The Dallas Morning News

A 16-year-old girl was killed and another girl was critically injured during a sledding accident in Frisco on Sunday. In other news, the son of an Arlington man arrested by immigration officials late last year has died from a rare disease, prompting a fresh wave of outrage and urgent pleas to release his father; nd Monday’s summary judgment hearing in the legal battle between the Dallas Stars and Dallas Mavericks has been postponed due to the weather. The hearing, which was set to be held in a mock-trial courtroom at SMU’s Dedman School of Law. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John and Evan run down the Rangers roster, which coincidentally changed significantly between taping and production (but at least Evan threw MacKenzie Gore's name out there). Then Nathan Eovaldi stops by to chat about his recovery from offseason surgery, his exceptional pre-injury 2025, his relationship with new pitching coach Jordan Tiegs, the development of young starters and the value of clubhouse chemistry. Finally, with the announcement of Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltran as Hall of Famers, Evan and John rank the contributions to the Rangers of the 11 Hall of Famers who played for the Rangers at some point. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What should you be checking out at Trader Joe's? The Dallas Morning News food team has some ideas for easy items to pick up for your next get-together. The team also talks through the closures of Deep Sushi, Herrera's on Harry Hines and Rye. But there are also openings that should be on the radar of North Texas diners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As this winter storm moves into the area, power grid reliability is on the minds of many Texans. After the state experienced extensive power outages and freezing temperatures during a winter storm in February 2021, the Texas Legislature mandated weatherization of power facilities. In other news, with robotaxis now roaming North Texas streets, how will they fare when the winter storm comes to town this weekend? In snow and ice conditions, the Texas Department of Transportation “strongly advises” drivers to stay off the roads. But what about the robots? And if you have a flight leaving Dallas-Fort Worth or any place in the south this weekend, you may want to reconsider your travel plans. It is very likely that you will experience some disruptions in your plans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Talmage Boston interviews Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author of An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the big winter storm nears, some North Texans are getting to their local stores while they can. Grocers around the region are seeing more activity as folks stock up. Key items include water and extra food that don’t require cooking or refrigeration, such as dried fruits, nuts and granola bars. Other items include flashlights and batteries, baby needs and first-aid supplies. In other news, Garland ISD’s board voted Tuesday to support a proposal that would end more than a half-century of court supervision. The 6-0 vote came weeks after the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas filed a motion seeking to have the district’s 56-year-old desegregation order lifted; a man has been sentenced to life in prison and found guilty by a Collin County jury for the kidnapping and sexual assault of an 8-year-old child in Plano in the 90s. Sixty-five year old Nicholas Carney of Ardmore, Okla., was sentenced to life in prison, 34 years after the initial crime he committed was reported; nd after five years serving Southern food in Dallas’ Lakewood neighborhood, Palmer’s Hot Chicken will close at Mockingbird Lane and Abrams Road and move to a delivery, catering and food truck business. The business will move to a ghost kitchen in Garland, where they will make the same recipes, without the dining room attached and make them available via DoorDash and Uber Eats delivery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Brad Townsend discuss [3:50] the problems the city’s pro sports teams keep running into with city hall. And not just I.M. Pei’s masterpiece, either. Kevin even goes on a rant about the city’s lack of direction in general. Brad gives us the latest updates on the Wings, Mavs and Stars, then offers his opinion on whether the Mavs should trade Anthony Davis for pennies on the dollar. [30:04] Kevin and Evan also take another look at the Hoosiers’ win over Miami, cemented by a Carson Beck interception that looked a lot like the one that cinched SMU’s upset of Miami. And, as usual, the guys discuss the mess that is the Cowboys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chuck Anderson on his path to real estate, leadership, the state of real estate in Downtown Dallas and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A winter storm is headed to North Texas, bringing with it the coldest temperatures of winter, following a month of record-setting heat. An intense cold