeks," Dr. Phil Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, said.
About a week ago, Dallas County moved from an orange transmission level to yellow, which Dr. Huang said is the lowest its been.
“It’s looking good, but there are always cautions we’re worried about," Dr. Huang said.
Dr. Huang and Dr. Casanova said the medical community is cautiously monitoring the BA.2, or "stealth omicron" variant.
“It is definitely more easily transmitted than the original omicron variant," Dr. Huang said. "Thus far, it doesn’t seem to be causing any more severe illness. It still seems to be responsive to the vaccine.”
Dr. Huang and Dr. Casanova said the best thing people can do is to get vaccinated and get a booster, if they haven't. They're waiting for guidance from the FDA about a possible fourth dose.
ABC News reports the FDA could authorize a second booster shot for Americans older than 50 years old, as soon as Tuesday. Sources told ABC News the shot will likely be offered but not formally recommended, and they would likely be available to the general public later this year.
Dr. Casanova said even though there were supply issues with vaccines when they were first offered, he doesn't anticipate any issues with meeting booster shot demand. | 2022-03-28T05:09:35Z | www.wfaa.com | North Texas doctors keeping eye on new COVID variant | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/north-texas-covid-numbers-record-lows-doctors-keep-eyes-on-new-variant/287-11040acc-68a3-4e1b-bf13-b22427c7cce0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/north-texas-covid-numbers-record-lows-doctors-keep-eyes-on-new-variant/287-11040acc-68a3-4e1b-bf13-b22427c7cce0 |
Surveillance video captured the moment a tornado tore through part of the deck and lifted a large metal awning into the air before the storm tore it apart.
BENBROOK, Texas — From a distance, it was difficult to see that a tornado tore through the old Benbrook Lake Marina.
Much of the family-owned marina suffered serious damage after last Monday’s tornado touched down in the area.
Surveillance video taken form the marina captured the tornado’s wrath last Monday.
Within a matter of seconds, the tornado tore through part of the deck and lifted a large metal awning into the air before it tore it apart.
Chandler Rogers, whose father owns the marina, told WFAA that five boats suffered severe damage. Some of the boats ended up underwater.
“It just got tossed up like a ragdoll,” Rogers said.
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-0 tornado touched down in Benbrook with winds of up to 85 mph.
The marina, which has been in the family for nearly two decades, has suffered damage before.
Six years ago, it was hit by another tornado.
“Our first thought was there’s no way we could get hit by another one,” Rogers said.
The damage is hurting their bottom line. It damaged their boat slips and docks. Over the last week, the family has spent long days clearing away the damage and lifting boats out of the water.
Rogers said without repairs, the marina will go out of business.
“For me, personally, the worst part is thinking my dad’s gonna have to sell this place,” Rogers said.
Now, the family is asking the community to help them rebuild. They’ve launched an online fundraising campaign in an effort to raise money for the repairs, which they estimate would cost more than a million dollars.
Rogers said beyond the money, the little marina means much more to him and his family.
“I’ve been coming here since I was five,” Rogers said. “Memories go back as far as I can remember being here.”
He hopes the family will be able to make new memories at the lake long after the whirlwind of destruction. | 2022-03-28T05:09:41Z | www.wfaa.com | Tornado heavily damages Benbrook Lake Marina | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/tornado-damage-family-that-owns-benbrook-lake-marina-asking-for-help/287-b978e5d8-39e8-4e1a-bedb-8d147eb47bf3 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/tornado-damage-family-that-owns-benbrook-lake-marina-asking-for-help/287-b978e5d8-39e8-4e1a-bedb-8d147eb47bf3 |
In the sea of 2022 Oscars dresses, Jessica Chastain was sparkling.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye star, who is nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards this year, stepped out onto the red carpet in a dreamy bronze and purple ombré Gucci gown, adorned with sparkling sequins and complete with an organza ruffle-trimmed hem. Completing the look, the actress sported diamond and white gold jewelry by the brand, her elaborate earrings on perfect display with her red hair swept up into a high pony tail. The overall look was, in a word, dreamy. And, as Chastain told ET's Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner, reminiscent of Old Hollywood.
"When I saw the sketch, I was, like, 'You know what -- this looks like a dress I haven’t seen before,'" she recalled, noting the gown's color combination.
Continued Chastain, "It just felt like me because also there's something about it that feels very Old Hollywood...but it has sparkles, which is very me."
While eyes are on her, the star was busy greeting fans along the red carpet -- "Those people are the only reason I get to do what I do"-- posing with her husband, Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, and gushing over her fellow nominees, which include Olivia Colman, Penélope Cruz, Nicole Kidman and Kristen Stewart. Or as she described, "The most incredible group of women."
"These women are phenomenal," she told ET. While Chastain explained she isn't expecting to win tonight, the star was happy to be there to celebrate her fellow nominees. "They're like my goddesses," she said, "so I'm so happy." | 2022-03-28T08:06:08Z | www.wfaa.com | Jessica Chastain on Her Dreamy 2022 Oscars Dress: 'It Just Felt Like Me' (Exclusive) | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/jessica-chastain-on-her-dreamy-2022-oscars-dress-it-just-felt-like-me-exclusive/603-61edf13d-eead-4237-ae89-ddfee39d7b6d | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/jessica-chastain-on-her-dreamy-2022-oscars-dress-it-just-felt-like-me-exclusive/603-61edf13d-eead-4237-ae89-ddfee39d7b6d |
The sisters stunned in wildly different looks, with Venus sporting a white gown with chrome details and Serena wearing a pink gown. The latter Williams sister accessorized her gown, which featured black flowers, with black lace gloves and matching platform heels.
Serena also posed on the red carpet with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, who wore a classic black and white tuxedo.
ET spoke to Venus on Sunday and she said she had no expectations about King Richard winning Oscars but was taking the experience in.
"I mean, I walk into this just grateful -- no expectations," she said. "I'm just happy to be nominated and if we can win, I'm going to be taking some straight champagne."
"This is so unexpected, you know?" she added. "I mean, we put our heart and our soul into this film and who knows what will happen and hopefully it's something you're proud of and that's the best part. We're proud of this."
She also reacted to Beyoncé performing in support of the film.
"I know, I couldn't imagine it. I mean, it's like a storybook for us right now. It really is," she marveled. "Like wow, just wow. This place, Beyoncé, Will Smith, red carpet, Oscars, should I go on? It's just incredible. I'm just from up the street – Compton, California, and so it just shows that believing in yourself, your values is what matters."
At the 2022 Critics Choice Awards, Will Smith -- who plays Richard in the film -- thanked Serena and Venus as well as their mother, Oracene Price, when he took home the Best Actor award.
"I really just want to say to all of you, thank you for entrusting me with your story," he said. "What you were able to do and what your family was able to do inspired everyone in this room, everyone in this country, and everyone around the world."
"You all define the American dream. You represent the best of what we all hope this world and this country can be," he continued. "And I want to also share this and say to your mother, who for a lot of years, took a really quiet role, and I love that we were able to show what your mother did to help create and mold and shape your family, and to be able to show to the world the power of faith, the power of unity, the power of the family, the power of discipline."
ET spoke with Serena in February, and the legendary tennis champ talked about what's next for her after she eventually retires.
"I am prepared for that day, I've been prepared for that day for over a decade," she said. "So, I've always -- if you've seen King Richard -- you know that my dad always said you got to prepare, so I've been prepared for that. You know, at the end of the day, I think it's really important to always have a plan and that's kind of what I did. I always had a plan."
One thing she's still figuring out is the timing when it comes to having more kids. Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, are already parents to their adorable 4-year-old daughter, Olympia.
"I definitely want to have more kids, it's just like, balance is key, you know, and just trying to find that balance," she shared. "I don't know, it's always like, OK, are we ready? And I know the clock is ticking so I'm just like, OK, I need to figure out when that's going to be, but hopefully soon when I will feel no pressure." | 2022-03-28T08:07:03Z | www.wfaa.com | Serena and Venus Williams Slay at 2022 Oscars | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/serena-and-venus-williams-slay-at-2022-oscars/603-c65578f5-b487-4dc2-b5af-ec83dccb6f84 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/serena-and-venus-williams-slay-at-2022-oscars/603-c65578f5-b487-4dc2-b5af-ec83dccb6f84 |
The shooting happened shortly after 8 p.m. near the Turkey Dam bar in the 2500 block of McKinney Avenue.
Officers respond to a shooting in Uptown Dallas on Sunday evening.
DALLAS — Two men were shot near an Uptown Dallas bar on Sunday night, police said.
Both victims were taken to a hospital, and their conditions were unknown early Monday.
Officers working at the bar were responding to someone who had been assaulted when they "heard rapid gunfire nearby," according to a police news release.
The officers found two victims, both men, who had been injured in the shooting. One man had been shot in the leg and the other man was shot in the shoulder, police said.
Dallas Fire-Rescue took both men to the hospital for treatment.
No one has been arrested, and police are still looking for a suspect. | 2022-03-28T13:07:09Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas Uptown shooting: 2 injured outside Turkey Dam bar | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/2-men-shot-outside-of-uptown-dallas-bar-turkey-dam-sunday-night-police-say/287-b7ed8645-32f3-4211-8fe2-78fd6e050dde | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/2-men-shot-outside-of-uptown-dallas-bar-turkey-dam-sunday-night-police-say/287-b7ed8645-32f3-4211-8fe2-78fd6e050dde |
When top prospect Josh Jung went down for the season, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa was traded, the Texas Rangers left the hot corner as a riddle to solve in 2022.
DALLAS — A big part of the reason that the Texas Rangers could justify their historic winter expenditures to try to pull themselves out of their rebuilding tailspin was because they had few salary commitments left on the books and their farm system was trending upward with oncoming, inexpensive prospects.
A big cog in the revival on the farm came with the breakthrough and emergence of third baseman Josh Jung. The former Texas Tech star was taken with the No. 8 overall selection in the 2019 MLB Draft and was likely ready to claim the starting job at the hot corner for the Rangers this season as a prime Rookie of the Year candidate after he hit .326/.398/.592 in 78 games split between AA and AAA ball in 2021.
That all changed in late February when Jung felt discomfort in his non-throwing shoulder while lifting weights, an injury that eventually required surgery to repair a torn labrum. With Jung’s left shoulder now in need of extended rehab, what was sure to be his coming out party in the big leagues has become something of a lost season.
Jung’s injury represents a big blow for the Rangers as they miss out on the promotion of one of their important prospects that had been planned to serve as the proof of concept for signing a brand new, star-ladden middle infield for half a billion dollars. In addition, with Jung missing his opportunity to debut in 2022, Texas is left with a mystery of just who will man third base.
For a while, after Jung’s injury, the answer at third base seemed simple enough. After all, the Rangers had the 2020 American League Gold Glove third baseman on the roster. It would have been easy to just slide Isiah Kiner-Falefa back to third base and indeed that was the expectation for the weeks leading up to spring training.
However, days after the lockout ended, the Rangers traded Kiner-Falefa to the Minnesota Twins for catcher Mitch Garver after Kiner-Falefa expressed displeasure with returning to third base after spending the 2021 season at shortstop. With Corey Seager manning the position for the foreseeable future, shortstop wasn’t in the cards for Kiner-Falefa and with him on his way out, the Rangers had to come up with another option at third base.
Seager’s brother Kyle – a longtime Rangers nemesis with the Seattle Mariners – was looked at as a possibility, but after retiring following an 11-year career, Texas was forced to turn elsewhere.
In 2021, the Rangers used Brock Holt and Charlie Culberson as platoon partners at the position with Holt appearing in 69 games and Culberson appearing in 68. Yonny Hernandez also contributed 29 appearances at the hot corner. In total, third basemen for the Rangers produced an OPS of .600, second worst in baseball.
Meanwhile, Andy Ibáñez enjoyed a solid debut for Texas as a utility infielder. Though never considered one of the team’s top prospects, Ibáñez hit .277/.321/.435 for the Rangers in 76 games. Turning 30 just before the season begins, the 2015 Cuban free agent hit .288/.355/.455 in five full seasons in the minor leagues, playing all over the infield.
Andy Ibañez making his hot corner presence known today. His second Rob of Owen Miller. #Rangers https://t.co/bcrGk9YLG6 pic.twitter.com/0BsuEnGXwC
— Alex Plinck🏳️🌈 (@aplinckTX) March 21, 2022
It appears as though Ibáñez is penciled in as the likely starter at third base for the Rangers, a position he manned for 10 games with Texas last season and in 171 games stateside in the minor leagues. The majority of those games came as Triple-A Round Rock’s regular third baseman in 2018.
Other third base options for Texas include Brad Miller, a former infielder who was signed by the Rangers to primarily platoon in left field, Culberson, who was re-signed on a minor league deal, and former All-Star and Fort Worth native Matt Carpenter, who signed a minor league pact with Texas after 11 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.
On the farm, spring standouts Josh Smith and Davis Wendzel will alternate time at shortstop and third base at Round Rock and could be looked upon as options later in the year if they force their way to the big leagues.
For now, the job in 2022 seems to be Ibáñez’s to lose as he aims to keep the hot corner warm until Josh Jung can make his now long-anticipated debut to lock down third base in Arlington for years to come.
Do you think the Rangers will be able to cobble together solid production at third base in 2022? Share your thoughts with us on Twitter @BaseballTX. | 2022-03-28T15:20:44Z | www.wfaa.com | Texas Rangers preview: Texas plays the waiting game at third base | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/mlb/rangers/texas-rangers-positional-preview-third-base-2022/287-ba2e4429-0d6b-4e63-b2a3-347bc5548802 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/mlb/rangers/texas-rangers-positional-preview-third-base-2022/287-ba2e4429-0d6b-4e63-b2a3-347bc5548802 |
'It concerns me': Dallas comedians respond to Will Smith's actions at the Oscars
"It concerns me because I don't want people to be imitating what they see Will Smith doing," said Dallas Comedy Club owner Ian William Caruth.
DALLAS — The slap heard around the world has Dallas comedians concerned about your next trip to a local comedy club.
They hope Will Smith hasn't established a new precedent on what to do when a comedian gets under your skin.
"I've been doing standup for 21 years," Dallas standup comic Paul Varghese told WFAA. Working at venues like the Dallas Comedy Club in Deep Ellum, he has been heckled before in those 21 years.
But no one has ever taken a swing at him.
"I've said plenty of offensive things in my day, whether I'm proud of them or I'm not," Varghese said. "But it doesn't warrant anybody coming up and hitting. Like if it happened in a Braum's, I get it. He made fun of your wife, then go punch him. But he's on stage. That's the liberty of being on stage."
"When somebody's attacked on stage, the show is over," said Dallas Comedy Club owner and improv comic Ian William Caruth. "If somebody attacks a performer they would absolutely get charges thrown at them and they would certainly be kicked out of here for starters," he said of security always in place to protect performers and comedy club patrons.
"The idea that the attacker was allowed to remain the room and continue for the rest of the night is very difficult for me to understand," Caruth said of actor Will Smith. "It concerns me because I don't want people to be imitating what they see Will Smith doing."
"It lets everyone else think if he can do it, well then why can't I," added Varghese, citing the same concern. "There's gonna be a situation where something like that happens."
Varghese once opened for Joan Rivers, one of the most famous insult comics of her day. And he says that like comics Don Rickles or Ricky Gervais, Chris Rock was doing what Chris Rock does and that it's what people in the front row of any comedy club should expect.
"A lot of people complaining about Chris Rock don't know Chris Rock," Varghese said of the comic's usual material, including his opening monologue as host of the Oscars in 2016 where he also delivered a line or two at the expense of Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
"To me I hope Chris Rock doesn't apologize because as a comic I feel like when you apologize it's almost like, oh, I knew I was doing something wrong. And I don't think Chris Rock was actively doing something wrong," he said.
Other than some very dated material. Maybe, Varghese says, he could apologize for that.
"Because the reference was terrible. If you're going to slap him, slap him for the G.I. Jane reference I mean that movie was 91, 92....something like that," he laughed. | 2022-03-29T04:07:55Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas comedians concerned about Will Smith Oscars incident | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-comedians-concerned-will-smith-slap-chris-rock-oscars/287-6e437723-b420-44cb-93b2-b73f96c36308 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-comedians-concerned-will-smith-slap-chris-rock-oscars/287-6e437723-b420-44cb-93b2-b73f96c36308 |
25-year-old man facing charges after robbing 10 fast food restaurants across D-FW, police say
Police said in each crime, the suspect is accused of displaying a gun and fleeing from the scene in a gray Kia Soul.
DALLAS — A 25-year-old Garland man has been arrested after allegedly robbing at least 10 fast food restaurants in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, police said.
From February 27 to March 27, Dallas police said Anthony Barnes robbed nine fast food restaurants in Dallas and one in Farmers Branch.
Police said Barnes was identified on Tuesday, March 29, and was taken into by members of the fugitive unit. He’s now facing a charge of aggravated robbery.
The Dallas Police Department said officers are executing search warrants on both Barnes’ car and apartment.
