Dallas, TX

Letters to the Editor — Helping the homeless, whales, renewables, bad weather

Published

11 months ago

January 9, 2025

Letters to the Editor — Helping the homeless, whales, renewables, bad weather

Homeless need city services

Re: “Come in from the cold, we pleaded — A band of volunteers offers rides to unsheltered souls hiding in plain sight on a frigid night,” by Andrew McGregor, Tuesday Opinion.

With up to six inches of snow set to fall in Dallas this week, our homeless are the most vulnerable, but they are not receiving the support they need from the city. While McGregor and the KP Roadies are performing an invaluable public service by driving around to find local unsheltered people and offering a night in the Oak Lawn United Methodist Church shelter, this opinion piece should raise questions about why our local government is not able to provide these services.

Almost 4,000 people are estimated to experience homelessness on any given night in Dallas and Collin counties, and with the rate of deaths due to cold more than doubling in the last 25 years, we must do more to protect our unhoused from the incoming winter weather.

Additional funding must immediately be allocated to the Dallas Office of Homeless Solutions and similar programs throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, especially during inclement weather periods, to allow for more comprehensive services.

Brayden Soffa, Wylie

Grieving with orca mother

Re: “Whale’s grief signals bigger tragedy ahead — Scientists say dangers to dwindling species are many and varied,” Tuesday news story.

Thanks for making me cry. The tale of the orca mother Tahlequah and her grief over her daughter’s death broke my heart.

The fate of Tahlequah and her species is beyond dire, and we cannot repair the damage we have wrought. When the orcas are extinct, literally eons of evolution will disappear because of our mistakes. There are no do-overs, no divine intervention. Extinction is permanently forever.

I note with despair the cruel irony that our climate cataclysm is so perilous and dire that one of the earth’s largest creatures is the canary in our coal mine. Like I said, thanks for making me cry.

Jon Caswell, Dallas/Lake Highlands

Encourage renewables

Re: “Renewables may face more regulation — GOP bills would lead to increased oversight, could raise energy costs,” Saturday news story.

While it’s laudable to cite environmental and safety concerns for large scale solar and wind projects, these bills seem calculated to suppress renewables in Texas. Tuesday (Jan. 7) at noon, over 38% of Texas energy is being generated by wind and solar, according to ERCOT.

We need more encouragement, not less, and there are other ways to harness renewables. My 30 residential panels have annually generated 15 megawatts of power for the past five years. What we need on the table are bills to require net metering from Texas utilities, which would ensure each homeowner gets the full cost benefit of the power they produce.

We also need incentives for home builders to construct solar-friendly homes with adequate south-facing roofs so that a homeowner gets immediate benefit from this clean, productive technology.

Solar panel installation on commercial structures should be incentivized as well. Millions of square feet of warehouse and manufacturing roof space are ripe for installing solar panels and would bring an immediate benefit to business owners, our energy security and our environment.

Richard Jernigan, McKinney

Fossil fuel firms alarmed

Some fossil fuel companies are just now realizing that they are in a competition with a “new” product that is much better in many ways: it’s less expensive; there’s an inexhaustible supply; it has lower capital costs; it’s creating lots of new jobs and economic growth; it doesn’t cause health problems because it doesn’t emit polluting particles that are harmful to human health; and when combined with batteries, it provides a much less expensive way to provide dispatchable power.

Of course they are becoming alarmed at the exponential growth of renewable energy in Texas. The companies that do not have a transition strategy to renewables will suffer greatly.

Why should Texas legislators protect companies that will not (or cannot) adapt to a changing marketplace? Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, says that his proposed legislation is “not aimed at slowing down renewables.”

If the true purpose of the proposed HB 553 is to protect wildlife, ensure that all facilities are permitted and operate in the best interest of Texas taxpayers, then why not include fossil fuel development in the legislation? There are plenty of methane-leaking, abandoned wells that need to be capped off.

Georgeann Elliott Moss, Sunnyvale

Cold Cotton Bowl of 1979

Re: “A look back at instances where Dallas-area sports were impacted by inclement weather,” Dallas Morning News online story.

If your records go back that far (instead of just the last two or three decades), you should have mentioned the Cotton Bowl game played over New Year’s Day in 1979. There was an ice storm in Dallas which really caused problems for the game, and the city.

The University of Houston played, but unfortunately my memory at age 87 prevents me from remembering their opponent; it may have been Notre Dame. Anyway, Houston was ahead until the last minute or minutes when they were defeated.

There surely was a story about the conditions and havoc they caused. My fiancé and I had to travel from Oak Lawn to Lake Highlands (on East Northwest Highway) very slowly and watch out for dangerous drivers. We had them back then, too.