front is expected to arrive early Friday morning, which should keep temperatures falling all day. ERCOT — which operates the power grid for most of Texas — is expected to have ample supply to meet the predicted demand on Friday. In other news, Dallas City Council members were split Tuesday on conceding power to try to save Dallas Area Rapid Transit; the Dallas Mavericks have narrowed their focus to two locations in the city of Dallas for their new arena, but a decision may not be made until July 1; and a new Tex-Mex restaurant called Loma is expected to open in the former Texas Rangers ballpark in Arlington in spring 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Friday, temperatures are expected to drop into the upper and mid-20s. Saturday is expected to see the most intense conditions, as odds favor a transition from rain to sleet to snow given the increasing depth of the cold air. In other news, President Donald Trump addressed the shift from Wall Street to Y’all Street as a negative thing in a social media post Sunday evening; Dallas police arrested five people early Monday morning after they gathered at a traffic accident scene and began assaulting officers and interfering with the investigation; an immigrant from Nicaragua was found dead at a Texas immigration detention facility last week. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said in a statement that Victor Manuel Diaz appears to have killed himself Wednesday at the sprawling tent complex at the U.S. Army’s Fort Bliss base in El Paso; and Dallas’ decorative crosswalks may have run out of pavement. In a newly released notice, Texas regulators denied the city’s request to keep the artistic markings and set an end-of-month deadline to plan their removal or risk losing state or federal transportation funding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Five years ago, the body of 28-year-old Christopher Whiteley was found near a wooded creek bed in Hood County, about 55 miles outside of Fort Worth.Deputies theorized a cougar had killed him. Texas wildlife experts said that was impossible. So what really happened?From its earliest moments, an investigation by The Dallas Morning News found the examination into Whiteley’s death was riddled with false assumptions and errors that forensics and wildlife experts say left too many unanswered questions.Now, the fourth season of The Unforgotten podcast from Free Range Productions in association with The Dallas Morning News examines Whiteley’s story in a six-part series entitled “Kill Site.” The series is hosted by Free Range’s Wes Ferguson, a former Texas Monthly editor based near Austin. The podcast draws from a 2021 investigation by former News staff reporter Charles Scudder, who is a contributor on the show.We’re dropping a new episode each week here in your Dallas Morning News podcast feed.This is episode 6: “Naming names.” This series contains mature subject matter and strong language, listener discretion is advised.Read The News’ 2021 report on Whiteley’s case, complete with maps, timelines and visuals: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/investigations/2021/09/23/authorities-say-a-hood-county-man-was-killed-by-a-cougar-texas-wildlife-experts-say-its-impossible/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Oak Lawn Branch, the Skyline Branch in the Buckner Terrace neighborhood, the Renner Frankford Branch in Far North Dallas and the Arcadia Park Branch in West Dallas are being recommended for closure as the city moves toward a regional library model. In other news, two North Texas companies are moving their headquarters. Brinks Home is moving into a new headquarters just down the road in Farmers Branch. FiberLight, a Plano-based firm that designs, builds and deploys fiber optic networks, is moving to a new headquarters in Allen; country music star Kacey Musgraves will headline 2026’s Big Night, an annual fundraiser in Fort Worth; and Celina has been rocked this week by more fallout in the case of former Moore Middle School employee and football coach William “Caleb” Elliott, who is accused of recording boys in the locker room. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's expensive out there, and we have some ideas about how to scrounge for savings. Plus, The Dallas Morning News food team catches up with readers on their 2026 food goals, a new opening near the American Airlines Center, and a few new bar openings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amid a recent spate of reported sightings of bobcats and coyotes in Frisco, local experts are encouraging North Texas residents to be aware and to take precautions to avoid negative encounters between pets, people and wildlife. Police said there is no indication the public is at risk. In other news, a Mesquite City Council member Brandon Murden was arrested shortly after midnight by the Mesquite Police Department and faces a charge of assault causing bodily injury to a family member; the city’s 2023 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory shows Dallas produced about 18.