What to Know: How Residents Can Participate in Arlington City Council Meetings on Tuesday, May 7, 2024

What to Know: How Residents Can Participate in arlington City Council Meetings on Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Council Update

The Arlington City Council afternoon and evening meetings on Tuesday, May 6, 2024, will be held in person.

The 3 p.m. afternoon work session will be held in the City Council Briefing Room on the 3rd Floor of Arlington City Hall, 101 W. Abram St. The 6:30 p.m. evening meeting will be held in the Council Chamber, which is located between City Hall and the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library.

For those who do not attend in person, the meetings can be viewed live on the City's website at https://www.arlingtontx.gov/city_hall/departments/broadcast or through your local cable provider municipal channel. They will also be recorded live and replayed on the government cable channel throughout the week. To watch these meetings, please tune in to:

AT&T U-verse Channel 99
Spectrum Channel 16, 15.1 (digital)
Internet Live-Streaming

Click here to view the Arlington City Council meeting schedule, read agendas or watch meetings.

News, Government, City Council

Credits

Dallas-area athletes won 36 state titles in track. Here are 5 performances that stood out

dallas-area athletes won 36 state titles Thursday through Saturday at the UIL state track meet in Austin — 22 on the girls side and 14 by the boys.

North Crowley’s Indya Mayberry (100, 200), Prosper Rock Hill’s Skylynn Townsend (long jump, triple jump), Frisco Panther Creek’s Falyn Lott (long jump, 300 hurdles), arlington Lamar’s Evan Martinez (shot put, discus) and Rock Hill’s Owen Horsley (wheelchair 100, 400) won two individual state titles apiece, while the Duncanville girls (4x100, 4x200) and Lancaster girls (4x100, 4x200, 4x400) won multiple state titles in the relays.

Perhaps the most amazing feat was that D-FW athletes won at least one state title in all 17 scoring events that were held at the state meet, along with claiming gold in three wheelchair races. The Dallas area’s best event was the long jump — with four state titles — followed by the 200, 4x200 relay, 300 hurdles and 4x400 relay with three state championships apiece.

What were the most impressive performances? That was difficult to decide, with so many records broken, but here are five that rose to the top.

No high school 4x200-meter relay team in U.S. history had ever broken 1:23 before Saturday. Duncanville’s school record in the event was 1:23.42, run two weeks earlier at the Class 6A Region II meet.

And Saturday, Duncanville’s team of Brayden Williams, Caden Durham, Ayson Theus and Dakorien Moore had already combined to compete in three other events before they got to the 4x200. Moore had competed in the long jump in the morning, all four of them had run on the 4x100 relay that was the state runner-up and ran the third-fastest time in national history (39.47) at the beginning of the evening, and just one event earlier, Durham had finished third in the 100 meters in 10.46 and Williams had placed sixth in 10.61.

So none of them had fresh legs for the 4x200. Durham said his legs “were cramping the whole race” in the 4x200, and Williams said that his legs were cramping when he got into the blocks to run the leadoff leg on the 4x200.

Despite all of that, they stunned the packed house at Mike A. Myers Stadium by winning the Class 6A state title and breaking the national record with a breathtaking time of 1:22.25. They obliterated the previous national record of 1:23.25 that was run by The Woodlands at the state meet in 2018.

Duncanville’s relay team included three runners — Durham, Moore and Theus — who were standouts on the school’s football team that won a second consecutive Class 6A Division I state title on Dec. 16. Their legs had been through a lot of pounding this school year, playing 15 football games and then jumping right into track season, but they found the strength to become one of two schools in national history to break 1:23 in the 4x200 and also run under 40 seconds in the 4x100.

Katy Tompkins also did that Saturday, finishing behind Duncanville in both events at state by taking second in the 4x200 in 1:22.72 and placing fourth in the 4x100 in 39.85.

The 4x200 relay isn’t an event that is run at the NCAA Championships, but Track & Field News keeps a list of the best collegiate times ever run in the 4x200. Duncanville’s time at state was just two seconds off the record of 1:20.20 run by TCU in 1986 and by Tennessee in 2002.