“This arrest is the result of outstanding and relentless follow up by our robbery detectives, and the great work and eventual arrest by our Fugitive Unit,” Dallas Police Department Chief Eddie Garcia said. “I am proud of our men and women and their dedication to making our city safer. This arrest should send a continued, strong message that the Dallas Police Department, along with our community, will not tolerate this criminal behavior.”
Here’s a list of the dates, times and locations where the robberies occurred:
February 27, 2022, 7:20 p.m., Burger King, 2207 E. Ledbetter Drive, Dallas
March 14, 2022, 6:35 p.m., Wendy’s, 2507 Royal Lane, Dallas
March 14, 2022, 4:08 p.m., Wendy’s 4169 LBJ Freeway, Farmers Branch
March 16, 2022, 7:32 p.m., Taco Cabana, 2635 N. Stemmons Freeway SB, Dallas
March 18, 2022, 9:54 p.m., Taco Cabana, 4360 Dallas Fort Worth Turnpike SR (I-30), Dallas
March 19, 2022, 11:19 a.m., Burger King, 14010 Coit Road, Dallas, Texas
March 21, 2022, 10:40 a.m., Burger King, 2441 Walnut Hill Ln, Dallas
March 21, 2022 3:15 p.m., Jack in the Box, 3720 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas
Man shot, killed overnight in southern Dallas, police say | 2022-03-30T03:18:16Z | www.wfaa.com | DFW fast food restaurants robbed: Garland man arrested | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/garland-man-accused-of-robbing-10-fast-food-restaurants-across-d-fw-police-say/287-19b64b51-99f8-4d14-b93d-0a6e2c3e832d | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/garland-man-accused-of-robbing-10-fast-food-restaurants-across-d-fw-police-say/287-19b64b51-99f8-4d14-b93d-0a6e2c3e832d |
The National Weather Service was responding to the area to assess the damage.
ROCKWALL, Texas — The storms that rolled through North Texas early Wednesday morning were mostly non-severe, but that didn't mean damage didn't happen.
Near Rockwall, at least five homes suffered extensive damage from the storms. The National Weather Service was responding to the area to assess the damage.
The damage happened in a neighborhood in the 900 block of Candice Circle, near Texas Highway 205, southeast of Rockwall.
Rockwall is located about 25 minutes northeast of Dallas.
The damage seen by WFAA crews included major roof damage to one home, a collapsed outdoor batting cage and a garage awning that had collapsed onto a vehicle.
We’re in Rockwall where the storm damaged at least 5 homes. @NWS is here assessing the damage. @wfaa pic.twitter.com/xgAncLEEcJ
No injuries were reported in the storms, which cleared out of North Texas by dawn Wednesday.
Fortunately, most of North Texas wasn't impacted by the weather. The region was under a tornado watch for most of the early morning hours, but no tornadoes appeared to develop.
Instead, strong winds and heavy rain were the main threats. | 2022-03-30T18:34:31Z | www.wfaa.com | DFW weather: Storms damage 5 homes in Rockwall | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dfw-weather-5-homes-damaged-by-storms-in-rockwall-county/287-25988fd1-e19e-40a4-b121-5672e4842d5d | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dfw-weather-5-homes-damaged-by-storms-in-rockwall-county/287-25988fd1-e19e-40a4-b121-5672e4842d5d |
The lawsuit originated in 2019 after dioceses and religious institutions released the names of priests they deemed “credibly accused” of sexually abusing children.
DALLAS — A lawsuit alleging priests at Jesuit College Preparatory School Dallas sexually abused students in the late 1970s and early 1980s has been settled, according to school officials.
President of the Jesuit College Preparatory School Mike Earsing sent a letter to the local Jesuit community, which said he believed the nine Dallas-area men who brought a lawsuit against the school.
“While none of us wanted to believe that any of the priests at our school could inflict such heinous injury, the fact is, a few did,” Earsing wrote in the letter.
A joint statement was issued by the men and their lawyers alongside the school, the diocese and the order. According to the statement, the financial compensation will be kept confidential.
In 2018, Jesuit Dallas named 11 priests "credibly accused" of sexually abusing minors. The names were posted in a statement written by Earsing, president of the Jesuit College Preparatory School, and published on the school's site. According to the statement, the allegations date as far back as 1955.
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Moving forward, the school has pledged to take steps toward preventing further abuse, according to the statement.
Among those steps include: designating an attorney to field any complaints from potential victims, making an on-campus memorial for victims of sexual abuse by religious leaders and updating its staff training and screening policies.
The Diocese, which is separate from Jesuit Prep, agreed to expand its review board that investigates sex abuse allegations, according to the joint statement.
One of the men who came forward was Mike Pedevilla, who told WFAA's Cynthia Izaguirre he was sexually assaulted by Father Patrick Koch, one of the priests named in the lawsuit.
Pedevilla told Izaguirre his "personal hell" began in his sophomore year in 1980.
"I struggled for years wondering what took place during that time," Pedevilla said.
You can watch Pedevilla's conversation with WFAA here:
Read the full letter from Earsing here:
Dear Friends of Jesuit Dallas,
Recently, an agreement was reached with nine of the men who filed lawsuits describing sexual abuse they experienced over 35 years ago when they were students at our school. In reaching this agreement, we have been guided by a desire to find a solution that best reflects the values central to our school’s mission. Focusing on our shared values led us to seek a path toward reconciliation and away from an adjudicatory process. This has not been an easy journey for these men, or for us. You will recall that in December 2018 the Jesuits’ Central and Southern Province released a list of Jesuits and former Jesuits against whom there were credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors. In January 2019 the Dallas Diocese released its own list of priests who were credibly accused of having inflicted abuse on minors. These lists included some priests who taught at Jesuit Dallas decades ago. While none of us wanted to believe that any of the priests at our school could inflict such heinous injury, the fact is, a few did. This letter’s purpose is not to recount the painful details of the abuse, but rather to acknowledge that abuse occurred. I have spoken with each of these men. I listened as they told me what happened. I heard how their lives have been affected and their futures altered. The priests identified by these men as their perpetrators are Fr. Dickerson, Fr. Koch, Fr. Smylie, Fr. Malatesta, and Fr. Callery. Three of these priests are deceased, one has been expelled from the priesthood, and Fr. Callery denies the allegations against him. After listening to these men, I believe them. I have communicated to each of them my sorrow, my own spirit of disconsolation, and an apology. None of these men seeks vengeance. Their foremost desire has been assurance that protocols and procedures are in place so that what happened long ago could never happen again. I have assured them, and I assure each of you, that Jesuit Dallas has had no other credible reports of sexual abuse of any kind involving an adult abusing a minor in decades, other than those lawsuits filed since 2019 which involve allegations from more than 35 years ago. We have a safe environment zero tolerance policy. We provide, and will continue to provide, a safe environment for every student, which includes electronic and on‐site security and on‐going education for every member of our community – students, faculty, staff, and parents – about the reality of sexual abuse and how to prevent it, identify it, and safely report it. Had we pursued litigation and engaged in an adjudicatory process, we could have asserted various legal defenses, including the statute of limitations; however, such an approach would not, in my view, have been aligned with our school’s values or have achieved reconciliation. These nine men have taught me how much resolve is required to come forward, even for men who hold power, position, and prestige in the world. While I hope all those who were harmed have come forward, an invitation to follow this path of reconciliation remains open to anyone who sincerely seeks it. The school and I are committed to healing, restoration, and reconciliation whenever possible and to making reporting long‐ago abuse less difficult for others. There is a temptation to turn the page on this chapter in our history. Yet to turn the page would, for me, dishonor these men, their stories, and their courage in coming forward as they have. And so rather than turning away from our past, we will memorialize it by creating a special space in our chapel where our community may pray for all people who have been abused by priests or anyone in religious authority. We live in a time where we are confronting anew painful facts about our country, our fellow citizens, and our Church. Silence and obscuration are not options in a school that values both faith and reason. In coming forward, these men have exemplified our school’s motto of being “men for others.” For that, I am forever grateful. Because yesterday we were apart, and today we are reunited.
In peace,
Mike"
If you would like to report abuse to the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, email reportabuse@cathedral.org. | 2022-03-30T20:08:17Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas Diocese, Jesuit Prep settle lawsuit alleging priest sex abuse | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/jesuit-prep-dallas-diocese-priest-sex-abuse-settlement/287-6bc77276-f8dc-4392-9c64-126d7cd4810f | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/jesuit-prep-dallas-diocese-priest-sex-abuse-settlement/287-6bc77276-f8dc-4392-9c64-126d7cd4810f |
The heart of downtown Fort Worth has struggled to fill space and left current tenants frustrated by a lack of communication and vision.
An aerial view of the Sundance Square plaza, looking north up Main Street.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Watch the full story tonight on WFAA at 10
Sundance Square has for years been the heart of entertainment in downtown Fort Worth, both attracting and benefitting from tourism and providing fine restaurants and retail for the fast-growing city.
Recently, though, it’s struggled to fill space, fought publicly with a downtown advocacy group, and left current tenants frustrated by a lack of communication and vision.
Since the start of 2020, at least 25 tenants have left Sundance Square, including large anchors like H&M. Revolver Taco opened and closed in just a few months and before it even put up a sign. Arcadia Coffee just opened in December of 2021 and announced in late March it would be shuttering its Sundance Square location.
This week, another major anchor and Fort Worth staple, Reata Restaurant, which has been in Sundance Square for nearly 20 years, announced it plans to leave.
Owner Mike Micallef said Wednesday the restaurant’s lease is up in June of 2024, but they had not received an offer to renew from Sundance Square, and management turned down their request to meet face to face.
“We have made the decision to search for a new home,” Micallef said. “A different location will not change who or what Reata is.”
The Sundance Square plaza and mural in downtown Fort Worth.
‘I call us survivors now’
Dr. Marie Holliday’s dental practice opened in Sundance 30 years ago.
“I wanted to be the Doc Holliday of Sundance Square,” Holliday joked.
Her Flowers To Go store around the corner on Houston St has been around for 16 years and is now surrounded by recently shuttered businesses. Her perfume shop closed during the early months of COVID, but she said the disease that shuttered businesses across the country is only a partial excuse for the issues now facing Sundance Square.
“I’m not the only person that's concerned,” Holliday said. “There are lots of us that are concerned. The existing tenants, I call us survivors now.”
Holliday said “there is not a clear understanding of the direction” of Sundance Square.
“It's heartbreaking,” she said, “and I'm from Fort Worth. This is my home.”
For decades, Sundance was a model for urban renewal. Forty years ago, the Bass family created the 35 blocks of Sundance Square, constructing new buildings alongside renovated historic ones.
The central plaza opened in 2013 and has hosted major events like ESPN’s College Gameday and the annual Main Street Arts Festival.
Whit Smith, whose human resources company is in the nearby City Center Towers, was at the plaza’s grand opening.
“There were there was hardly a place to stand in that in that plaza as Ed [Bass] unfolded it, opened up umbrellas,” Whit Smith said. “It was energy on steroids.”
Smith, though, said it’s evident the buzz that surrounded the district has faded.
“There is no more energy. It is a shell of what it used to be,” he said. “There's really a lack of leadership.”
The Sundance Square plaza in downtown Fort Worth.
Tenants’ issues with leadership
Sundance’s leadership has shifted over the past several years, and current and former tenants said those changes are a major reason for its decline.
In 2019, Ed Bass and his wife, Sasha, now co-owners of Sundance, took over control of Sundance Square while Sid and Lee Bass would own City Center. WFAA reached out to the Bass family for several times for comment and did not hear back.
At the beginning of 2020, Sundance’s property management company also changed, and tenants WFAA spoke with said they noticed communication with ownership became sparse and tenants felt owners lacked empathy during the first year of the pandemic. That’s when conflicts with between tenants and ownership began to increase.
“I observed what I felt was a lesser standard of the maintenance and upkeep. I didn't see the attention detail I'd seen in decades past,” said Mark Daniel, whose law firm moved out of Sundance in November after 36 years.
Daniel talks about Sundance in the past tense.
“It was the centerpiece of downtown and it was our core,” he said. “The decline of Sundance Square to where it is today is one of the saddest chapters in Fort Worth history. I sincerely believe that.”
Holliday agreed.
“Everyone is feeling that way,” Holliday said. “They are feeling that way because we don't feel like we're getting support.”
Sundance Square management denied a request for an interview and did not respond to repeated calls and emailed questions.
WFAA spoke to nearly a dozen current and former tenants who shared concerns about management. All declined interviews citing concerns of retaliation from management.
Besides lack of upkeep with landscaping and building maintenance, they pointed to parking and Sundance ending its often-used free valet system for one that charges $21 for parking beyond one and a half hours. Others mentioned tenants pay a marketing fee but say Sundance’s social media accounts don’t promote its businesses enough. Sundance’s Twitter account has tweeted once since April of 2020 and its Facebook page has not mentioned one of its businesses since December.
The most common complaint, though, is communication with Sundance Square management is lacking and often combative when it occurs.
“It's just a fight that's not even necessary when you're so used to compromising and having conversations,” Holliday said. “It just stopped communicating. We stopped having tenant meetings.”
The communication breakdown goes beyond tenants.
Sundance Square has used its Instagram account to attack Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. over tree maintenance and landscaping. Downtown Fort Worth is an advocacy group that helps manage planning and development.
Rich Bradley, the head of DC-based Urban Partnership who has decades of experience leading downtown planning groups, said Sundance, the city of Fort Worth and Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. will need a shared vision and clear strategies to succeed.
“It’s trying to get everybody together and say, you know, ‘Where, do we need to go to? What do we all want to do together? What’s the outcome we want to produce’?” he said.
In a statement, Downtown Fort Worth Inc. president Andy Taft said the group “encourages Sundance Square efforts that lead to successful stores and vitality.”
“We look forward to working with them productively while we continue to promote Sundance retailers, restaurateurs, entertainment venues and the free downtown parking program that supports them,” Taft said.
Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris, a distinguished professor of urban planning at UCLA, said working together will be a key.
“A downtown cannot be strong if it is a 9-5 downtown,” Loukaitou-Sideris said. “There needs to be much better collaboration on coordination between the city and the private management.”
Loukaitou-Sideris believes Sundance’s struggles could impact all of downtown Fort Worth.
“When there is bad management and your favorite restaurants start leaving, people who have other options would go elsewhere,” she said. “Downtown is too large of an opportunity to miss for a city of this size.”
What city officials are saying
Other parts of Fort Worth have bounced back stronger from COVID than Sundance. The Stockyards district, for instance, has had a far stronger recovery.
The Texas Comptroller shares data of the sale of alcohol at restaurants and bars. In 2021, the top five businesses in the Stockyards sold on average 48% more than in pre-pandemic 2019. At the same time, Sundance Square’s top sellers sold an average of 4% less.
Mike Micallef is the president of Reata, a signature restaurant in the district since 2002, and in January shared on Instagram that its 2021 sales were down 10.4%.
“It's sad for this community,” Daniel said. “I don't think it should be in the state it’s in right now.”
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said the city will “continue working closely with all stakeholders” downtown.
“As with many downtowns, ours was greatly impacted by the pandemic,” Parker said. “The city will continue working closely with all stakeholders committed to Downtown and Sundance Square’s success on day-to-day items, as well as larger infrastructure progress in order to continue to improve Downtown.”
Councilwoman Elizabeth Beck, whose district includes Sundance Square, also said that COVID-19 impacted Sundance and pointed to growth in other areas of downtown like the planned convention center renovation and Texas A&M expansion.
“Like many other downtowns and entertainment districts across the city and the state, Sundance Square took a blow as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Beck said. “A strong and vibrant downtown requires cooperation from all stakeholders, and it’s my goal to ensure the city remains an active participant in that process so that all of downtown, from Sundance to the T&P are bright and vibrant.”
“Get it fixed”
Despite the closures, Sundance has seen at least seven new businesses open since the beginning of 2020, though some, including an art gallery, are appointment-only, which tenants say doesn’t help the goal of increasing foot traffic. Loukaitou-Sideris says an increase in galleries targets a smaller, wealthier audience.
In early March, Sundance launched a new program searching for the ‘Next Big Idea’, asking local small businesses to apply for the chance to receive accommodating lease terms, marketing and money to help build out the space. The goal is to both promote new businesses and fill its empty storefronts and restaurants.
At the same time, Holliday said her emails to Sundance are now blocked and her calls haven’t been returned. The last communication she received from Sundance management told her they were considering repurposing her building, and it wasn’t clear if she’d be able to re-sign.
“Feels terrible. I am so disappointed,” she said. “Where is the integrity in this organization?”
Many of the remaining current tenants are small business owners whose livelihoods depend on the success of Sundance Square.
“I pray that there’s more collaboration. There's a lot of anger and disappointment with the way things are going,” she said. “So many lives have been negatively impacted.”
Bradley suggested Sundance should focus on finding its identity.
“I always define a brand as a promise of an experience,” he said. “What are you really offering?”
Loukaitou-Sideris said other cities have used cultural facilities, museums and stadiums to pull people from suburbs to downtown. She believes large weekly concerts and restaurant open houses could provide a spark.
“You really need to think of how to attract people to create this buzz,” she said.
Just a couple years ago, Sundance Square was the vibrant heart of downtown.