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, an 11% decrease from 2015, the baseline year for the city’s climate goals; and when will D-FW see its first snow? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A two-mile stretch of roadway in North Texas will soon be known as Charlie Kirk Memorial Parkway in honor of the late conservative activist. Commissioners in Hood County issued a proclamation Tuesday to dedicate Williamson Road, just south of Granbury, for Kirk. In other news, It’s goodbye to Rye in Dallas, the Greenville Avenue restaurant featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives last year. Rye is expected to close March 7; North Texas drivers can expect closures, detours and heavy traffic delays on Interstate 30 in downtown Dallas this weekend due to planned construction activity by the Texas Department of Transportation. According to TxDOT, all lanes of east- and westbound I-30 will be closed between the I-35E and I-45/U.S. 75 interchanges as part of the ongoing I-30 Canyon corridor improvement project; and a 52-story tower in downtown Dallas called The National is headed to foreclosure. The restaurants within The National will remain open. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Mike Curtis discuss the repercussions [00:45] from Anthony Davis’ latest injury and how that affects the Mavs at the trade deadline. Kevin thinks they need a permanent GM to make these franchise-altering decisions. [36:31] Kevin and Evan make their CFP predictions (Hint: The home field won’t help Miami). The guys also talk a little baseball and wonder if the Rangers [46:00] can catch possibly the league’s best team in Seattle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Prominent Dallas architects said City Hall’s layout and structural integrity remain well suited for modern government use, even as developers and some civic leaders insist the building’s condition and long-term costs require a broader rethink. In other news, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop for flights to Dallas Love Field on Tuesday as the airport responded to a fire alarm; a two-mile stretch of roadway in North Texas will soon be known as Charlie Kirk Memorial Parkway; and it looks like Dallas Maverick Anthony Davis will not have surgery after all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fox News commentator on what "America First" means, AI chatbots, finding a purpose in life and the power of information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Plus - Why a $250 fee for Dallas Public Library card for nonresidents? Curious Texas answers; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presses Lockheed Martin to work faster; Minnesota sues the federal government to stop immigration crackdown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Five years ago, the body of 28-year-old Christopher Whiteley was found near a wooded creek bed in Hood County, about 55 miles outside of Fort Worth.Deputies theorized a cougar had killed him. Texas wildlife experts said that was impossible. So what really happened?From its earliest moments, an investigation by The Dallas Morning News found the examination into Whiteley’s death was riddled with false assumptions and errors that forensics and wildlife experts say left too many unanswered questions.Now, the fourth season of The Unforgotten podcast from Free Range Productions in association with The Dallas Morning News examines Whiteley’s story in a six-part series entitled “Kill Site.” The series is hosted by Free Range’s Wes Ferguson, a former Texas Monthly editor based near Austin. The podcast draws from a 2021 investigation by former News staff reporter Charles Scudder, who is a contributor on the show.We’re dropping a new episode each week here in your Dallas Morning News podcast feed.This is episode 5: “The Shank” — As reporter Charlie Scudder investigates the killing of Christopher Whiteley, he also discovers a life that was scarred by violence.This series contains mature subject matter and strong language, listener discretion is advised.Read The News’ 2021 report on Whiteley’s case, complete with maps, timelines and visuals: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/investigations/2021/09/23/authorities-say-a-hood-county-man-was-killed-by-a-cougar-texas-wildlife-experts-say-its-impossible/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Plus - Democrats go statewide in Texas House races; Ilia Malinin, Plano’s Amber Glenn lead strong U.S. Figure Skating teams into Olympics and Dallas twins shine on Food Network competition show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Want to know the hottest new places to eat in Dallas-Fort Worth in 2026? The Dallas Morning News food team has got you covered. The team also discusses what chefs and other restaurant pros hope to see trending in dining in the new year, along with a bevy of recent closures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In an interview with the Dallas Morning News, Dallas police Chief Daniel Comeaux said that Gov. Greg Abbott was off base in blaming AT&T’s planned move from downtown on city leaders’ public safety decisions, saying instead that conditions were improving from stepped-up patrols and renewed focus on the area. In other news, more than 400 people gathered outside Dallas City Hall Thursday night to march and protest the killing of a Minneapolis woman shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer; a man has died after being mauled by a dog in West Dallas Wednesday — a case investigators have now classified as a homicide; nd a new cocktail bar and restaurant named ‘Ritual’ is expected to open later this month in Old East Dallas. The space will continue to be “female-forward” in design, as Alice was. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday that Dallas leaders were responsible for AT&T’s decision to relocate its headquarters from downtown Dallas to Plano, blaming what he called the city’s failure to fully fund and staff its police department. In other news, a Texas A&M professor has been told not to teach certain writings from Plato, a staple in introductory philosophy courses, because they may violate the university system’s new rules against “advocating” race or gender ideology, or topics concerning sexual orientation, in core classes; a shooting in northwest Dallas last week that left one woman dead and injured her husband stemmed from a dating app meetup; and Salad and Go will close all remaining locations in Texas and Oklahoma, which includes the 25 locations still operating in North Texas and the seven in Oklahoma. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The American Federation of Teachers of Texas is suing the Texas Education Agency over a series of investigations the agency launched over teachers’ comments on social media after the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. In other news, a police officer and a public service officer with the Dallas Police Department have been terminated from their positions following a January disciplinary hearing; over 40 Dallas police units responded to a bomb threat at North Dallas High School on Tuesday morning. Police initially responded to the school after reports of a bomb threat just before 8 am; and changes in how methamphetamine trafficking is punished under federal law are being proposed this year to bring sentences more in line with other hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Talmage Boston interviews historian, recipient of the Lincoln Prize and Oxford University professor Richard Carwardine on his new book Righteous Strife: How Warring Religious Nationalists Forged Lincoln’s Union. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AT&T will build its new global headquarters in Plano, leaving questions about the future of its massive real estate holdings in downtown Dallas. Reacting to that news, Dallas leaders said downtown didn’t fit with AT&T headquarter plans, preferring a “horizontal, suburban-style” headquarters campus with “significant acreage.” In other news, the rainbow-colored steps at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church are safe for the next three years; and Taylor Sheridan, ever the prolific TV creator, will continue filming across North Texas in January. Link to story about Dallas area casting calls: https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/tv/2026/01/05/taylor-sheridan-lioness-yellowstone-spinoff-dutton-ranch-filming-dfw-area/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Five years ago, the body of 28-year-old Christopher Whiteley was found near a wooded creek bed in Hood County, about 55 miles outside of Fort Worth.Deputies theorized a cougar had killed him. Texas wildlife experts said that was impossible. So what really happened?From its earliest moments, an investigation by The Dallas Morning News found the examination into Whiteley’s death was riddled with false assumptions and errors that forensics and wildlife experts say left too many unanswered questions.Now, the fourth season of The Unforgotten podcast from Free Range Productions in association with The Dallas Morning News examines Whiteley’s story in a six-part series entitled “Kill Site.” The series is hosted by Free Range’s Wes Ferguson, a former Texas Monthly editor based near Austin. The podcast draws from a 2021 investigation by former News staff reporter Charles Scudder, who is a contributor on the show.We’re dropping a new episode each week here in your Dallas Morning News podcast feed.This is episode 4: “Falsehoods and Chaos” — Scandals in the medical examiner's office collide with the search for answers in Christopher Whiteley's death.This series contains mature subject matter and strong language, listener discretion is advised.Read The News’ 2021 report on Whiteley’s case, complete with maps, timelines and visuals: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/investigations/2021/09/23/authorities-say-a-hood-county-man-was-killed-by-a-cougar-texas-wildlife-experts-say-its-impossible/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dallas’ Landmark Commission is set to decide Monday whether a historic Oak Lawn church can keep its rainbow-painted front steps, a move made after Gov. Greg Abbott directed cities to remove rainbow crosswalks and other painted symbols from public streets. The church has urged neighbors and supporters to attend and speak at the 1 p.m. hearing at Dallas City Hall, saying the steps have become a marker of welcome and belonging. In other news, the CEO of Richardson-based Fossil Franco Fogliato knows what it takes to compete. The stock price recently hit its highest point since March of 2023 after sales declines narrowed and it got some good news on the debt front; with nearly 70 secondhand stores in the city, D-FW has become a thriving secondhand hub for big and small retailers; and the Dallas Cowboys season came to a close yesterday with an embarrassing 34-17 loss to the New York Giants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dallas saw a drop in emergency calls about celebratory gunfire this New Year’s Eve compared to the start of 2025. DPD reported Thursday that they received 759 calls related to celebratory gunfire and another 273 calls about fireworks In other news, Texas is poised to make historic investments in water supplies and infrastructure in the next few decades, but some of the funding won’t be immediate; a woman was fatally shot in Fort Worth on New Year’s Day after a confrontation with a security guard outside a business. Fort Worth police officers responded to a reported shooting Thursday around 5:40 p.m. in the 2600 block of South Riverside Drive; and Texas Tech's football season is over after a 23-0 loss to Oregon in the CFP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tricolor is accused of double-pledging vehicles, meaning one vehicle would have two titles on it from two lenders, instead of the usual one. Prosecutors say this type of fraud deceived investors about the actual value of Tricolor’s inventory and its loans. In other news, several families in North Texas traded holiday celebrations for funeral planning in the wake of recent, high-profile domestic violence cases in Dallas, Kaufman and Tarrant counties; University Park’s city council will consider at its Jan. 6 meeting ordering a special election in May to dissolve its membership with DART; former Dallas Cowboy Trevon Diggs is signing with the Green Bay Packers, reuniting with Micah Parsons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Calvin Watkins analyze [00:13] the release of Trevon Diggs and whether it'd have been better to save a little more money by making him a post-June 1 cut. Calvin lays out his five big plans for the offseason (Hint: More Pickens; less Eberflus). [25:42] Evan asks if Nico Harrison was the worst GM in Dallas sports history and gets no challengers. Especially if the Mavs can't get enough back for Anthony Davis at the trade deadline. [34:00] And the guys make their CFP predictions, headed by the Red Raiders' remarkable season as the poster school for college athletics' new identity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Dallas County Republican Party abandoned plans Tuesday to hand-count tens of thousands of ballots on primary day, March 3, saying it could not recruit enough workers to carry out the manual tally. In other news, three weeks after immigration officers detained Maher Tarabishi, his son was rushed to the emergency room with life-threatening sepsis and pneumonia; an all-Republican state appeals court on Tuesday unanimously upheld a previous judicial order that put the brakes on Attorney General Ken Paxton’s efforts to rein in “rogue” prosecutors in Texas’ most urban areas; and former Dallas Cowboy greats Jason Witten and Darren Woodson were named among the 15 Modern Era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

McKinney police charged the son of the city’s former city manager with capital murder Monday after finding 73-year old Frank Ragan and his wife, 72-year old Jackie Ragan dead with stab wounds in their living room just days after Christmas. In other news, Rep. Jasmine Crockett said Monday she’s the more experienced, proven progressive option for Democrats as she competes with state Rep. James Talarico for the party’s Senate nomination; Federal officials on Monday announced funding amounts for its new rural health program. Texas will receive more than $281 million, more than any other state; nd Razzoo’s, the Cajun restaurant chain that started in Dallas in 1991 and filed for bankruptcy in 2025, has been purchased by North Texas company M Crowd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A sprawling lot full of trees and shrubs in southern Dallas is set to transform into housing in 2026, fueling aspirations for a new grocery store in southeast Oak Cliff. More than $23 million in city infrastructure funding is helping pave the way for over 500 new homes and retail space. In other news, at South Dallas’ Oakland Cemetery, life after death has a new meaning amid a field of resilient post oak trees, wildflowers and long-stem prairie grasses. Five years after a group of volunteers stepped in to save the cemetery from permanent closure, work has been underway to extend the lifespan of a site that’s home to scores of the city’s earliest residents and pioneers; Campisi’s on Lovers Lane has temporarily closed its doors after a fire on Saturday. Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to a 911 call early Saturday morning from a passerby about a fire at 5405 West Lovers Lane; nd the Texas Tech Red Raiders will arrive in Fort Lauderdale for their game against Oregon in style. the American Hat Company partnered with Texas Tech Athletics Saturday to gift each Red Raider participating in the Capital One Orange Bowl with a custom-fitted black felt cowboy hat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Five years ago, the body of 28-year-old Christopher Whiteley was found near a wooded creek bed in Hood County, about 55 miles outside of Fort Worth.Deputies theorized a cougar had killed him. Texas wildlife experts said that was impossible. So what really happened?From its earliest moments, an investigation by The Dallas Morning News found the examination into Whiteley’s death was riddled with false assumptions and errors that forensics and wildlife experts say left too many unanswered questions.Now, the fourth season of The Unforgotten podcast from Free Range Productions in association with The Dallas Morning News examines Whiteley’s story in a six-part series entitled “Kill Site.” The series is hosted by Free Range’s Wes Ferguson, a former Texas Monthly editor based near Austin. The podcast draws from a 2021 investigation by former News staff reporter Charles Scudder, who is a contributor on the show.We’re dropping a new episode each week here in your Dallas Morning News podcast feed.This is episode 3: “The showdown” — The dispute over Christopher Whiteley‘s cause of death turns hostile as medical examiners pivot to a different theory.This series contains mature subject matter and strong language, listener discretion is advised.Read The News’ 2021 report on Whiteley’s case, complete with maps, timelines and visuals: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/investigations/2021/09/23/authorities-say-a-hood-county-man-was-killed-by-a-cougar-texas-wildlife-experts-say-its-impossible/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Officials say the drones can reach volatile calls faster than patrol cars, stream live video and reduce risks for officers and civilians by showing what officers are walking into — or whether they need to go at all. Dallas’ police chief has said the city may take part in a “drone first responder” program, as it looks for ways to cut emergency response times. That promise of speed using drones is what worries civil liberties and privacy advocates, who say the technology could normalize routine aerial surveillance. In other news, as President Donald Trump’s administration has pushed forward with his mass deportation campaign, one of the consequences has been policy changes that affect individuals who have pending applications for victim-based immigration benefits; DFW Airport told The News last week that it expects nearly 5 million passengers to pass through between Dec. 18 and Jan. 6, officials said. That’s more than a 3% increase in traffic compared to last year, the airport said. Love Field expects more than 500,000 travelers between Dec. 18 and New Year’s Eve, a slight decrease from last year when the airport saw more than 560,000 travelers; and the Powerball jackpot has soared to $1.7 billion with the next drawing set for this evening. If someone wins Wednesday, it would be the fourth-largest prize in the game’s history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An 18-year-old member of the South Oak Cliff football team was arrested early Sunday after accidentally shooting a teammate. In other news, more than 3 million package thefts with a value in excess of $159 million were reported in North Texas just this year. Dallas-Fort Worth ranked sixth among the 10 worst major metro areas for package theft; a man died during a house fire in Dallas’ Singing Hills neighborhood Sunday. Firefighters responded around noon to reports of a fire at the one-story house in the 1200 block of Whispering Trail; and Anthony Davis had a dominant double-double of 35 points and 17 rebounds, but the Mavs lost 119-113 on Monday night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By virtue of the Eagles’ win in Washington on Saturday night, the Cowboys found themselves playing the role of lame ducks in their home finale Sunday. The Cowboys went scoreless in the second half in a 34-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers at AT&T Stadium. In other news, Texas A&M won its first NCAA volleyball championship, sweeping Kentucky 3-0 on Sunday. The Aggies accomplished the rare feat of defeating three No. 1 seeds en route to their national title. They defeated Nebraska and Pittsburgh earlier in the tournament and they did not drop a set in the Final