Cynthia R. Gudgel, Denison

Carter’s goal of service

I so love the video clips of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter dancing. They speak to me about the quest for harmony by this man who appears to have had the goal of service rather than personal acclaim. May these reflections on his life inspire us to return to the true definition of greatness. Those who are elected to public office would be wise to take heed.

Linda Johnston Arage, Waxahachie

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Gut Feeling: Cowboys-Chiefs staff predictions

Published

3 hours ago

November 26, 2025

Press Room

Gut Feeling: Cowboys-Chiefs staff predictions

FRISCO, Texas — For the first time since 1995, the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs will face off on Thanksgiving Day.

On that day 30 years ago, Troy Aikman’s 192 passing yards and two touchdowns were enough to beat Chiefs QB Steve Bono’s 276 yards passing as the Cowboys won 24-12.

Now, both teams are in a new era, with Dak Prescott leading the Cowboys and Patrick Mahomes the Chiefs. The two have only faced each other one time, with Mahomes and Kansas City getting the better of Prescott and the Cowboys 19-9 at Arrowhead Stadium back in 2021.

Who will come out on top in their first meeting since, with the Cowboys sitting at 5-5-1 and the Chiefs at 6-5? Our staff weighs in:

Patrik: This is yet another difficult one to predict, but it does feel a lot less impossible for the Cowboys to walk away with this one than, say, four weeks ago when they fell to 3-5-1 after being dismantled by the lowly Cardinals. One trade deadline and bye week later and they’ve added Quinnen Williams, Logan Wilson, DeMarvion Overshown and Shavon Revel to the active roster, and Caelen Carson looks rejuvenated in his return from IR. The problem now is self-inflicted wounds that continue to make things more difficult for the Cowboys than they need be, and including offensively, being a key reason Dak Prescott and Co. sputtered or stalled on several drives against Philly. Do that against the Chiefs and you’re eating an L for Thanksgiving dinner. Mahomes is still Mahomes, yes, but while Travis Kelce can impact games, he’s not a gamebreaker anymore, and I do think the Cowboys’ defense bottles up the KC rushing attack much how they successfully did Ashton Jeanty and Saquon Barkley; and the offensive line that deleted the Eagles’ acclaimed front gives me good vibes. A close one here, but Dallas finds a way … wow, I just said that, huh? 24-21, Cowboys

Tommy: There is no question that the Cowboys’ defense has improved a lot since the trade deadline when they made the moves to acquire Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson, and were also able to get guys like DeMarvion Overshown back from injury. Because of that, Dallas has done what they’ve aimed to do all year the last two weeks: Stop the run. And it’s worked! I think it’ll work on Thursday against Kansas City as well. When your run game gets stopped offensively, what do you do? Well, throw the ball. The good thing for Dallas is in their last two games, the teams that have thrown the ball on them have been the 23rd (Eagles) and 25th (Raiders) passing offenses in the league. Kansas City is the 2nd best passing offense, right behind Dallas at #1. I don’t think the Cowboys secondary is at a place to where they can consistently stop Patrick Mahomes and his array of speedy wide receivers, plus Travis Kelce who may not be as shifty as he once was but is still plenty efficient and leads the team in receiving yards. I’m not as concerned about Dallas’ offense, but they’ll still have to beat a tricky Steve Spagnuolo defense that’s a top ten unit. Don’t be fooled by the Chiefs’ 6-5 record, all their losses have been by one possession. I don’t mean to ruin Thanksgiving, but I’m taking Kansas City. Chiefs 31, Cowboys 24

Nick: I love the build-up to this game, because a few weeks back, I didn’t think it would be any decision at all to pick this game. Every time we saw a quarterback such as Bo Nix, Jacob Brissett or even Bryce Young and Russell Wilson before that, all I could think of was how bad it’s going to be when Mahomes comes in here on Thanksgiving. Well, that defense is not the same. Just how different are they? We’ll find out soon enough. But more than just playing him, I wonder how consistent the Cowboys can be as a team. We haven’t seen three straight wins since 2023 and something tells me it’s just not going to happen this week. Kansas City might look the same with a 6-5 record, but they haven’t played many games with their entire offense – Kelce, Worthy, Pacheco, Hunt, Rice, etc. They’re all coming together again and I just think it’s going to be too much for the Cowboys to overcome. I think it’ll be high-scoring, but I’ll take the Chiefs 34-30.

Mickey: We’ve been seeing more and more of this in his two games with the Cowboys, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams becoming a nuisance for opposing offenses with his ability to disrupt up front. Well, the Chiefs will be without starting guard Trey Smith, and look for Q to take over the game up front, not only being a huge help stopping the Chiefs running attack but also applying pressure to QB Patrick Mahomes. So, thinking the Cowboys will get a game-ball like performance from Williams up front, dragging this defense along with him, enabling the Cowboys to pick up their third consecutive victory and inch above .500 for the first time this season.