To read more about Duncanville’s national record, go here.

Related:Duncanville is the City of Champions, but Track Town USA fits too after amazing state meet

North Crowley senior Indya Mayberry had never run high school track before this season, only competing in summer track. She battled hip and groin injuries that kept her out for part of this season.

But Saturday she won state titles in the Class 6A girls 100 and 200 meters and shattered records in both. Her wind-legal time of 22.82 in the 200 was the fastest time in the nation for 2024 and broke the state record of 22.84 that was run by Killeen’s Tiffany Townsend in 2007. Townsend went on to earn 17 All-America honors at Baylor and broke school records in the 100 and 200.

Mayberry wasn’t far off the best time ever run in high school by Abby Steiner, which was 22.73 and ranks 12th in national history, according to Track & Field News. Steiner went on to break the collegiate record in the event by running 21.80 for Kentucky in 2022, and her 21.77 at that year’s U.S. Outdoor Championships is tied for 10th-fastest in American history.

Mayberry won the state title in the 100 in 11.21 while running into a minus-1.3 headwind. That broke the state-meet record in the UIL’s largest classification of 11.28 that was run by Olympian Marshevet Hooker for San Antonio Southwest in 2002, and it tied Townsend for the second-best time in state history. Victoria Jordan holds the state record, running 11.16 for Fort Worth Dunbar in 2008.

Related:North Crowley’s Indya Mayberry stays composed at state, blazes past 6A 100m dash record

Cooper Lutkenhaus is a freshman. He is already just one second away from the state record in the boys 800 meters. And he now holds the national high school record for freshmen.

Lutkenhaus won the Class 5A state title by running 1:49.84 on Friday, posting what is now the third-fastest time in the nation for 2024 after Michigan signee Brendan Herger from Northville (Mich.) ran a nation-leading 1:49.44 on the same day. After being in fifth place through the first 400 meters, Lutkenhaus unleashed an unbelievable kick over the final 200 meters, taking off with such incredible speed that it looked like he was running an open 100 meters while bolting immediately to the front on his way to a 54.43 final lap and nearly a four-second victory.

Lutkenhaus just missed the state-meet record for the UIL’s second-largest classification (now 5A), which was 1:49.41 by Dickinson’s Derrick Small in 1995. The state record that Lutkenhaus will have three more years to chase is 1:48.21 by Jonathan Johnson from Abilene in 2001. Johnson went on to win the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2004 with a time of 1:44.77, and he competed in the Athens Olympics the same year.

Related:As Kailey Littlefield ends amazing career in 800, Cooper Lutkenhaus is just starting his

James Lott still holds the third-best high jump mark in state history, clearing 7 feet, 4.75 inches for Refugio in 1983. Only eight high school athletes in national history have gone higher.

On Thursday, his son and daughter became state champions for Frisco Panther Creek.

Senior Falyn Lott won Class 4A state titles in the girls long jump (19-0.25) and 300 hurdles (41.76) and broke the 4A state-meet record of 42.69 in the 300 hurdles in her final state meet. The USC signee was also the state runner-up in the high jump (5-6) and 100 hurdles (14.03), and her 300 hurdles time from state ranks 11th in the nation. Lott ranks No. 2 in the nation in the long jump with a season-best and wind-legal jump of 20-10.5.

Jalen Lott, who transferred to Panther Creek from Lovejoy after the fall football season, won the 4A state title in the boys long jump with a mark of 22-9.25. The sophomore is a four-star recruit in football and is rated by 247Sports as the 12th-best athlete in the nation and the 18th-best player in Texas in the Class of 2026. He lists 34 college offers, including Texas — where his dad played football — and national champion Michigan.

Related:UIL 4A state track: Frisco Panther Creek’s Falyn Lott breaks 300 hurdles record

Saniyah Miller won three Class 5A state titles Friday, winning the 200 meters in 23.52 — the 15th-best time in the nation — and helping Lancaster win the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. Those three championships helped the Lancaster girls win their 14th team state title — five more than any other school in UIL history.

