Dallas, TX
James Jones column: Grateful to get recognized by Dallas County Commission – The Selma Times‑Journal
James Jones column: Grateful to get recognized by Dallas County Commission
Published 6:34 pm Sunday, April 14, 2024
Receiving the Spirit of Hope Award from the Dallas County chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. on Easter weekend remains my greatest individual moment since arriving in Selma nearly six years ago.
The surreal moment became an extension at the Dallas County Commission meeting on April 8. The County Commission placed me on the announcement portion of the meeting, recognizing the accomplishment.
Nunn said I was a fair editor who always reported the news accurately. Commissioners Vivian Rogers, Curtis Williams and Connell Towns praised my outstanding storytelling in the community. Commissioner Jan Justice was not present at that time of the meeting, but she is always complimentary of my work.
Not only was I touched by those wonderful compliments, but being on that part of the program was a big honor as Selma Times-Journal managing editor.
Especially when Selma was recently recognized as a Top 40 Micropolitan city under Team Selma, which consists of Selma-Dallas County Economic Development executive director Wayne Vardaman, Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr., Nunn, Craig Air Industry executive director Jim Corrigan, Aubrey Carter of Alabama Power and Wallace Community College-Selma President Dr. James Mitchell.
What Team Selma has accomplished is extraordinary. My achievement doesn’t compare with them bringing multi-million dollar industry businesses to the area.
I can’t compete with the Gamma Alpha Alpha Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta volunteering their time across the community. I am always honored and glad to see the Dallas County Zetas work their magic.
The people who also received the same award as me, Dr, Patricia Robinson, Colins Pettaway III, Cynthia Perkins, Hattie Shelton, Jo Celeste Pettway and Ruth Crenshaw, are exceptional in their unique ways.
For my accomplishment, OK, I’ll take it. Being honored in the community for my writing is something I will carry with me forever.
Dallas, TX
Dallas shooting injures 2 as police search for suspect
Dallas police are searching for a shooting suspect after two people were shot early Saturday morning.
The shooting incident happened around 6:30 a.m. when Dallas officers responded to a shooting call in the 7600 block of South Central Expressway, where two people had been shot.
Officials said one victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition by Dallas Fire-Rescue. The other was transported by private vehicle in stable condition.
No arrests have been made as of Saturday afternoon, according to Dallas Police.
The shooting investigation is ongoing and this story will be updated as we learn more.
Dallas, TX
All-day restaurant and patio coming to Dallas’ Knox and more top stories
UPDATE 6-26-2026: Gracie has been found about four miles south of the Cedar Hollow Ranch, according to a Facebook update from Real County Animal Rescue. Ranch manager Vic Jones has assembled a team to safely bring the wandering giraffe home.
—
A giraffe named Gracie is missing in Texas, and the search for her has become a tall order.
Gracie, who is about 3 years old, has been missing for nearly two weeks after escaping her enclosure at Cedar Hollow Ranch in the Texas Hill Country, said Vic Jones, who owns the remote property about 100 miles west of San Antonio. He said Wednesday, June 24 that Gracie had wandered into a part of the privately owned preserve that other giraffes previously avoided.
Jones said he has sent up helicopters to look for Gracie, a few sightings have trickled in, and a $5,000 reward is on the table.
But the giraffe, which stands roughly the height of a tree, hasn’t turned up.
“She wound up going up and feeding in an area on the hillside and the rocky ledges that none of the other giraffes had ever gone on before,” Jones said. “And when she came down off of there, she came down on the wrong side of the gate.”
The ranch is in rural Real County, where its roughly 2,700 residents were put on alert to be on the lookout for a missing giraffe. Jones said the search area is extremely remote, and the likelihood of Gracie encountering any humans is low.
“People are not in danger of her because she’s not around people,” Jones said. ‘She’s out in very, very rough, heavily wooded lands.”
The Texas Hill Country has one of the largest concentrations of exotic captive animals in the country. Real County Sheriff Nathan Johnson said the mild climate and rugged terrain seems to serve as a good stand-in for most of the animals’ native African environments.
