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Taylor Swift featured in new exhibit at Arlington Museum of Art
The Arlington Museum of Art has filled some of its blank spaces with an exhibit devoted to Taylor Swift's career.Why it matters: Arlington went all out for Swift's tour stop in late March, even renaming a stretch of Randol Mill Road in her honor.The museum exhibit gives Swifties another reason to visit the city.The intrigue: "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Collection" includes original costumes and photos capturing Swift's many eras.Two other exhibits at the museum feature women in country music and women whose careers in music started in Arlington.What they're saying: "Great artists, regardless of their medium, stand the test of time because of their dedication to their craft. … They influence the future because they take creative risks in spite of opposing forces," Chris Hightower, CEO of the Arlington Museum of Art, said in a statement.What's next: "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Collection," "Girl in a Country Song" and "Hometown Harmonies" are open for viewing until the week of Sept. 23.Tickets start at $20; discounts are available.This story has been corrected to say Taylor Swift stopped in Arlington in late March (not May) and the exhibit ends on Sept. 24.
ACLU urges Texas school boards to reject chaplains in schools
A coalition of civil liberties groups sent a letter this week to superintendents and school board members across Texas, warning that allowing chaplains to work in public schools would violate the state constitution and the U.S. Constitution — and could result in lawsuits.Why it matters: The groups expressed their concerns two weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a bill that allows districts to use school safety funds to pay for unlicensed chaplains to provide mental health support to students. During debate on the bill, opponents expressed fear that it would be a "Trojan horse" for evangelizing children and...
ACLU urges Texas school boards to reject chaplains in schools
A coalition of civil liberties groups sent a letter this week to superintendents and school board members across Texas, warning that allowing chaplains to work in public schools would violate the state constitution and the U.S. Constitution — and could result in lawsuits. Why it matters: The groups expressed...
Texas heat wave a matter of life and death
The Texas heat wave is now in its third week, and more than 45 million people in the southern U.S. are under heat advisories.Why it matters: Extreme heat is the top weather-related killer in the U.S., and long-duration heat with little overnight relief makes this wave even more hazardous, Axios' Andrew Freedman reports.The big picture: The scorching heat impacting Mexico, Texas and parts of New Mexico is forecast to worsen and extend into the week of July 4, per forecast models and National Weather Service.How it works: The high-pressure area aloft, or heat dome, responsible for this event is moving...
Former DISD leader scrutinized as he takes over in Houston
Former Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles' approach to education leadership is under scrutiny again as he takes on a similar role in Houston.Driving the news: Miles was recently appointed Houston ISD's superintendent as part of the Texas Education Agency's takeover of the school district.The agency will remain in control of HISD until no campus receives a D or F state rating for multiple years and the district's special education program is in compliance with state legal requirements, per a letter from the TEA.The big picture: While Miles' management established the framework for some successes in Dallas, he faced several...
"Stephenville" podcast breaks ground on an old murder
A new Texas Monthly podcast hosted by author Bryan Burrough explores a decades-old murder in Stephenville.Driving the news: The first two episodes of "Stephenville" dropped last week.Details: Susan Woods, a quiet 30-year-old, was murdered in July 1987, not long after she separated from her husband.Her estranged husband was the first suspect, but two decades later, Joseph Scott Hatley of Round Rock pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.Zoom in: Episode 1 begins with the case's longtime investigator getting a call from someone who bought Hatley's old trailer and discovered some documents."One thing I know...
How legal abortions declined in Texas, increased in other states
Note: Includes abortions provided by clinics, private medical offices, hospitals and virtual-only clinics. Months with fewer than 10 abortions are represented as 0; Data: #WeCount/Society of Family Planning and the U.S. Census Bureau; Map: Jacque Schrag/AxiosTexas has seen the largest decline in legal abortions of any state in the year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, according to a new report by #WeCount, an abortion rights group.In the nine months after the decision, there were 23,340 fewer abortions in Texas than was typical before the decision.State of play: The state already had one of the strictest abortion...