Miller teamed up with Addison Stricklin, Kristian Nichols and Milan Lathan to win the 4x100 in 46.08, and she ran with Datavia Hunter, Lathan and Sarai James to win the 4x400 in 3:45.38. Lathan ran on all three of Lancaster’s state championship relay teams, joining Aniyah Bennett, Hunter and Stricklin to win the 4x200 in 1:36.86, the 13th-best time nationally.

Miller is only a sophomore, and she went undefeated in postseason races in the 200.

Related:Lancaster girls showcase relay dominance at state, capture first 5A team title since 2021

Local winners from the UIL track and field state meet Thursday through Saturday in Austin.

Nicole Humphries, Flower Mound: 6A 800

Indya Mayberry, North Crowley: 6A 100, 200

De’Kayla Simpson, Duncanville: 6A 400

Duncanville relays: 6A 4x100, 4x200

Skylynn Townsend, Prosper Rock Hill: 6A long jump, triple jump

Jacelyn Neighbors, Royse City: 6A pole vault

Kaylah Braxton, Frisco Heritage: 5A 100 hurdles

Angel Brefo, Midlothian Heritage: 5A 400

Kailyn Head, Denton Ryan: 5A 300 hurdles

Saniyah Miller, Lancaster: 5A 200

Lancaster relays: 5A 4x100, 4x200, 4x400

Ryhan Balous, McKinney North: 5A long jump

Falyn Lott, Frisco Panther Creek: 4A long jump, 300 hurdles

Hannah Forde, Frisco Panther Creek: 4A triple jump

Addison Hite, Pilot Point: 3A 3,200

Ritvika Kondakrindi, Hebron: wheelchair 100

Caden Leonard, Southlake Carroll: 6A 1,600

Duncanville relay: 6A 4x200

Zion Robinson, mansfield: 6A high jump

Evan Martinez, Arlington Lamar: 6A shot put, discus

Cooper Lutkenhaus, Justin Northwest: 5A 800

Cameron Bates, Mansfield Timberview: 5A 300 hurdles

McKinney North relay: 5A 4x400

Kameron Franklin, Red Oak: 5A high jump

Tyler Brown, Aubrey: 4A 200

Aubrey relay: 4A 4x400

Jalen Lott, Frisco Panther Creek: 4A long jump

Owen Horsley, Prosper Rock Hill: wheelchair 100, 400

Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

Credits

Ambulances, tow truck respond to reported crash at Boston's Fenway Park

Two ambulances were seen outside Fenway Park on Lansdowne Street early Monday morning following a reported crash, and a tow truck arrived after they departed. NewsCenter 5's traffic camera saw the tow truck backing into Gate C just after 9 a.m. The tow truck reemerged without a vehicle attached, but a sedan backed out from the gate and was hooked up to the tow truck on Lansdowne Street. Some police vehicles remained outside. Video below: Sedan removed from Fenway Park after reported crashNewsCenter 5 is seeking additional information about this incident. The Red Sox do not play Monday. They're scheduled to face the Braves in Atlanta on Tuesday and Wednesday before returning to Boston on Friday to host the Nationals. Since 1912, Fenway Park has been home to the Boston Red Sox, one of the most storied franchises in American sports. It is the oldest venue used by any professional sports team in the United States and one of the few remaining fields from the early 20th-century’s “Golden Age of Ballparks.”Fenway is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

BOSTON —

Two ambulances were seen outside Fenway Park on Lansdowne Street early Monday morning following a reported crash, and a tow truck arrived after they departed.

NewsCenter 5's traffic camera saw the tow truck backing into Gate C just after 9 a.m. The tow truck reemerged without a vehicle attached, but a sedan backed out from the gate and was hooked up to the tow truck on Lansdowne Street.

Some police vehicles remained outside.

