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Letters to the Editor — House District 2, Dallas GOP chair, news, judges, traffic signs

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Letters to the Editor — House District 2, Dallas GOP chair, news, judges, traffic signs


Getting votes isn’t stealing

I don’t live in Texas House District 2, so I didn’t vote in Tuesday’s special election. But I noticed Brent Money’s statement after his defeat. It is troubling on many levels. He said HD-2 is a conservative district, “deserves” a certain kind of representative, and that Jill Dutton “turned out over 1,000 Democrats to steal this seat.”

Turning out people to vote in a general election is not stealing it. Democrats get to vote? What an outrage! A district deserves a representative who earns the votes of its residents — Republican, Democrat, independent, whatever. Mr. Money didn’t.

His statement is troubling because Money makes clear that he will not listen to, or represent, anyone with whom he disagrees. He has decided that HD-2 deserves a certain kind of representative, and nobody who disagrees with him counts.

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Our state government is now saddled with people who refuse to listen to others or compromise. And we are suffering because of that. I don’t know much about Jill Dutton, but if she is willing to listen to and try to represent all her constituents, not just those who always agree with her, she will be a step in the right direction. Certainly, a better choice than Mr. Money.

Dan Callahan, Dallas/Lakewood

Keep Dallas GOP leader

I‘ve been a Dallas resident since 1963 and have seen local Republican Party chairs come and go. However, I have never seen one as knowledgeable, focused, effective and competent as the current chairwoman, Jennifer Stoddard-Hadju.

In the short time she has served as chairwoman, the Dallas County Republican Party’s finances have been repaired, exciting candidates and precinct chairs recruited, ballot security initiatives launched (including trained GOP poll watchers in every precinct) and the party office was rebuilt with a mix of dedicated professionals and volunteers.

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There is an excitement at the party level that we have not seen in years, maybe decades. Stoddard-Hadju may be the best chairwoman we have had since the 1980s.

Her opponent for chairperson is a good American and a former member of Congress, but he does not have the organizational or financial skills to do what Stoddard-Hadju has already accomplished. We must have a competent chairwoman as this election will be the most decisive election of our time. We must have a competent bridge-builder at the helm to keep this great momentum going.

I urge all Republicans to support Stoddard-Hadju for reelection as GOP chair.

Steve J. Cotton, Dallas

Just the news, please

Re: “Just the facts, y’all,” by Ken Kelley, Tuesday letters.

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In his letter, Kelley expresses unhappiness with the erosion of unbiased reporting in the media and the subsequent loss of public trust. Yeah, me too!

That the news media has taken a turn to the left is obvious; radio, television and print (including The Dallas Morning News) are all skewing to the left. This is reflected in what stories are selected and how they are written, what photos are selected and even what letters are selected for print.

Advocacy belongs on the opinion page. While I enjoy seeing differing views, the news should be presented straight with no coloring.

J. Franklin Marr, Denton

Judges must be impartial

Four most important characteristics of a judge (trial court or appellate) are: impartiality, experience, judicial temperament and integrity.

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I’d like to focus on impartiality. According to Merriam-Webster, it means “not partial or biased: treating or affecting all equally.” Simply, litigants’ rights should be adjudicated on the basis of the facts and law applicable to their unique circumstances, without distortion by the judge’s preconceived personal beliefs.

A litigant over the Second Amendment cannot expect a fair hearing and decision from a candidate for judge whose campaign literature states, “I support the Second Amendment and the industries that support and champion 2A rights.”

Such flaunting of partiality in a judicial campaign solicitation insults and mocks justice. Equally offensive is a judge appointment expressly to overrule a particular decision, e.g, abortion. Unfit for judicial office.

Gordon Appleman, Fort Worth

Keep signs, focus elsewhere

Re: “Quirky traffic signs could be driven out,” Tuesday Metro & Business story.