“Get it fixed,” Smith said. “This is a mess. It's an embarrassment to this city.”
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Midday Minute: Two Collin County Jailers fired over inmate death are back on the job | 2022-03-30T20:08:29Z | www.wfaa.com | Fort Worth Sundance Square: Tenants upset over downtown exodus | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/tarrant-county/downtown-fort-worth-texas-sundance-square-bass-family-reata-restaurant-departures-leaving/287-4661a87e-75fc-40e5-9cb9-ba3e2059191a | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/tarrant-county/downtown-fort-worth-texas-sundance-square-bass-family-reata-restaurant-departures-leaving/287-4661a87e-75fc-40e5-9cb9-ba3e2059191a |
Officers took Lacravivonne Washington to police headquarters to interview her about the shooting death of her 3-year-old son Monday.
DALLAS — A 26-year-old woman has been arrested on a charge of endangering a child in the shooting death of a young boy in North Texas this week, police announced Thursday.
Police sources confirmed that Lacravivonne Washington, who was taken into custody Wednesday, is the mother of the victim, a 3-year-old boy.
Washington was initially arrested Wednesday on outstanding traffic warrants, according to a police news release.
Officers then took Washington to police headquarters to interview her about the shooting death of the 3-year-old boy, whose name has not been released.
But during the interview, Washington "declined to speak further to detectives" and was taken to the Dallas County jail, police said.
Washington now faces a charge of endangering a child "due to the fact that a weapon was accessible to a child," police said. Endangering a child is a second-degree felony charge, according to jail records.
Washington remained in jail Thursday with her total bond amount set at $25,000.
More information about how the child died was not released. His name has not been released.
Police began investigating the case Monday morning, when Washington arrived at Medical City hospital in North Dallas with her son, who was injured.
The boy later died at the hospital, but investigators were getting conflicting stories about what happened, sources told WFAA.
Initially, police were told by Washington that the shooting was possibly related to a road rage incident near Arbor Park. Washington claimed to be involved in a road rage incident with a man in another vehicle, but police "has not found a legitimate crime scene or evidence" involving road rage, a news release said.
Police said the victim and his mother were seen at a donut shop in northeast Dallas at about 9:38 a.m. on Monday.
At 9:57 a.m., the mother and child arrived at the Medical City emergency room, where the boy died.
Police are investigating what happened between the time the mother and child were seen at the donut shop and when they arrived at the hospital.
Anyone who saw Washington's vehicle during that time is asked to call police at 214-671-3675. She was driving a 2011 dark blue Subaru Legacy with paper tags, police said.
DFW weather: Here's when we could see rain next | 2022-03-31T15:52:19Z | www.wfaa.com | 3-year-old boy shot and killed in Dallas, mother arrested: police | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/mother-of-3-year-old-boy-lacravivonne-washington-who-was-fatally-shot-arrested-in-the-case-dallas-police-say/287-254c1e1f-978e-49b3-b084-cdeb380f24fd | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/mother-of-3-year-old-boy-lacravivonne-washington-who-was-fatally-shot-arrested-in-the-case-dallas-police-say/287-254c1e1f-978e-49b3-b084-cdeb380f24fd |
For nearly three months, the postal worker would open others' stimulus checks and sell them to people along his route, according to court documents obtained by WFAA.
DALLAS — A North Texas postal worker pleaded guilty last week to stealing stimulus checks, according to court documents obtained by WFAA.
Darius Williams, an employee of the U.S. Postal Service, started stealing mail – which included stimulus checks from the U.S. Department of the Treasury – in March 2021 and continued to do so through May 2021, the documents stated. Williams worked out of the Oak Lawn Post Office in Dallas and stole the checks from not only his route, but other routes as well, the court documents said.
According to the documents, while Williams would drive on his route, he'd open the mail containing the stimulus checks and sell them to people, knowing the checks would be fraudulently deposited into banks. The court documents also stated Williams took photos and videos of himself while surrounded by many opened envelopes.
Williams worked for the U.S. Postal Service from July 2019 to June 2021, per the court documents.
Williams pleaded guilty on March 22.
As part of his plea agreement, he agreed to a prison sentence of up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000, a $100 special assessment to the U.S. District Clerk and restitution to the victims and community.
Parents arrested after 3-year-old boy was fatally shot, Dallas police say
Midday Minute: Tanya Couch wants money laundering case dismissed | 2022-03-31T21:36:05Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas postal worker steals stimulus checks, records say | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/dallas-postal-worker-stimulus-checks/287-dc28b73d-4504-4e87-9b07-9dee306966c2 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/crime/dallas-postal-worker-stimulus-checks/287-dc28b73d-4504-4e87-9b07-9dee306966c2 |
Dallas police still trying piece together the missing minutes in death of 3-year-old
"They're going to spend a lot." Organizers expect WWE's WrestleMania 38 will help bring more than $200 million to the local economy.
DALLAS — A long line of people waited patiently outside the Superstore Axxess inside the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas on Thursday.
Members of the crowd, some in costume, were among anxious wrestling fans coming out in full force for WrestleMania Week.
The WWE is bringing WrestleMania 38 to North Texas.
“Man! It’s right here baby,” Jaime Castro shouted as he toured the WWE Superstore Axxess.
The wrestling-packed weekend is bringing fans, or the WWE Universe as they’re called, from destinations across the globe.
“Fans from all 50 states, 47 countries, are again descending on this wonderful community,” said John Saboor, vice president of special events for the WWE.
The WWE Superstore Axxess at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center provides one-stop shopping for a variety of merchandise. There is decades of memorabilia to enjoy.
There are also chances for fans to spot some of their favorite WWE superstars at a variety of events between Dallas and Arlington.
As you can imagine, large crowds could mean a huge economic impact across the region.
“This event hosted in 2016. We set records in 2016. We’re hoping to do so again. But it really is in tune of over $200 million in economic impact for our community,” explained Monica Paul, executive director of the Dallas Sports Commission.
The WWE is describing it as an action-packed and family fun weekend with many options for fans to enjoy.
“They’ve come early, they’re going to stay late, and they’re going to spend a lot,” Saboor added.
Superstore Axxess is open Thursday, March 31 through Monday, April 4. Tickets are available on Seatgeek.com. Use access code PANEL to purchase tickets.
WWE superstar Booker T. surprises students in Oak Cliff during Black History Month
WWE star Lynch balances motherhood, beatdowns nearing Rumble | 2022-03-31T23:22:33Z | www.wfaa.com | WrestleMania, WWE to bring big economic boost to North Texas | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/wrestlemania-brings-thousands-of-wrestling-fans-to-north-texas/287-9ba87b61-d3d5-4b32-9013-89c46848261e | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/wrestlemania-brings-thousands-of-wrestling-fans-to-north-texas/287-9ba87b61-d3d5-4b32-9013-89c46848261e |
The Department of Public Safety confirms to WFAA it has investigated Texas House District 61 candidate Frederick Frazier for theft and impersonating a public servant
Credit: Frederick Frazier
Frederick Frazier is running for the Texas House of Representatives with the endorsement of President Donald Trump.
MCKINNEY, Texas — A Republican Texas House of Representatives candidate headed for a contentious May runoff was the focus of an investigation conducted by the Texas Rangers stemming from a February campaign sign-stealing allegation from his opponent.
The investigation is now being reviewed by a special prosecutor in Hopkins County to determine if any charges should be filed, WFAA has learned through the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The candidate in question is Frederick Frazier, a former McKinney council member and an active member of the Dallas Police Department assigned to the Marshal Fugitive Task Force.
WFAA has obtained part of the Rangers report on the case. It confirms Frazier was being investigated on allegations of impersonating a public servant and a potentially related theft.
Frazier has vehemently denied the allegation, and said that he’s cooperating with the investigation.
RELATED: Why are Texas Rangers investigating a campaign sign-stealing case? This candidate wants answers
The investigation was launched by the Rangers after Frazier's runoff opponent, Paul Chabot, filed a police report in McKinney following the theft of some of his campaign signs.
Chabot and Frazier are facing off in a May 24 runoff election for Texas House District 61 seat.
Frederick Frazier, as pictured from his time as a a member of McKinney City Council.
Chabot told WFAA he was surprised in December to receive a call from a manager of a Walmart located off of Virginia Parkway in McKinney.
The manager, per Chabot, said that someone had been in the store and, after identifying themselves as a code compliance officer with the City of McKinney, asked that Walmart call Chabot's camp to remove Chabot's campaign signs near the business because they were supposedly out of compliance.
Chabot told WFAA he believed his signs were in compliance, and that he went to McKinney City Hall to confirm as much with the city manager upon hearing the complaint.
"The city manager told me that no code compliance officer was ever sent to the Walmart, and said my signs were fine," Chabot said.
Two days later, Chabot said a four-foot-by-eight-foot campaign sign of his was stolen at the Walmart, at which point he proceeded to file a police report about the theft and the alleged code compliance officer.
Chabot said he was called by McKinney police in late January and was told the Texas Rangers were taking the case.
"This was pretty surprising," Chabot said. "It didn't seem right, but I also didn't know why they started investigating the issue."
Through a public records request, Chabot obtained the front page of the Rangers' report into the matter, which he shared with WFAA. (WFAA is working to independently obtain the entirety of the same report.)
Chabot told WFAA that Texas Ranger Lt. J. Rodney Odom interviewed him in Garland on February 1 as part of the investigation. Chabot also provided WFAA photographs of the meeting.
The front page of the Rangers report, which WFAA independently verified with DPS, has most of its contents blacked out aside from the synopsis of the investigation.
The report reads as follows: "On 2/4/2022, at the request of the Collin County District Attorney’s Office, I was assigned an investigation for potential criminal violations by Texas State Representative District 61 candidate and former McKinney City Councilman, Frederick Frazier (Resigned 1/15/2022)."
It continues: "The alleged criminal violations were of Impersonating a Public Servant and potentially related Theft."
WFAA reached out to the Collin County District Attorney's office for more insight -- but Bill Wirskye, the county's first assistant district attorney, declined to comment on the case, saying his office does not comment on pending or potential investigations.
Credit: Paul Chabot
Paul Chabot poses with one of his campaign signs.
Chabot also provided emails to WFAA last week from the Collin County Civil Division Chief Debbie Harrison, which read in part, "…our office recused itself from this case, and a Special Prosecutor was appointed. The investigative file has been sent to the Special Prosecutor, and that would be the appropriate individual/office to contact regarding any records request. The Special Prosecutor is the District Attorney for the 8th Judicial District, Will Ramsay."
WFAA reached out to Ramsay for comment Thursday and is awaiting a response.
WFAA has also reached out to DPS for a general comment regarding the investigation. A spokesperson referred all questions to Ramsay.
On Tuesday, Frazier campaign spokesman Craig Murphy acknowledged that the campaign was aware of the investigation.
"No matter how frivolous Chabot's complaint is, they need to investigate because that’s what you do," Murphy said. "You don’t want a conflict of interest. Frazier is a former councilman, he’s a cop. They don’t want a conflict of interest."
"But," he added, "that doesn’t give any credence to the issue. It's preposterous. There isn’t any substance to it. Frazier will cooperate with the investigation."
WFAA also reached out to the Dallas Police Department regarding Frazier’s status as an officer. Dallas officers under criminal investigation by law enforcement are generally placed on restricted duty or administrative leave.
The department told WFAA it wasn't made aware of the investigation by the Texas Rangers, the Collin County District Attorney’s Office or by Frazier himself. Per the department’s general orders, Frazier should have been required to inform DPD he was under investigation.
Frazier posted a tweet Wednesday about an operation he was working with DPD involving the arrest of an out-of-state fugitive. A spokesperson with DPD also confirmed to WFAA that Frazier is still currently an active member of the force.
Per sources, the department has not launched an internal investigation yet because it doesn't have any evidence relating to the ongoing criminal investigation.
RELATED: Texas violated voting rights law during redistricting, retiring state GOP senator says in sworn court statement
House District 61 was previously known as House District 70. It makes up a large part of Collin County, including parts of McKinney and Frisco.
Frazier received 42 percent of the vote during March's primary election, while Chabot received 37 percent. A third candidate, Jim Herblin, didn't advance to the runoff after receiving 21 percent of the vote.
It's a tight GOP runoff, and Frazier and Chabot each have over two decades of law enforcement experience. Chabot also served as a naval intelligence officer with Joint Special Operations Forces in the Iraq War. Frazier, meanwhile, has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
The Frazier campaign notes that Chabot has accused a previous campaign opponent of sign-stealing during a California campaign in 2016.
In 2016, per an article published by The Press-Enterprise newspaper based out of Riverside, California, Chabot did accuse a campaign opponent of sign theft while running for congress in Redlands, California, near San Bernardino. Police investigated the matter and, according to The Press-Enterprise, a 17-year-old was arrested weeks later and charged with petty theft.
WFAA reached out to the Redlands Police Department for further comment on their investigation, but did not hear back as of the publishing of this article.
The Frazier camp told WFAA that accusing an opponent of sign-stealing is just an old part of Chabot's act.
Said Murphy: "This is a Hail Mary pass [from Chabot] — again."
Retorted Chabot when reach for a response on that comment out of Frazier camp: "That sounds like a campaign spiraling out of control."
Midday Minute: Tanya Couch wants money laundering case dismissed | 2022-04-01T01:05:17Z | www.wfaa.com | DPS investigated GOP Texas House hopeful for sign stealing, more | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/gop-texas-house-candidate-former-mckinney-council-member-frederick-frazier-texas-rangers-investigation-campaign-sign-stealing-allegations-paul-chabot/287-a32f226d-0ff2-47b5-8725-02d2e7931e04 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/gop-texas-house-candidate-former-mckinney-council-member-frederick-frazier-texas-rangers-investigation-campaign-sign-stealing-allegations-paul-chabot/287-a32f226d-0ff2-47b5-8725-02d2e7931e04 |
Dallas skyline to light up in celebration of Transgender Day of Visibility
The city said the skyline will display the colors blue, white and pink, which are the colors of the transgender flag.
DALLAS — The City of Dallas will be celebrating International Transgender Day of Visibility by lighting up the downtown skyline.
On Thursday night, the city said the Bank of America Plaza, AT&T Discovery District and the Omni Hotel will display the colors blue, white and pink -- the colors of the transgender flag.
Reunion Tower will remain lit up in yellow and blue in honor of the Ukrainian flag, as it has since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The day of recognition occurs annually on March 31 and celebrates transgender persons while also raising awareness of the discrimination that the community continues to face.
"The City of Dallas is committed to supporting and protecting our transgender community," the city said in a statement.
President Joe Biden this week also issued a proclamation recognizing March 31 as Transgender Day of Visibility. In it, the president mentioned how transgender, nonbinary and gender nonconforming Americans are "breaking glass ceilings of representation" and are succeeding in various industries like entertainment and medicine.
Biden, however, wrote that there's still work that needs to be done.
"Despite this progress, transgender Americans continue to face discrimination, harassment, and barriers to opportunity," Biden said. "Transgender women and girls — especially transgender women and girls of color — continue to face epidemic levels of violence, and 2021 marked the deadliest year on record for transgender Americans."
Transgender children and their families in Texas have recently been the target of investigations urged by Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Both elected officials asked the state Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to investigate parents of transgender children and to identify certain gender-affirming care as child abuse. Abbott had even issued a directive to the DFPS to begin investigations.
In late February, Paxton released an opinion that referred to puberty blockers and medical procedures meant to change a child's sex as child abuse under the Texas Family Code.
Earlier this month, a Travis County judge blocked Abbott's directive regarding investigations by the state family department, and ruled a temporary injunction in place.
Paxton has since asked the Texas Supreme Court to allow investigations into families of transgender children.
Texas A&M to offer free tuition to Ukrainian students | 2022-04-01T02:44:16Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas skyline lights up for Transgender Day of Visibility | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-skyline-celebrates-transgender-day-of-visibility/287-0b185913-f244-4ae2-af66-bb708507ab3a | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-skyline-celebrates-transgender-day-of-visibility/287-0b185913-f244-4ae2-af66-bb708507ab3a |
According to the team, the cheerleaders will be featured on a new platform.
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform during the NFC wild-card NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019.(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
FRISCO, Texas — The next time you see the latest journey of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, it'll be on a new platform.
The Dallas Cowboys announced Thursday night that the hit show "Making the Team" is ending its run on CMT after 16 seasons. According to the team, the show is the network's longest-running series.
“We could never have anticipated the outpouring of admiration and support from our fans and friends over the 16 Seasons on CMT’s Making the Team,” said Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Director Kelli Finglass.
The team said the cheerleaders will be featured on a new platform but did not specify yet where fans will be able to watch.
"My hope is to continue their stories with our fans more globally, as we are in the process of negotiating a new partnership and we look forward to continuing to feature the DCC on a new platform," Finglass said.
The show first aired in September 2006 and gave fans a look into how Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are chosen to join the exclusive group.
Known as "America's Sweethearts," the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders were introduced to the world in 1961, and the group has been an icon ever since.