DPS won't say who removed Quran from Texas Capitol chapel
Three months have passed since someone took a North Texas lawmaker's Quran from the Texas Capitol chapel — but we still don't know who that someone is.The big picture: Investigating agencies usually get to decide whether certain information can be publicly shared. In this case, the Texas Department of Public Safety has decided to withhold the name of the person who took the chapel's Quran.Catch up fast: State Rep. Salman Bhojani, a newly elected Democrat from Euless, placed his family's Quran in the chapel in late March after learning that it didn't have a copy available for visitors to use.The...
Grand Prairie Stadium is almost ready for Major League Cricket
A former minor league baseball stadium is almost ready for its debut as a Major League Cricket stadium next month.Driving the news: The newly converted Grand Prairie Stadium will host the league's inaugural match on July 13, featuring the locally based Texas Super Kings and the Los Angeles Knight Riders.Why it matters: Cricket leagues in Australia, India and Pakistan have proven to be highly profitable, assembling teams from popular players from different countries.If the sport takes off in the U.S., there is a lot of money to be made from ticket sales, sponsorships, TV rights and local tourism.Flashback: Grand Prairie...
Things to do in Dallas-Fort Worth this weekend
Looking for something to do in North Texas the weekend of June 23-25? Here are some options...🌈 Have pride. AT&T Discovery District is hosting a Turn Up the Love Tour in support of the Trevor Project, a crisis support organization for LGBTQ+ individuals.Vendor market starts at 6pm Friday, followed by an 8pm concert.🎥 Watch a rom-com. John Cusack is hosting two screenings of his movies followed by discussions about the films and his career."Sixteen Candles" is at 7:30pm Friday at the Will Rogers Auditorium in Fort Worth. Tickets start at $16."Say Anything" is at 7:30pm Saturday at the Music Hall at Fair Park in Dallas. Tickets start at $40.🥩 Learn from a legend. Pitmaster Brandon Hurtado of Hurtado Barbecue is hosting a four-hour master class at Globe Life Field, if you're willing to fork over the money for it.10am Sunday. Tickets are $350 and include two meals, two Rangers tickets, swag and a Globe Life Field tour voucher.🪁 Fly high. Bring your own kite to a family-friendly kite gathering.12:30-5:30pm on Sunday at Farmers Branch Historical Park.
The new laws shaping education in Texas
Dozens of education bills signed into law this summer range in scope from increasing school safety to giving parents more influence over their children's education.State of play: Education funding is the biggest line item in the state's budget each biennium. Texas plans to spend about $59 billion on education, including school districts, community colleges and universities, from its general revenue over the next two years. In 2022-23, the state allocated $64 billion.Details: School districts are now required to have at least one armed security officer per campus and install panic alert technology in all classrooms. To help offset the costs,...
Texas education funding measures stalled this session
School districts across Texas were hoping some of the state's $33 billion surplus would trickle down into their budgets and help them address inflation.The big picture: Schools, homeowners and businesses were all vying for a cut of the state's unprecedented surplus — but politics got in the way.Context: School districts are funded through a combination of sources, including property taxes and state and federal funding.Many school districts are expecting to end 2023-24 with budget deficits that they blame on lawmakers' unwillingness to increase their funding.Catch up fast: Senate Bill 8 would have offered $8,000 per student per year for leaving...
The best and worst legislators from North Texas
Several North Texas legislators landed on Texas Monthly's list of the best and worst lawmakers of 2023 for their work during the state's legislative session.The intrigue: The most noteworthy incidents in this year's regular legislative session involved two notable North Texans — the attorney general's impeachment and Rep. Bryan Slaton's expulsion from the House.Texas Monthly gave the former Royse City rep the nickname Cockroach and exclaimed in a headline: "The Cockroach (Exterminated!").Details: North Texans stood out for pushing for a bill to end the tampon tax, breaking from their party to vote for bills they believed in and sponsoring the effort...