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“Drive to arrive.” I like the quirky and pointed traffic signs that get your attention. The Federal Highway Administration should concentrate on more useful things like securing the southern border.

Don Skaggs, Garland

Be proud, Sherman High

The cast and all who were involved in the Sherman High School production of Oklahoma can be proud of their work. Audiences both in the auditorium and watching it live-streamed were well entertained. Even some on Broadway watched this well-done production.

A broader issue is that those who tried to stop this musical production because of transgender phobia managed to get it national attention and a broader audience. Many who might not have attended a high school play were drawn by the controversy. There is a lesson there somewhere.

Well done to all those involved. You made Sherman proud.

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Phyllis Vaughn, Sherman

Mavs need muscle

When will Mark Cuban and Mavericks management learn that the Mavericks will never win a championship without a big muscle man to protect the paint. I have been a Dallas Mavericks fan since I moved to Dallas in 1972. I record every game, (can’t afford the high price of tickets and parking), and my wife and I never miss a game. I’m a fan of Cuban and all the Maverick players.

Since Tyson Chandler, the Mavericks have never had a rim protector. Dereck Lively is doing a good job but he doesn’t have the muscle to compete with other big men. The closest we have now is Grant Williams — he defends well and does not back down to any player. We have two defenders, Williams and Josh Green, and that’s just not enough.

No muscle man, no championship.

Wallace Murrell, Rowlett

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We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com



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Don Stone, Dallas philanthropist and arts advocate, dies

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Don Stone, Dallas philanthropist and arts advocate, dies


Don Stone, a Dallas civic leader and strong supporter of the arts, died on Sunday. He was 96.

Angela Stone, Don’s youngest child, said her father was one of a kind, a rare mix of sweet and tough.

“He was just the most wonderful man I ever knew, just generous to a fault, smart, charming. He influenced so many people,” she said.

Stone gave widely across North Texas, including $500,000 to endow college scholarships for musically gifted Dallas ISD students. Stone also held leadership positions at several North Texas arts organizations, including the Dallas Public Library, Voices of Change, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Fine Arts Chamber Players, Orchestra of New Spain, the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, Shakespeare Dallas and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

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“He just believed that all of our lives would be so much poorer without music, art and theater. He said in our country we have the freedom to support whatever we want and that we needed to support the arts so that they would continue to exist,” Stone said.

Stone, a businessman who lived in Turtle Creek, worked for Sanger Harris, which later became Macy’s. He was a 2018 TACA Silver Cup Award honoree for his arts and culture advocacy in North Texas.

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Maura Sheffler, president and executive director of The Arts Community Alliance (TACA), said in a statement that Stone’s legacy will continue to inspire the local arts community.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Don Stone, a devoted champion of the arts whose leadership and generosity,” she wrote.

Stone’s wife of over 72 years, Norma, died in June. She was the one who first got her husband involved in the arts, according to their daughter Angela.

Michelle Miller Burns, the DSO’s president and CEO, said the Stones had a profound impact on the DSO.

“It is with such a heavy heart that I received news of Don Stone’s passing earlier this week. Don was a devoted patron, a donor and a board member of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and his leadership and generosity really have helped shape the Dallas symphony across five decades,” she said.

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In 1980, Stone served as DSO’s chairman of the Board of Governors and helped launch efforts to raise $80 million for Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center and secure architect I.M. Pei.

In 1997, the Stones launched the Norma and Don Stone New Music Fund and committed $1 million to continuously support new works. Some of the works supported through the fund include this year’s world premiere of Angélica Negrón’s requiem For Everything You Keep Losing. The fund also supported a Grammy award-winning violin concerto by Aaron Jay Kernis co-commissioned with the Seattle Symphony, Toronto Symphony and Melbourne Symphony.

“I think it is rare for a couple who so firmly believes in the future of classical music and creating opportunities for new musical voices to be heard to really put support behind that in a meaningful way to fuel that process, to ensure that it can come to fruition,” Burns said.

