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Axios Dallas
$1.25 billion Dallas bond package headed to May ballot
Dallas voters will get the chance in May to approve $1.25 billion in bond money to fix streets, develop new parks, and update libraries and cultural facilities.Why it matters: Dallas' municipal bond programs have been transformational for over a century — providing funding for projects ranging from building a water filtration plant at White Rock Lake in the 1920s to building City Hall.Driving the news: Wednesday, the City Council approved sending the bond package to voters in May after several delays in the process.This week was the deadline to set a May election. Otherwise, the council could've put the bond...
After a roaring 2023, Texas ecomomy expected to cool to pre-pandemic levels in 2024
The Texas economy exceeded expectations in 2023 after earlier worries of a national recession, according to an analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.Why it matters: Economists had projected a soft landing for Texas in 2023, predicting it would avoid a major economic downturn even if the national economy took a hit.The big picture: The Texas labor force grew at its fastest pace in decades last year and outpaced growth nationwide, Dallas Fed senior economist Pia Orrenius said at a recent economic outlook event.The state's job growth is expected to cool this year to pre-pandemic figures. "We're cleared for...
480,000 North Texans removed from Medicaid since pandemic-era protections ended
About 480,000 North Texans have been removed from the state's Medicaid program since federal pandemic-era coverage protections were lifted last April, new state data shows. The big picture: Texas has removed more than 2 million people from the program — the most of any state, reports Axios Vitals' Maya Goldman.
Sen. John Cornyn and Texas AG Ken Paxton trade insults
Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, both Republicans, are publicly feuding over a variety of issues — and it's getting personal.Why it matters: The public bickering typifies the rift inside the Texas GOP between more isolationist, MAGA-friendly Republicans aligned with Paxton and traditional conservatives like Cornyn.What happened: In the latest back and forth, Paxton fired first on X, criticizing Cornyn's late-night vote in favor of a $95 billion foreign aid bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.Cornyn quickly replied, telling Paxton: "Ken, your criminal defense lawyers are calling to suggest you spend less time pushing Russian propaganda and...
New Dallas Mavericks owners talk about new arena possibility
The Dallas Mavericks' new owners are open to building the team a new arena in North Texas, but say it's too soon to know when that might be.Driving the news: Patrick Dumont spoke to the Dallas Morning News about his family's love of basketball and his vision for the Mavericks.Why it matters: Mark Cuban has wanted a new arena for the team for years. Dumont's family is well-positioned to make that happen, while also continuing their push to legalize sports betting and gambling in Texas.The big picture: Dumont, who grew up playing basketball in Brooklyn, New York, says he enjoys...
Scarlett Johansson to star in film about probe into Aryan Brotherhood of Texas
Scarlett Johansson is reportedly set to star as an FBI informant in a film about the six-year investigation into the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas.Why it matters: Johansson will portray Carol Blevins, a North Texan whose informing work secured 13 convictions and helped in at least 16 others more than a decade ago.She was the subject of a seven-part series by former Dallas Morning News reporter Scott Farwell.Catch up fast: Blevins grew up in Murphy and was an athlete at Plano East Senior High School. It was the era of heroin overdoses in the middle class suburb.She tried heroin for the...
How an Arlington incubator helps Black chefs launch restaurants
A North Texas family has launched a new program to address inequities in the culinary industry by letting Black chefs experience what it's like to run their own restaurant.Driving the news: Kitchen Combine launched in Arlington in January and will feature new chefs with new menus every month.Why it matters: The culinary industry has historically favored white chefs, making it tougher for chefs of color to get top jobs at restaurants."Black and Latinx people are more likely to work in low-paying, quick service segments or in back-of-house positions, with limited upward mobility," according to the Michelin Guide.State of play: Kitchen...
Oak Cliff chef Carl Harris tests running his own restaurant at Arlington's Kitchen Combine
Chef Carl Harris has been in the private dining and catering industry for over a decade. This month, he's learning what it takes to run a restaurant that's open to the public.His background: Food was a big part of Harris' upbringing in a Black-Latinx household. He got into cooking after enrolling at UNT, using his roommates as his "guinea pigs" and occasionally selling plates of food to make extra money.An apprenticeship with a Dallas restaurant years later segued into his own catering business.He has appeared in Season 16 of the Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race" and catered for...
FCC bans AI voices in robocalls after scams linked to North Texas
The Federal Communications Commission has declared the use of AI-generated voices in scam robocalls illegal.Why it matters: The new rule went into effect immediately Thursday, days after fake robocalls interfering with last month's New Hampshire primary were tied to a Texas company and a serial entrepreneur in Arlington.The calls faked President Biden's voice discouraging people from voting in the primary.The big picture: Generative AI is making voice scams easier to believe and unsolicited robocalls have been used to "extort vulnerable family members, imitate celebrities, and misinform voters," per the FCC.In a unanimous ruling, the FCC declared that calls made with...
When Arlington hosted the Super Bowl
Our football stadium in Arlington was just two years old — and not yet named AT&T Stadium — when North Texas hosted Super Bowl XLV in 2011.The weather was awful, and there weren't enough seats. It was embarrassing.What happened: An ice storm paralyzed the region for several days, drawing ridicule from colder cities that are better equipped to handle winter weather.Ice falling from the stadium's roof injured several workers the Friday before the big game."I-30 between Dallas + Fort Worth is a plow-less, snow-windswept moonscape. This is officially a debacle," Sports Illustrated writer Peter King tweeted at the time.And: A shortage of seats at the stadium on Game Day left hundreds of ticket holders without a seat, leading to lawsuits that took years to settle.But, but, but: The Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers got to play under Cowboys Stadium's closed roof, a reprieve from the bitter cold conditions that they usually face at home.The Packers won 31-25.The bottom line: We haven't hosted a Super Bowl since.
