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  • Xcel facilities may have ignited fire

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Mar 9, 2024

    Utility provider Xcel Energy said in a Thursday statement that its facilities appeared to have been involved in igniting the Smokehouse Creek fire in the Texas Panhandle. The fire, which began in Hutchinson County before engulfing more than 1 million acres, is the largest wildfire in state history and among the largest in U.S. history. Hundreds of firefighters have been battling a cluster of wildfires for more than a week, and officials confirmed at least two people have died in the blazes. Gov. Greg Abbott said in a recent n...

  • Historic ranch sustains major damage in wildfires

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Mar 5, 2024

    An 80,000-acre ranch listed for $180 million sustained major destruction during the wildfires that have been raging through the Texas Panhandle for the last week. Turkey Track Ranch, established in the 1870s, was one of the first large ranches in the region. It’s located along the Canadian River near the town of Borger. The ranch was also the site of the Adobe Walls battles between U.S. soldiers and Native Americans in the 1860s and 1870s. The 6-acre battle site is preserved and contains two monuments. The managers of the...

  • Texas Panhandle fires largest in state history

    The Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Feb 29, 2024

    Multiple wildfires scorching the Texas Panhandle had merged as of Thursday morning, creating the largest wildfire in state history at more than one million acres burned. The forest service said the largest of the fires, the Smokehouse Creek fire in Hutchinson County, was an estimated 1,075,000 acres and 3% contained as of 9 a.m. Thursday. The 687 Reamer fire, which stood Thursday at roughly 2,000 acres, burned into the Smokehouse Creek fire, the service said. According to...

  • Remembering killer tornadoes across Texas, NM

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Jun 17, 2023

    An estimated 65 people in the U.S. have died as a result of tornadoes this year, the National Centers for Environmental Information estimates. That includes three killed in the Texas Panhandle town of Perryton on Thursday night. Tornadoes are rated from EF0 (lowest) to EF5 (highest) on a scale that measures their wind speed and storm damage. Only four lives have been lost to tornadoes in New Mexico since 1950, according to the National Weather Service. Two people died in Clovis in 2007, one in Maxwell in 1964 and one in...

  • Texas Panhandle explosion kills 18,000 dairy cows

    Sarah Bahari The Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Apr 17, 2023

    A fiery explosion in the Texas Panhandle killed more than 18,000 cattle and critically injured one worker in what is being described as the deadliest barn fire for cattle on record. Fire tore through the holding pens of Southfork Dairy Farm in Dimmitt on Monday night, as the cattle were waiting to be milked, authorities told local news outlets. A dairy farm worker rescued from the building was taken to a hospital and was in critical but stable condition. Investigators have not...

  • Commentary: Cowboys should consider Texas RB with 1st pick

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Feb 18, 2023

    DALLAS - Back in the day when Jerry Jones picked up on Jimmy Johnson's trick of trading out of the first round, and suffered the consequences as a result, it was easy to poke fun at Cowboys drafts. Not so much anymore. Especially in the first round. Of the organization's last dozen first-rounders, nine have made at least one Pro Bowl, and Tyler Smith, last year's No. 1, is trending the same direction. But just because Will McClay has kept the lid on the war room the last...

  • Texas lawmaker pushing casino gambling

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Feb 4, 2023

    AUSTIN — A longtime influential Republican Representative from the Dallas-Fort Worth area has filed legislation calling for a constitutional amendment election to legalize casino and sports gambling in Texas, including at Lone Star Park horse race track in Grand Prairie. Political and sports industry leaders in Dallas and Fort Worth have been pushing for expanded gambling to allow casinos for years for the jobs, tourism and economic benefits it would bring to North Texas. The Las Vegas Sands corporation and others in the ga...

  • Analysis: Prescott swimming against tide of history

    Dallas Morning News|Updated Feb 4, 2023

    DALLAS - Add Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts to the list of problems, not just for the Cowboys - we saw that, specifically, on Oct. 16 and, realistically, all season - but for Dak Prescott's future. Last Sunday, in much easier fashion than one might have imagined as the 49ers ran out of quarterbacks, Hurts joined the popular "Made it to the Super Bowl at 24" Club. The number refers to a quarterback's age at the start of the season in which he reached his first Super Bowl. Among...

  • Texas schools undergo safety audits

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Feb 4, 2023

    DALLAS - Most Texas public schools reviewed this fall passed random inspections meant to detect whether an intruder could gain access to campuses, but more than a quarter of them still need to make improvements. Nearly 3,000 campuses underwent the surprise audits and at about 95% of them, inspectors weren't able to get unauthorized access, according to a new report from the Texas School Safety Center. At about 130 campuses, inspectors were able to gain unauthorized access...

  • Many Cowboys fans part of Gen L

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Jan 14, 2023

    DALLAS - It's him. Miles. He's the problem. It's him. On the surface, you wouldn't know it. Miles Andres is a sweet, idealistic young man, determined to make the community a better place. He's taught elementary school, coached youth sports, worked on a couple of political campaigns and intends to pursue a master's degree in public policy. Something darker lurks, though: his birthday. He'll turn 27 on Feb. 21, which, save for a playoff miracle, will correspond directly with...

  • Audio gives insight into air show crash

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Jan 14, 2023

    DALLAS - Newly released audio from the Wings Over Dallas air show gives insight into the moments before and after the collision that killed six airmen and destroyed two WWII-era aircraft in November. A 36-minute air traffic control recording The Dallas Morning News obtained from the FAA contains conversations between multiple pilots and the show's air boss, who is responsible for airshow operations on the taxiways, runways, and demonstration area. The Nov. 12 midair collision...

  • Egg prices soar across region with outbreak of avian flu

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Jan 14, 2023

    A humble supermarket staple is no longer. Egg prices have soared in recent months, driven largely by a devastating outbreak of avian flu. Some stores have even placed limits on purchases as reports of egg shortages emerge. At a Kroger in Fort Worth on Thursday, a dozen store-brand eggs cost $4.89, while cage-free, organic eggs hit $9.99. Customers were limited to three cartons. “It’s just sticker shock,” said Beth Johnson, as she picked up a few groceries for her family. “We used to eat eggs without even thinking....

  • Georgia blows out TCU in title game

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Jan 10, 2023

    INGLEWOOD, Calif. - The national championship hopes ended early for TCU. Georgia took all the suspense as well as the Horned Frogs out of the game before halftime. By the time the end came in the College Football Playoff title game, the Bulldogs had their second consecutive championship with a 65-7 win. Georgia (15-0) became the first repeat national champion since Alabama in 2011 and '12. Quarterback Stetson Bennett threw four touchdown passes and ran for two more. "It's spec...

  • Mavs' owner has Vegas-like vision for Dallas

    Brad Townsend The Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Dec 16, 2022

    DALLAS - In recent years, Mark Cuban's vision for a new arena has included a 20-story Madison Square Garden-like structure with window views of Dallas and fans arriving in autonomous cars. Now his plans are substantially larger in scope, grandeur and - he believes - economic windfall for Dallas and Texas. And himself, naturally. "My goal, and we'd partner with Las Vegas Sands, is when we build a new arena it'll be in the middle of a resort and casino," Cuban told The Dallas...

  • Star Wars to science: Researchers harvest water from air to address shortages

    Adithi Ramakrishnan The Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Nov 25, 2022

    DALLAS -- In "Star Wars," Luke Skywalker grows up on the hot desert planet Tatooine. His family owns a moisture farm that uses devices called "vaporators" to pull drinking water from the air. But while vaporators are a figment of science fiction, the technology that makes them work may be moving closer to fact. Researchers from Xianming "Simon" Dai's lab at the University of Texas at Dallas are developing technology that can pull water from the air. They recently published a p...

  • Opinion: Cowboys played like world champs

    Tim Cowlishaw The Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Nov 21, 2022

    Jerry Jones said it Sunday night after Sunday's 40-3 deconstruction of what used to be the Minnesota Vikings. And I am inclined to believe every word of it. "I think we've had adversity. We very easily could have some more adversity,'' the Cowboys owner said. "But I sure do think what I see out here right now is a team like you could go get a Super Bowl with.'' If you're of a belief that's nothing more than Salesman Jerry talking, I would advise that he rarely throws out...