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Wrestlemania 38 will provide a huge economic boost for cities in North Texas | 2022-04-01T04:16:21Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team show leaving CMT | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/dallas-cowboys-cheerleaders-making-the-team-show-leaving-cmt/287-44f12a34-4704-49af-965b-f2033e00767c | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/dallas-cowboys-cheerleaders-making-the-team-show-leaving-cmt/287-44f12a34-4704-49af-965b-f2033e00767c |
The shooting happened outside a Raising Cane's at South Hampton and West Wheatland roads, near Interstate 20.
Credit: Metro Video DFW
Police investigate the shooting of a teenager outside of a Raising Cane's restaurant in southern Dallas.
DALLAS — A teenager was fatally shot in the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant in southern Dallas on Thursday night, police said.
Police said two suspects had been inside the restaurant and then went outside, where they had an altercation with someone in the drive-thru.
The suspects then fired into the car in the drive-thru, striking a passenger, police said.
The driver wasn't injured, but the passenger died. The suspects left the area, and police were still searching for them Friday morning.
Footage from the scene showed the vehicle partially on the curb near the front door of the restaurant. A back window was shattered.
The victim's name has not been released. Police said they were either 18 or 19, though an exact age not immediately available. | 2022-04-01T13:46:29Z | www.wfaa.com | Raising Cane's shooting in Dallas: Teen killed in drive-thru | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/teenager-shot-and-killed-in-dallas-raising-canes-drive-thru-police-say/287-030737d9-533f-40cb-b562-59d85fc5cb65 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/teenager-shot-and-killed-in-dallas-raising-canes-drive-thru-police-say/287-030737d9-533f-40cb-b562-59d85fc5cb65 |
Morbius is more of an anti-hero than an out-and-out villain, like a "Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde" instead of a dynamic character in his own right.
Author: Jamie Tobias
Jared Leto tends toward smaller independent films. In fact, this is his first starring role in a film of this size. Too bad it's a disappointment. Leto won an Oscar for "Dallas Buyers Club" and is known for disappearing into his characters. In this role, he morphs into "Morbius," the latest Marvel character to get the big-screen treatment.
Michael Morbius is a brilliant research doctor who suffers from a debilitating blood disease. Could a cure possibly be hidden in the blood of vampire bats?
Why not travel to Costa Rica, gather some winged things and give it a shot! Interesting concept...terrifying results. When the treatments wear off, he turns into a living vampire.
In between that trip and the transformation, we get the back story of the sickly Michael, institutionalized as a child, promising his friend he'd find a cure and save them both.
That grown-up friend (played diabolically by "The Crown's" Matt Smith) comes to cash in and turns sinister. A female doctor and love interest of Dr. M., (Adria Arjona) helped him with the process. Now she's pained to witness how quickly he can become a reluctant killer.
"Morbius" is part of Sony's Marvel franchise, which includes "Spider-Man." Think of it as Spidey adjacent, and there are nods to it, in the appearance of "The Vulture," played by Michael Keaton. The movie was originally scheduled for release a couple of years ago. The pandemic and other scheduling issues pushed it back several times until now.
The script is not interesting enough. The special effects are not good enough. (Think "Venom.") Morbius is more of an anti-hero than an out-and-out villain...like a "Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde" instead of a dynamic character in his own right. But you know Leto will transform again for another role. He always does.
(Sony Pictures. Rated PG-13. Running Time 1 hr. 44 mins. In Theaters Only)
Movie reviews: 'Turning Red' and 'The Adam Project' bring the family-viewing fun to your favorite streaming services | 2022-04-01T15:17:21Z | www.wfaa.com | Jared Leto as Morbius: Movie review | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/movies/movie-review-jared-leto-morbius/287-e772f9f0-d61e-4434-aa27-289a237c84c8 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/movies/movie-review-jared-leto-morbius/287-e772f9f0-d61e-4434-aa27-289a237c84c8 |
Willie Calhoun has yet to fulfill his promise as a top prospect, but it’s now or never for him as the designated hitter for the Texas Rangers.
ARLINGTON, Texas — It’s easy to forget now that there was a time when Willie Calhoun was one of the best prospects in baseball.
The headlining return when the Texas Rangers sent Yu Darvish to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline in 2017, Calhoun was the No. 97th prospect by Baseball America’s rankings to begin that year and he opened his first full year with Texas as baseball’s No. 36 overall prospect.
Calhoun, now 27 years old, was selected by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2015 MLB Draft with the ability to become an elite hitter. Calhoun, who spent most of his time in the Dodgers organization at second base before transitioning to the outfield with Texas, has lived up to those expectations when he has faced minor league competition with a .288/.356/.499 batting line in 489 career games on the farm.
Unfortunately, the hitting prowess hasn’t quite come through for Calhoun in the big leagues yet as he’s managed just a .715 OPS in 235 games over five separate seasons. But there are reasons to hope that Calhoun can still make an impact for the Rangers now that he should get plenty of looks as the team’s designated hitter.
Players with 4+ hits in a single Spring Training game:
Paul Goldschmidt pic.twitter.com/Q8HazSfibc
— GleyberMetrics (@GleyberMetrics) March 30, 2022
Calhoun’s ability at the plate didn’t simply vanish from 2017 to now. What he has lacked, ultimately, is an extended opportunity to prove himself. Some of that can be laid at his own feet, while other reasons have included poor timing or just plain bad luck.
After hitting .310/.345/.566 for Triple-A Round Rock following the trade from the Dodgers in 2017, Calhoun appeared ready for a callup. However, he struggled with a .677 OPS over 37 plate appearances in his first taste of the major leagues.
The following spring, he failed to make the Opening Day roster for Texas even though there didn’t appear to be much left for him to accomplish at the plate in the minor leagues.
The Rangers felt Calhoun wasn’t ready and banished him back to Triple-A ball where he played all but 35 games. In his limited time in the big leagues in 2018, Calhoun again didn’t make his mark as he hit just .222/.269/.333 in 108 plate appearances.
RELATED: Rangers positional preview: Miller an out of left field choice for Texas
One of the major issues for Calhoun has been his lack of a position defensively. Though he came up as a second baseman, he played exclusively in the outfield once he joined the Rangers.
With Texas having a regular designated hitter in Shin-Soo Choo during the years that Calhoun was attempting to force his way into the big leagues, he had to be sufficient with the glove to have a spot, and that proved to be a challenge.
After something of a wasted 2018 season, Calhoun rededicated himself to his fitness ahead of spring training in 2019. But, again, he didn’t make the squad.
After giving himself some time to be mad about the decision, Calhoun accepted his assignment back to the minor leagues and, after hitting well in a brief big league stint in May, came up for good in mid-June that season and had his most successful campaign.
As a 24-year-old, Calhoun hit .269/.323/.524 in 337 plate appearances spanning 83 games. His .848 OPS was fourth best on the team for batters with more than 200 PAs and he hit a career-high 21 home runs for Texas. Though he was still waiting for his first full-season opportunity, it looked like Calhoun had finally arrived.
And then 2020 happened. But before 2020 happened like we remember it happening with the COVID-19 outbreak, Calhoun had already gotten a head start on a miserable year.
On March 8, 2020, in an early Cactus League game, Calhoun was struck in the face by a pitch from Julio Urias of his former team from Los Angeles and suffered a fractured jaw.
When he returned for the truncated 2020 season, Calhoun wasn’t the same and managed just a .491 OPS in 29 games for his worst season as a professional. A year later, the rebuilding Rangers were prepared to see what Calhoun could do in a full season in 2021 but, on June 26, he was again hit by a pitch and missed 10 weeks of the season with a broken forearm.
And that’s where we are now. Four and a half years after acquiring him to be an impact bat for the team's rebuild, the Rangers still don’t know what they have in Willie Calhoun because they either haven’t been quite willing to commit to giving him a shot, he hasn’t grabbed his chances when presented, or fate has thrown a wrench in the works.
THIS GAME IS TIED 💥
Willie Calhoun with a CLUTCH home run for the @Rangers: pic.twitter.com/dZMUEPYiWv
The Rangers achieved an OPS of .614 from their designated hitters in 2021. That was dead last in baseball. Calhoun started 29 of those games and ultimately contributed an OPS of .691 in his 75 games last year. That simply won’t cut it for a player who is only able to provide value with his bat.
If Calhoun can perform like he did in his second half stint in 2019, the Rangers will have something. The expectation, with Texas on the cusp of a new era of contending, is that Calhoun will now get his last, best shot with the designated hitter role all but laid out before him.
Will Willie Calhoun put it all together at DH for the Rangers in 2022? Share your predictions with us on Twitter @BaseballTX. | 2022-04-01T16:48:51Z | www.wfaa.com | Texas Rangers preview: Is this DH Willie Calhoun’s breakout year? | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/designated-hitter-willie-calhouns-texas-rangers-mlb-breakout-year/287-2a0f94c2-5491-4cd3-bc91-3d17795bc129 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/designated-hitter-willie-calhouns-texas-rangers-mlb-breakout-year/287-2a0f94c2-5491-4cd3-bc91-3d17795bc129 |
"I would want people like me to be confident and hopeful and be motivated because it doesn't matter what you have. Any person can do anything," said Surya Kasibhatla
Credit: "Jalsa" - Amazon Prime Video
Surya Kasibhatla (left) and Vidya Balan (right)
FRISCO, Texas — The Oscar-winning movie "CODA" is being celebrated as a success in inclusion: the casting of hearing-impaired actors in a story written especially for them.
A teenager in Frisco, now finding himself on the big screen, hopes just maybe that his time in the spotlight could achieve the same thing.
When he was very young and growing up in Plano and Frisco, Surya Kasibhatla made a startling claim. He told his parents that he would like to be an actor some day.
Surya has cerebral palsy. It affects his movement and his speech.
So, his family wondered, how could that dream actually come true?
Well, the Indian-born family learned through their network of friends and health specialists that a major film producer in Bollywood was looking for a teen with cerebral palsy to play that specific role.
After casting calls and auditions the then 13-year-old from Frisco found himself on a movie set in Mumbai alongside some of India's biggest film stars.
"It's something you can't be taught. You're just born with it," actor Shefali Shah said of her immediate assessment of Surya's on-camera abilities.
"He's one of those people who can light up a room when he enters it," added actor Vidya Balan.
Credit: 'Jalsa' - Amazon Prime Video
Surya Kasibhatla (middle) on the set of 'Jalsa'
Released on Amazon Prime Video on March 18, "Jalsa" is the first film originating from Bollywood to feature a disabled actor. Producers have described it as a movie that "stands to be a sign of increased inclusivity and diversity from the world's largest film industry."
That's exactly what Surya's parents are hoping for, too.
"When they selected him it was an unbelievable feeling," Surya's dad Krishna Kasibhatla said. "The hope is for this being a harbinger of change. And this brings a message of inclusivity is what I feel and I'm already starting to sense that. A message of positivity to a lot of disabled, specially abled people."
"I would want people like me to be confident and hopeful and be motivated because it doesn't matter what you have. Any person can do anything," Surya, now 14, said. "So if people have that firm belief I think people can conquer the world."
Meanwhile, Surya is also working on conquering another world. He wants to start a technology company that helps others with cerebral palsy -- something his words and his smiling face on film are doing already.
"Thank you," Surya laughed. "I think people who have disabilities like me, to not lose hope and stay positive and focus on their goals."
"Yep. Absolutely," his dad said.
And, absolutely, a middle schooler from Collin County - by way of Bollywood - is well on his way.
"Jalsa" is the story of a hit-and-run incident that sets in motion the efforts of a journalist, a raging mother and a police department all caught in an ethical dilemma -- that the truth is rarely pure and never simple. | 2022-04-01T20:37:11Z | www.wfaa.com | Texas actor with cerebral palsy featured in Amazon movie, Jalsa | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/frisco-to-bollywood-actor-cerebral-palsy-inspires-others/287-bbf98584-ea9c-40af-85dd-0f7ead4e0020 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/frisco-to-bollywood-actor-cerebral-palsy-inspires-others/287-bbf98584-ea9c-40af-85dd-0f7ead4e0020 |
Faiza Fahad went missing from her home in Wylie on May 12, 2021.
WYLIE, Texas — Skeletal remains found near a creek in Sachse in late February have been identified as a woman from Wylie who went missing nearly a year ago, officials said Friday.
The Wylie Police Department said the partial remains found on Feb. 26 belonged to 27-year-old Faiza Fahad. The remains were located in the 4500 block of Merritt Road, between Sachse and Pleasant Valley roads north of the President George Bush Turnpike.
Sachse is located just southwest of Wylie.
Fahad was last seen on May 12, 2021, after police said she voluntarily left her home in Wylie without her cellphone.
When Fahad went missing, police had said she was new to the area and didn't know many people in North Texas.
On Feb. 26, 2022, police said a property owner reported that a contracting crew was doing maintenance near a creek when they spotted the remains. The remains were then turned over to the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office for identification.
Police said on Friday that a cause of a death has not yet been determined as the investigation continues.
According to police, the FBI is also helping in the investigation. | 2022-04-01T22:43:28Z | www.wfaa.com | Human remains in Sachse identified as Wylie woman Faiza Fahad | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/human-remains-sachse-identified-missing-wylie-woman-faiza-fahad/287-c3f8d388-efd9-4604-a906-2cf76ceba8a3 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/human-remains-sachse-identified-missing-wylie-woman-faiza-fahad/287-c3f8d388-efd9-4604-a906-2cf76ceba8a3 |
Dallas Fire-Rescue said crews arrived and reported flames coming from the second floor.
DALLAS — Crews in Dallas battled a large fire at an apartment complex in North Oak Cliff, officials said Friday afternoon.
Dallas Fire-Rescue said crews responded to the fire around 4:30 p.m. in the 800 block of North Marsalis Avenue, just east of Lake Cliff Park.
The complex, located between Colorado Boulevard and Eighth Street, appeared to be damaged from the blaze, with roofs collapsed and additional water damage stemming from what emergency crews on site were calling their "defensive stance" in response to the fire.
According to the fire department, crews arrived and reported flames coming from the second floor. The department says its response had to be escalated to second and third alarms after the initial crews' arrival; those calls brought around 60 to 70 firefighters total, plus multiple fire engines, to the scene.
No injuries were reported, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue.
A Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson said the building, which has 16 units, will have to be torn down due to the damage. He said 14 tenants were displaced.
An aerial view showed heavy smoke coming from the heavily damaged second floor of the apartment building. | 2022-04-02T00:42:02Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas fire: Crews respond to apartment fire on North Marsalis | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-apartment-fire-north-marsalis-avenue-three-alarm/287-b05920a6-23b4-4562-8b41-9ba0b45657e8 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-apartment-fire-north-marsalis-avenue-three-alarm/287-b05920a6-23b4-4562-8b41-9ba0b45657e8 |
Lacravivonne Washington's four children were removed by the state after she was arrested for endangering a child.
DALLAS — Four children have been removed from the home of Lacravivonne Washington. She’s mother who claimed her 3-year-old child was shot during a road rage -- but police found no evidence of that.
"[The Department of Family and Protective Services] has removed 4 siblings ages 9, 7, 4 and 2 and they’ve been placed with relatives. The family did have prior DFPS involvement," Paul Zimmerman, a spokesperson for DFPS, said.
Dallas police are still trying to piece together exactly what happened to 3-year-old Jalexus Washington. Police say the child’s mother isn’t cooperating.
”When she was here she declined to talk further to our detectives” said Kristin Lowman, a Dallas police spokesperson.
Sources say police are trying to track her whereabouts and who she talked to before and after the shooting on her cellphone, but the phone was damaged when police confiscated it.
They are now waiting on records and asking the public for help.
”Sometimes the public thinks that a small piece of information is insignificant but that could be the one piece of information that we need to possibly solve this case,” said Lowman.
Sources also say they have video of Washington at the hospital talking to someone in another vehicle and handing them something.
Initially, she told police her child was shot in a road rage. But police say the evidence doesn’t match that.
The child was shot in the face at close range.
”Just like any other case we’re going to be following it through and see it to it’s conclusion and to bring justice for this baby,” said Lowman.
According to court documents, the mother told police she owned two weapons.
One was found in the glove compartment of the car. The second one was found in the possession of the child’s father. Sources say they believe that was the weapon involved.
The father was arrested for outstanding warrants and not in connection with this case.
He told police he was at work and rushed to the hospital when he heard what happened.
He’s out on bond. Lacravivonne Washington is still in jail charged with endangering a child for not having her children in car seats and having a gun that was accessible to them that lead to one of their deaths. | 2022-04-02T00:42:08Z | www.wfaa.com | Children removed from parents after 3-year-old killed in Dallas | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/four-children-removed-from-home-3-year-old-son-death-dallas/287-d3da279f-5944-4ae1-8989-87b4ce775506 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/four-children-removed-from-home-3-year-old-son-death-dallas/287-d3da279f-5944-4ae1-8989-87b4ce775506 |
As Paul Quinn College celebrates its 150th anniversary, the HBCU announced acceptance for Lancaster ISD students who maintain at least 3.0 GPA.
DALLAS — It is a special time at Paul Quinn College. The only HBCU in Dallas is celebrating its 150th anniversary.
“It is 150 consecutive years,” said the college’s President Dr. Michael Sorrell.
During the college’s Convocation on Friday, a special surprise was delivered to a large group of Lancaster ISD students in attendance.