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If the Dallas Stars move to the suburbs, what city deals could help fund a new $1B arena?

Published

22 hours ago

November 25, 2025

Press Room

If the Dallas Stars move to the suburbs, what city deals could help fund a new B arena?

As speculation surrounds the Dallas Stars eyeing a move to the site of a Plano shopping mall, there are few details available on the NHL team’s potential new $1 billion arena — or the incentives cities may offer to attract the team in a competitive market.

From grants to tax breaks, there are several tools Texas cities can use for economic development. Some go to the ballot, but other incentives can go through without a vote as cities vie for the prestige, potential economic boost and tax revenue that comes with hosting a major sports team and its stadium.

After discussions with Frisco, The Colony, Arlington and Fort Worth, the Dallas Stars are considering relocating from the American Airlines Center in Dallas to The Shops at Willow Bend, two people with knowledge of the team’s efforts told The Dallas Morning News this fall, potentially following the lead of many major U.S. sports teams’ exodus to the suburbs.

Nola Agha, professor at the University of San Francisco, researches the economic impact of teams and stadiums. While a team’s move might not generate much new economic activity at the regional level, a move within North Texas can make things competitive, she said.

“When you live in a suburb, and you care about your own tax base … you see this competition between municipalities for shifting that activity,” Agha said.

City officials will not comment on the Stars or a potential arena, but Plano has historically used incentives to attract companies like Toyota, Capital One and JPMorgan Chase to anchor regional headquarters in the city.

Ted Benavides, former Dallas city manager and a professor of social sciences at the University of Texas at Dallas, said Plano is well-positioned to pursue a deal with the Stars, as cities like Arlington and Frisco have done with major North Texas teams.

“They have money,” Benavides said. “They’re very active on the economic development front, so there’s a lot of things they could do.”

An exterior view of The Shops at Willow Bend mall at W Park Blvd and the North Dallas... — An exterior view of The Shops at Willow Bend mall at W Park Blvd and the North Dallas Tollway in Plano, Texas, October 28, 2025.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer

Grants and loans

Texas law allows cities to use money to promote economic development. In addition to tax breaks, a city can award companies grants and loans to incentivize them to stay in, move to or invest in a city.

In 2006, the Plano City Council approved a property tax increase of two cents per $100 property valuation for an economic development incentive fund. The city caps annual contributions to the fund at $8.5 million, city documents show, and uses the money to offer loans and grants that promote economic development.

Benavides said Plano was likely motivated to compete with cities like McKinney, Frisco and Allen that use the sales tax they are not contributing to public transportation to fund economic development corporations.

Plano contributes a one-cent sales tax to Dallas Area Rapid Transit — $116 million in the 2023 fiscal year, according to DART documents. The city plans to hold an election to withdraw from the agency next May and, if voters choose to exit, eventually regain that penny of revenue.

Cities can award grants for a number of reasons, including to promote redevelopment and revitalization of retail centers or cover a company’s fees to the city.

“It has to make financial sense for us,” said Doug McDonald, Plano’s economic development director and the city’s next deputy city manager.

McDonald would not comment on specific economic development projects not yet brought to the City Council, but gave insight into how Plano’s incentives generally work.

Economic development agreements involving grants typically last 6-10 years, he said, and factor in the tax revenue a project might generate and what service costs it might create.

Redevelopment tools

Agha has found municipalities compete for sports teams to shift economic activity from one area to another, with cities traditionally using sales tax to finance sports development projects.

For example, in 2004, Arlington voters approved a half-cent sales tax increase and other increases to hotel and rental car taxes to help pay for the city’s $325 million contribution to AT&T Stadium, where the Dallas Cowboys play. The Cowboys paid the remaining cost of the $1.2 billion venue, according to the city.

“That’s fallen out of favor … because people don’t like to be taxed,” Agha said. “It usually has to go up to a vote, and it very commonly gets voted down. Because of that, the most popular financing technique, especially for smaller cities, is tax increment financing.”

This tool captures the growth in a property’s tax revenue created by new development within a defined area. When businesses and property owners invest in improvements in the area and those improvements increase tax revenue, that increase can be used to reimburse project costs or fund additional improvements that spur continued growth in the area.

A view of The Shops at Willow Bend mall sign at W Park Blvd and the North Dallas Tollway in... — A view of The Shops at Willow Bend mall sign at W Park Blvd and the North Dallas Tollway in Plano, Texas, October 28, 2025.
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer

Frisco and its school district have used this economic development tool to fund several projects, such as Toyota Stadium, PGA golf courses, the Ford Center and more.