Video below: Sedan removed from Fenway Park after reported crash

NewsCenter 5 is seeking additional information about this incident.

The Red Sox do not play Monday. They're scheduled to face the Braves in Atlanta on Tuesday and Wednesday before returning to Boston on Friday to host the Nationals.

Since 1912, Fenway Park has been home to the Boston Red Sox, one of the most storied franchises in American sports. It is the oldest venue used by any professional sports team in the United States and one of the few remaining fields from the early 20th-century’s “Golden Age of Ballparks.”

Fenway is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Credits

Flash floods sweep across Texas, killing 4-year-old in Johnson County

Rushing waters flooded parts of Texas early Sunday following torrential rains, prompting hundreds of rescues from homes, rooftops and washed-out roads.

Water swept roads in rural Johnson County, south of Fort Worth. A child died in the floods.

A social media post Sunday morning from Johnson County Emergency Management said he was 5 years old. Later Sunday, the Tarrant County medical examiner’s website identified him as 4-year-old Lucas Warren of Burleson.

Related:More rain headed for swamped Houston

At one point, a rescuer also became trapped in high water, the post said.

Around 5 a.m., first responders rescued the man and woman, who were taken to the hospital. A little over two hours later, at 7:20 a.m., they found the boy’s body in the water.

“I hope you will keep this family in your prayers,” the department wrote.

In a GoFundMe post, someone who identified himself as the brother of Lucas’ father said the death of the 4-year-old is the “hardest thing” the family has experienced.

“The accident totaled their only car, ruined their phones, and swept away their wallets,” the post read. “They are in extreme need and anything y’all can contribute will be used to pay for Lucas’ funeral and help rebuild their lives.”

In dallas, both the Trinity River and White Rock Creek near downtown flooded overnight Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. Walnut Creek in mansfield also flooded.

Rain totals varied widely across the region. Dallas Love Field reported 3.5 inches of rain in 24 hours ending at 7 a.m. Sunday. During the same period, DFW International Airport reported 1.15 inches.

Related:Texas weather set to go more extreme, report predicts

In Tarrant County, the downpour disrupted repairs to two large wastewater pipes, leaking sewage into nearby rivers.

Crews on Saturday morning found a 78-inch wastewater line leaking into a creek that flows to the Trinity River. Attempts to repair the pipe in the 7900 block of Trinity Boulevard failed because of the pressure and flow, the Fort Worth water department said in a news release. Overnight rains then washed out a dam built to contain the overflow. Once the water level recedes, the department said, crews will rebuild the dam and pump out wastewater.

Late Friday, a piece of a 33-inch wastewater line became exposed due to erosion of a creek bank. Storms delayed repairs, and the pipe, near 5301 E. Belknap St. in Haltom City, began leaking Saturday to Little Fossil Creek. Crews worked to repair that leak Sunday.

City officials estimate each leak is discharging about 30 gallons of sewage a minute. Drinking water is not affected, but people should avoid contact with water and soil in the area.

A wide region has been swamped from Houston to rural East Texas, where game wardens rode airboats through waist-high waters this weekend rescuing people and pets who did not evacuate in time. One crew brought a family and three dogs aboard as rising waters surrounded their cars and home.

“It’s going to keep rising this way,” said Miguel Flores Jr., of the northeast Houston neighborhood of Kingwood. “We don’t know how much more. We’re just preparing for the worst.”

Related:Did April bring more rain than normal to Dallas-Fort Worth? Compared to recent years, yes

Rain in North Texas has largely subsided Sunday, with only a small chance of pop-up storms forecasted for the afternoon, said Matt Bishop, a weather service meteorologist. A flood watch expired at 1 p.m. Sunday.

“There could be some residual flooding,” said Juan Hernandez, a weather service meteorologist. “Don’t drive into high water. It’s impossible to know how deep it is.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Related:Houston flooding with more rain to come

Credits

Amtrak Is Pushing Ahead for the Houston-to-Dallas Bullet Train

Amtrak is “all in” on making the long-delayed Houston-to-dallas high speed rail line a reality, according to a video posted on social media last week—and the plan has supporters even higher up the federal ladder.

