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Finding faith: People experiencing homelessness graduate from Dallas support program

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Finding faith: People experiencing homelessness graduate from Dallas support program


Amanda Steggall, 45, stood in black regalia in a packed room at Dallas Life, a faith-based shelter for unhoused people. She described the anger she felt when she and her two kids lost their housing and ended up at the shelter.

“I felt like there was just no hope,” Steggall said. “And there was just no getting out of it.”

When she found Dallas Life, Steggall said, it was hard for her family to be around so many other people and have to attend classes and stick to curfews and schedules. But eventually, the mother said, she found a job, a support system and a faith that guides her.

Graduate Amanda Steggall smiles after hugging her son Christopher Stephenson, 6, after speaking about her experiences during a Homeless No More Program graduation ceremony at Dallas Life homeless shelter, Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, in Dallas.(Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer)

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On Monday, friends and family of 11 graduates clapped and cheered when the black-robbed cohort held diplomas to their chests. Graduates moved their black tassels with a ’24 charm across their caps.

At any given time, about 100 people participate in the Homeless No More program, which holds several graduations throughout the year.

Grapevine’s Gatehouse helps single mothers overcome steep barriers with education, housing

In about 10 months, Dallas Life’s faith-based Homeless No More recovery program teaches financial literacy, anger management and job-readiness skills to people who have lost their housing and relationships and need extra support.

Graduates are able to secure permanent housing and employment, a path toward re-entering society that looks different for each individual.

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Mary Ann Sweeney, the director of the Homeless No More program, told the crowd of about 100 staff members, family and friends that she was proud of the graduates’ journey to overcome past fears and crises.

A second chance: Dallas program that gives former prisoners job help gets a boost

“God has been so faithful to each one of these graduates,” Mary Ann said. “God is the one who got them to this point. He’s the one that walked side by side. He’s the one who gave him the strength and the courage to stand firm and to follow through to the end.”

The Rev. Bob Sweeney, Dallas Life’s executive director and Mary Ann’s husband, designed the program that’s divided into four phases. The first three phases require participants to remain inside the shelter’s facilities, located near the Cedars neighborhood south of downtown.

Dallas Life, which started housing people in 1954, helps hundreds of men and women focus on their recovery with practical budgeting skills and spiritual healing that aim to repair relationships, Bob Sweeney said.

The faith leader said successful homelessness recovery programs give a person expectations and accountability. “You must have skin in the game,” Sweeney said. “You have to put your best foot forward toward recovery. I want them to walk in the door knowing it took a while to become whole.”

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Homeless No More Program graduates listen as the Rev. Bob Sweeney speaks during a graduation...
Homeless No More Program graduates listen as the Rev. Bob Sweeney speaks during a graduation ceremony at Dallas Life homeless shelter, Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, in Dallas.(Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer)

Steggall lived at Dallas Life with her 14-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son, while her oldest, a 17-year-old son, lived with his dad in Idaho.

“It was hard on them being here at first,” Steggall said. “But just seeing all the struggles that we went through, I know we did it together.”

Steggall said her kids motivated her each day to find a path to stability. Now she works at Haystack, a burger restaurant in University Park, and is finalizing her housing. She and another mother who graduated from the program are searching for housing options as roommates.

Affordable maternal health goal of new East Dallas clinic for underserved communities

“I had to do better for them,” Steggall said. “And, yeah, I think they’re very proud of their mom, and I think it means a lot for them to see me follow through and do something knowing that it was not just for them but for me, too.”

Ronnie Lee Owens, 58, had mixed emotions after graduating from the program. He’s excited to start a new chapter of his personal health, which improved over the past year he’s lived at Dallas Life, which he calls his safe haven.

After developing kidney disease, Owens said, he couldn’t work anymore and eventually lost his little red house, his truck and motorcycle. “I’m starting over again from scratch,” Owens said. “When your health goes bad like that, it’s out of your control.”

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After the graduation ceremony, Aleisha Sanders, 44, celebrated with her son, daughter and granddaughter with hugs and cupcakes. Sanders said finishing the program felt like “getting a monkey off her back.”

Shelter for homeless families adds child care, learning centers so parents can work

Although she works in child care full-time these days, Sanders said she wants to put her cosmetology license and skills to work again. “I want to go back to a salon … working for someone and learning what’s news because I’ve been out for a couple of years,” Sanders said.

Sanders and her family live in a home in Mesquite. Her 1-year-old granddaughter, Bleu, has never known a stable home.

“For her whole life, we have been homeless,” Sanders said. “We lived in extended stays. We lived in the car until it got [repossessed]. Then we got into different shelters. It was a long, hard road.”

    Grapevine’s Gatehouse helps single mothers overcome steep barriers with education, housing
    How Dallas is aiming to help underserved communities through housing equity



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Hip-hop hitmaker Cardi B coming to AAC in Dallas

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Hip-hop hitmaker Cardi B coming to AAC in Dallas


Cardi B, one of hip-hop’s most outsize personalities — and one of its most reliable hitmakers — is coming to Dallas.