Four; a 72-year-old woman was critically injured Sunday morning after her husband allegedly shot her in their Rockwall home; Pilot Point police are investigating the deaths of two bicyclists who were fatally struck by a vehicle Saturday morning. and are you feeling lucky? The Powerball jackpot now stands at an estimated $1.6 billion, making it one of the largest lottery prizes in U.S. history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Dallas Morning News food team shares the best things they ate in 2025, many of which you can find in Dallas-Fort Worth. The team also shares one of its ultimate restaurant industry pet peeves, a restaurant that is lowering its prices, closures, and more, set against the backdrop of a holiday tea. Please note Eat Drink D-FW is taking a break for the holidays. It will return on Jan. 9, 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife, Angela, have agreed to unseal their divorce case after media organizations pressed to make the records public as Paxton campaigns for the Senate. In other news, East Dallas sports bar High Fives will close in early January after serving cocktails for more than a decade near a fast-changing Henderson Avenue. High Fives’ Dallas-based parent company is focused on growing the Burger Schmurger restaurant brand; American Airlines is in the midst of a consequential transformation and executives at Skyview, the Fort Worth carrier’s headquarters, are aware of the need for urgency; and WFAA meteorologist Mariel Ruiz, who revealed a breast cancer diagnosis in July, has been recovering from surgery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new version of the common flu is spreading globally, and health officials are monitoring this evolving strain of influenza A which has been increasingly detected worldwide. In other news, It’s official: McKinney National Airport has its first airline. Avelo Airlines, the Houston-based budget carrier, signed a five-year use and lease agreement, the airport said Tuesday evening; Dallas Mavericks owner and casino magnate Miriam Adelson urged President Donald Trump to run for a third term in 2028; nd Romeo Santos and Prince Royce will perform together for the first time in Dallas next spring as part of their “Mejor Tarde Que Nunca” tour. In Dallas, they will perform on Saturday, May 9, at American Airlines Center. Tickets go on sale this Friday, Dec. 19. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Joe Hoyt discuss [00:15] the Cowboys’ plight after a miserable game against the Vikings virtually eliminated them from the playoffs. Is their primary need at OT? Safety? Linebacker? Good thing they’ve got extra picks, Joe says. And they may need more.[20:33] Evan breaks down the Rangers’ additions and wonders what else Ray Davis might pay for. [34:05] Evan and Kevin also analyze the CFP hopes for Texas A&M and Oklahoma this week and what gives Texas Tech an advantage in the long run. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nearly a decade ago, a pension crisis in the police and fire retirement system put Dallas in a precarious financial position, making the city a national cautionary tale. The city’s worst years in the past decade were 2016 and 2017, when Dallas had a $528 million deficit amid an exodus of police officers stemming from the pension crisis. Thirty-two year old Matthan Lough of Crandall was arrested last week after Mesquite police obtained a warrant on child grooming charges after investigators received a report in October about possible child grooming at the Christian Center of Mesquite. Lough worked as a teacher and coach at Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy, a charter school, in Mesquite; an office tower in Dallas’ Arts District has traded to a new owner. An affiliate of TRT Holdings, a Dallas-based investment firm that owns the luxury Omni Hotels & Resorts chain, purchased St. Paul Place from Pacific Elm Properties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host Talmage Boston interviews journalist and biographer Jonathan Eig about his biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. titled King: A Life. This episode, from the archives, was recorded in Dallas in October 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey will not run for Tarrant County judge in 2026. Veasey will instead serve out the remainder of his congressional term, which ends in January 2027. Veasey said the decision to withdraw from the race was tough. In other news, Dallas Area Rapid Transit announced it will be operating on a modified service schedule and offering free rides for the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays. DART, in partnership with Coors Light, will give away 10,500 free rides on New Year’s Eve. Riders will just need to use the code COORSNYE25 on GoPass in order to receive the deal; a 13,000-square-foot mansion on Hunters Glen Road, ranked recently as the most expensive home in Texas, has been sold for $30.5 million; nd Sabar Barbecue, a trailer in Fort Worth that served smoked meat with Pakistani technique, will