“There were so many thoughts. So many emotions,” said Lancaster high school student Boston Kimmons.
The seniors thought they were on campus for a special college tour. They visited classes and the college’s new Health and Wellness Center, among other areas.
The teens never expected the Paul Quinn College’s president would reveal a huge secret.
“All Lancaster ISD students with 3.0 or better will automatically be admitted to Paul Quinn College,” Sorrell said.
Thunderous applause followed. More than 200 students present at the ceremony were surprised with automatic acceptance to the historic institution.
“We didn’t expect it at all,” said student Dajaiya Pegue.
Some students described the announcement as a game-changer for college access.
“That gives people another option and another outlook on college. And also, being accepted to this school, my momma went to this school. So, it’s surprising for me and her,” Pegue explained.
The surprises didn’t stop there. Sorrell delivered more good news to those high schoolers eligible for Pell grants.
“Not only do you get to come to Paul Quinn College, but you get to identify two members of your family or your friends to bring to college with you,” Sorrell told the students.
The move is part of a new partnership between Paul Quinn College and Lancaster ISD called "Tiger to Tiger." The school offered similar acceptances to some students in Dallas ISD and Fort Worth ISD.
“I also have a grandfather who didn’t get a chance to finish college. So, if I decide to come here, I also get to bring him along with me,” Kimmons said.
Paul Quinn College also announced expansion plans. It is hoping to be the first HBCU campus in northern California.
“We are committed to the inevitability of your success. You now belong to all of us,” Sorrell told the students. | 2022-04-02T00:42:14Z | www.wfaa.com | Paul Quinn College surprises Lancaster students with acceptance | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/paul-quinn-college-surprises-lancaster-isd-students-college-acceptance/287-301005ed-540c-4968-8adc-735b00ab4b5f | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/paul-quinn-college-surprises-lancaster-isd-students-college-acceptance/287-301005ed-540c-4968-8adc-735b00ab4b5f |
'The power of representation' | Indie pro wrestling takes center stage at Dallas' Fair Park, widens WrestleMania spotlight
'There's a whole word out here' | Indie pro wrestling takes center stage at Dallas' Fair Park, widens WrestleMania spotlight
As WWE's big weekend in North Texas kicks off, independent wrestling promotion GCW spotlights Black wrestling talent at its 'For the Culture' event
"For the Culture" wrestling event in Fair Park, as part of Game Changer Wrestling (GCW).
DALLAS — The WWE isn't the only wrestling league hosting big events in North Texas this weekend. Many smaller promotions are also currently in the area, taking advantage of the many wrestling fans descending upon region and doing all they can to grab their attention.
Game Changer Wrestling (GCW) is one such entity. An independent pro wrestling promotion based in New Jersey, GCW has taken to Dallas' Fair Park for a few days to host a series of events of its own called "The Collective."
Hosted at the Embarcadero Building in Fair Park, "The Collective" is running at the same time as WrestleMania in North Texas, and while it may not draw the hundreds of thousands of fans the big WWE event expects to at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, GCW is still seeing plenty of support from its followers thanks to its events that feature different cultures not often celebrated on wrestling's biggest stages.
One of those events within "The Collective" is known as "For the Culture," and it featured a roster of all Black wrestlers.
Among the Friday "For the Culture" event's biggest-drawing performers was "The Revolutionary" Darius Lockhart, who spoke to WFAA about the thrill of being part of such a large wrestling weekend in North Texas.
"It’s a little bit unfathomable," Lockhart said. "You work your way up, you work so hard over the years. I’ve been doing this for almost nine to 10 years now. To be a part of this and wrestle some of the world’s best wrestlers across the globe... it’s beautiful to be a part of this, honestly."
Also beautiful, Lockhart said, was the platform "For the Culture" offered to Black wrestlers like him during the biggest weekend on professional wrestling's annual calendar. Created by his fellow wrestler AJ Gray, who Lockhart faced off against in the squared circle on Friday, that's the whole idea behind the event -- giving more exposure to Black wrestlers.
"[Gray] decided he was tired of seeing marginalized wrestlers and wrestlers of color getting the short end of the stick in this industry," Lockhart said. "A lot of us really end up suffering from a lot of lack of exposure, s lack of understanding form higher-ups, which leads to a lack of understanding in our expression on screen."
Lockhart added that, although the WWE and WrestleMania are the big names in North Texas this weekend, wrestling fans should take note of the GCW and events like "For the Culture" while they can.
"The big name in town is always WWE," Lockhart told WFAA. "But it’s like Disney; they’re not the only people who make movies. They're not the only people who make wrestling. There’s a whole world out here, and there’s a world out here that looks like everyone. And it’s for everyone, and almost by everyone."
The GCW's "The Collective" showcase continues on Saturday in Fair Park. While Lockhart understands most eyes will be turned WWE's way this weekend, he hopes a few will consider looking in GCW's direction, too.
Said Lockhart: "I think everyone should kinda expand their parameters and open themselves up to a good time."
Katy wrestler competes at 285 pounds, but his small gesture after winning a state championship is what people are talking about | 2022-04-02T02:36:49Z | www.wfaa.com | GCW independent pro wrestling hosts "The Collective" in Dallas | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/gcw-indie-pro-wrestling-the-collective-fair-park-dallas/287-712a2113-6da6-4edc-bb35-6f467325e6a2 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/gcw-indie-pro-wrestling-the-collective-fair-park-dallas/287-712a2113-6da6-4edc-bb35-6f467325e6a2 |
That's once again the case in 2022, as another dozen Dallas-area musicians are up for awards as nominees at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
St. Vincent, who grew up in Dallas and attended Lake Highlands High School back when she was known as Annie Clark, is up for Best Alternative Music Album for her "Daddy's Home" LP.
Will Smith resigns from Academy following Oscars backlash | 2022-04-02T04:25:09Z | www.wfaa.com | Which North Texans are nominated for Grammy Awards in 2022? | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/list-north-texans-nominated-grammys-2022/287-2f3091ae-ab45-4d49-8692-ee74e155cd5c | https://www.wfaa.com/article/entertainment/list-north-texans-nominated-grammys-2022/287-2f3091ae-ab45-4d49-8692-ee74e155cd5c |
Police said they responded to a disturbance around 8 p.m. in the 500 block of West Campbell Road.
RICHARDSON, Texas — Three people were injured Friday night after a fight that involved an axe at a shopping center in Richardson, police said.
Police said they responded to a disturbance around 8 p.m. in the 500 block of West Campbell Road, near the University of Texas at Dallas campus.
According to police, a caller had reported that several people, including one wielding an axe, were involved in a fight.
Arriving officers found three people injured, including the person with an axe, police said. Two people were transported to a hospital, while the third was treated at the scene.
Police said investigators believe the three people know each other and that no others were involved.
Police did not say if any arrests will be made or what a possible motive could be as the investigation continues. | 2022-04-02T04:25:15Z | www.wfaa.com | Axe-wielding person among those injured in fight in Richardson | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/3-injured-fight-axe-richardson-shopping-center/287-76820fb9-c65f-4492-9cda-c1181c763c5a | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/3-injured-fight-axe-richardson-shopping-center/287-76820fb9-c65f-4492-9cda-c1181c763c5a |
After a two-year hiatus, the Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival returns this weekend.
FORT WORTH, Texas — It's a foodie paradise of flavors and drinks.
The crowds are back. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival is in full swing -- and it’s drawing large crowds.
Festival co-founder Russell Kirkpatrick told WFAA that this year, people have begun lining up at the entrance earlier than ever before.
“We’ve waited two years for this party,” Kirkpatrick said. “I think people are just ready to get out and have a great time and support a great cause.”
Opening night on Thursday was sold out, and so is Saturday.
On Friday, more than 1,000 people attended the event. This year, more than 100 restaurant owners and chefs are participating in the four-day festival.
Q Pharms was among the attendees.
“I love it all,” Pharms said.
Fort Worth resident Terry Goin attended the festival on Thursday and Friday.
“It’s just so nice to be out and about with all of this great food and everything,” Goin said.
For restaurant owners like Lindsey Lawing, the owner of Sweet Lucy’s Pies, the festival is an opportunity to advertise her pop-up shop and attract new customers.
“Just to be a part of all of this again is super special,” Lawing said.
COVID-19 put her business in jeopardy. At one point, she closed her business for six weeks as she tried to navigate how her shop would move forward.
Then, the Fort Worth Food and Wine Foundation stepped in and became a lifeline for her small business. The non-profit provided her with money from its employer emergency relief fund during the pandemic.
To this day, the foundation has donated $115,000 dollars to Fort Worth restaurant employees, which has helped many stay afloat.
“We’re here two years later full-circle, so the festival gave back to us in the beginning of the pandemic, and we’re here to give back to the festival,” said Lawing.
The festival fun lasts until Sunday, and it’s serving up what many have missed most: building community through food. | 2022-04-02T04:25:21Z | www.wfaa.com | Fort Worth Food and Wine Festival back after two years | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fort-worth-food-and-wine-festival-back-after-two-years/287-8d90e62c-7f0b-41d2-98ef-93feee370ea4 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fort-worth-food-and-wine-festival-back-after-two-years/287-8d90e62c-7f0b-41d2-98ef-93feee370ea4 |
DENTON, Texas — A man has been arrested after a 7-year-old child died from "suspicious and extensive" injuries Friday night in Denton, police said.
In a news release, police said officers and the fire department responded to the 1600 block of East McKinney Street just before 7:30 p.m. after receiving a call about a child who was having a medical emergency.
Investigators determined that the boyfriend, identified as 52-year-old Todd Lofton Shaw, was connected to the child's death, police said. Shaw was arrested and charged with injury to a child. | 2022-04-02T23:52:44Z | www.wfaa.com | Man arrested in death of 7-year-old child in Denton | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/arrest-made-death-7-year-old-suspicious-injuries-denton-police-say/287-c568bfc6-2e47-4596-b0bf-c84501b3c4a9 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/arrest-made-death-7-year-old-suspicious-injuries-denton-police-say/287-c568bfc6-2e47-4596-b0bf-c84501b3c4a9 |
Officials say the fire may have started in the kitchen and spread throughout the house.
DALLAS — A man was found dead as crews were working to put out a fire at a home in eastern Dallas early Saturday, officials said.
Dallas Fire-Rescue said crews responded to a home in the 6800 block of Day Street and found heavy smoke coming from the front of the residence.
Officials said firefighters were told by neighbors that a person may have been inside the home, so crews moved inside to conduct a search while working to get the fire under control.
As firefighters were putting out flames, officials said an unresponsive man was found in a rear bedroom. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The man has not yet been identified as a medical examiner determines a cause of death.
Dallas Fire-Rescue said the fire may have started in the kitchen and spread throughout the house. The cause has not been determined. | 2022-04-02T23:52:56Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas house fire: Man found dead in bedroom | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/man-found-dead-overnight-house-fire-dallas/287-82abb2f6-ba58-40e4-897b-cefc8eb2b080 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/man-found-dead-overnight-house-fire-dallas/287-82abb2f6-ba58-40e4-897b-cefc8eb2b080 |
The 19-year-old shooting victim was hospitalized on Wednesday but died later in the week, police said.
ROWLETT, Texas — An 18-year-old man has been charged with murder after a shooting at a gas station in Rowlett earlier this week, police said Saturday.
In a news release, police said the shooting took place on Wednesday, March 30, at a Valero gas station in the 9400 block of Lakeview Parkway, just before the Lake Ray Hubbard Bridge going east.
According to police, officers found the victim, later identified as 19-year-old Aric Morgan, with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a hospital in critical condition.
That same day, police said they found the suspect, Nevan Lydens, in Garland and booked him into Rowlett city jail on an aggravated assault charge.
On Thursday, Morgan died from his injuries, police said.
The next day, on April 1, police said Lydens was charged with murder. He's remains in Rockwall County Jail.
Further details, such as what led to the shooting, were not immediately released as the investigation continues. | 2022-04-03T04:04:32Z | www.wfaa.com | Rowlett shooting: 18-year-old charged with murder | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/18-year-old-charged-murder-shooting-gas-station-rowlett/287-9ce727a6-3706-4e39-a1de-ed4096acc440 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/18-year-old-charged-murder-shooting-gas-station-rowlett/287-9ce727a6-3706-4e39-a1de-ed4096acc440 |
A witness told WFAA he saw the shop's owner being attacked by two other men and that one of them had an axe.
Author: Adriana De Alba, WFAA Staff
RICHARDS, Texas — Chaos unfolded outside a coffee shop in Richardson on Friday night as three men got into a fight -- and one of them had an axe.
Police said they responded to the fight around 8 p.m. in the 500 block of West Campbell Road, near the University of Texas at Dallas campus.
A caller had reported that several people, including one with an axe, were involved in a fight and were injured. Two people were transported to a hospital, while the third was treated at the scene.
Several witnesses told WFAA the fight happened outside of the I Love You A-Latte coffee shop. Sean Insalaco, a pizza delivery driver who works next door to the coffee shop, said he witnessed the axe attack.
Insalaco said the fight began outside of the coffee shop. He said he watched the owner of the coffee shop get attacked by two men and that two women stood nearby.
“Something wasn’t right, and then all of a sudden they both grabbed him and drag him in,” Insalaco said.
He said he called 911 after he watched the owner of the coffee shop get dragged into his own business.
“[The owner] was definitely getting attacked by multiple people. Both those gentlemen were beating on him and he got hurt bad,” Insalaco said.
Insalaco stayed on the phone with dispatch until police got there.
“All of a sudden, I see a hand hatchet and the guy has it and he starts walking towards the front door and I’m standing in front of the door… so I blocked the door and I said 'you’re not coming out here until the police get here. You stay inside,'” Insalaco said.
From there, an axe attack unfolded.
“He pushed on the door a little bit so he goes back and starts hitting on the guy, he takes his axe and hits the [owner] with it,” Insalaco said. “Then the owner grabs the head of the axe with his hand and he just holds it for dear life, obviously.”
Nick Chicu, the owner of Nick’s Tailor next to the coffee shop, told WFAA that the current coffee shop owner had an ongoing money-related dispute with the shop's previous owner.
“He told me before, he’s fighting,” Chicu said.
Chicu said he watched the current owner and previous owner being rolled away on stretchers after the fight.
“He said 'I don't worry about it, If he wants to fight, I’ll fight.' Two weeks later, this is what happened,” Chicu said.
Police have not said if there will be any charges filed. | 2022-04-03T04:04:38Z | www.wfaa.com | Richardson axe attack: Witnesses say fight was an ongoing feud | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/witnesses-say-axe-attack-richardson-business-feud-coffee-shop/287-056d76b9-1f42-41fd-aa03-2e79c84f1274 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/witnesses-say-axe-attack-richardson-business-feud-coffee-shop/287-056d76b9-1f42-41fd-aa03-2e79c84f1274 |
Police said the Dallas County Medical Examiner's office will have to use forensic techniques to identify the victim.
DALLAS — A body was found burned in an alleyway in a North Oak Cliff neighborhood on Sunday morning, Dallas police said.
Police said they responded around 9:20 a.m. to the 1300 block of Kings Highway, near the intersection of North Tyler Street and West Davis Street.
Officers and fire crews arrived and found the body of a male victim that was burned, according to police. Police did not say if there were any other visible injuries.
According to police, the victim had been wearing boots, jeans, a dress shirt and a wedding ring.
Anyone who may have information is asked to call homicide detectives at 214-671-3702. | 2022-04-03T23:07:28Z | www.wfaa.com | Burned body found in alleyway of Dallas neighborhood | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/burned-body-alleyway-dallas-neighborhood-north-oak-cliff/287-b7ac0efa-88a0-4610-a928-d47e763375e0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/burned-body-alleyway-dallas-neighborhood-north-oak-cliff/287-b7ac0efa-88a0-4610-a928-d47e763375e0 |
The crash happened about 2:20 a.m. on I-35W at the entrance ramp to U.S. 287.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Two people were killed Monday in an early-morning crash on Interstate 35W in north Fort Worth, police said.
When officers arrived, they found two vehicles involved in the crash, a car and a tow truck that was hauling a vehicle.
Police found two people were trapped inside of the car. They died at the scene, police said.
No other injuries were reported. Police have not said what caused the crash.
As of 5 a.m. Monday, the I-35W entrance ramp to 287 remained closed as crews worked to clean up the crash.
There was no estimate on when the ramp would reopen. | 2022-04-04T11:22:00Z | www.wfaa.com | Fort Worth crash: 2 killed on I-35W at U.S. 287 | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/2-killed-in-crash-with-tow-truck-on-i-35w-in-fort-worth-texas-287/287-80d5c3ee-132c-4a07-8b88-70dee4d13d12 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/2-killed-in-crash-with-tow-truck-on-i-35w-in-fort-worth-texas-287/287-80d5c3ee-132c-4a07-8b88-70dee4d13d12 |
While the Texas Rangers wait for the cavalry to arrive, the bullpen has the ability to surprise with some unheralded arms.
DALLAS — As has been the case now for 50 years in Arlington, the Texas Rangers come into a big league baseball season with the pitching staff as a question mark.