Once upon a time, way back in 2022, it really looked like Texas Central’s grand plan to construct a 240-mile-long high-speed rail line that would haul passengers from Houston to Dallas in roughly 90 minutes was dead as a doornail.

Sure, the Texas Supreme Court had awarded the company the right to use eminent domain to get the project built – a crucial win since landowners in between the two cities have been battling the project for years now. But a day later the company’s CEO resigned, and it soon leaked out that the board had dissolved itself weeks beforehand.

After more than a decade of effort, it really looked like the grand plan to see the famed Japanese Shinkansen trains zipping between two of the state’s largest cities had come to nothing.

Or at least that’s what everyone thought until Amtrak – and Andy Byford, the Amtrak leader in charge of high speed rail — got involved.

🚄 America's high-speed rail era is here! We operate America’s fastest train (Acela up to 150 mph) and see big potential for HSR beyond the Northeast.

Discover why we believe Dallas ↔️ Houston is a prime candidate for HSR, from Amtrak President Roger Harris and SVP Andy Byford. pic.twitter.com/4zoOe96p8p

— Amtrak (@Amtrak) April 29, 2024

Byford — who was dubbed “Train Daddy” by New Yorkers when he was running, and rapidly improving, the city’s beleaguered subway system — climbed aboard Amtrak back in March 2023 focused on making high speed rail a reality in more of the country. He quickly zeroed in on the Houston-to-Dallas project.

Why? “You’ve got to have the right characteristics,” Byford said in the video, ticking off how you need cities with large populations a good distance apart from each other, limited stops, few curves in the route and fairly smooth topography. “The one that stands out – and to be fair it was already being looked at when I got here but we’ve taken it to the next level – and that’s Dallas and Houston.”

Thus, last August Amtrak threw Texas Central a lifeline. The duo announced, via press release, they were exploring partnering up to examine finally making the Shinkansen rail line a reality. The partnership with the quasi-public corporation that oversees American passenger rail quickly produced results. By December, Amtrak was awarded a $500,000 federal grant to further study the project.

Since then, as Byford stated at the Southwestern Rail Conference in Hurst, Texas last month, Amtrak and Texas Central have signed a nonbinding agreement to further explore the project. Amtrak officials have been doing their due diligence about the actual state of the project.

Meanwhile, it’s clear that the Biden Administration is backing the plan. (Not exactly a shock considering President Joe Biden’s famed love of trains and long history with Amtrak.)

“We believe in this,” U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said of the project while appearing on the DFW-based Sunday morning show, Lone Star Politics, in early April. “Obviously it has to turn into a more specific design and vision but everything I've seen makes me very excited about this.”

The following week, Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida issued a fact sheet voicing both governments’ support for the project during Kishida’s state visit. "The successful completion of development efforts and other requirements would position the project for potential future funding and financing opportunities," the White House said, while both countries’ transportation departments hailed Amtrak getting involved with the project.

However, this isn’t a done deal. Amtrak plans to spend another 18 months examining the project – and the hurdles that still need to be jumped, including getting Japan’s Shinkansen technology approved and obtaining federal environmental approval. Only then will Amtrak actually make a call about the project.

On top of that, although Texas Central had secured about 30 percent of the required land by 2022, there’s still the other 70 percent to go, while Texans Against High Speed Rail, the nonprofit organization of mostly rural landowners who to oppose the project, is still decidedly against it, warning that “there is still a lot for the Biden Administration to understand” about it before committing to getting it built.

In other words, Amtrak hasn’t magically whisked away every issue the bullet train was facing before it got involved. But, at the same time, now that Amtrak and “Train Daddy” Byford are in the mix who knows what might happen or how far this bullet train plan may go.

Credits

Bill restricts booting & towing vehicles in Tennessee

“This legislation will protect vehicle owners in Tennessee from bad actors seeking to profit off of immobilizing and confiscating vehicles,” said Sen. Jack Johnson.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A bill now headed to Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s desk places new restrictions for towing and booting vehicles in commercial parking lots.

