Dallas, TX
Dallas should be the leader in supporting DART
As North Texas grows, Dallas should take the lead in mobility and public transportation. That means staying committed to Dallas Area Rapid Transit.
Instead, Dallas is leading in the wrong direction. The city has talked about using DART funds to cover massive pension obligations. Similar talks continued at a Government Performance and Financial Management Committee meeting last month, when council members approved a legislative priority to “seek restructuring of DART sales tax contribution.”
The full City Council will discuss the proposal and vote on it this fall. Council members didn’t commit to much, and deliberately left the language open-ended so it can be fleshed out in later discussions.
Still, we don’t like where this conversation is going. Plano’s and Rowlett’s city councils have already passed resolutions in support of cutting sales tax funding to DART.
Dallas-Fort Worth’s population is projected to keep growing by huge margins for the next couple of decades, adding millions of jobs in the process, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
Not only can DART continue to help drive economic development as it has for decades, it can also help move a growing workforce while reducing congestion on already crowded roads, making the region more competitive. And for those without access to cars, DART’s services are critical.
Dallas residents depend on DART far more than those from neighboring suburbs, with over 70% of riders hailing from the city, according to a May memo. How DART is treated around the horseshoe should reflect that.
Make no mistake, DART has work to do. During the pandemic, between fiscal years 2019 and 2021, DART’s ridership nearly halved, down from just over 70 million to about 36 million, according to a DART spokesperson. Since then, ridership has crept back upward, with DART providing around 50 million rides across all modes of transportation last fiscal year.
Total ridership at the end of this fiscal year is projected to be about 58 million, a DART spokesperson said. Reaching that number would represent good progress, but would still leave room for improvement.
From the 26-mile Silver Line that will stretch from Plano to DFW International Airport to added security, cleaning crews and a system modernization program that will see 95 light rail vehicles and 522 buses replaced, among other upgrades, DART has invested millions over the last few years to boost ridership and improve service. Those efforts appear to be working and deserve time to play out.
The answer to DART’s troubles should not be disinvestment but instead to work with the agency on long-term solutions. Billions have been invested in DART over the years. Treating that as a sunk cost would be incredibly shortsighted.
DART and its member cities can still help each other grow, and Dallas can set an example. In a city committed to an equality of opportunity DART can help provide, that should be a no-brainer.
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5 teens hurt after police chase ends in crash
Five teenagers were hurt after a crime spree ended in a crash. Police say they found multiple handguns inside the vehicle after the crash, and all five teens were taken to the hospital.
DALLAS – Five teenagers were hospitalized late Tuesday night after crashing a carjacked sedan into a traffic light pole during a brief police chase, Dallas authorities said.
Carjacking and crash
What we know:
The incident began at 10:37 p.m. in Old East Dallas, where a man was carjacked at gunpoint by a group of armed juvenile suspects in the 4500 block of Live Oak Street, according to Dallas Police Department records. The suspects left the scene in the victim’s white Honda sedan.
Just before 11 p.m., a Flock license plate recognition camera flagged the stolen vehicle at an apartment complex in the 9400 block of Bruton Road in Pleasant Grove.
Responding patrol officers spotted the Honda traveling west on Bruton Road near South Buckner Boulevard. When officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the driver accelerated and sped off, initiating a pursuit.
The chase came to a violent end at 11:02 p.m. at the intersection of Bruton Road and Second Avenue. Police said the driver lost control of the sedan and slammed directly into a steel traffic signal support pole.
Officers found five teenagers inside the heavily damaged vehicle. Dallas Fire-Rescue paramedics took all five suspects to local hospitals. Police said some of the teenagers suffered serious injuries, but all are expected to survive.
Investigators recovered multiple handguns from inside the crashed vehicle.
What’s next:
Detectives from the Dallas Police Department’s robbery and vehicular crimes units, alongside crime scene investigators and patrol officers, are continuing to investigate the incident. Charges against the juveniles are pending.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Dallas Police officers at the scene.
Dallas, TX
Death penalty off the table for man accused of beheading Dallas motel manager, prosecutors say
In need of help on the edge, the Dallas Cowboys tried to make a huge move this offseason. They made multiple attempts to trade for Las Vegas Raiders superstar Maxx Crosby, but were never able to get a deal done.
Once that one was off the table, they decided to send a fourth round pick to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for veteran Rashan Gary. The move was criticized, which is rather confusing when you think about it. Dallas gave up a mid-round pick, and reworked his contract to where it hardly makes any impact on a salary cap. They also filled a position of a great need with a player who might not threaten to lead the league in sacks, but is well-rounded and can help against the run just as much as he does when rushing the passer.
Gary is entering his eighth season in the league and has 271 tackles and 46.5 sacks. He’s coming off another solid campaign, which is why he’s No. 9 on our list of top 10 players on the Cowboys’ roster.
Rashan Gary 2025 review
Gary’s numbers in 2025 were respectable, but could be misleading. He was on pace to record 18 sacks, as he had 7.5 through the first seven games of the year. He then disappeared for the final nine games, recording no sacks while struggling to generate pressure.
That led to his season as a whole being considered rather disappointing, which is why the Packers were willing to move on. It’s also why Dallas was able to convince him to take a pay cut after he joined their team. What was most frustrating for Green Bay was the fact that they needed him to step up when Micah Parsons suffered a torn ACL late in the year and Gary was unable to do so.
Rashan Gary 2026 prediction
One thing critics of the move are failing to see is the fact that Dallas doesn’t need Gary to record double-digit sacks. They need him to be the veteran voice for a group of young pass rushers who are trying to find their footing in the league.
Second year player, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and rookie Malachi Lawrence both have the talent to be game-changers off of the edge. What they don’t have, is the experience. That’s where Gary comes in.
As those two continue to develop, Gary will be the stabilizing veteran force who can make plays on early downs, while also being disruptive as a pass rusher. We can’t ignore the struggles that he had in 2025, but perhaps the change of scenery will give him some motivation to turn back the clock. And Dallas didn’t have to give up much to give him that opportunity.
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