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Axios Dallas
West Nile cases increasing in Texas
Dallas County is reporting a fifth person has been sickened by the West Nile virus, a disease transmitted by mosquitoes.Driving the news: A man living in the 75248 ZIP code in northern Dallas has been diagnosed with the West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease, the most severe form of infection.Why it matters: Most cases of the virus in humans are asymptomatic, and about 1 in 5 people develop a fever, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About 1% of infected people develop neuroinvasive infection, which can be fatal.Flashback: The state's first human case this year was confirmed on July 10...
A primer on DFW Restaurant Week
Clear your schedule, gather your friends — DFW Restaurant Week is almost here!Why it matters: The annual event raised nearly $12 million in donations for its charity partners in the last 26 years. More than 100 restaurants across North Texas are participating this year.Driving the news: Restaurant week specials run from Aug. 7-Sept. 3 at many places, and there's a happy hour tasting party at Eataly on Tuesday to kick things off.Details: Dining options include a $24 lunch, $29 brunch, dinner for $39 or $49, and a VIP signature dinner for $99.Roughly 20% of the cost of each meal will be donated to the North Texas Food Bank in the Dallas County area or Lena Pope in the Tarrant County area.Pro tip: Reservations book quickly, so decide soon.Eater Dallas has these recs.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Dallas.
Dallas Love Field wind energy takes flight
Dallas Love Field is testing new technology to convert wind blasts generated by aircraft into alternative energy.Why it matters: The growing threat of climate change has put billions of people at risk and led many industries to enact sustainability measures for everything from the marine life deep in the ocean to the planes up in the skies.Threat level: Carbon emissions from the aviation industry contributed to about 2% of total global emissions in 2022, fueling the ongoing push for airlines and airports to decarbonize travel.Details: Dallas-based JetWind Power Corp. worked with Southern Methodist University and Clarkson University in the early...
Apple Maps gets upgraded in Dallas and Houston
Apple Maps has added some artsy new features to win over more Dallas and Houston drivers.The big picture: Free phone apps like Apple Maps, Google Maps and Waze have turned Mapsco and bulky navigation devices into tools of the past.Apple Maps hasn't always been as user-friendly as its competitors, but it has come a long way.Details: The new Apple Maps features released last week include more detailed navigation graphics showing turn lanes, trees, medians, bus lanes and crosswalks.Certain landmarks, like the Dallas Museum of Art and AT&T Stadium, have a 3D appearance on the app, and they look even cooler in the nighttime view.Houston maps will show landmarks like Waterwall Park, Space Center Houston and Minute Maid Park, with details like the Astros' home run train and Space Shuttle Independence.Other new features show traffic conditions and the best lane for an approaching exit.Of note: The Dallas area is also getting a Look Around feature that Houston has, showing street-level images of landmarks like the ones Google Maps already has.What's next: Anyone with Apple Maps and iOS 15 or higher will automatically receive the enhanced navigation system update.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Dallas.
Cinemark Dallas adds "Oppenheimer" showtimes
Cinemark Dallas has seen such a large demand for "Oppenheimer" on IMAX 70mm that the theater added weekend showings at 2:35am and 6:50am.Why it matters: The Dallas theater is one of just two in Texas showing "Oppenheimer" on IMAX 70mm — director Christopher Nolan's preferred way to view his film.There are just 30 such theaters in the world.Details: The three-hour movie spans 11 miles on film. Before a 10:45pm Thursday viewing, a movie theater employee held up a strip of film as tall as himself. It accounted for just one second of the movie.Sometimes the movie fills the entire five-story...
Higher sales, lower prices for North Texas condos
Data: Zillow; Chart: Alice Feng/AxiosDallas-Fort Worth area condo prices have dropped slightly faster than the price of single-family homes, per the latest Zillow data.The big picture: More buyers have turned to condos and townhouses as housing costs surge, Realtor.com analyst Hannah Jones tells Axios.Across the U.S., that segment's prices are now climbing at a faster clip than single-family homes, the real estate company's data shows.Why it matters: Condos' growing appeal comes as younger buyers look for more affordable homes and empty-nesters want to downsize to a maintenance-free lifestyle, real estate analysts say.What's happening: In May, the typical North Texas condo...