Dallas-Fort Worth commuters spent 2 hours longer in rush hour in 2023
Data: TomTom; Note: U.S. overall includes average of 80 cities; Chart: Axios VisualsDrive times in Dallas-Fort Worth have increased since 2021 — but you probably already noticed.The big picture: Car commutes have largely gotten slower across America since the mid-pandemic era, per new data from mapping and location tech giant TomTom.Longer commutes are likely due to more people returning to offices last year, reports Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj.By the numbers: It took 19 seconds longer last year to drive 6 miles in the D-FW city centers than it did in 2021.It took an average of 11 minutes and...
New $5 billion pediatric campus coming to Dallas
UT Southwestern and Children's Health are building a 2-million-square-foot pediatric hospital in Dallas' Medical District.Why it matters: It's a rare partnership between two major hospital systems to create one hospital together.The $5 billion project will help serve the needs of the booming Dallas-Fort Worth region.Driving the news: The hospital systems announced their plans for the campus Wednesday, after dodging questions from Axios and other news outlets about the project for over a year.State of play: North Texas is home to more than 2.5 million children, a figure that's expected to double by 2050, per a joint news release.UT Southwestern's focus...
Shaquille O'Neal sponsors gun buyback event in Dallas
A gun buyback event in Dallas on Saturday has an unexpected sponsor: local entrepreneur Shaquille O'Neal. Why it matters: Gun buybacks try to trim the stock of weapons in communities — but it's difficult to measure their effectiveness because "only a tiny fraction of guns" is turned in, according to a RAND report.
Cowboys' Micah Parsons topped NFL's 2023 jersey sales
Micah Parsons' Cowboys jersey was more popular than Super Bowl contender Patrick Mahomes' jersey this NFL season. Driving the news: The linebacker is in the running for the Associated Press' defensive player of the year award, which will be announced Thursday. Why it matters: Parsons' jersey ranked No. 1 among...
Dallas is again named one of the 10 best economically performing cities
Dallas again landed at the top of nonprofit Milken Institute's annual list of the best economically performing cities, released first to Axios.Why it matters: Dallas-Plano-Irving has "one of the most diverse economies in the country" with finance, information technology and transportation workforces, the report's authors wrote.The metro remained in the Top 10 large cities for the third straight year because of its strong labor market and continued wage growth.What they're saying: "What we mean by top-performing is that these are the cities that are growing the fastest," Maggie Switek, one of the authors, tells Axios."So if we think about New...
Dallas comic Iliza Shlesinger finds her roots on PBS show
Iliza Shlesinger, a comedian who grew up in the Dallas area, is featured on the most recent episode of the long-running PBS show "Finding Your Roots."Details: The show explores the ancestry of its guests, sometimes uncovering tragic stories.Shlesinger learned her paternal great-grandmother Esther Szonek immigrated from Poland to New York in 1921 when she was 22.Esther's brother died at Auschwitz, and another brother, Abraham Szonek, survived the Holocaust and immigrated to New York in 1955.What they're saying: "When you look at pictures from history of atrocities committed against your people in particular, there's always that pull, but I never thought I had any actual connection because I didn't know any of the history," Shlesinger says.The intrigue: Shlesinger also learned she is a "DNA cousin" — sharing identical segments of DNA on four chromosomes — with comedian Sarah Silverman.Zoom in: Shlesinger credited her comedic success to her upbringing. She was the only girl in the improv troupe at Greenhill School in Addison."Women in comedy wasn't such a sticky topic," she said of her youth. "I was never told, 'Women aren't funny.' Boys liked to be around me because I was funny. And my friends. That was my currency."
How AT&T Stadium is preparing for the 2026 World Cup
North Texas leaders have a little over two years to prepare for the 2026 Men's World Cup.Why it matters: FIFA says each match is expected to represent a Super Bowl, bringing millions of dollars and thousands of temporary jobs to their host cities.The big picture: Hosting nine matches will be a big undertaking for North Texas, from installing a FIFA-approved soccer field to ensuring a memorable fan experience.But, but, but: AT&T Stadium was built for the World Cup, says Mark Williams, the global director for venues at Dallas-based HKS Architects, which designed the stadium and is helping it prepare for...
Keith Lee's Dallas visit is generous — but controversial
Food critic Keith Lee's recent North Texas trip was a boon for several local businesses, but riddled with drama for one of them. Why it matters: The former MMA fighter turned traveling food influencer is known for publicizing lesser-known businesses in cities that he visits, giving workers large tips and leaving behind long lines of customers.
Dallas is the main host city for 2026 FIFA World Cup
The Dallas area will host the most matches of any city during the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup, holding nine games over the 39-day tournament, organizers announced Sunday.Why it matters: The 2026 World Cup organized by FIFA — the international governing body of soccer — is poised to be AT&T Stadium's largest event since Super Bowl XLV in 2011.Each match is expected to represent one Super Bowl and bring millions of dollars and thousands of temporary jobs to the region, FIFA says. The big picture: Canada, Mexico and the United States are co-hosting the 104-match tournament across 16 cities."This whole...
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