In fact, even though the Rangers spent over half a billion dollars revamping their offense this offseason, there are still doubts ahead of this season that they can turn around a team that lost 102 games in 2021, mainly because the pitching seems iffy at best and bad at worst.
And while it might be true that an immediate lack of quality and quantity in the starting rotation makes contention a dicey proposition for the Rangers, Texas has a chance to have a bullpen corps that surprises in 2022.
In fact, the bullpen in Texas wasn’t even as bad as you might have expected for a team that finished third worst in baseball. In 2021, the Rangers’ relievers sported an ERA of 4.13, good for 14th best in baseball which put them just above middle of the pack.
Bullpens are always a crapshoot this time of year, but I feel confident in saying the Rangers’ ‘pen in the second half of the season should be better than the first. Leclerc, Jon Hernandez, Richards, Snyder, Yerry, Otto- all have good stuff and could contribute.
— Tepid Participation (@TepidP) April 2, 2022
Gone from 2021 is first half closer Ian Kennedy, who saved 16 games for the Rangers in 2021 before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline last season. In his stead is Joe Barlow, who opens the 2022 season as the closer after claiming the role late last season.
Barlow, an 11th round pick in 2016, made his MLB debut on June 24, 2021 and eventually provided Texas with 29 innings where he struck out 27 batters and saved 11 games in 31 appearances. Joining Barlow for another round with the Rangers are left-handers Kolby Allard, John King, Brett Martin and right-handers Dennis Santana and Josh Sborz.
After finishing the season in the rotation, Allard (5.45 ERA, 33 IP) is expected to take on a hybrid role as the left-handed long man out of the bullpen while King (3.52 ERA, 46 IP) and Martin (3.18 ERA, 62 ⅓ IP) will pitch more impact innings from the left side. Santana (3.63 ERA, 39 ⅓ IP) and Sborz (3.97 ERA, 59 IP) will grab innings for the Rangers when the game calls for a right-hander.
Another familiar face in the Texas bullpen is Matt Bush. After debuting with the Rangers in 2016 after a lengthy and memorable comeback effort, the former No. 1 overall pick for the San Diego Padres in 2004 is on his second comeback after several bouts with injuries. The now 36-year-old pitched in four games at the tailend of the 2021 season for Texas in what appeared to be his swansong reward.
Instead, Bush won a job in the bullpen in 2022 with a stellar spring training effort and, given his experience in the late innings, he could be tasked with being the high-leverage righty out of the ‘pen.
Texas also welcomes a few fresh faces with RHP Garrett Richards, signed after the lockout and RHP Albert Abreu, acquired from the New York Yankees when the Rangers shipped catcher Jose Trevino to the Bronx on Saturday afternoon.
Richards, a career starter, was moved to the bullpen last season in Boston where he collected an ERA of 3.42 in 26 ⅓ innings. Richards will be the first guy out of the bullpen to soak up innings from the right side. Meanwhile, Abreu (5.15 ERA, 36 ⅔ IP) will be trying to reestablish himself in long relief after being a top 100 prospect as recently as 2018 as a starting pitcher in the Yankees’ org.
The Rangers will also see the return of Brock Burke as the right-hander earned a spot in spring training after debuting as a starter for Texas in 2019. After Texas acquired Burke from the Tampa Bay Rays in the three-team trade that sent Jurickson Profar to Oakland, Burke rose through the ranks but was felled by injuries and the pandemic before bottoming out with a 5.68 ERA in 77 ⅔ innings for Round Rock last season.
Burke never left Texas’ radar, however, and he’ll now return to the big leagues as a right-handed longman option to mirror Allard and Richards as someone who could step in and make a start if needed.
In addition, the Rangers have righties such as Spencer Patton, Nick Snyder, A.J. Alexy, and Glenn Otto as potential options down the line while RHP Chase Lee and LHP Cole Ragans open in Double-A Frisco but could eventually make their debuts in the ‘pen for the Rangers this summer.
Two pitchers who won’t be on the Opening Day roster but figure to make an impact later in the season are RHPs Jose Leclerc and Jonathan Hernandez. Leclerc, who saved 26 games for the Rangers between 2018 and 2019, threw two innings in 2020 and then missed all of 2021 following Tommy John surgery.
Jose Leclerc and Jonathan Hernandez throwing bullpens today. Both missed all of last season with TJ.
It’ll be a huge get when they return to the back end of the Rangers’ bullpen. pic.twitter.com/SdetFkbl5j
— kennedi landry (@kennlandry) March 16, 2022
Meanwhile, Hernandez, who had a breakout campaign during 27 appearances in 2020, also underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the 2021 season. Both are on track for a return and figure to rejoin the team sometime in June or July to provide a lift to the bullpen.
All in all, the bullpen for Texas has no big names and no potential All-Star performers from the get-go, but it is a unit that has under-the-radar, solid performers and a good bit of depth that will only be enhanced as their most electric arms make their way back this summer.
Who do you think will ultimately lead the team in saves for the Rangers in 2022? Share your predictions with us on Twitter @BaseballTX. | 2022-04-04T16:09:46Z | www.wfaa.com | Texas Rangers preview: Bullpen could be underrated asset | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/mlb/rangers/texas-rangers-positional-preview-texas-bullpen-could-be-underrated-asset/287-903da3e4-25d8-4530-ba5b-52364bc5087d | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/mlb/rangers/texas-rangers-positional-preview-texas-bullpen-could-be-underrated-asset/287-903da3e4-25d8-4530-ba5b-52364bc5087d |
Cowboys fans and players are all too familiar with the sun glare that peeks through the windows in Jerry World. A WrestleMania picture shows curtains being used.
Author: Paul Livengood, Mark Lane (WFAA)
ARLINGTON, Texas — It's a problem Cowboys fans are all too familiar with: the sun glare shining through the windows at AT&T Stadium.
The sun serves for some pretty iconic photos, but it can be an annoyance to players trying to drive the field in that direction. Perfect example: in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, receiver Cedrick Wilson simply watched Dak Prescott's pass sail right by him because he couldn't see the pass.
Still, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hasn't given in and put up curtains.
After the playoff loss to the 49ers, Jones made his final appearance of the season on 105.3 "The Fan" [KRLD-FM] and told "K&C Masterpiece" that there would be no changes to the gameday experience to prevent the sun glare from being a factor.
"I wish to hell all I had to worry about was a ball hitting the screen or a little sun getting in there," Jones said. "Conditions and elements have been a part of football since it was spelled the first time. No. That’s about 10,000 on my list of things to worry about. And, no, we’re not going to do anything with it."
RELATED: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones isn’t concerned about sun glare at AT&T Stadium
PHOTOS: Sun glare at AT&T Stadium
Sun light pours in through the West end zone at AT&T Stadium as the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys play in the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 24, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Fans at AT&T Stadium watch during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Sun light puts in through the West end zone wall at AT&T Stadium during an NFL football game between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Roger Steinman)
The answer to Cowboys fans' frustrations seems simple: Don't the Cowboys have curtains they can put up to block the sun?
WrestleMania 38 showed that yes, in fact, there can be curtains put up to block the sun from peeking into AT&T Stadium.
Vince puts the curtains Jerry won't #WrestleMania38 pic.twitter.com/n8N4FfjkzP
— gavin (@theGAVER) April 4, 2022
"Vince puts the curtains Jerry won't," an attendee wrote on Twitter.
It wasn't yet clear if "Vince" -- that being Vince McMahon, the CEO of the WWE -- brought his own curtains, of if AT&T Stadium provided them as host.
WFAA reached out to the Cowboys for comment about the usage of curtains during games and events in the future but did not immediately hear back.
Either way, it was a banner weekend for wrestling fans.
WWE officials announced Monday that WrestleMania 38 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas was the highest-attended and highest-grossing WWE event in the company's history.
Mark Lane contributed to this report. | 2022-04-04T17:40:38Z | www.wfaa.com | 'Vince puts the curtains Jerry won't' | Yes, blackout curtains do exist at AT&T Stadium | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nfl/cowboys/att-stadium-curtains-dallas-cowboys-sun-glare-wwe-wrestlemania/287-983c8dd6-33e7-4671-9760-56070febd175 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nfl/cowboys/att-stadium-curtains-dallas-cowboys-sun-glare-wwe-wrestlemania/287-983c8dd6-33e7-4671-9760-56070febd175 |
After her day job, Dr. Dane Hoang shares her Vietnamese culture by selling homemade nước chấm. The money raised goes to her nonprofit to help the community.
DALLAS — Visits with Richardson dentist, Dr. Dane Hoang, leave a sweet taste. Her patients – Dax and Daphne – pick their toothpaste flavor of choice: mint.
Dental offices can be daunting, but even with tools hovering, these children adore their pediatric dentist.
Hoang's office is filled with colorful sunglasses, pastel painted walls, games, toys and more. She loves to live with spunk and flavor.
"For us, it's always a fun color, different flavor," Hoang said.
When this dentist isn't working on teeth, she keeps her hands busy.
"I really love dentistry, but my other passion is cooking," said Hoang.
After work, she heads back to her Dallas home, where she crafts her own recipes of Vietnamese dipping sauces called nước chấm. The flavors are a mixture of sweet and savory. The ingredients are colorful and simple, including lemongrass, garlic and more.
"This is like chemistry," said Hoang. "I have my momma's approval, let's just put it that way."
Making nước chấm reminds her of home.
Hoang was born in Quy Nhon, Vietnam. She and her family came to the United States as boat refugees. Dane was 8 years old, but her memories of 1979 are clear.
"I do remember it. I remember it was very crowded and it was just tight space. I couldn't breathe," Hoang said.
Her family made it to Texas, where her parents started over. She always held on to their grit, and she always held on to her home in Vietnam.
"I love to share our culture," said Hoang.
In 2008, after Hoang established herself as a dentist, she traveled back to Vietnam as a doctor for Operation Smile. She has been a volunteer ever since.
"Operation smile is a nonprofit organization that goes around the world and provides free surgery for children who have facial deformities, such as cleft lip and cleft palate," Hoang said.
To Hoang, being a part of Operation Smile wasn't enough. She wanted to do more.
In 2017, she founded a charity with your daughter called Kids 4 Smiles. Her organization works on local projects to help the DFW community, serving people who are homeless, but also supports Operation Smile. To raise money for Kids 4 Smiles, she sells her tasty and colorful nước chấm. It stirs up her story and her culture while giving back to the community.
For Dr. Dane, all this may still not be enough to satisfy her desire to help.
"I call it a side hustle," Hoang said. "I'm always coming up with these projects," she said. "Never give up. Whatever it is, find your passion." | 2022-04-04T22:21:28Z | www.wfaa.com | 'I love to share our culture' | Dallas dentist does good through her constant 'side hustles' | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/features/dallas-dentist-dr-dane-hoang-wfaa/287-96e17d1e-e77e-4c50-a144-2720ddf1c7dd | https://www.wfaa.com/article/features/dallas-dentist-dr-dane-hoang-wfaa/287-96e17d1e-e77e-4c50-a144-2720ddf1c7dd |
Six off-duty Dallas PD officers and a sergeant worked as security for the event prior to the shooting, according to chief Eddie Garcia.
DALLAS — Editor's note: The story published above is a WFAA report about the latest updates from the southern Dallas concert shooting. Tune in to WFAA at 10 p.m. for Rebecca Lopez's report about the off-duty officers working security and the venue's lack of a permit.
Dallas police are working two investigations involving a concert where 16 people were shot and a 26-year-old man was killed.
The first investigation involves the criminal case into who committed the shooting and who should be held responsible for the concert getting out of control. There is also an internal review into why a sergeant and six other Dallas police officers were working the event.
The event was promoted on social media, and the crowd swelled to more than 2,000 people. Sources told WFAA the crowd was restless because the rapper who was headlining didn't show up and people were angry.
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said someone fired a gun into the air, then a fight broke out and another person fired shots into the crowd.
RELATED: 16 injured, including 13-year-old, and 1 man killed in weekend concert shooting in southern Dallas, police say
The event was held on the outskirts of town, and the promoter didn't have a permit; although they did have some security, including six off-duty Dallas police officers and a sergeant.
Garcia said they should not have been given permission to work that event. Sources told WFAA those officers were only paid to be there until 11 p.m., so they left before the shooting started a couple of hours later.
But, the question is why supervisors were not notified there might be a crowd control issue so they could have sent on-duty officers to assist.
Garcia said the department is looking into that, but added the real issue was that the concert was not permitted.
”The reality of it is that [the event] was an unpermitted sponsored event that drew the crowds that didn’t have the safety protocols in place,” said Garcia.
Chief Garcia and the mayor met Monday afternoon to discuss what happened and what the City can do to strengthen the permitting ordinance, as well as creating an ordinance to run background checks on promoters.
“We want to make sure if there are promoters promoting events, there’s a strong background on those promoters and the events they are bringing to our city. That needs to be done,” said Garcia.
“Effective immediately, DPD officers shall not work events that require a permit and have not been issued a permit, per city ordinance 42A. It is the responsibility of each officer/coordinator to confirm permitting of the event through the Special Events Unit,” said Garcia. “DPD recognizes the need to implement immediate measures to ensure safety of off-duty personnel and event attendees.”
Garcia said he also wants the public to know the department is prepared to shut down events that don’t have a permit.
“I want to warn the public that city ordinances will be enforced,” Garcia said. | 2022-04-04T23:54:38Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas PD: Following fatal southern Dallas concert shooting, off-duty officers cannot work permit-less events | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-police-party-shooting-off-duty-officers-security-venue-no-permit/287-28f8426d-a03d-4d36-99f1-3a9d90e3e780 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-police-party-shooting-off-duty-officers-security-venue-no-permit/287-28f8426d-a03d-4d36-99f1-3a9d90e3e780 |
A local group reflects as the historic Senate Judiciary Committee vote happens on the 54th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
DALLAS — A large group of community members gathered at UNT Dallas College of Law for a special breakfast on Monday.
Law students, lawyers, politicians and a host of Dallas residents gathered to celebrate Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson with a special "Pass Her the Gavel" community breakfast.
Organizers scheduled the event as the Senate Judiciary Committee began the process to vote on the historic Supreme Court nominee’s confirmation.
“This is an historic moment. It’s one that I dreamed about as a little girl,” said Gaytha Davis as she watched the program.
Community members in attendance represented different generations and backgrounds. They’re among those who watched the confirmation hearings, and what some are describing as the insensitive line of interrogation Judge Jackson had to endure from certain senators over a period of days.
“As an African American female, I was sitting in the chair with her. When she cried, when Senator Booker was talking to her, the tears rolled down. So, I sat with her through that process, and I love her demeanor throughout the entire process,” said Judge Cheryl Williams.
As the Judiciary Committee began voting to send Jackson’s confirmation to full Senate vote, it’s timing was significant.
Their vote happened on the 54th anniversary of the day Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
“It means that there are doors that are no longer closed to me, the students of the Black Law Students Association, and the students of UNT Dallas College of Law,” law student Jessica Paige explained.
Jackson’s nomination and potential confirmation is reassuring for law students like Paige.
“Our country has a perspective, a fresh perspective, that they have never had before in the highest court of the land,” Paige said.
The Young Black Lawyers Organizing Coalition partnered with UNT Dallas College of Law to host the breakfast.
At the end of the Judiciary Committee’s vote on Monday, the committee was deadlocked by party lines. It’s expected Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will move to send the confirmation for a final Senate vote later this week.
As lawmakers continue the confirmation process, the Young Black Lawyers Coalition and its supporters say the conversations about this moment in history shall continue.
“We intend to take this conversation deep into the heart of our communities, to talk about the importance of judicial nominations, and to encourage our communities to lift their voices in the process,” said Abdul Dosunmu of the Young Black Lawyers Organizing Coalition. | 2022-04-04T23:54:44Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas group supporting SCOTUS nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/pass-her-the-gavel-dallas-group-gathers-support-judge-ketanji-brown-jackson/287-971bb29f-ad91-4189-bcd9-a6449be16125 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/pass-her-the-gavel-dallas-group-gathers-support-judge-ketanji-brown-jackson/287-971bb29f-ad91-4189-bcd9-a6449be16125 |
Jalen Wilson starred at Guyer High School in Denton before heading to Kansas in 2019. The Wilsons told WFAA their son has wanted to attend KU since 2nd grade.
DENTON, Texas — It’s hard to put into words what it’s like to watch your son compete on a national stage.
“Imagine the best dream you have and you're not waking up from it. That's what this is right now,” Derale Wilson, Jalen Wilson's dad said.
Derale and Lisa Wilson made the trip to New Orleans to watch their son play for Kansas.
The Jayhawks take on the University of North Carolina Tar Heels in the NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship Game on Monday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. CST.
“I'm still pinching myself honestly,” Lisa Wilson said. “From walking around on Bourbon Street, to enjoying family time and winning our game the other night and now being in the championship, it’s been amazing.”
Who is the odds-on favorite to win March Madness heading into the Sweet 16?
Basketball talent does run in the Wilson family: Derale Wilson played at TCU, and Lisa Wilson played college ball in Oklahoma. Both of their parents played high-level basketball, too.
The Wilsons know the Jayhawks are ready for the championship game.
