Dallas, TX
Drone show canceled as part of Dallas New Year’s Eve bash following Florida incident
DALLAS – A North Texas-based company has informed Reunion Tower that it won’t be flying drones during the Dallas New Year’s Eve bash, less than a week after some of its drones collided and fell from the sky at a holiday show in Florida.
Dusti Groskreutz, president of Reunion Tower, said Sky Elements Drones will not be participating in the show “out of an abundance of caution following a recent incident as they carefully review their processes for future shows.”
“Despite this change, viewers can look forward to a dazzling New Year’s Eve celebration with Reunion Tower’s 259 LED light show and the iconic fireworks spectacular lighting up the night sky,” Groskreutz said in a statement.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating colliding drones at a holiday Sky Elements Drones Show this past Saturday, Dec. 21, in Orlando, Florida.
A 7-year-old boy was struck and injured by one of the plunging drones. His mothers spoke about the incident earlier this week.
The drones were permitted through the FAA, according to the Associated Press. The typically colorful flying devices started to fall into a crowd of thousands at Lake Eola Park on Saturday night.
Earlier this week, Coppell-based Sky Elements Drones issued a statement expressing “our sincere hope for a full and speedy recovery” to those impacted at the Florida show.
“The well-being of our audience is our utmost priority, and we regret any distress or inconvenience caused,” the company said. “We are diligently working with the FAA and City of Orlando officials to determine the cause and are committed to establishing a clear picture of what transpired.
“Millions of people see our shows annually, and we are committed to maintaining the highest safety regulations set forth by the FAA.”
Dallas, TX
Dallas weather: Storms return this week with large hail and tornado threat
DALLAS – North Texans will enjoy a brief break today before the next weather system arrives, bringing multiple rounds of storms. A warmup is on the way, with temperatures climbing back into the mid-80s by the weekend.
Monday Forecast
Following a few morning showers in the eastern counties, expect a warm and breezy Monday. High temperatures will climb into the low 80s under partly cloudy skies.
Tuesday Forecast
As an upper-level low-pressure system moves to the west, scattered storms will move into the region Tuesday afternoon. Some of these storms could become severe, with the primary threats being large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes.
Simultaneously, storms are expected to develop ahead of a dryline to the west. While the tornado threat remains low in this area, any storms that form could produce large hail and damaging wind gusts.
7-Day Forecast
Those overnight storms should push out to the east by Wednesday morning, but don’t put the umbrella away just yet. As the main weather system moves directly over us Wednesday afternoon, we’ll likely see another round of scattered storms that could still bring with some hail. Once everything finally clears out Wednesday evening, we can look forward to some drier, much more comfortable air moving back into the area.
Thursday will be noticeably cooler, with high temperatures settling in the mid-60s. However, sunshine and a quick warmup are expected by the weekend. Temperatures will rebound into the 80s on Friday and Saturday.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the National Weather Service and FOX 4 forecasters.
Dallas, TX
Off-duty Dallas officer shoots at suspects allegedly trying to steal his vehicle in Addison, police say
An off-duty Dallas police officer shot at a group of people allegedly trying to steal his personal vehicle on Sunday afternoon in Addison, officials said.
According to the Addison Police Department, around 2:15 p.m., the off-duty Dallas officer saw a group of people trying to steal his vehicle in a parking lot at 5000 Belt Line Road. He confronted the suspects, “and during the encounter, fired a weapon at the suspects’ vehicle.”
The suspects fled in their vehicle, Addison police said, and it is unknown if any suspects were hit by gunfire.
The investigation is ongoing.
Dallas, TX
Dallas dropped the ball on the Wings’ practice facility
The Dallas Wings can’t seem to get a win, at least when it comes to the team’s training facility and arena. Not only is its practice facility in west Oak Cliff, approved over the summer and fast-tracked to open ahead of the team’s spring season, now running behind schedule, it is also somehow over budget.
Dallas had already committed $55 million for the team’s practice facility, a price tag we were uncomfortable with from the beginning. At the time, city staff said that was the amount needed to build a training facility with the amenities and infrastructure required for a WNBA team. The city argued there were few viable alternative locations for the practice facility after delays with the convention center, and they were running out of time. Enter the $55 million facility at Joey Georgusis Park.
But now the project needs an additional $27 million to cross the finish line. How did costs increase so much in just a few months? And how did a project that was expedited to meet the team’s deadline end up falling behind and over budget?
City staff attribute the holdup to missed deadlines by the project management firm McKissack and McKissack and new requirements from the WNBA that weren’t part of the original scope. McKissack and McKissack didn’t respond to multiple messages seeking comment for this editorial. Whatever the company’s missteps, the city is ultimately responsible for conducting due diligence and making sure the project stays on track, and it couldn’t deliver what it promised.
Now the city wants the Wings to take over. The city would cap its total contributions at $57 million, which includes $653,000 in delay reimbursements. The Wings would then cover the remaining costs, at least $27 million, needed to finish the practice facility and agree not to sue Dallas for the delays.
Some City Council members have suggested that Dallas should consider the American Airlines Center for the Wings’ practice facility and arena. But even though the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars, who currently play at the AAC, are looking to leave, their lease agreements run through 2031. That doesn’t do much for the Wings who need a practice facility now.
Maybe all of this could have been avoided if the city had more seriously considered existing facilities that could have accommodated the Wings. That’s not to say the team doesn’t deserve a training space that will meet their needs, but repurposing an existing space instead of starting from the ground up might have saved both time and money.
This debacle is frustrating for the Wings, and it also isn’t a good look for the city. If Dallas can’t figure out how to deliver a practice facility that it promised to one of its professional sports teams, how can it hope to attract more businesses and major investments? Anyone watching this unfold would have good reason to question the city’s ability to deliver.
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