“It’s popular because it’s relatively hidden, meaning the taxpayers don’t have to know that a city is using property tax and giving it back to a developer,” Agha said. “They don’t have to vote on it, and it can incentivize a developer to build something.”

But when economic development projects happen without voter approval, there may be fewer opportunities for residents to weigh in.

Plano currently has four such reinvestment zones, which are historically in “blighted or underdeveloped areas,” according to the city’s website. The existing zones are in East Plano, at Silver Line stations, at Collin Creek Mall and in Plano’s Legacy district.

“The intent of these districts is to help encourage areas that are in need of redevelopment and reinvestment,” McDonald said.

Bond funding on the ballot

Cities can also ask voters to approve issuing bonds to fund projects and borrow money.

“Every once in a while, there are different things that come up in the community that are important enough that the bond committee of citizens puts something on the ballot,” McDonald said.

Some cities have funded large sports projects with bond funding. In 2016, Arlington voters approved $500 million in bonds to partially fund Globe Life Field.

Tax breaks

Another economic development tool is a break from certain taxes. Cities can offer companies tax abatements, reducing taxes for businesses on improvements to property. These can apply to things like commercial construction or facility expansions.

Tax abatements are an option if a company is adding significant value to a site, McDonald said.

“We don’t typically use tax rebates or abatements when the building is already there unless there’s going to be a significant or complete demolition and rebuild,” McDonald said.

Agha said for large projects, tax breaks are a drop in the bucket.

“Arenas and stadiums are running close to a billion dollars,” Agha said. “Property tax abatement is probably a very small piece of what the total cost would be.”

What’s at stake

Economic development projects are meant to add value to the community in the form of high-paying jobs, sales tax, property tax and more. Their incentives often have expiration dates.

“Our hope is that the company stays here and continues to invest in the community,” McDonald said.

Suburbs with more land flexibility can add development around the stadium to “sweeten the pot,” Benavides said, and add different streams of income. For example, the Texas Live! entertainment and hotel complex in Arlington near its ballpark received tax and grant incentives.

But new developments can disrupt traffic and the regular patterns of economic activity. They are not always popular. McDonald said city officials listen to concerns and will try to mitigate them.

“There’s potential for gain,” Agha said, if economic activity shifts from Dallas to Plano.

“The important caveat to that is, will the city enter into some sort of financial agreement where they essentially give back all that new economic activity to the team?” Agha asked. “The devil can be in the details.”

Email tips on all things Collin County to lilly.kersh@dallasnews.com.

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Dallas Open announces exhibition match with John McEnroe, Andy Roddick and more

Published

2 days ago

November 25, 2025

Press Room

Dallas Open announces exhibition match with John McEnroe, Andy Roddick and more

Former American tennis professionals John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, John Isner, and Sam Querrey will play in the 2026 Dallas Open All-American Classic, the tournament announced Monday.

The exhibition event will take place at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2026 ahead of the tournament’s main draw beginning on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026.

“We’re thrilled to bring together four beloved American tennis stars for what promises to be an unforgettable evening of entertainment,” said Dallas Open tournament director Peter Lebedevs in a news release.

McEnroe, 66, is a former world No. 1 in both doubles and singles and the only men’s player to ever hold both simultaneously. He has won multiple major titles in both with 7 singles majors, 9 doubles majors and one mixed doubles major.

Roddick, 43, is a former world No. 1 who won his only career major at the 2003 U.S. Open. He played in four other major finals (one at the U.S. Open and three at Wimbledon) losing them all to his rival Roger Federer.

“The Dallas Open has quickly become one of the premier events on the ATP Calendar,” Roddick said. ”I’m honored to play alongside these guys and be part of the night. We all know how to compete and have fun on the court, which is what this night is all about.”

Isner, 40, is a Dallas resident and former top-10 singles player with 16 career ATP titles. He was known for his powerful serve, which averaged about 140 mph, but which went over 155 mph on occasion. He’s also played in the longest tennis match of all time, winning over five sets and 183 games against Nicolas Mahut that took 11 hours and five minutes across three days at Wimbledon in 2010.

Querrey, 38, peaked at No. 11 in the men’s singles rankings, winning 10 career titles and having a career-best majors finish at the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2017.

Tennis fans will also recognize the quartet from their contributions in the media after retirement. McEnroe is a prominent tennis commentator for ESPN at major tournaments. Roddick hosts the “Served” podcast while Isner and Querrey are part of the “Nothing Major Show.”

Tickets for the exhibition are available with prices around $100.

The ATP-500 level Dallas Open tournament is set to feature top-ranked Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton as well as top-level Europeans in Casper Ruud and Grigor Dimitrov. It will take place from Feb. 7 to Feb. 15, 2026 in Frisco.