“They've been on this high since winning the Big 12 tournament, and their confidence has been on a whole other level,” Lisa Wilson said. “I feel they're definitely ready.”
Back at home, the North Texas community will be watching. Bars like Eastside in Denton spent Monday afternoon gearing up to host Kansas fans, cheering on the hometown kid.
“Every game’s good for business, but we’re just happy we can give people a nice place to party responsibly and have fun,” Eastside’s Matthew Rowland said. | 2022-04-04T23:55:02Z | www.wfaa.com | Denton native suits up for Kansas Jayhawks in NCAA National Championship | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/ncaa/ncaab/march-madness/kansas-jayhawks-march-madness-national-championship-jalen-wilson-denton/287-939fd919-21f2-400a-90c7-cceed22a7a40 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/ncaa/ncaab/march-madness/kansas-jayhawks-march-madness-national-championship-jalen-wilson-denton/287-939fd919-21f2-400a-90c7-cceed22a7a40 |
The person shot was Salvador Milan, a 17-year-old Latin male, who was found in the front passenger seat of a four-door black sedan with multiple gunshot wounds.
DALLAS — Police officers found a teenager shot and killed in his car, the Dallas Police Department said.
On Monday around 7:41 p.m., police officers responded to a shooting call at 6500 Bexar Street in Dallas. This is between Lamar Street and U.S. 175 Frontage Road near the Sargent neighborhood.
Dallas Fire-Rescue responded and pronounced him dead on the scene. This is an active and ongoing investigation with no one in custody, according to police.
The motive is unknown, and the homicide unit is asking anyone with information to contact detective Guy Curtis at 214-671-3633 or by email at guy.curtis@dallascityhall.com. Please refer to case #058851-2022. | 2022-04-05T19:50:53Z | www.wfaa.com | Dallas teenager shot dead in car | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-teenager-shot-dead-in-car/287-8909fd25-175d-45c3-a4ea-5dd931d4f0a0 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-teenager-shot-dead-in-car/287-8909fd25-175d-45c3-a4ea-5dd931d4f0a0 |
Rangers positional preview: Texas hopes for progress from starting pitching
The Texas Rangers have arms on the way from the farm but the rotation could be the downfall of the big league squad in the meantime.
DALLAS — The 2022 season marks the 50th year that the Texas Rangers have been in Arlington, TX. The 2022 season also marks the 50th year that the Rangers come into a season with question marks in their starting rotation.
While the Rangers spent $500 million on an All-Star middle infield to help lay the foundation to turn around a franchise that lost 102 games in 2021, the starting pitching that ranked third-worst in baseball with an ERA of 5.33 provides a roadblock to contending in the immediate future.
That isn’t to say that the Rangers are devoid of talent on the mound, however. And that talent was enhanced when Texas inked 30-year-old right-hander Jon Gray to a four-year, $56 million deal over the winter.
It’s perhaps easy to forget that Gray was a part of the offseason spending spree with Corey Seager and Marcus Semien grabbing the headlines, but Gray is a 10-or-more game winner in four of his six full big league seasons, all with the Colorado Rockies, where his career 9.2 K/9 rate ranks among the best among active pitchers.
Jon Gray's Nasty Breaking Balls. 🐺 pic.twitter.com/NkoW1wTGcn
Announced Opening Day starter Gray will be looking to take a step forward now that he’s escaped the launching pad that is Coors Field. Though he will front the rotation in 2022, Gray is not yet considered an elite starter, rather a solid one with upside. Texas is clearly buying that potential and is surely anticipating improvement out of the No. 3 overall pick from the 2013 MLB Draft.
Behind Gray is a familiar face with left-hander Martin Perez returning to Texas on a one-year deal. The Rangers signed Perez out of Venezuela as a 16-year-old in 2007 and Perez remained in the organization until after the 2018 season. In seven big league seasons in Texas, Perez won 43 games with an ERA of 4.63 in 761 ⅓ innings.
After a season in Minnesota, and two in Boston, Perez returns still just 31 years old and is coming off a career high 7.7 K/9 rate with the Red Sox. While Perez doesn’t appear to be a long term solution, he can fill a role as a veteran innings-eater.
After Perez is a pitcher that the Rangers are counting on to be a part of the future with RHP Dane Dunning entering his second full big league season. Dunning was brought to Texas in the trade that sent ace Lance Lynn to the Chicago White Sox before the 2021 season. In Dunning’s first season, the 2016 first-rounder won five games and had an ERA of 4.51 in 117 ⅔ innings spanning 25 starts.
Importantly, Dunning was limited in his innings and pitch totals as 2021 was his first full season after returning from Tommy John surgery in 2019. Dunning should be unleashed to go full bore in 2022 and the Rangers are hoping that the 27-year-old displays a steady amount of forward momentum.
One pitcher riding momentum is lefty Taylor Hearn who will start the home opener for Texas on April 11. Hearn came to Texas in the trade that sent reliever Keone Kela to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the trade deadline in 2018. A starting pitching prospect, the Royse City, TX native Hearn was moved to the bullpen in 2020 where he had a successful 14-game stint with the Rangers.
Still in the bullpen in 2021, Hearn eventually worked his way back into the rotation by mid-August last season and had mixed results but showed enough that the Rangers were willing to give him a chance to earn a spot as a starter in the spring. Hearn impressed in his outings in Arizona and will start the season in the rotation.
While Hearn was a favorite to win a job in the rotation, the fifth spot was wide open. While the Rangers kept a seat warm for Clayton Kershaw to bump everyone down a spot, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ legend decided to return to California which forced Texas to sift through their options to round out the starting staff.
Ultimately, after a stellar camp this spring, the Rangers have given the job to right-hander Spencer Howard. Howard, a top 50 prospect in baseball a year ago, was traded to Texas as part of the deal that sent Kyle Gibson and Ian Kennedy to the Philadelphia Phillies last summer. After a rough time in his initial big league auditions with the Phillies, the Rangers spent the rest of the year trying to get Spencer sorted out and back on track.
In eight starts with Texas, Howard had an ugly 9.70 ERA as he worked through consistency issues with his delivery that plagued him from his days in Philly. The Rangers never stopped believing in the talent that earned the 25-year-old high marks in the minor leagues and now their combined efforts will be tested. If it clicks, the Rangers could end up with a boon from a pitcher who was considered one of the best young talents in the league just a year ago. But if Howard can’t find his footing in the big leagues, he might not be long for the rotation.
Howard beat out the likes of veteran Japanese import Kohei Arihara, young right-handers Glenn Otto and A.J. Alexy, and lefty Kolby Allard, who won a role in the bullpen. Otto and Alexy will be among the pitchers who should get a look if change is needed in the rotation.
Texas Rangers positional preview: Mitch Garver heads upgrade at catcher
Of course, there is an elephant in the room when it comes to the Rangers’ starting pitching. While it’s likely not a big part of the picture for the 2022 squad, starting pitching is quickly becoming a strength on the farm for Texas.
With the #2 pick in the draft, the Texas Rangers select Vanderbilt's stud starter, Jack Leiter!
In 18 starts this past season:
2.13 ERA, 111.0 IP, 45 BB, 179 K 🔥 pic.twitter.com/pTzWabSRpI
— Farm To Fame (@FarmToFame_) July 11, 2021
Texas League Pitcher of the Year Cole Winn will start the season in Triple-A Round Rock but he could make his debut this summer. In addition, last season’s No. 2 overall pick Jack Leiter has been aggressively slotted for a professional debut with the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders and could be a fast riser. The Arizona Fall League Pitcher of the Year Owen White has been earning rave reviews in spring training and is set to be a big part of the next wave of starters for Texas.
The Rangers just have to get to a place where they can integrate their rising cache of starting pitching prospects. That will be a big story for the team in 2022. If the pitching continues to make progress both in the minors and in the majors, Texas will be in good shape to make good on their big offseason expenditures.
For now, however, the rotation is filled with question marks that stand to be the obstacle most difficult for the Rangers to overcome to contend this summer.
Do you think the Rangers will see improvement from their starting pitchers in 2022? Share your predictions with us on Twitter @BaseballTX. | 2022-04-05T19:51:00Z | www.wfaa.com | Texas Rangers preview: Progress the hope for starting pitching | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/mlb/rangers/texas-rangers-positional-preview-texas-hopes-for-progress-from-starting-pitching/287-9eb19d77-3fa3-4958-ad33-18c25c9430c1 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/mlb/rangers/texas-rangers-positional-preview-texas-hopes-for-progress-from-starting-pitching/287-9eb19d77-3fa3-4958-ad33-18c25c9430c1 |
Charlotte Jones-Anderson, daughter of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, filed for divorce from David 'Shy' Anderson in June 2019. They married in 1991.
Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President, Charlotte Jones Anderson, talks to her father, and Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, prior to an NFL football game against the New York Giants onSunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
DALLAS — A day after hearings in the Charlotte Jones-Anderson and David "Shy" Anderson divorce proceedings, a trial formally commenced Tuesday morning in Downtown Dallas at the 301st Judicial District Court, with Judge Mary Brown presiding.
Jones-Anderson, daughter of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, filed for divorce from Anderson in June 2019, eight months after Anderson ceased employment with the Cowboys organization.
Anderson and Jones-Anderson married in 1991 and have three children.
Anderson signed a premarital agreement, but as he said under oath on Tuesday, he does not agree with the court's interpretation of the 31-year-old agreement he'd once willingly accepted.
The crux of the case is this: There's a disagreement between both parties over how much of the former couple's community property – valued at $1.34 billion according to Anderson's testimony – should go to Anderson.
The Cowboys are the most valuable sports team in the world, worth more than $6.5 billion.
Divorce trials such as this one are, in general, quite rare. Many Texas law offices estimate that fewer less than 10 percent of divorces end up going to trial, while the rest settle out of court.
On Tuesday, both parties had a team of attorneys present for testimonies from both Jones-Anderson and Anderson, but the action itself was minimal and fast, with Judge Brown recessing the proceedings before lunchtime.
A ruling was made shortly after behind closed doors, and the terms have not been disclosed.
Next up, attorneys for each party have 30 days to draft a final order in accordance with the judge's ruling. Once the final order is submitted and signed, the divorce will be final, and Jones-Anderson and Anderson will no longer be married under the law. | 2022-04-05T21:26:22Z | www.wfaa.com | Charlotte Jones-Anderson, Shy Anderson divorce nears finalization | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nfl/cowboys/charlotte-jones-anderson-david-shy-anderson-divorce-litigation/287-3d0ec556-b431-4ac8-a451-b081a7b87c10 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nfl/cowboys/charlotte-jones-anderson-david-shy-anderson-divorce-litigation/287-3d0ec556-b431-4ac8-a451-b081a7b87c10 |
Property where a deadly concert was held, was previously used as a chop shop for stolen cars
Officials told WFAA Monday evening that all occupants of the home were out of the house and safe.
WESTLAKE, Texas — One firefighter was injured responding to a lightning-sparked fire at a large home in Westlake on Monday night, officials said. Around the same time, a different lightning strike struck a North Texas pallet yard, causing a fire there as well.
The firefighter in Westlake is expected to be OK, and no other injuries were reported.
This fire happened Monday at a home in the 1800 block of Broken Bend Drive in Westlake, a small community along Texas 114 north of Keller.
Firefighters from Southlake, Grapevine, Keller and North Richland Hills responded to the fire and found smoke and flames coming from the roof.
Everyone inside the home made it safely outside. While the structure of the home was badly damaged, firefighters were able to put the fire out and protect several of the residents' valued belongings, officials said in a news release.
In Westlake at a house fire.
Officials tell us it was caused by a lightning strike. All occupants are out of the house.@wfaa @wfaaweather @JesseWFAA pic.twitter.com/HqFc7tpqPS
About an hour south of Westlake is Alvarado in Johnson County. On Monday around 9:45 p.m., some Alvarado neighbors noticed flames coming from a pallet yard in the area that was likely caused by a lightning strike.
Lynn Dykes, who lives next door to the business, said winds were blowing the flames away from his home initially, but the storm quickly switched directions.
“The gentleman next door had taken his family to a different location, and I look at his house and noticed it was on fire in the back so we went over there to put that out," Dykes said.
Dykes said high winds then started to pick up. Dykes and his neighbors were under a tornado warning. He said he was so focused on putting out the fire on his neighbor’s property that the warning didn’t phase him.
“I’ve experienced fires before, but nothing so personal," Dykes said. "Everything I have is in that house."
Dykes said he remembers powerful winds and a lot of hail. He thought if the flames didn’t take his house, a possible tornado would.
As the sun rose Tuesday morning, aerial footage showed the carnage left behind by the fire, with a large section of the home's roof badly damaged.
Here is helicopter footage of the area (fast forward to the 50:00 mark in the live stream for aerials):
Dykes said he credits the firefighters for saving his property, just separated by a fence from the pallet yard.
“The Rendon Fire Department was stationed in my backyard, and they saved my home," Dykes said. " At one point, they said I don’t know if we’re going to be able to save it. And then a foam truck pulls up and sprays foam everywhere, and that’s what saved my house. Otherwise, we’d be looking at a pile of rubble."
Dyke’s daughter, Shelby, didn’t hear from her father for several hours overnight. In the morning, she drove from Fort Worth to check on her family. She spent a lot of her childhood at this home and said she’s always worried something like this could happen.
“It’s wood," Shelby said. "It’s made to burn so it has always been a fear of mine. If it came down to it, we could have replaced the house, and I couldn’t replace him or my cousin or my great-uncle that lives here.” She said guardian angels were watching over her loved ones.
The lightning fire happened as strong storms were rolling through North Texas on Monday night and early Tuesday morning.
While damage was still being assessed Tuesday morning, radar detected a tornado in Johnson County, near Egan, where one man was injured after an RV was flipped by the storm. The man was helping his stepdaughter to safety.
Damage was also seen in Collin County near the town of Blue Ridge. The National Weather Service was sending survey crews to those areas, as well as near Midlothian in Ellis County, to assess the damage.
Strong cold front: record heat gives way to lows in the 40s this week | 2022-04-06T00:27:20Z | www.wfaa.com | DFW weather: Lightning strike sparks fire at Westlake home | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/weather/westlake-home-lightning-strike-texas-storm-damage/287-726c4afd-d50e-444c-ad39-a6621834d5b6 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/weather/westlake-home-lightning-strike-texas-storm-damage/287-726c4afd-d50e-444c-ad39-a6621834d5b6 |
Brittaney was in a RV, in the front yard of the home, when the tornado tore through overnight. Her stepfather, Shawn Zeleny, rushed out to get her.
JOHNSON COUNTY, Texas — The Barnes and Zelenys families have long roads ahead of them, as they begin to pick up the pieces literally and figuratively from an EF-2 tornado that touched down in Johnson County.
"I seen [sic] the trees spinning in the front yard," said Stephen Barnes.
Residents felt the brunt of the tornado Monday, as winds clocked up to 112 miles an hour, according to the National Weather Service. Thankfully, there were no reported fatalities from the incident.
"I had made it four steps and something had hit me," said Brittaney Deaton.
Brittaney was in a RV, in the front yard of the home near Egan, when the tornado tore through overnight. Her stepfather, Shawn Zeleny, rushed out to get her.
The RV was picked up by the tornado and it rolled over them, said Zeleny's wife Amber.
"At least four to five times and ended up on its wheels," said Amber.
Both Deaton and Zeleny were slammed to the ground. Zeleny sustained a shattered hip, broken ribs, broken nose and a severed ear.
"I feel like it's my fault because he was coming out to save me," said Deaton.
Water was turned back on and power was restored by midday Tuesday.
Amber and Barnes are both happy to have their families.
"They're here. Everything else can be fixed and everything else can be replaced," said Amber.
These families will decide next steps once the gravity of this tornado hits them.
"I'm sure it will in the next couple of days or when you look out the front door," said Barnes.
The family of Zeleny told WFAA that he had surgery Tuesday and is scheduled for rehabilitation--which will take several months.
However, Amber Zeleny told WFAA that her husband is hoping to make his step-daughter's high school graduation in May.
"Whether we wheel him in or he walks in, we want to make sure that he's there," Amber said. "She loves him so much. Seeing them both in the hospital last night, joking around gave me so much life."
The Zelenys have set up a GoFundMe to pay for medical bills.
If you'd like to donate--go here. | 2022-04-06T01:57:19Z | www.wfaa.com | Egan tornado: Families in Johnson County recall severe storms | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/johnson-county-families-share-stories-of-surviving-ef-2-tornado-egan/287-bdb0b75f-7fe2-4e21-a173-1bc0d6156923 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/johnson-county-families-share-stories-of-surviving-ef-2-tornado-egan/287-bdb0b75f-7fe2-4e21-a173-1bc0d6156923 |
Right now, the number of aggravated assaults in Fort Worth are outpacing other violent crimes when it comes to the number of cases.
Catalina Villa Gomez and her son moved to Fort Worth five months ago because they wanted to feel safe. They live near Boca Raton Boulevard and Country Club Road, which police consider a hot spot for crime.