Senate Bill 1692 would prohibit unlicensed companies and tow truck drivers from booting vehicles in the state, and it would cap the fee to remove a boot at $75.

Under the bill, only those licensed through a local government would be allowed to boot a vehicle, and the local government would be responsible for enforcing compliance with the new law. For example, in a commercial parking lot, there must be a licensed attendant who can be identified as an employee present, and they must be available to remove a boot within 45 minutes of a vehicle owner’s call.

When it comes to towing, the bill requires that owners are properly notified if their vehicle is towed, sold, or demolished by a towing company. And if the towing process is underway, but the car is still in the original parking area, the bill says companies must release the vehicle to the owner and they are not allowed to charge a fee of more than $100.

“This legislation will protect vehicle owners in Tennessee from bad actors seeking to profit off of immobilizing and confiscating vehicles,” said Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin), who sponsored the bill. “I’ve received complaints from many constituents who have had to go through unreasonably long and expensive processes to regain control of their vehicles which were unfairly immobilized or towed.”

If signed by Gov. Lee, the bill is set to take effect July 1, 2024.

Credits

Dallas officials celebrate as $1.25 billion in bond requests get overwhelming approval

dallas city officials celebrated shortly after polls closed Saturday as 10 propositions that make up a $1.25 billion bond package for upgrades to streets, parks, libraries and other city infrastructure appeared headed for approval by voters in the spring bond election.

At an event atop Reunion Tower in downtown Dallas, Mayor Eric Johnson said, “We’re a city of both dreamers, but also do-ers, and we’ve become a city that the rest of America yearns for.”

Over a span of two weeks, North Texas voters weighed in on dozens of propositions to finance capital improvements, and local races to pick new leadership in schools and municipal governments. Dallas County had 5.6% turnout in the election with 80,129 out of roughly 1.4 million registered voters casting ballots. Voter turnout in neighboring Collin County, was just 6.61%.

Voters across north Texas on Saturday cast ballots for an array of local offices, bond programs, changes to local charters and other propositions. The spring elections often have low turnout, but the decisions can be critically important to residents.

City officials have said they plan to start issuing bonds in the next fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. The bonds will be repaid with revenue collected from city property taxes, and that approval of the propositions won’t increase the current tax rate.

Dallas residents who live in Collin County mostly voted against two propositions meant to improve storm drainage and flood drainage, and for housing infrastructure upgrades.

Also on the ballot were two contested seats on the Dallas ISD school board. According to unofficial election results, Lance Currie had 52.6% of the votes in a three-candidate race for the District 1 seat. Ed Turner had 52.3% of the vote in a four-candidate race for the District 9 seat.

Currie, who wants to represent Northwest Dallas, is a lawyer with two children in the district. Currie said if he wins, he wants to prioritize focusing on outcomes by gathering better information on students’ lives after graduation. That will help create stronger pathways to college and careers, he said. Turner, a DISD dad and volunteer, is an insurance broker.

Anna ISD voters rejected the proposal to build a $100 million high school stadium for a second time. The stadium was meant to be used for football, soccer and other district events. According to unofficial results., nearly 57% of voters were against the proposition, according to final unofficial results.

In recent years, some districts have found it more difficult to pass school bond proposals — especially for items some voters might consider extras, such as football stadiums or preforming arts spaces.

Other bond propositions from Cedar Hill ISD and Lewisville ISD, however, were on track to be approved.

Other municipalities voted on members of councils and boards as well as an array of changes to city charters.

In Frisco, propositions that would have created a civil service and collective bargaining for the city’s fire department were voted down, according to unofficial results. The proposals were born out of the need for better working conditions and more transparency in hiring and opportunities for Frisco’s firefighters, said Matt Sapp, president of the Frisco Fire Fighters Association.

For full election results from North Texas, visit dallasnews.com/election-results/.