The New York City-born rapper broke through in 2017 with the hit single “Bodak Yellow,” launching a chart-topping run that soon included “I Like It” and the blockbuster hit “WAP.” Her Grammy-winning debut album, Invasion of Privacy, cemented her as a defining voice in contemporary rap, blending brash humor, confessional storytelling and club-ready production.

The 33-year-old’s success helped boost the profile of women in a genre long dominated by men, encouraging record labels to sign more female rappers. She has frequently teamed up with rising female artists, including GloRilla, FendiDa Rappa and “WAP” collaborator Megan Thee Stallion.

Cardi’s stop at American Airlines Center is part of the arena run supporting her second studio album, 2025’s Am I the Drama? Recent shows in the “Little Miss Drama Tour” have leaned into spectacle, with elaborate staging, surprise guest appearances and a set list that spans her entire career.

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Fans can expect a high-energy performance built around booming trap beats, pop hooks and Cardi’s signature unfiltered banter — the same mix that has helped her sell out dates across the tour and turn concerts into party-like events.

DETAILS: March 7 at 7:30 p.m. at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Tickets start at $334.10, but some verified resale tickets are cheaper. ticketmaster.com.

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Pop legend Diana Ross performs March 7 at the WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma.

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OTHER CONCERTS

Bluesy psychedelic rock band All Them Witches performs March 7 at House of Blues Dallas.

Bluesy psychedelic rock band All Them Witches performs March 7 at House of Blues Dallas.

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ALL THEM WITCHES March 7 at 8 p.m. at House of Blues Dallas. ticketmaster.com.

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DIANA ROSS March 7 at 8 p.m. at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla. winstar.com.

RICH BRIAN March 7 at 8 p.m. at The Bomb Factory in Deep Ellum. axs.com.

TRACE ADKINS March 7 at 10 p.m. at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth. billybobstexas.com.

AFROJACK March 8 at 3 p.m. at It’ll Do Club in Deep Ellum. eventbrite.com.

LITHE March 8 at 8 p.m. at House of Blues Dallas. ticketmaster.com.

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CONAN GRAY March 10 at 8 p.m. at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. ticketmaster.com.

MATISYAHU March 10 at 8 p.m. at the Granada Theater in Dallas. prekindle.com.

OUR LADY PEACE, WITH THE VERVE PIPE March 12 at 8 p.m. at Tannahill’s Tavern and Music Hall in Fort Worth. ticketmaster.com.

PAUL WALL March 12 at 9 p.m. and March 13 at 10 p.m. at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth. billybobstexas.com.



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GOP candidates for Texas House face off in Collin County, Park Cities, North Dallas

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GOP candidates for Texas House face off in Collin County, Park Cities, North Dallas


The fiercest legislative primary fights Tuesday in North Texas were inside the GOP.

In Dallas County, two moderate GOP incumbent representatives faced challengers after being censured by their own county party.

In Collin County, several Republican state House members were fending off rivals running to their right.

The Dallas Morning News will provide live election results this evening when the polls close at 7 p.m. Results will be updated throughout the evening for statewide races and Dallas, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Rockwall and Tarrant counties.

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Dallas County, House District 108

Republican Morgan Meyer, first elected in 2014, was challenged by attorney Sanjay Narayan in a district that includes the Park Cities, Oak Lawn and Preston Hollow.

Narayan criticized Meyer for backing renewable energy expansion and for being censured by the Dallas GOP last year.

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Meyer was among House Republicans targeted after disputes over the House speaker vote and chamber rules. He and other lawmakers called the censure effort unconstitutional.

In the campaign, Meyer focused on property tax relief and emergency preparedness after the Camp Mystic tragedy.

Small business owner Allison Mitchell is unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Dallas County, House District 112

Republican Angie Chen Button, who has represented the district covering parts of Dallas, Richardson and Garland since 2009, drew three primary opponents.

Button has highlighted her support for small businesses and public schools and her bipartisan record. A senior member of the Ways and Means Committee, she would play a key role in the state’s property tax debate if reelected.

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Dallas-area delegation in the Texas House of Representatives on Sunday, May 30, 2021, showing State Rep. Angie Chen Button, R-Garland, in the chamber.

Bob Daemmrich / Bob Daemmrich/CapitolPressPhoto

Opponents Chad Carnahan and Tina Price attacked Button for being censured by the Dallas GOP last year, a move she and other lawmakers have criticized as an internal party power struggle.

Carnahan, a businessman, said he wants to lower property taxes and prevent Shariah in Texas.

Price said she would improve public schools and spur the re-use of old buildings. Also in the GOP race: Perry E. Barker Sr.

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Democrat Zach Herbert was unopposed.

Collin County, House District 61

Two Republicans are seeking to represent the district that covers most of McKinney and parts of Frisco and Celina.

