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Are we ready for self-driving vehicles in Dallas?

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Are we ready for self-driving vehicles in Dallas?


Next year, as you drive around Dallas, you might turn to look at the car next to you and notice empty space where the driver should be. Cue the spit take. Waymo, formally Google’s self-driving car project, plans to launch its self-driving ride-hailing service in Dallas in 2026.

This isn’t the first self-driving ride service to come to Dallas. General Motors’ Cruise began testing robo-taxis in 2023, but the program was halted due to safety concerns flagged by federal regulators.

Two years later, Texas roads are still dangerous — mainly because of human drivers. This newspaper recently reported that road deaths in Texas are 18% higher than they were 10 years ago.

Traditional rideshare services might help reduce drunken driving, but these services come with their own risks, like troubling allegations about sexual assault, as recently reported by The New York Times.

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We need to find a way to make our roadways and interstates safer. Driverless cars are here to stay, and state and federal policymakers are right to embrace them, but they should also ensure that there are rules in place to protect the public.

While the future of this technology and potential for safety improvements is promising, that doesn’t mean we should just hand over the keys.

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Initially, the testing fleets will be manned by human drivers to help train the Waymo cars, according to a Waymo news release.

This gives us a little more peace of mind. However, as the technology evolves, the laws and protections surrounding it should, too.

In the last legislative session, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law that requires autonomous vehicle companies to get state approval before operating without a driver and also requires companies to provide methods of dealing with self-driving cars in emergencies.

If you do get into a fender bender with a Waymo car, you can call the company or scan a QR code on the car’s door. That’s assuming the QR code is still readable after the crash. That offers some level of accountability, but questions linger about who is liable when a self-driving car causes an accident.

Continued state-level regulation is both smart and necessary. We need a system of ongoing oversight and to consider how these vehicles will interact with our existing traffic laws, infrastructure and human drivers on the road.

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Waymo cars are expanding their reach throughout Texas. Since March 2024, Waymo has been testing in Austin. During that time, Waymo cars have been involved in 79 incidents in the city, according to the city’s dashboard. Most incidents were reports of safety concerns or blocking traffic. Only three collisions were reported.

This isn’t a bad track record. But even with an otherwise smooth performance, self-driving cars are still in their infancy, and we should be cautious.

As this technology evolves and we start to see more of these vehicles on our roadways, guardrails at the state and federal level will be essential to protect Waymo passengers and other drivers and ensure that companies remain responsible for their vehicles’ behavior on the road.



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Dallas, TX

Cowboys news: Former Dallas 1st-round pick weighs in on who should be next DC

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Cowboys news: Former Dallas 1st-round pick weighs in on who should be next DC


Every offseason it seems like I see a linebacker’s name pop up that the Cowboys need to get to help the defense. This year it may be Quincy Williams. Could he be the guy the middle of the defense is missing? I’ve seen some reactions, and when you dig into the type of player he is the coverage numbers may make you second guess. And honestly, I get it because it doesn’t look pretty. When you actually dig into how Quincy Williams plays, and how he is used, the conversation changes fast. So let’s talk it through like fans, not scouts trying to sound smart.

The First Thing You Need to Know: This Dude Lives in the Box

Quincy Williams is not a coverage linebacker, and he never has been. He will not be floating around in space trying to run with slot receivers or carry tight ends down the seams. When you look at the snap data, it’s not even debatable. He spent hundreds of snaps in the box, very few on the edge, only a handful in the slot, and almost none on the outside.

That tells you exactly how defenses should play him. He is there to attack downhill. If you judge this man based on coverage stats alone, you’re grading a fish on how well it climbs trees. How Quincy Williams Actually Plays

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What I like about Quincy Williams is simple: when he sees it, he goes. There’s no dancing, no waiting for someone else to make the play. He triggers fast and shows up with bad intentions. Is he perfect? Absolutely not, but were any of the Cowboys linebackers last season even above average.

He will miss a tackle here and there because of his aggressive play style, but I’ll take that every day over a linebacker who catches blocks and gets pancaked. What I found even more impressive was he lines up all over the box. He can play weak side, strong side, and take inside looks, but he rarely just sat in the middle calling things out. He’s a flow-and-hunt guy, so the Cowboys would need to let him scrape, chase, and hit. That is where his game makes sense.

Not Much of a Pass Rusher

This may be another area where people will get twisted. Yes, you will see him walked up near the line sometimes, but he’s not an edge rusher. He is not winning with moves or stacking sacks. Those snaps are about pressure and confusion to make the offense account for him, mess with protection calls, and let the defense work around it. He’s a blitzer, not a technician, and if used incorrectly, it looks ugly.



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Dallas, TX

Man dies after dog attack in Dallas home, police say

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Man dies after dog attack in Dallas home, police say


A man has died after a dog attacked him inside a home in North Texas on Thursday afternoon, officials say.

Dallas police officers responded to a call in the 4100 block of Esmalda Drive at about 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7. Investigators determined the man was attacked by a dog inside a residence in the 4100 block of Pringle Drive.

The victim was taken to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries, police said.

According to a press release, the Dallas Police Department is treating the case as a homicide.

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Police ask anyone with information to contact Detective Kenneth Castoral at 469‑781‑1261 or by email at kenneth.castoral@dallaspolice.gov.



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Dallas, TX

Every Dallas Restaurant That Closed in 2025

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Every Dallas Restaurant That Closed in 2025


Dallas lost a lot of great restaurants in 2025.

Photos by Allison McLean

According to the Chinese New Year, 2025 was the year of the snake, and Dallas shed more than its fair share of restaurants and bars. 

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We actually started off on a high note with the closure of Salt Bae’s restaurant, Nusr-Et, which had the audacity to charge upwards of $1,000 for a steak. 

After that, local favorites started dropping like flies. Many leases seemed to come to an end with an increase in demand for space sending rent skyrocketing. Along with rising food costs, local restaurants are taking a hit.

It’s not all bad, though. Peppered into the mix are some restaurants and bars in Dallas that closed, but were remodeled and reimagined into new concepts. Others are looking for new spaces with lower rent. The rest, however, are gone for good. 

The beginning of this year will likely be no better than the last, and it’s as good a time as ever to get out and support your favorite local spots. Money tight? We know where to go.

These are all the Dallas restaurants that closed in 2025. 

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