close after business Saturday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Five years ago, the body of 28-year-old Christopher Whiteley was found near a wooded creek bed in Hood County, about 55 miles outside of Fort Worth. Deputies theorized a cougar had killed him. Texas wildlife experts said that was impossible. So what really happened? From its earliest moments, an investigation by The Dallas Morning News found the examination into Whiteley’s death was riddled with false assumptions and errors that forensics and wildlife experts say left too many unanswered questions.Now, the fourth season of The Unforgotten podcast from Free Range Productions in association with The Dallas Morning News examines Whiteley’s story in a six-part series entitled “Kill Site.” The series is hosted by Free Range’s Wes Ferguson, a former Texas Monthly editor based near Austin. The podcast draws from a 2021 investigation by former News staff reporter Charles Scudder, who is a contributor on the show. We’re dropping a new episode each Monday here in your Dallas Morning News podcast feed. This is episode 2: “The ghost” — A Texas sheriff blames a mountain lion for the death of Christopher Whiteley, but the search for a killer cat exposes disagreements — and a deeper mystery.This series contains mature subject matter and strong language, listener discretion is advised. Read The News’ 2021 report on Whiteley’s case, complete with maps, timelines and visuals: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/investigations/2021/09/23/authorities-say-a-hood-county-man-was-killed-by-a-cougar-texas-wildlife-experts-say-its-impossible/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arnold Patrick’s departure comes as the department remains under a state investigation prompted by reporting from The News in October that uncovered how Patrick paid his state advocacy association colleague $45,100 in a contract to vet vendors despite the consultant acknowledging in an email he did not complete the work. In other news, organizers of Arlington Pride announced Friday they will cancel next year’s event after the City Council rejected a plan to ban discrimination against gay and transgender residents; the Lewisville Police Department said Sunday that one of its officers was arrested last week in connection with a child sex assault; and Sevy's Grill will close next June due to a failed lease negotiation with his landlord. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Texas Education Agency will remove Lake Worth ISD’s elected school board and superintendent, and appoint a board of managers to govern the district, Education Commissioner Mike Morath said on Thursday. In other news, a month has passed since Charles Hosch, a Southern Methodist University law professor and Dallas attorney, went missing. Family and friends continue the search in a remote hiking area in Georgia; the third phase of ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup opened Thursday, and the prices immediately sparked outrage among local fans. One Fort Worth resident who’s attended the past three world cups in Brazil, Russia, and Qatar said, “what FIFA is doing is inconceivable,” and was stunned by the soaring costs in this latest sales window; and the Original Roy Hutchins Barbeque will open a second restaurant in the area near the home fields for the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers and the Interstate 30 frontage road. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dallas real estate CEO Robert “Bob” Lovell was ordered this week to pay $5.7 million in damages and fees after a judge determined he repeatedly forced a former employee to perform sex acts and then retaliated against her when she refused. In other news, some Texans are finding out from their doctor's offices that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas insurance plan would no longer be considered in-network; the Texas Rangers are not interested in trading Corey Seager. The Red Sox, Yankees, and Braves have all expressed interest though; and for years, officials at the highest level of Dallas city government knew crime was a problem at Roseland, a public housing complex in Old East Dallas. In twenty eighteen, the city entered into a special agreement with Dallas Housing Authority to keep crime in check. That arrangement was different from what was at the time a new, aggressive plan to protect the public at high-crime private properties. Police reports show that since the agreement was signed, at least seven people have been killed at Roseland, including a nine-year-old girl. Twenty others were wounded by gunfire. A Dallas Morning News investigation shows that over the following seven years, the agreement was never fully followed, and the violent crime at Roseland persisted. The News found numerous ways in which D-H-A and the city fell short in addressing crime and protecting residents, including failures to follow their own agreement. See the full investigation dallasnews.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices