Texas
Letters to the Editor – Three cheers for Mike Bidwill, Texas firefighters,Chris Packard
1 Mike Bidwill — While the fires in California were dominating the news and our hearts, Mike Bidwill, owner of the Arizona Cardinals, chose to do something good. He sent two planes to Los Angeles to pick up players, families and pets and bring them to Arizona for the game. The team used the Cardinals’ training facility for the game between the Rams and the Vikings. The Rams organization arranged for about 40 buses to help fans get to games.
Here is a big shout out to Bidwill for helping the families and players escape from the devastating fires for at least a while.
Barry Rothschild, Dallas/Preston Hollow
2 Texas firefighters and Greg Abbott — Re: “Happy to Help When the Fires Need Dousing — And Gov. Abbott, thanks for not taking potshots at Newsom, others,” Jan. 17 editorial.
Thanks to The Dallas Morning News editorial board for recognizing Gov. Greg Abbott for deploying more than 100 Texas firefighters to help with the Los Angeles wildfires. And thanks also for recognizing the bravery and self-sacrifice of the Texas firefighters who traveled to California to help.
As our fellow citizens in California deal with the devastating effects of wildfires on their communities, let us reflect back to February and March 2024, when the largest wildfire in Texas history burned more than 1,500 square miles of rangeland in the Panhandle northeast of Amarillo. How would our fellow Texans have felt while they were dealing with the crisis at hand if states who didn’t align with us politically took potshots at us?
During a crisis we are not red or blue states, we help those in need. Thanks to Texas for pitching in.
David Alan Jones, Farmers Branch
3 Chris Packard — After a long and successful for-profit career, Chris Packard turned his formidable operations skills to the nonprofit sector. After rising through the ranks at McDonald’s from the counter to own six franchises, Chris transitioned his leadership skills to the nonprofit world. As interim CEO of seven nonprofits, he most recently led the Transition Resource Action Center, which supports foster children aging out of care and other homeless youth.
Chris is known to lead nonprofits with the efficiency of a Costco and the heart of Mother Teresa. Formerly a part of the now-closed CitySquare, TRAC had several leadership changes in a short timeframe and needed a crackerjack interim CEO. Enter Chris.
Chris hit the ground running, immediately implementing TRAC’s strategic plan. His management style won over staff. He spent equal time in both the Dallas and Fort Worth locations while improving the work environment, workflow, organization chart and job descriptions seemingly overnight.
Serving on the CEO search committee, Chris helped hire and ultimately transitioned our new CEO, Nicole Binkley.
Thank you Chris, from our youth, staff and board members for your effective leadership.
Madeline D. McClure, Dallas/Bluffview
We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com
Texas
Texas Football Opt-Outs: Who’s Likely Playing and Who’s Out for the Citrus Bowl
At this point in time, opting out of bowl games is nothing new, but Texas is going to have more opt-outs in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan than many—self included—expected. This problem pales in comparison to what’s going on in Ann Arbor, but the amount of lost experience will be something for Texas to overcome, primarily on defense.
Texas
Latest in recruiting war for elite 2028 QB has Texas Football joyful
Neimann Lawrence list the Longhorns as one school that is standing out
As the Longhorns continue to build for the future, one of their targets is four-star prospect Neimann Lawrence. The Miami native is one of the best quarterbacks in the 2028 class and is attracting interest from some of the nation’s top programs. On Monday, Lawrence revealed the schools that have stood out so far, including the Longhorns.
While Mondays update was encouraging, Texas was not the only school Lawrence mentioned. He also highlighted Michigan, Miami, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Tennessee. That is not an easy list of schools to go to battle with; the Longhorns have time to make themselves stand out.
Currently, the Miami Northwestern High star is ranked as the fourth-best quarterback in is class by 247Sports. They also rank him as the ninth-best player from Florida and the 39th-best player in the nation. With collegiate debut still over a year away, those rankings could change.
At the moment, the Longhorns do not have a commitment in the 2028 class, but they have made offers to some of the top recruits. That includes Brysen Wright, Jalanie George, Jamarios Canton, Micah Rhodes, and King Pitts. Landing any of those players would give Texas a bright future.
With a decision still months away, Lawrence will be a player to watch. A lot could change as his recruitment continues, but it is a good sign for Texas that they are standing out early on in the process.
Texas
Orange County wedding photographer deported on way to job in Texas
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – An Orange County photographer is speaking out after he was deported as he was heading to Texas to photograph a wedding.
What they’re saying:
“I was trying to do it the right way, the legal way and it just feels like they don’t care about that,” said Adan Caceres.
Caceres came to the United States under asylum in 2014, fleeing a violent El Salvador.
“My mom’s sister was murdered and she was thrown in front of our house. She also was abused sexually before they murdered her and then my brother and I were threatened by the gangs,” said Caceres.
He says he never received the deportation order that was issued in 2018 and only learned about it in 2023. He then started the process of reopening his case.
“I was paying my taxes. I’m a business owner, I’m a wedding photographer. I’m also married,” said Caceres.
In October, Caceres was going through security at John Wayne Airport, heading to a job in Texas, when he was detained. He says from Santa Ana, he was sent to the Adelanto Detention Center then one in El Paso, Texas where he says the conditions were inhumane.
“We’re not even asking ‘hey let us out’ we’re asking for water, we’re asking for us to be able to use the restroom, these are basic human rights,” said Caceres.
He says now that he’s back in the country he once fled, he’s most concerned about his wife back in Orange County.
“I was providing a lot of income for our household and now my wife has to take care of all of those things on her own; paying car insurance, the rent, all the bills,” said Caceres.
Caceres says he had no criminal history and feels he was on the path to citizenship when it was ripped away from him, leaving his future with his family uncertain.
“I don’t know if I’m going to see them. I don’t know when I’m going to see them,” said Caceres.
The other side:
FOX11 reached out to the Department of Homeland Security asking about Caceres’ case but had not heard back at the time this story aired.
The Source: Information for this story came from an interview with Adan Caceres.
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