Dallas bond program

At Reunion Tower on Saturday, dozens of people raised their glasses as co-chair of the Dallas bond campaign Tim Powers toasted a resounding victory.

“For everybody who’s come together on our task force, our executive committee, we cannot thank you enough for getting us this far,” Powers said. “And now we go forward to make the investment. Tonight is our night to celebrate.”

Jeff Ellerman, Board Chairman of the Dallas Museum of Art, said voters made the right choice to back all the propositions, including projects focused on cultural and art buildings.

“These buildings are falling apart,” Ellerman said. “We have infrastructure that hasn’t been replaced in 25-30 years. The buildings are vitally important for a great city.”

The needs in Dallas ranged from $521.2 million for street and transportation improvements to $5 million for information technology system upgrades. Other city proposals included funding for flood protection, arts facilities, public safety — including a new police academy — economic development and money to address homelessness.

Saturday marked the second time this year Election Day has arrived in North Texas, and some voters said they’re feeling the fatigue.

Dallas voter James Wilson said he cast his ballot early, but with primary elections that already occurred in March, Saturday’s local elections, primary runoff elections on May 28, and the general election on Nov. 5, it’s been a challenge keeping all the dates and races straight, he said.

“I’m an active voter, and it’s been hard to keep up” said Wilson, 43, of East Dallas. “I could see this being an election that some people skipped or just didn’t know was happening.”

Lisa Swirczynski happened to be one of those people. While outside the Samuell Grand Recreation Center after playing tennis Saturday, she said she didn’t realize it was the last day to vote. The center was also a polling location. She said she was considering going home to research, but wasn’t sure if she would end up back at the polls later that day.

“National politics take up so much of my attention and focus that I haven’t kept up with more local issues as much as I would like,” said Swirczynski.

Eddie and Martha Velez were reminded Saturday to vote after dropping their kids off to play soccer at Kiest Park in Dallas and saw signs urging people to vote at the park’s recreation center.

The Dallas couple said they supported the entire Dallas bond program because it addressed infrastructure improvements related to roads, transportation and technology. Both voted to approve all 10 propositions. Velez said he heard other soccer parents, too, had decided to go in and vote after seeing the election signs, and wasn’t surprised turnout was low.

“I think everybody’s focused on the national versus the local sometimes,” Eddie Velez said.

In Frisco, Rafael Jimenez said he favored both proposals related to the fire department.

“I support the firefighters, and if they believe that they need a union, we need to support them,” said Jimenez.

For Annie Fendrick, the fire department works well, and there is no need for a union.

“Having a union is not going to help with anything. I think this is right now, and there is no need for change,” said Fendrick.

Credits

Police respond after bull got into Mansfield, Texas backyard

mansfield police took the bull safely back to its pasture. It and another bull wander up to Latoya Keeling's backyard daily, where she gives them a snack.

MANSFIELD, Texas — Bulls (apparently) love bananas.

Latoya Keeling of Mansfield learned that pretty organically Wednesday night when a young bull surprisingly looked through her back window.

"He walked up to the window and peeked his eyeball through there like, 'I know y'all home!'" Keeling said with a laugh.

The bull, named 'Curly' by Keeling for its curly hair, and another young bull (Keeling calls him 'Moe') wander up from the pasture behind her home daily.

Keeling loves seeing the two young bulls and has been innocently throwing them bananas occasionally—but she didn't think one would break through the barbed-wire fence trying to find her (and the bananas.)

"It was around 8 p.m., and I saw a silhouette outside, and I was like, 'I know he didn't get up here!'" Keeling chuckled.

Keeling's backyard is about two to three feet above the pasture, but 'Curly' climbed up through the fence.

Their harmless relationship went to the next level, so the police had to be called.

"He didn't know how to get back down, and I didn't know how to get him back down, so I called the non-emergency line," Keeling said.

Mansfield officers responded and met 'Curly' in Keeling's backyard--the one-ton toddler can be seen nudging them and resisting arrest on a video taken by Keeling.