She said the DSO will continue the Stones’ legacy by commissioning new works through the Norma and Don Stone New Music Fund.

Stone is survived by his children Michael, Lisa and Angela, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. The family will have a private funeral.

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Arts Access is an arts journalism collaboration powered by The Dallas Morning News and KERA.

This community-funded journalism initiative is funded by the Better Together Fund, Carol & Don Glendenning, City of Dallas OAC, Communities Foundation of Texas, The University of Texas at Dallas, The Dallas Foundation, Eugene McDermott Foundation, James & Gayle Halperin Foundation, Jennifer & Peter Altabef and The Meadows Foundation. The News and KERA retain full editorial control of Arts Access’ journalism.



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Daniss Jenkins sparks rally but Detroit Pistons fall in OT to Dallas

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Daniss Jenkins sparks rally but Detroit Pistons fall in OT to Dallas


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DALLAS — A late comeback attempt fell short for the Detroit Pistons.

They fell to the Dallas Mavericks in overtime, 116-114, after recovering from a third-period 18-point deficit. A dunk by Anthony Davis gave the Mavericks the lead for good with 1:32 to play in overtime.

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Cade Cunningham (29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists) missed a short jumper with 7 seconds left that would’ve tied the game at 116, and Jalen Duren (17 points, 13 rebounds) couldn’t convert two offensive rebounds into a tip-in basket. Davis corralled the rebound with 0.9 seconds left, and the Mavericks called timeout.

The Pistons fouled Davis after the inbounds pass with a foul to give. Daniss Jenkins, who scored 11 points after halftime, stole the second inbounds pass with 0.6 seconds left but didn’t have enough time to get a shot off.

The Pistons trailed by 18 points with five minutes to play in the third quarter. Their bench unit was instrumental during a 31-11 run that gave the Pistons the lead again, 99-97, midway through the fourth quarter. They held Dallas to 38.5% shooting and forced nine turnovers in the second half.

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No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg gave his Mavericks the lead, 110-109, with under 20 seconds to play with a midrange jumper. Isaiah Stewart was fouled by Davis on the other end with 3.4 seconds left, and he split the trip to the line to tie the game at 110. Klay Thompson missed a floater at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime.

‘Dallas’ unit leads Detroit back from big deficit

Down 86-68 with 4:57 to play in the third quarter, coach J.B. Bickerstaff looked to the end of his bench for a spark. Jenkins, Marcus Sasser and Paul Reed checked into the game for the first time in consecutive order, joining Ron Holland and Javonte Green. The Pistons have a Dallas-centric roster — Holland, Sasser and Jenkins are all from the city, and Cunningham is from nearby Arlington.

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They led an 11-3 run to cut the deficit to 10, tallying four steals during the stretch — two for Green and one each for Jenkins and Reed. Cunningham checked in for Green to open the fourth quarter, and the run continued. A 3-pointer from Jenkins, coast-to-coast layup by Holland and midrange jumper from Jenkins extended the run to 21-7, cutting the deficit to 93-89 with under 10 minutes to play.

As he has done several times this season, Jenkins rose to the moment in the final period. An entry pass from Jenkins to Holland created an open layup to slash Dallas’ lead to two, and Jenkins made a layup over three Mavericks defenders to tie the game at 95 with 7:46 remaining and push the Pistons’ run to 27-9.

With 59 seconds left in the fourth, a pair of free throws from Jenkins extended the Pistons’ lead to 3, 109-106. He played 11 minutes and 32 seconds in the final period, second only to Cunningham, and overtime.

Ausar Thompson ejected in second quarter

The Pistons lost Thompson — their primary defender on Flagg — midway through the second period after an exchange with an official. 

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With 5:09 remaining before halftime, Thompson tied up Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard under the rim and was whistled for a foul. Thompson didn’t like the call and got in the ref’s face, and was instantly ejected. NBA rules make it an auto-ejection when a player makes physical contact with an official. 