Incumbent Keresa Richardson, who was elected in 2024, and former state Rep. Frederick Frazier both support eliminating property taxes.

Richardson, an entrepreneur, said she would expand the Texas voucher-like program for education.

Frazier, a former police officer and McKinney City Council member, was more cautious about expanding the program.

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Frederick Frazier speaks as Rep. Keresa Richardson looks on during a candidate forum for...

Frederick Frazier speaks as Rep. Keresa Richardson looks on during a candidate forum for Republicans in Collin County ahead of the March primary election at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, Tuesday, February 10, 2026.

Anja Schlein / Special Contributor

Two political newcomers, Jackie Bescherer and Brittany Black, are running in the Democratic primary. Both oppose Texas’ voucher program and vow to increase public education funding.

Collin County, House District 67

Republican Rep. Jeff Leach, first elected in 2012, faces Matt Thorsen in a district that includes parts of Plano, Allen, McKinney and Melissa.

Leach has highlighted his conservative record, including legislation barring Shariah in Texas courts. He also served as a House impeachment manager during Attorney General Ken Paxton’s 2023 trial, a role he has defended amid backlash from activists.

Thorsen, a small business owner and former youth pastor, helped lead the effort to censure Leach last year. He has criticized Leach’s impeachment role and accused him of siding with Democrats on House rules.

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Both support eliminating property taxes, expanding education savings accounts and oppose the development formerly known as EPIC City. Two Democrats are also running, though the district has leaned Republican.

Collin County, House District 70

Three Republicans are competing for the nomination to run against incumbent Democrat Mihaela Plesa, who is running unopposed in her party’s primary.

Democrat Mihaela Plesa responds to questions during a District 70 Candidate Forum hosted by...

Democrat Mihaela Plesa responds to questions during a District 70 Candidate Forum hosted by Raise Your Hand Texas at Plano ISD Academy High School in Plano on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022.

Liesbeth Powers / Staff Photographer

George Flint, a former district judge and Collin County Republican Party Chair, emphasized eliminating property taxes and securing the border in his campaign.

Jack Ryan Gallagher, an attorney, said he would attract companies to North Texas, improve public schools and partner with local law enforcement if elected.

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Michael Hewitt, an attorney, said he would gradually lower property taxes and work to keep Texas a business-friendly state.

The district includes parts of Plano, Richardson and Far North Dallas.



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Dallas Fed says ‘older, experienced workers’ likely have less cause for concern about AI job displacement

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Dallas Fed says ‘older, experienced workers’ likely have less cause for concern about AI job displacement


Artificial intelligence hasn’t yet triggered the broad job losses many feared — at least not for experienced workers.

That’s the takeaway from a new analysis by J. Scott Davis, an assistant vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, who examined employment and wage trends in industries most exposed to artificial intelligence.

Davis argues the data tell a more nuanced story — one that’s challenging the traditional career ladder, and helping older employees earn a bit more.

Since ChatGPT’s debut in late 2022, overall US employment has risen about 2.5%, according to Davis’ analysis, which uses an AI exposure index developed by researchers and published in the Strategic Management Journal. At the same time, employment in the sectors most exposed to AI has slipped by roughly 1%.

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Wages tell a different story. The average weekly pay nationwide has climbed 7.5% since fall 2022. And across the most AI-exposed industries, wages have grown faster, up 8.5%.

If AI were simply replacing workers, both employment and wages would likely be falling, Davis wrote.

Instead, Davis points to a divide between “codified” knowledge — the kind learned from textbooks and in university courses — and “tacit” knowledge gained from hands-on work experience.

“Returns on job experience are increasing in AI-exposed occupations,” Davis wrote. “Young workers with primarily codifiable knowledge and limited experience will likely face challenging job markets.”

Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, his analysis found that the occupations most exposed to AI tend to offer larger pay premiums for experienced workers.

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In roles with less hands-on experience, AI exposure is associated with weaker wage growth, he wrote.

Workers under 25 in AI-exposed industries have also experienced employment declines, according to Davis’ analysis.

“There appears to be less cause for concern about widespread job displacement for older, experienced workers,” he wrote.

A less dire picture… so far

The findings offer a counterpoint to the more apocalyptic predictions about AI’s impact on the labor market.

Last week, Citrini Research published a memo, written from the hypothetical perspective in 2028, that theorized how AI could crush the US jobs market and trigger a broad-based market collapse.

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“What if our AI bullishness continues to be right…and what if that’s actually bearish?” the memo asked.

Top executives inside the AI companies are worried about jobs, too.

Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, the company that runs Claude, warned that AI could eliminate 50% of entry-level office jobs. OpenAI’s head of product, Olivier Godement, said the life sciences, customer service, and computer engineering industries were all about to get automated. And Boris Cherny, the creator of Claude Code, said that he doesn’t believe the job title “software engineer” will exist next year.

For now, at least, the Dallas Fed paints a different picture of today’s jobs market. It points to less mass displacement and market ruptures — and more power for employees who already have their foot in the door.

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