"I heard a lot of crime going on here in Texas," Villa Gomez said. "This neighbor right here next to me, she says that, you know, she has my back. If anything happens to you, you hear anything, if anything happens, she'll call me and see what's going on."
Fort Worth Chief of Police Neil Noakes identified violent crime hot spots during a Monday news conference. Noakes revealed his strategic plan to help keep people who live, work, shop and visit Cowtown as safe as possible. He also highlighted that reducing crime is not something police can do alone.
"We're specifically looking at shootings in Fort Worth," Noakes said. "We've seen on that rise from a low of 146 shootings in 2018 to 388 in 2021. That is a 165% increase here in our community in Fort Worth. We've seen homicides increase from 71 in 2019 to 118 in 2021, a 66% increase. To me, those statistics are not just numbers on a page."
RELATED: Fort Worth police chief wants to reduce violent crime by 10 percent over the next 12 months
Noakes wants to reduce violent crime by 10% in the next year. His "Violent Crime Strategy" plan includes getting community feedback, partnering with local businesses, improving access to Social Services and partnering with Faith Leaders like Pastor Ross Geyer, who has seen it all in the Woodhaven area of Fort Worth. That neighborhood butts up against one of the hot spot neighborhoods that will be the focus of reducing violent crimes.
Geyer has decades of experience working with social service agencies and parole and probation workers. He is not only concerned about the recent rise in crime, but also the increasing rate that people exiting prison are re-offending because they don't have the proper tools to help them adjust to a society.
"I don't claim to be a criminologist and Chief Noakes is a great chief," said Geyer.
Geyer operates Obadiah's House in Fort Worth. It's a transitional home for adult men getting out of prison. As a pastor, he believes that Noakes will have more success if his officers spend time in the community, instead of constantly only answering 911 calls. Geyer wants more people knowing officers by name.
"Not just be in a black and white unit driving by. But there goes Officer Jones, there goes Officer Smith. And then, people can know who they are," said Geyer.
The chief's strategy also includes addressing the underlying root causes that leads to violent crimes in Fort Worth. He believes by addressing those root causes it will help impact the rise in cases.
Noakes has also gained the support of city leadership for his strategy and the 10% crime reduction goal over the next year.
"We are so fortunate to have a mayor, a city manager and city council that supports us and supports our efforts using their leadership, using the leadership of other departments within the city, our city attorney's office code, compliance parks and REC, economic development, diversity, and inclusion," Noakes said. "We work with all those departments to find what we can do to work together to address the environmental conditions in the neighborhoods that are contributing to the violent crime."
Noakes' crime fighting plan couldn't come soon enough for Tinnekia Gibson. She suspects after 30 years in her same neighborhood; some crime stems from outsiders. She and her children often hear gunfire in their neighborhood, which is also identified as a hot spot by Fort Worth Police.
Gibson said she has noticed more police cars in the neighborhood. But she too knows it will take more than just seeing a squad car go by, especially since she suspects the people committing crimes near her home are from elsewhere.
"I think they say, well, I'm not from here, let me try to rob this person or let me try to do this or you know... But once they get here, they learn you can't do that. They be like, you got to watch your back," said Gibson.
You can learn more about the Fort Worth Police Department Violent Crime Strategy Plan here. | 2022-04-06T05:03:53Z | www.wfaa.com | Fort Worth violent crime on the rise, police chief release plan | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fort-worth-crime-reduction-plan-in-hot-spot-neighborhoods/287-585a28a1-ced3-4b6f-ad31-b7159e857655 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fort-worth-crime-reduction-plan-in-hot-spot-neighborhoods/287-585a28a1-ced3-4b6f-ad31-b7159e857655 |
Will blockchain technology revolutionize the real estate market? We asked some experts to learn more about their thoughts on the matter. Here's what one had to say.
DALLAS — On this week's episode of Y'all-itics, we spoke with a number of experts in the field of blockchain real estate in an effort to try and wrap our heads around the concept.
One of our interview subjects was Todd Tramonte, one of Texas’ leading real estate marketers and brokers.
While he doesn’t see the early adoption of blockchain in residential real estate, he says it could have an immediate impact in the area of titles, which are loaded with fees, as well as in vacation properties.
Still, he says he's not at a point where he believes the technology is 100 percent tamper-proof and completely reliable for layfolk.
There's a reason, he told us, why more part-time realtors are getting into the game than bigger players.
So is it a get-rich-quick scheme or is there something more to it all?
We asked, and he answered.
How confident are you in blockchain technology, that it can be the tamper-proof ledger it is claimed to be? Is it still too new to be trusted?
"The answer directly to your question is I'm a little bit old school. I'm not paranoid, but I'm certainly not at a point where I believe it's 100 percent tamper-proof and perfect and completely reliable without any question. But, y'know, we didn't used to get in the cars with strangers either -- and now Uber is a big deal. I would never thought I would have slept in somebody else’s house for one night, but I've done that a bunch of times with my kids. So, y'know, at some point it's pretty believable that this will be there. But I don't see it as a certainty yet now."
Will it actually be possible to share only a fraction of your home?
"I think it will ultimately trickle down to parts of the residential real estate industry. I don't think you're going to see a whole bunch of fractional ownership of anyone’s primary residence. I think you'll see that on the lake house. I think you'll see that on the mountain vacation home... Look at a fractional ownership of a timeshare, right? Like, hey, I got one week in Lake Tahoe every year."
Is there any area of real estate where blockchain technology makes immediate sense?
"It would be infinitely more simple for most people to get the third party out of the way and have a technological ability to say, 'Look, I own that, there's a super clear record of it, it's trackable, it's manageable.' Where I think more people in the world of residential ought to be looking is on some of the peripherals. Services title, for example. Right there, there's an entire institution involved in almost every residential sale that says who used to own it, who owns it now. How do we make sure that all of that is clean and logical and legit? And how do we ensure that to make sure we didn't make any miss?
Basically, that's the sales pitch for blockchain; everything is kind of democratized and somewhat tamper-proof. I guess that the pitch is tamper-proof, so we know exactly who did what, when, where and how and why, and it shouldn't be at all in question."
Does you see the immediate adoption of blockchain in residential real estate?
"I'll just tell you as a business owner, my general practice is not to be an early adopter, right? I think that has served our clients really, really well. But we're not constantly changing and experimenting. A lot of part-time real estate agents are always doing that. They're kind of chasing something that will open their business up. I don't see that from a whole lot of long-time, stable residential businesses, because the client needs come first. And so, I don't see this like really, really soon around the corner in the traditional residential primary residence on your house, on my house."
Could this create extra income if you own a second home or property?
"So, that's where I think in the short term, this has a lot of legs. There are, and I won't name any names just for the sake of it, but there are some major players in the residential real estate and technology, kind of that crossover space, that already have some decent momentum and would start steps to provide opportunities for fractional ownership. A lot of those are towards, like, Hey, I got a lake house. I only use it three weeks a year. I'm going to try to get some cash out of the other 49 weeks.' Some of those are now tied towards this mobile workforce where I want to live in -- pick your place on the globe -- I want to live here for three months, and here for two months, and here for 10 weeks, and that's becoming way more realistic than it was 10 or 20 or 30 years ago, where somebody might literally, instead of owning one home all year, they might own 20 percent of five homes. That sounds crazy to a lot of people. But it sounds less crazy every day."
'New and different' | Dolly Parton jumps on blockchain bandwagon at SXSW 2022
FBI warns of cryptocurrency scams | 2022-04-06T19:49:10Z | www.wfaa.com | A blockchain real estate Q&A: Is the market worth exploring? | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/yall-itics/a-blockchain-real-estate-qa-the-intersection-of/287-f1806381-af29-4d82-bc91-5fba3bfd0f1a | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/yall-itics/a-blockchain-real-estate-qa-the-intersection-of/287-f1806381-af29-4d82-bc91-5fba3bfd0f1a |
"That sounds crazy to a lot of people. But it sounds less crazy every day."
DALLAS — Supporters of blockchain technology say it will not only revolutionize the real estate industry, but it will also democratize it by allowing working class folks to own premium assets in real estate -- just like rich people.
Peter Rex leads OwnProp, one of the Texas companies at the forefront of the technology. He says “democracy” is only the first part of the vision. The second, he says, is that blockchain will allow folks to make money on their property when they might need it most.
"There could be a grandma out there in her house, and she wants to visit her kids -- but she is house rich, but cash poor," Rex said on the latest episode of Y’all-itics. "Very common problem, not just in the US, but everywhere throughout the world, actually. And what we want to do is have her be able to sell a piece of her home while still owning and controlling the rest of it to get some cash so she can go visit her grandkids, buy gifts for people, whatever she might want to do, travel. And that’s what we’re doing here."
Blockchain technology is, in essence, a shared digital ledger that can’t be changed. It’s being used to track assets and record transactions. And in the case of real estate, supporters say it’s a far more trustworthy foundation to buy and sell property, or even small fraction of a piece of property, as in the example of grandma’s house.
The technology that drives blockchain is complex. So, Rex encourages folks to think of it like a car. You don’t necessarily have to know how a combustible engine works to know and trust what your vehicle can do.
"And what blockchain can do is it really is a secure accounting system," Rex said. "It provides better security than anything that has been created thus far. And it lowers the transaction costs because you can know that when you go to buy something, you can know for sure that that owner is who is said to have owned it. So, that way, you can buy it and you know what you're getting is a clean title they call it, which is clean ownership."
And that increased security and lower transaction costs are the two of the biggest selling points for Blockchain technology in the real estate market. Another benefit, like in the earlier example, is the ability to gain more liquidity in a market not known for it.
"Y'know, $50,000 is a lot to invest into a real estate deal and not see any returns for two, three years," said Sohail Hassan. "And some of the statistic on it is something like 93 percent of retail investors are not able to access these types of investments simply because they're not accredited, right? So, now you're lowering that ticket cost."
Sohail Hassan is the managing partner at MarketSpace Capital, another Texas company betting on blockchain. The companies use an online exchange that converts dollars into "tokens" and that’s how you can buy into property. Hassan's company has a 250-unit property off 635 in Farmers Branch it claims to be the first ground-up, "tokenized" property in the U.S..
"This project cost was $62 million, meaning all of those investors who invested into this project, they were buying in at that $62 million share price," Hassan said. "But as we complete construction, we get closer to what is the appraised, stabilized value of the asset, meaning that once construction is completed and you have people living there and you have occupancy around 70, 80 percent, the value that came in at $77.6 million."
So, Hassan says folks have already potentially made money. And, for that same project, he says investors converted one dollar for one token on the online exchange. MarketSpace projected the value of the tokens on that property to be $1.30 (based on variables such as market value and occupancy rates). The opening price was actually $1.12, and they have buy orders coming in now for $1.32. So if you invested that initial dollar, Hassan says you could see a 32 percent gain.
"So, in 2019, this was a $2 billion market," Hassan said. "This year, in 2022, they expected it to hit right around $4 billion. Today, we sit at it being a $5 billion market. So, it's already surpassed our projections of how it's grown. I fundamentally believe that by the end of this decade, by 2030, I believe that this is going to be the way that we do business."
Both Rex and Hassan will tell you there are still plenty of skeptics out there. It’s a new technology. It’s not easily understood. And you don’t even take physical possession of something you’re buying.
But you are already familiar with concepts like these, they said. Just think of your 401(k) or an online brokerage account. Supporters also constantly go back to the idea that by, leveraging blockchain, they’re able to lower transaction costs dramatically, leveling the playing field for everyone.
Said Rex: "Currently, if you wanted to buy, say, $10,000 of this asset here, economically, it wouldn't really make sense, because the closing costs alone of that transaction could be about $1000, which is about 10 percent of the transaction costs. With the blockchain, we could drop that cost massively, massively down to something that's never really happened before."
Todd Tramonte is one of Texas’ leading real estate marketers and brokers. While he doesn’t see the early adoption of blockchain in residential real estate, he says it could have an immediate impact in the area of titles, which are loaded with fees, as well as in vacation properties. Still, he says he's not at a point where he believes the technology is 100 percent tamper-proof and completely reliable.
"But, y'know, we didn't used to get in the cars with strangers either -- and now Uber is a big deal," said Tramonte. "I would never thought I would have slept in somebody else’s house for one night, but I've done that a bunch of times with my kids. So, at some point, it's pretty believable that this will be there. But I don't see it as a certainty yet now."
To read more about Todd Tramonte’s answers to your blockchain questions, head here.
The border crisis 6,000 miles away that's coming to Texas | 2022-04-06T19:49:16Z | www.wfaa.com | Can you make money on blockchain real estate? | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/yall-itics/yall-itics-can-you-make-money-on-blockchain-real-estate-experts-discuss/287-5b000773-6fb0-418d-9d76-c47e46174084 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/yall-itics/yall-itics-can-you-make-money-on-blockchain-real-estate-experts-discuss/287-5b000773-6fb0-418d-9d76-c47e46174084 |
Joaquín Zihuatanejo is now the first poet laureate of the City of Dallas. Madison Rojas is the first youth poet laureate. Together, they will inspire future poets.
DALLAS — On Wednesday morning, two people were honored at Dallas City Hall for their poetry.
Mayor Eric Johnson announced Joaquín Zihuatanejo as the city poet laureate. He spoke in front of city leaders and artists, and read a poem that he wrote inspired by his grandfather.
Zihuatanejo is the first City Poet Laureate in Dallas.
Zihuatanejo was born and raised in East Dallas, and he graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School.
Among many achievements, he became the number one ranked slam poet in the world after winning both the Individual World Poetry Slam Championship and the World Cup of Poetry Slam Championship in 2009.
Zihuatanejo founded Dallas Youth Poets in 2012. He hopes as the city’s poet laureate, he can continue to inspire future poets.
“One of the most intimidating things is a computer screen or a blank page. But once you type that first image, […] one line, then the poem will begin happening," he said.
Zihuatanejo will serve a two-year term. He will represent the City of Dallas as an ambassador of the literary arts by presenting his original poems at schools and community events. His work encourages diversity in reading, writing and performance.
Zihuatanejo will hold regular artist-in-residence office hours at the Central Library.
Alongside Zihuatanejo, 17-year-old Madison Rojas was honored as the youth poet laureate for the City of Dallas. Together, they will encourage youth poetry. Rojas will hold her title for one year.
Rojas is a junior at Greenhill School, and active in student council and diversity and inclusion. She said poetry will help her in whatever her career may be down the line. She has dreams of being a civil rights attorney.
“Everything is just a reflection of your emotions and what you feel inside," she said.
During the ceremony, Mayor Johnson declared April as Poetry Month in the City of Dallas. Visit www.dallaslibrary.org/poetry for more details on the Poet Laureate program. | 2022-04-06T23:21:58Z | www.wfaa.com | National poetry month: Dallas names poet laureate and youth poet | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/city-of-dallas-names-first-ever-poet-laureate-and-youth-poet-laureate/287-4193e79d-ff7d-4f6a-8f1a-535939d157bf | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/city-of-dallas-names-first-ever-poet-laureate-and-youth-poet-laureate/287-4193e79d-ff7d-4f6a-8f1a-535939d157bf |
With a playoff spot clinched and the regular season ending Sunday, the Dallas Mavericks said Wednesday that playoff tickets will soon be available for purchase.
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks are headed to the postseason for a third consecutive season, and the team announced Wednesday that fans will soon be able to buy home playoff games tickets for round one of the NBA Playoffs.
The tickets will go on sale to current Club Maverick Members in a special presale opportunity to purchase extra tickets on Saturday starting at 9 a.m.
Mavs Insiders will also have a presale opportunity starting at 10 a.m.
Tickets will be available for the general public to purchase at 12 p.m. on Saturday as well. Fans can purchase tickets for home games one and two of the first round.
RELATED: Dallas Mavericks playoff picture: Can Luka-led Mavs get over first round hump?
The Mavs (49-30) are currently in the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, two games ahead of the Utah Jazz (47-32) and one game behind the Golden State Warriors (50-29).
If the Mavs beat the Detroit Pistons (23-56) on Wednesday night, the franchise would clinch 50 wins for the first time since 2015, when the team finished 50-32.
After the Pistons game, the Mavs will then wrap up their regular season by playing the Portland Trail Blazers (27-52) on Friday and the San Antonio Spurs (34-45) on Sunday.
Since the Mavs beat the Warriors in three of the four games they played against each other this season, Dallas holds the tiebreaker between both teams for playoff seeding. This means if the two teams finish with the same record, the Mavs would get the higher seed.
If Dallas finishes as the No. 3 or No. 4 seed, the team would be home for the first two games of a round one, best-of-seven first-round playoff series. If the Mavs finish as the No. 5 seed or lower, they would instead host the third and fourth games of the series.
Once tickets go on sale, there will be a four-ticket limit per transaction. Individual game tickets are limited, and tickets are expected to sell quickly. | 2022-04-06T23:22:10Z | www.wfaa.com | 2022 Dallas Mavericks playoff tickets on sale | wfaa.com | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-mavericks-2022-playoff-tickets-go-on-sale/287-beb40672-1163-485d-a26e-439acd6d1f14 | https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-mavericks-2022-playoff-tickets-go-on-sale/287-beb40672-1163-485d-a26e-439acd6d1f14 |
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