It was a strong start for Thompson prior to the ejection, as he had eight points, two assists, two rebounds and a steal in nine minutes of play. Stewart entered for him in the second quarter. 

In all, it was a rough night for the Pistons regarding the officials. Cunningham was whistled for a tech late in the second quarter after disagreeing with a call, and Bickerstaff was whistled for a tech during halftime after arguing with an official.

Duncan Robinson exits with left knee injury

With 11:08 to play in the third quarter, Robinson suffered a knee-to-knee collision with Mavericks wing Naji Marshall. Robinson limped off of the floor and was initially ruled “questionable” to return until he was downgraded to “out” in the final period. 

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Robinson finished with two points and two rebounds, shooting 1-for-7 overall and 0-for-5 from 3. He missed two games in early December with a right ankle sprain. 

[ MUST WATCH: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ] 

Follow the Pistons all year long with the best reporting at freep.com/sports/pistons.

Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook. (@detroitfreepress).





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Change In Eagles’ Red-Zone Philosophy Opens Opportunities For Dallas Goedert

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Change In Eagles’ Red-Zone Philosophy Opens Opportunities For Dallas Goedert


PHILADELPHIA – It was evident in July and August that Dallas Goedert was going to be a big part of the Eagles’ offense in the red zone. It felt that way most summers, but this time, with first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo in place, the Eagles are dialing up plays for the tight end.

“I think when I get a ball in my hand down there, I’m tough to tackle, I can find my way in, fight my way in,” said Goedert. “It’s just that our red-zone philosophy has changed a bit. We used to run a lot, a lot of quarterback sneaks, things like that down there. We’ve tried to find ways to get me the ball, which is really cool, and I’m gonna keep trying to make them work.”

So far, Goedert has nine touchdown catches. According to NFL Research, five of his touchdowns were thrown behind the line of scrimmage this season, the most by a non-running back in the Next Gen era.

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“He’s such a physical guy,” said Patullo. “His determination to just get yards and have an impact on anything, whether it’s in the pass game, whether it’s gadgets, whatever it may be. He’s really dynamic with the ball in his hands. So anytime you can get the ball in his hands, obviously, that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

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However, the touchdown math didn’t add up for Goedert. He thought eight was the magic number to break the record for most TD catches by a tight end in franchise history, owned by Pete Retzlaff, but Retzlaff had 10 in 1965, meaning Goedert needs one more to break that dusty, 60-year-old mark.

“I thought it was eight, but I was wrong, so I thought I already had it,” he said.

Reminded that he would have had it already had he not dropped a wide-open throw to him in the end zone on Sunday, which would have given him a career-high three in one game, he winced, then answered.

“Yeah, scars right there,” he said. “That one hurts.”

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Dallas Goedert Has Eye On Record

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (88) walks off the field after win against the Las Vegas Raiders at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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With three games left, and with his heavy involvement in the red zone, it is reasonable to expect that the record will at least be tied, perhaps even broken.

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“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “Anytime you can break a record, obviously things are going well for you. Obviously, winning is the most important thing and I want to do whatever I can to help win. If they’re giving me the ball down there, I’m gonna try to score. It would be a cool thing to have.”

Goedert’s production in the low red zone is a reason the Eagles lead the NFL in red-zone success, converting close to 70 percent of their trips (25-for-36) inside the 20 into touchdowns. The tight end has nine of those 25 red-zone TDs.

“We’ve had different things for me in the red zone throughout my career here, a lot of them just haven’t got called,” said Goedert. “Once they started calling them, I tried to make sure they worked so they could keep designing and calling other ones. Any time you go in the huddle and hear that play, knowing you have the opportunity to get in the end zone, it gets you kind of excited, for sure.”

Nore NFL: Eagles’ Backup Staying Patient, Takes First-Team Practice Reps

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