Texas workers have few protections from the heat
Construction crews, warehouse workers and other laborers are working in dangerously hot conditions through the historic heat wave sweeping the southern U.S. — and employers have few specific legal requirements to keep them safe, Axios' Jessica Boehm reports.Why it matters: Climate change has caused hotter, longer and more frequent heat waves globally, putting workers at risk for heat-related illnesses.State of play: No federal or state law protects Texas workers specifically from extreme heat, UNT Dallas College of Law associate professor Michael Maslanka tells Axios.Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) standards include a "general duty" for employers to keep their workers...
India's ban on rice exports drives up demand in North Texas
India's new ban on certain rice imports is being felt in North Texas, a reminder of the great toilet paper panic of the COVID-19 pandemic.Driving the news: Last week, India banned exports of non-basmati white rice to "allay the rise in prices in the domestic market," officials said.The country is the world's largest exporter of rice, and its ban has triggered fear of a rise in global food prices, per The Guardian.State of play: Rice is a staple in many South Asian cultures, and local South Asian grocery stores sell several brands and types of rice to cater to a...
Maternal mortality rates rise in Texas
Data: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation; Map: Tory Lysik /Axios VisualsMaternal mortality rates in Texas more than doubled between 1999 and 2019, per a new study.Why it matters: The study — published in JAMA — provides the first state-level breakdowns by ethnic group, Axios' Oriana González reports.The big picture: Nationally, maternal deaths more than doubled from 505 in 1999 to 1,210 in 2019.States in the Midwest, the Great Plains and the South had significant increases during that time.Zoom in: In Texas, the overall number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births increased from around 10 in 1999 to around...
50 years ago, a Dallas police officer killed a handcuffed 12-year-old boy
Five decades after a 12-year-old Mexican American boy was murdered by a white Dallas police officer, the community is still healing.Driving the news: Monday will mark the 50th anniversary of the night Dallas police officers took Santos Rodriguez from his bed, handcuffed him and his brother and put them in a police car. During his interrogation, the police officer shot Santos in the head in front of his 13-year-old brother.Why it matters: The anniversary will be an opportunity for more people to learn about the murder and the racial inequality that still haunts Dallas.Catch up fast: On July 24, 1973,...
50 years ago, a Dallas police officer killed a handcuffed 12-year-old boy
Five decades after a 12-year-old Mexican American boy was murdered by a white Dallas police officer, the community is still healing.Driving the news: Monday will mark the 50th anniversary of the night Dallas police officers took Santos Rodriguez from his bed, handcuffed him and his brother and put them in a police car. During his interrogation, the police officer shot Santos in the head in front of his 13-year-old brother.Why it matters: The anniversary will be an opportunity for more people to learn about the murder and the racial inequality that still haunts Dallas.Catch up fast: On July 24, 1973,...
Investigators prepare for Ken Paxton's impeachment trial
Property purchases from Hawaii to Florida are reportedly among the many transactions that investigators are examining to prepare for the September impeachment trial of suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.Why it matters: Paxton is the third state official in Texas history to be impeached. His future as an elected official now rests with the Texas Senate.Catch up fast: The allegations against the Republican politician from McKinney include bribery, obstruction of justice and abuse of public trust. He has denied any wrongdoing.The GOP-dominated Texas House voted to impeach Paxton in late May, and he was immediately suspended from office. His Senate...
North Texan woos judges, fellow contestants on "Is It Cake?"
The latest season of the Netflix show "Is It Cake?" features a longtime bakery owner from North Texas.Driving the news: The wildly popular show's second season became available to stream a few weeks ago.How it works: 10 bakers from all over the U.S. attempt realistic cakes to trick celebrity judges into thinking they are real objects.The creations are judged by their appearance and their taste, and contestants get to accumulate money from challenges along the way.The show is fun to watch because viewers can also guess which of the items displayed are really cake.The intrigue: Carrollton’s Elizabeth Rowe had a...