Ken Paxton's impeachment trial rife with possible conflicts of interest
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has promised that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will be treated fairly in his upcoming impeachment trial — which Patrick will oversee — but the state Senate, where the trial will be held, has become a tangled web of potential conflicts of interest.The latest: The Senate convened this week to discuss the rules for the trial, during which senators will determine whether Paxton is permanently removed from office.Why it matters: Paxton owes $125,000 in outstanding campaign loans to Patrick, according to the Houston Chronicle, and at least three senators could have conflicts of interest.Flashback: The GOP-dominated...
Asian grocery chain H Mart is coming to Dallas
H Mart will open a location in Dallas, after the City Council approved $3.5 million in incentives last week in support of the popular Asian grocery chain's arrival.Why it matters: Until now, many Dallas residents have traveled to Carrollton or Plano to shop at H Mart. The New Jersey-based chain's expansion to Dallas will keep those tax dollars in the city.The project could bring other nationally known Asian chains to Dallas' Koreatown, similar to burgeoning developments in Carrollton and Plano.Details: The chain plans to convert an old shopping center on Royal Lane into a roughly 74,000-square-foot grocery, along with other...
Rain hasn't staved off drought conditions in North Texas
Recent rainfall improved drought conditions statewide — but North Texas didn't get enough precipitation to be out of danger, even if it feels like it's rained almost every day.Driving the news: Data released Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor shows 56% of Texas was in some level of drought as of Tuesday, compared with 91% of the state around the same time last year.Why it matters: Drought conditions affect crop production, lake levels, the risk of grass fires and the health of cattle. Last year's drought cost billions before extended periods of rainfall improved conditions by the end of the...
North Texas' 100-degree days are coming sooner than usual
Data: Climate Central; Chart: Tory Lysik/Axios VisualsDallas-Fort Worth is predicted to see its first 100-degree day of the summer by early next week, about two weeks earlier than average.Driving the news: Temperatures are predicted to hover right below the century mark Friday and Saturday with humidity pushing the heat index — or what it really feels like — into the low 100s, according to National Weather Service meteorologists.Why it matters: Summers are getting hotter, and excessive heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S.In North Texas, the average summer temperature has risen 5.2° since 1970.Data: Climate Central;...
Dallas City Council set to decide on short-term rental ordinance
The Dallas City Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a short-term rental ordinance that would require all operators to register with the city and pay hotel and occupancy taxes.Council will also consider whether to adopt a code change that would enact a near-complete ban on the rentals.Why it matters: The issue has become a fight over property owners' rights, what neighborhoods want and how much the city can and should regulate.State of play: City staff and the City Plan Commission don't agree on the best way to manage Airbnbs and other short-term rentals, despite more than three years of...
Proposed Dallas bond package addresses housing shortage
A $1 billion municipal bond program in Dallas should prioritize funding affordable housing, advocates say.Driving the news: Council members have started hosting town hall meetings this month for residents to learn about the proposed 2024 bond program and give input on how funding should be prioritized.City leaders say the bond program won't result in a tax increase.Why it matters: Dallas lacks sufficient affordable housing and has more overcrowded apartments than the rest of North Texas and a higher poverty rate than the rest of the region.City staff suggest Dallas should add 100,000 units in the next decade.Details: City leaders have...
Texas attempts to save Fairfield Lake State Park
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has opted to use eminent domain in an attempt to save Fairfield Lake State Park from a Dallas developer who hopes to turn the land into a community of multimillion-dollar homes.Driving the news: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission voted unanimously on Saturday to condemn the popular state park and surrounding land, about 90 miles south of Dallas, three days before the state's lease on the land was set to expire.Why it matters: The use of eminent domain for the purpose of a public park is rare in Texas. Before this weekend's vote to...
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