Ultimately, the officers safely guided the bull back to its pasture, but not before having a little fun and taking pictures.

The fence will be rebuilt--and Keeling has learned not to get too friendly.

"Don't feed bulls bananas. They're like cats--they'll keep coming back," Keeling said.

Credits

Massive blaze at Grand Prairie junkyard under control

grand prairie - Firefighters battled a blaze Friday evening at a junkyard in the 4000 block of East Jefferson Street.

No injuries were reported. The call came in at 5:01 p.m., according to the Grand Prairie Fire Department.

Crews will remain on scene to address any hotspots throughout the night, fire officials said.

The cause is under investigation.

Stay with CBS News Texas for more details.

More from CBS News

Doug Myers

Doug Myers is a longtime journalist who has worked for four newspapers in Texas and Louisiana and for three television stations in Texas. He has also spent time as a digital content manager for a national trade association and as communications director for a state agency.

Credits

Dallas ISD will have 2 new faces on the board. Dallas College race poised for a runoff.

Two new trustees will steer the second-largest district in Texas as it works to boost student performance and manage dallas ISD’s roughly $1.9 billion budget.

Lance Currie and Ed Turner won their bids for the District 1 and District 9 races, respectively, according to unofficial results. Both had earned the endorsement of the outgoing incumbent in those seats.

Voters will decide on two open seats on the Dallas school board, District 1 and District 9. Trustees set DISD priorities for serving the district’s roughly 140,000 students, pass legislative agendas and evaluate the superintendent’s effectiveness.

Currie, who wants to represent Northwest Dallas, is a law firm partner with two kids in the district. He had 52.3% of the vote as unofficial results continued to trickle in late Saturday. He was running against nonprofit field director Maureen Milligan and Chris Roberts, who works in information technology.

Currie said he wants to prioritize children by focusing on outcomes, such as by having better information on students’ lives after graduation. That will help create stronger pathways to college and careers, he said.

“There are still thousands of kids who are not where they need to be,” he said.

Turner, also a DISD dad and volunteer, is an insurance broker and had a wide lead over three other candidates with 60.4% of the vote late in the evening, according to unofficial results

Also running for District 9 was Oralia Alonso, a parent instructor/liaison at Ann Richards STEAM Academy; Da’On Boulanger-Chatman, a fine arts teacher in Garland ISD; and Community organizer LaKashia Wallace. Trustee Justin Henry did not seek reelection for the seat, which represents South Dallas, along with parts of downtown, Pleasant Grove, Deep Ellum, Uptown and East Dallas.

Dan Micciche, who represents the District 3 area that includes Northeast Dallas, ran unopposed.

Dallas College election results

Dr. Catalina Garcia held off DISD trustee Edwin Flores for the college’s District 1 seat, which encompasses North Dallas and Lake Highlands, according to unofficial results.

Flores, 57, a biotechnology patent attorney, is longtime Dallas ISD trustee who didn’t seek reelection in that board’s District 1 seat inorder to run for Dallas College.

Garcia, 86, a retired physician, had about 56% of the vote, according to the unofficial returns. She took over the seat in 2022 after the death of longtime trustee and local business leader J.L. “Sonny” Williams. His term was set to expire this year.

Meanwhile, the District 7 race to takeover longtime trustee Charletta Compton’s seat — representing large parts of south Dallas County — is headed to a runoff. Compton, who sat on the board for nearly 25 years, is not seeking reelection.

Kesha O’Reilly, a medical strategist and pharmacist, had 36.5% of the vote, according to the unofficial returns. DeAndrea Fleming, an education consultant who has served as a DeSoto ISD trustee since 2018, had about 29.5%, according to the unofficial results.

However, Fleming previously announced she was suspending her campaign ahead of the election and endorsed O’Reilly.

Also on the ballot was Jasmond Anderson, a former Dallas City Plan Commission member and Joey Rodriguez, a nonprofit director.

Talia Richman and Valeria Olivares contributed to this report.

The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.

The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.

Credits