SMU to help study new ways of teaching
SMU's Center on Research and Evaluation (CORE) will take part in a five-year study examining how elementary school classrooms can become more playful.The study will focus on under-resourced schools around the country, including in Dallas.Why it matters: The basic model for teaching elementary students — one teacher talking to 20-30 kids — hasn't changed much over the last few centuries. Academics call it the "sage on a stage" approach.The big picture: SMU is one of seven universities participating in the "Learning Through Play" study, which will be led by Temple University in Philadelphia and funded by roughly $20 million from...
What it takes to be one of Texas' top earners
Data: SmartAsset; Map: Tory Lysik/Axios VisualsIf you're hoping to be in the top 1% of your state, moving out of Texas will give you a better shot.Driving the news: A new SmartAsset analysis of IRS tax filer data captures where the country's wealthiest people are concentrated.The big picture: The top 1% of U.S. families held more than a third of the country's total wealth in 2019, up from 27% in 1989, the Congressional Budget Office reported last year. Households in the bottom half of the distribution held only 2% of the country's wealth.State of play: Southern states have some of...
Dallas Museum of Art imagines its future with design competition
The Dallas Museum of Art needs help deciding on its future look.Driving the news: The downtown museum launched an international design competition this year to get ideas for its future expansion.The museum is now taking feedback from the public on the shortlisted concepts.Context: "The DMA's 1984 building by Edward Larrabee Barnes was designed for a different Dallas, a different time, and a different society," the museum said in announcing its design competition.With its growing collections and shifting needs, the museum is looking to reinvent itself."The Museum is working hard to engage new and diverse audiences … The campus needs to...
Dallas surgeon Brian Williams is running for Congress
A trauma surgeon who rose to prominence after treating Dallas police officers ambushed by a sniper in 2016 is running for Democrat Rep. Colin Allred's seat in Congress.Why it matters: Brian Williams, an Air Force veteran who completed his medical residency at Harvard before working at Parkland Memorial Hospital, has a story and a message that could take him a long way in American politics.The big picture: Running as a Democrat, Williams wants to help curb the country's epidemic of gun violence, he tells Axios. He's also concerned about unaffordable health care coverage and environmental issues, and says "reproductive rights...
The Dallas Wings are on fire in the WNBA
The Dallas Wings are soaring this month with a three-game winning streak and second seed in the WNBA's Western Conference.Driving the news: Last week, the team beat the Minnesota Lynx by 40 points and set a new record for the largest margin of victory in Wings franchise history. Their previous record was 37 points in 2000.Wings' forward Natasha Howard was named the Western Conference's Player of the Week last week, heading into the All-Star break.State of play: So far this season, the Wings rank highest in the league for rebounds per game and are tied for fourth for total points...
Summer activities for Dallas teens
Feeling clueless about how to keep your teenager occupied in this summer heat? The City of Dallas wants to help.Driving the news: The city's Summer of Safety campaign has a long list of activities and events to help families fill their days.Here are some options…Girl talk: Dallas police will go over ways to avoid scams and fraud. The talk will be followed by an origami workshop. 1pm Tuesday at Vickery Park Branch Library.Intro to theater for teens: Participants will brainstorm how poems, monologues and stories can be turned into a show. 5:30pm Wednesday at J. Erik Jonsson Central Library.All-access passes. The passes give teens who live in Dallas free entry to places including the Dallas Zoo, Perot Museum and Dallas Arboretum. Passes must be picked up at a recreation center.Summer reading. Encourage your teen to read more and earn rewards in the process.🧢 Teen rec nights. Recreation centers across the city host free teen nights from 7-10pm on Fridays.Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Dallas.
Texas trans lawsuit adds to legal battles nationwide
A lawsuit filed last week against Texas is the latest in a string of suits nationwide attempting to stop states from banning gender-affirming care.Driving the news: Five families, three medical providers and two LGBTQ+ organizations sued the state of Texas alleging Senate Bill 14, which goes into effect in September, violates the state's constitution.The group called the ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youths "just one piece of the Texas Legislature's discriminatory agenda for targeting transgender Texans."State of play: Texas has led the nation in anti-transgender legislation filed this year, with 57 bills.Ultimately, four bills identified by Trans Legislation Tracker...
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