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Axios Dallas
The eclipse could bring traffic jams to Dallas-Fort Worth
Next week's total eclipse is expected to draw so many visitors to Dallas-Fort Worth that state officials are warning traffic could be a mess.Why it matters: This is the region's first total solar eclipse since 1878.Texas is one of the prime spots for Americans to see the eclipse.State of play: The region is expecting thousands of visitors this weekend and on Monday for the eclipse. Hotels around downtown Dallas are already 99% booked, per a city memo.Traffic is expected to be especially heavy around parks and other outdoor viewing areas.The intrigue: Road congestion is likely to be bad enough that...
Cornyn looks to Dallas' Bonton Farms as model for federal legislation
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) hopes South Dallas' Bonton Farms will be a template for improving other communities across the country.Why it matters: The farm has tried addressing food insecurity in southern Dallas for almost a decade by selling fresh groceries and offering felons opportunities to learn skills that will help them secure a job.Driving the news: Cornyn visited Bonton Farms last week to meet leaders from organizations that work with former prisoners and help them transition back into their communities.The Republican senator says he wants to take programs like Bonton Farms and ask, "what's the secret sauce?" that makes...
Spring rains could help keep summer heat at bay
The recent rainfall in North Texas has helped the region steer clear of drought conditions so far this spring, new data from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows.Why it matters: Firefighters and weather forecasters keep a close eye on rain totals and drought risks heading into the summer, when the brutal heat typically worsens conditions.State of play: Around this time last year, almost 67% of Texas was in drought. Roughly 17% of the state was in extreme or exceptional drought.As of the latest data released Thursday, a quarter of the state is experiencing drought conditions including just 2% of the state...
The Texas Rangers top the Chicago Cubs in opening day thriller
Don't underestimate the Texas Rangers.Why it matters: The Rangers enter the 2024 season as the reigning world champs, but most sports analysts don't even predict they'll win their division over the Houston Astros.Yes, but: The 2023 champions are currently undefeated after a 4-3 walk-off win over the Chicago Cubs in Thursday's season opener.The teams were evenly matched throughout, staying tied into the ninth inning, when the Cubs scored on what appeared to be a tipped foul but was ruled a passed ball.Driving the news: Rookie Wyatt Langford — one of the Rangers' top prospects — had a standout night in...
Dallas' Bachman Lake to get a skateboarding park by end of 2024
Dallas breaks ground Thursday on its first large-scale skateboarding park — seven years after the city approved the plans.Why it matters: The $3.9 million project will help make Dallas a skateboarding oasis rather than the skating desert it currently is.The 45,600-square-feet in-ground concrete skate park will bring the sport back to Bachman Lake, which once drew Tony Hawk and other skaters from across the country in the 1980s for the "Clown Ramp."Driving the news: The Bachman park will be the city's second skating facility. The current one — Lakeland Hills Skate Park — has modular surfaces for skating. Bachman will...
Dallas weekend events: Easter egg hunt, Holi celebrations
Here's what's happening around North Texas this weekend.👡 Imagine walking in someone else's shoes. The "Walk this Way" exhibit features more than 100 pairs of shoes spanning 200 years of history, including shoes worn by suffragists.Open through July 14 at the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. $19 for adults, $12 for kids.🐣 Scavenge for eggs. Several places are celebrating Easter this weekend with egg hunts and other activities for families.Saturday in Colleyville and Plano's Legacy North. Sunday at Turtle Creek Park and Klyde Warren Park in Dallas.The Dallas Morning News has a list of more options.🎨 Throw more colors. Holi celebrations continue in Dallas and Aubrey this weekend for the Indian Festival of Colors, where throwing colored powder at your loved ones is customary. Wear a white shirt that you don't mind getting dirty.⛸️ Go for a spin. Hang out with the characters from "Frozen 2," "Encanto," "Aladdin," and other Pixar hits at "Disney on Ice."The show is in Fort Worth until March 31 before heading to Frisco until April 7.
Tarrant Appraisal District website still affected by ransomware attack
A group that took responsibility for hacking the Tarrant Appraisal District's website has reportedly demanded a $700,000 ransom from the agency.Why it matters: The appraisal district's website has been partially down for several days because of the ransomware attack, with no timeline for when it will be fully restored.The big picture: Ransomware attacks are on the rise nationwide, often targeting critical government infrastructure. Restoring access is costly, time-consuming and tedious for affected businesses and organizations.Hackers made roughly $1.1 billion globally from attacks last year.What happened: Tarrant County launched its new appraisal district website this month. On Thursday, the district said...
Texas saw fewer challenges to book titles in 2023
Data: American Library Association; Map: Rahul Mukherjee/AxiosTexas saw a decrease in the number of book titles challenged last year compared to 2022, according to the American Library Association.Why it matters: The state fell behind Illinois, California and Pennsylvania in book ban attempts last year after leading the nation in 2022.The state is still second to only Florida in the number of individual titles challenged.The big picture: Book ban attempts increased by 65% last year nationwide, even with the decrease in Texas.Librarians perceive the threat from the book-banning movement as so profound that they're using the more expansive term "intellectual freedom...
A white mob burned down Opal Lee's house in 1939. At 97, she's moving back.
Opal Lee was just a girl in 1939, when a white mob burned down her family's home in Fort Worth. Habitat for Humanity volunteers are now building a new house on the same spot so the 97-year-old known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth can live out the rest of her life there.
A North Texas family's spring training tradition
The Campbell family travels from North Texas to Surprise, Arizona, every year with a spiral sketchbook filled with trading cards and dozens of baseballs, ready to be signed. State of play: The Campbells have followed the Texas Rangers to spring training annually since 2008. They've seen fans flock to spring...
The best time of the year to sell a house in Dallas-Fort Worth, per Zillow
The first half of June is the best time to sell a house in North Texas, Zillow says. Why it matters: With mortgage rates still high, many homeowners are stuck in golden handcuffs because they don't want to give up their lower rate to move to another house with a higher rate.
Here's your guide to weekend things to do in Dallas
☀️ Totally laugh. Nerds and scientists-turned-comics will joke about the upcoming total eclipse in the comedy show, "Laugh of Totality."7-8:30 tonight at Wild Detectives in Bishop Arts. $15.💎 Ignore the rough. Let a street rat show you the world in "Aladdin Jr." put on by North Texas Performing Arts.7:15pm today and Friday. 2:15pm and 7:15pm Saturday. 1:15pm and 5:15pm Sunday at the Willow Bend Center of the Arts in Plano. Tickets start at $14.🦖 When you gotta go! Watch lifelike prehistoric creatures at Dinosaur World Live, with a meet-and-greet after the show.1pm Saturday at Majestic Theatre. Tickets start at $20.💙 Mum! Dad! Celebrate the whole family at "Bluey's Big Play" at Bass Performance Hall.11am and 3pm Saturday and Sunday in Fort Worth. Tickets start at $22.🥻 No need to say sari. Appreciate Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form, at "mahAmAyA." There will be henna tattoos and sari wrapping lessons before the performances.7:30pm Saturday and Sunday at Strauss Square at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. $29.50.
Kyrie Irving on playing basketball while fasting for Ramadan
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has been on a tear lately — all while fasting for Ramadan.The latest: Irving scored 28 points in the Mavericks win Tuesday night against San Antonio, with the first quarter occurring before Iftar time.The Mavericks have won six of their last seven games. Their record is now 40-29.State of play: Irving's ability to take charge in tense moments was on full display against the 2023 champion Denver Nuggets on Sunday.Luka Dončić scored a 3-pointer with less than 30 seconds left, tying the game. Denver missed a 2-point shot and Dallas called a time out.Irving returned...
What's next for North Texas' Pourri and Suzy Batiz
A five-star bathroom experience, a 30-foot-tall inflatable poop: Addison-based Pourri made a splash at its South by Southwest debut.State of play: Pourri, which dropped the "poo" from its name in 2022 to take on a wider variety of odor-elimination products, partnered with Rolling Stone for several days of events scattered around the festival.Why it matters: It's a buzzy marketing moment for the 17-year-old Texas company and founder Suzy Batiz as she maneuvers Pourri into its next chapter.What they're saying: On Batiz speaking on a panel last week about marketing, she said, "Honestly, I told them I don't know what I'm...
Millions of Texans can file federal income taxes for free
About 3.8 million Texans are eligible to use a new Internal Revenue Service tool to file their 2023 federal taxes for free.Why it matters: Texas is one of 12 states participating in the IRS Direct File pilot, which could reshape how millions of Americans do their taxes and disrupt the multibillion-dollar tax preparation industry, per Axios' Jacob Knutson.The big picture: April 15 is the filing deadline for most taxpayers to file their federal returns, pay any taxes owed or request an extension.How it works: Users can check their eligibility using the Direct File website and, if they're eligible, enter their...
TikTok ban could affect Texas data security initiative
TikTok says a bipartisan bill passed by the U.S. House last week could make the app less secure for Americans because a sale could spell the end of TikTok's $1.5 billion, Texas-based data security initiative.Why it matters: The bill raises national security concerns over TikTok's Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance, alleging the Chinese Communist Party could influence app operations or control software on American mobile devices.If signed into law, the measure would require TikTok to split from ByteDance within 180 days or be banned in U.S. app stores.Flashback: To address security concerns, TikTok began routing all U.S. user data through Austin-based...
Why the Dallas Stars are good this season
The Dallas Stars have been one of the best teams in the NHL this year, and the team is primed for a deep playoff run — thanks in large part to a group of young superstars.The big picture: With a record of 41-19, Dallas is second in the Central Division and third in the Western Conference.Flashback: Dallas has made the playoffs in three of the last four seasons, losing in the Western Conference finals last year to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Vegas Golden Knights.The intrigue: Dallas doesn't have anyone in the league's top 30 goal scorers or the...
Dallas-Fort Worth population still booming
Data: U.S. Census Bureau; Chart: Axios VisualsTexas — and specifically North Texas — saw some of the biggest population increases nationwide last year.The big picture: The Lone Star State has six of the country's top 10 fastest-growing counties by percentage and eight of the top 10 counties with the largest numeric growth, per a new U.S. Census Bureau report.Denton has become the seventh Texas county to have a population over 1 million, after adding nearly 30,000 residents last year.Why it matters: Dallas-Fort Worth continues to see a massive influx of new residents, with many people moving to the suburbs and...
How to watch Dallas' St. Patrick's Day Parade
If you're planning to go to the St. Patrick's Day festival in Dallas this weekend, get there early.Context: The celebration along Greenville Avenue has been around for over 40 years, starting as a "little neighborhood spectacle" with around 10 trucks and some flatbeds.Now, it's believed to be one of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades in the southwestern U.S.The parade route gets packed, and the St. Paddy's Day Dash will precede the floats.By the numbers: The share of North Texans reporting to have Irish ancestry in 2022 was lower than the U.S. average of 9.5% — but there are still plenty of Irish wannabes in the region.If you go: The celebration is 9am-3pm Saturday. The parade with over 90 floats will start at 11am at Blackwell Street by Half Price Books and end around 2pm at SMU Boulevard.Here's the parade map. You can also join this watch party along the route.Organizers recommend taking DART or ridesharing.Pro tip: Many North Texas businesses are offering specials for St. Patrick's Day.
Whooping crane born at Dallas Zoo found dead in Louisiana
A whooping crane hatched at the Dallas Zoo and released into the wild was found fatally shot in Louisiana, the zoo announced this week.Why it matters: Whooping cranes are among the rarest species of birds, protected under the Endangered Species Act. Harming one is a federal crime.The crane, born in June 2023, was the Dallas Zoo's first successful hatching of the species.The latest: The crane was found dead, with a gunshot wound, on Jan. 9 in Mamou, Louisiana, according to the zoo.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries are investigating the incident.A reward...
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Axios Dallas, anchored by Michael Mooney, Tasha Tsiaperas, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.
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