  • Texas campaign donations drawing national spotlight

    The Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Oct 14, 2022

    AUSTIN, Texas — What used to be a novelty has now become commonplace in Texas politics – the $1 million check. In the past 16 months, Gov. Greg Abbott’s received six such donations. His Democratic challenger, Beto O’Rourke, pulled down four $1 million checks in seven months. The rush of seven-figure checks demonstrates the no-limits nature of the state’s campaign finance laws and a growing national spotlight on Texas, experts say. Texas is one of 11 states that don’t limit individuals’ campaign contributions in...

  • Opinion: Student loan relief doesn't really treat crisis of education

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Aug 27, 2022

    Another day, another great wealth transfer. President Joe Biden has delivered on his campaign promise of student loan debt relief with a $300 billion plan that will take money from blue-collar workers and turn it over to white-collar workers. When Democrats look back on why they keep losing the votes of many lower-income communities, they might reflect on the fact that the government just agreed to hand $10,000 in taxpayer-funded debt relief to individuals who earn up to $125,000 a year. The economics of this decision only...

  • Opinion: Downplaying cooperation erodes trust

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Jul 26, 2022

    Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador wants to take full credit for the recent capture of notorious drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero. But the signs point to some degree of cooperation between the U.S. and Mexican governments. At any rate, we welcome Caro Quintero’s arrest and other recent developments as evidence that the U.S. and Mexico are taking steps to mend their relationship despite what López Obrador’s rhetoric suggests. Caro Quintero is no average drug lord. He served 28 years in prison for the 1985...

  • Big 12 hype moves on from Texas, Oklahoma

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Jul 16, 2022

    Yes, Texas and Oklahoma are still a part of Big 12 - even if the traditional hype has moved on. For the first time in seven seasons, Oklahoma is not the preseason favorite to win the conference. That distinction falls to defending champion Baylor for the first time in Big 12 history despite a significant turnover at the skill positions. Texas was fourth, a cautious approach to Year 2 under Steve Sarkisian. Even more eye-catching is the preseason all-Big 12 team. For all its...

  • Texas governor urged to call special session

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated May 28, 2022

    AUSTIN, Texas - State Sen. Kel Seliger of Amarillo became the first Republican on Friday to urge Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session for lawmakers in wake of the Uvalde school massacre. In a tweet, Seliger said the Legislature should reconvene "until we do SOMETHING The FBI or DPS BELIEVE will lessen the chance of the next Uvalde Tragedy." He offered no specific policy proposals. Seliger isn't seeking reelection this year, so he won't be back for the next...

  • Opinion: Learning losses may ripple across this generation

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated May 21, 2022

    Just about every teacher, parent and student who endured the sad and dragged-out mess of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic understands it was a disservice to young people. It hurt them academically and emotionally, and whatever was gained from a public health standpoint wasn’t fairly balanced against all that was lost. That evidence, plain as it is, remains anecdotal and personal. But a crucial study this month from the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University gives us a scientific sense of who...

  • Opinion: Heartening to see both parties support Ukraine

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Mar 5, 2022

    There is little that Republicans and Democrats in Congress agree on nowadays, so we are heartened to see them come together to support the people of Ukraine. Bipartisan calls are growing louder to extend temporary protections to Ukrainians already in the U.S., and we hope the Biden administration will listen. The special protection, called Temporary Protected Status or TPS, shields recipients from deportation for 18 months and gives them permission to work. Eligible people include Ukrainians who are here on nonimmigrant...

  • Opinion: Officials should make voting boundaries clearer

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Feb 22, 2022

    Easier to vote and harder to cheat: that was the refrain Texas heard from Republican state lawmakers when they passed their sweeping election bill last year. Yet for some of the state’s most vulnerable voters, casting a ballot in the 2022 primary election has been anything but easy, and state officials are to blame. In Texas, only citizens age 65 or older and disabled or absentee voters in certain circumstances are allowed to vote by mail. One of the new requirements this year is that citizens who vote by mail provide an...

  • Opinion: Russia should show more regard for health of athletes

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Updated Feb 19, 2022

    USA track star Sha’Carri Richardson, is speaking an important truth loudly, and we don’t blame her. After Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was allowed to compete in the Olympics despite a positive test for an illegal substance, Richardson, who was blocked from running in Tokyo in 2021 because she tested positive for THC, took to Twitter to point out the double standard. “The only difference I see is I’m a black young lady,” Richardson posted on Monday. Well, that, and Valieva is on the Russian figure skating...

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