He rattled off a list of animals that have gone missing over the years, especially after floods, but said this was his first giraffe.
“I’ve had wildebeests, I’ve had water buffalo, I’ve had monkeys, I’ve had zebras, all go missing,” Johnson said. “Sometimes we recover them, and sometimes we don’t.”
While the middle of Texas is not a giraffe’s native environment, Jones said Gracie should be able to find plenty of leaves and other vegetation to eat. He said other animals were not likely to bother her.
Jones said he initially had helicopters searching an area of about 7,500 acres (3,000 hectares) with no luck. A few days later, there was a report that Gracie was spotted to the south.
But by the time they could search the area, Jones said, she was already gone.
“We’re always two three days late for where the information is coming from, so that makes it tough,” Jones said.
Dallas, TX
How to buy Egypt vs. Australia World Cup soccer tickets
Egypt takes on the Socceroos on Friday, July 3. See ticket prices for Dallas
Editor’s note: See all updated scenarios for the 2026 World Cup tournament bracket
The most volatile group has come to a close at the 2026 World Cup.
Egypt and Iran played to a 1-1 draw late on Friday night, which allowed Belgium to rise up from third place all the way to the top spot in the group while Egypt took second. Iran will have to wait and see if their third place finish is good enough to qualify for the knockout round.
As the Group G runner up, Egypt will take on Australia in the round of 32.
SHOP: Egypt vs. Australia 2026 World Cup tickets
Australia finished as the second-place team in Group D, sitting on four points. Egypt and Australia will face off in Dallas on Friday, July 3, the final match of the round of 32.
Here is everything you need to know in order to buy Egypt vs. Australia World Cup tickets.
Shop Egypt vs. Australia tickets
Egypt vs. Australia round of 32 World Cup tickets
As of publication, the cheapest ticket to attend the Egypt vs. Australia costs $834. Lower-level seats for the round of 32 match at AT&T Stadium in Dallas start at $1,083.
Egypt World Cup next opponent
Egypt will take on Australia in the round of 32. Australia finished as the runner up in Group D, finishing the group stage with one win, one draw and one loss.
Shop Egypt vs. Australia tickets
Egypt World Cup schedule
- June 15 – Egypt vs. Belgium at Lumen Field in Seattle – DRAW 1-1
- June 21 – Egypt vs. New Zealand at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver – WIN 3-1
- June 26 – Egypt vs. Iran at Lumen Field in Seattle – DRAW 1-1
- Friday, July 3 – Australia vs. Group G runner up at AT&T Stadium in Dallas (round of 32) – Shop tickets
World Cup Group G Standings
| TEAM | POINTS | RECORD |
| Belgium | 5 | 1-2-0 |
| Egypt | 5 | 1-2-0 |
| Iran | 3 | 0-3-0 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 0-1-2 |
Shop Egypt vs. Australia World Cup tickets
Australia World Cup schedule
- Australia vs. Turkey – WIN 2-0
- Australia vs. United States – LOSS 2-0
- Australia vs. Paraguay – DRAW 1-1
- Friday, July 3 – Australia vs. Group G runner up at AT&T Stadium in Dallas (round of 32) – Shop tickets
World Cup Group D Standings
Shop Egypt vs. Australia tickets
-
Kentucky3 minutes agoKentucky State Police accepting applications for Cadet Class 108; application deadline Oct. 15
-
Louisiana5 minutes agoLetlow, Davis advance in Louisiana’s U.S. Senate race
-
Maine11 minutes agoWhat Susan Collins’ appropriations power means for Maine, and what happens if she loses
-
Maryland18 minutes agoCelebrating America 250, July 4 in Maryland | Here’s what you need to know
-
Michigan21 minutes agoMichigan GOP primary for governor sees fierce fights but little debate
-
Massachusetts26 minutes agoBattenfeld: AG Andrea Campbell’s errors sting Massachusetts voters
-
Minnesota33 minutes agoAnti-ICE organizers shift focus to defend democracy from Trump assault
-
Mississippi36 minutes ago
A new law could create a list of immigrants illegally living in Mississippi. Advocates are alarmed