Dallas, TX
Letters to the Editor – Three cheers for Dallas library, a city contractor, customer care
1 Dallas Public Library Bridgerton Ball — Women in glittering tiaras wearing empire-waist gowns and men in Regency-era jackets and top hats recently took to the dance floor for the Bridgerton Ball at a venue some might find surprising: the Dallas Public Library’s J. Erik Jonsson Central Library.
However, this pop-up ballroom at the downtown library was a fitting location for the Netflix show based on a series of novels and centered around Lady Whistledown’s society paper addressed to her “dearest readers.” Libraries are innovating more than ever to stay relevant in our changing times. Importantly, they strive to remain places that are welcoming community spaces.
Bridgerton Ball’s invitation to “the glittering world of high society” drew about 1,400 people. Admission was free and the event included English country dance lessons, lectures on Regency fashion, a theatrical performance and elaborate photo backdrops carefully constructed for Instagram success.
One young woman told me she often came to the library as a child. Her husband said he took her to the event to celebrate her birthday. Others mentioned seeing the event promoted on TikTok. A friend commented that fashion lectures such as the one at the ball usually cost around $60.
Thanks go to library staffers, including organizer and librarian Emily Goodwin, for their hard work on the ball.
The library’s vital role as a community center — demonstrated by the success of this event and other programming — is all the more reason to support the Dallas Public Library’s strategic plan, which calls for a major renovation of the Central Library to keep the facility the vibrant heart of the city’s library network.
I recommend that you check the programming calendar for your local libraries online. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you find.
Katherine Leal Unmuth, Dallas
Member (District 2), Dallas Municipal Library Board
2 Dallas contractor — Here’s a compliment on an infrastructure job by a Dallas contractor. The reconstruction of Live Oak Street from Fitzhugh Avenue to just past Skiles Street was completed quickly and looks great.
Yeah, the lane switches during construction were a little crazy, but overall the job was done in what seemed like record time. I don’t know who the contractor was, but I hope the city hires them for more projects. Well done.
Margaret Rogers, Dallas/Bryan Place
3 DMN customer care — I sent a question to Public Editor Stephen Buckley about the process covering local elections and the paper’s recommendations. I immediately received an electronic email telling me my question was received and I would hear back, the normal response with an electronic receipt to an organization.
What I didn’t expect was the level of detail that followed with additional information and specific links that were available to me while I waited for a response.
I didn’t have a chance to explore any of those links, because before I could, I had a very thoughtful and complete answer from Rudy Bush, editorial page editor. It was not just empty words, but a response that took time to compose.
I thought my request was complete until I heard from Eva-Marie Ayala, Education Lab editor, with another thoughtful and complete response. My question was more of a political one, yet her response was also detailed.
Three cheers for the new program and the well-thought-out response process. Even as busy as everyone at The Dallas Morning News probably is these days, three cheers for their customer care in answering my query completely and promptly.
Perri Brackett, Lewisville
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
Dallas, TX
Top 10 Dallas Cowboys of 2026: Rashan Gary is Complete EDGE Dallas Needed
In need of help on the edge, the Dallas Cowboys tried to make a huge move this offseason. They made multiple attempts to trade for Las Vegas Raiders superstar Maxx Crosby, but were never able to get a deal done.
Once that one was off the table, they decided to send a fourth round pick to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for veteran Rashan Gary. The move was criticized, which is rather confusing when you think about it. Dallas gave up a mid-round pick, and reworked his contract to where it hardly makes any impact on a salary cap. They also filled a position of a great need with a player who might not threaten to lead the league in sacks, but is well-rounded and can help against the run just as much as he does when rushing the passer.
Gary is entering his eighth season in the league and has 271 tackles and 46.5 sacks. He’s coming off another solid campaign, which is why he’s No. 9 on our list of top 10 players on the Cowboys’ roster.
Rashan Gary 2025 review
Gary’s numbers in 2025 were respectable, but could be misleading. He was on pace to record 18 sacks, as he had 7.5 through the first seven games of the year. He then disappeared for the final nine games, recording no sacks while struggling to generate pressure.
That led to his season as a whole being considered rather disappointing, which is why the Packers were willing to move on. It’s also why Dallas was able to convince him to take a pay cut after he joined their team. What was most frustrating for Green Bay was the fact that they needed him to step up when Micah Parsons suffered a torn ACL late in the year and Gary was unable to do so.
Rashan Gary 2026 prediction
One thing critics of the move are failing to see is the fact that Dallas doesn’t need Gary to record double-digit sacks. They need him to be the veteran voice for a group of young pass rushers who are trying to find their footing in the league.
Second year player, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and rookie Malachi Lawrence both have the talent to be game-changers off of the edge. What they don’t have, is the experience. That’s where Gary comes in.
As those two continue to develop, Gary will be the stabilizing veteran force who can make plays on early downs, while also being disruptive as a pass rusher. We can’t ignore the struggles that he had in 2025, but perhaps the change of scenery will give him some motivation to turn back the clock. And Dallas didn’t have to give up much to give him that opportunity.
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Dallas, TX
Former Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa runs for Dallas Mayor
DALLAS – Former Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa announced that he is running for Mayor of Dallas on Monday.
Hinojosa says the city needs experienced leadership to address the budget challenges and pro sports teams leaving Downtown Dallas.
Addressing Dallas’ budget and pro sports team
Local perspective:
Michael Hinojosa served two stints as superintendent of Dallas ISD, totaling 13 years. He told FOX 4 that he officially filed paperwork to enter the race and plans to formally launch his campaign at a Tuesday morning news conference at Dallas City Hall.
Hinojosa points to financial track record at Dallas ISD
What they’re saying:
Hinojosa cited his tenure leading Dallas ISD as evidence of his financial management experience, saying the district’s reserves grew from about $32 million when he took over in 2005 to nearly $1 billion in obligated and unobligated fund balances by the time he left.
“I think that it’s really important for this community to know that we’re at an inflection point and that the city and the community need a strong, proven leader,” Hinojosa said.
He pointed to the city’s budget shortfall, employee furloughs and concerns over major sports franchises potentially leaving downtown as examples of challenges facing Dallas.
He said solving the city’s challenges would require coalition-building and pledged to focus on issues important to residents, taxpayers and businesses.
“I believe that a vision is a dream with a deadline,” Hinojosa said, adding that if elected he would aim to address the city’s biggest challenges within two terms.
Campaign announcement at Dallas City Hall
What’s next:
Hinojosa said he will outline his priorities during a 10 a.m. campaign announcement on Tuesday, July 14, at Dallas City Hall.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by an interview conducted by FOX 4’s Shaun Rabb.
Dallas, TX
Viral East Dallas coffee shop fears major sales drop amid six-week road closure
Construction plans disrupt business in East Dallas. Just a few days ago, the owners of Juju’s Coffee off La Vista Drive in Dallas were informed by Oncor that the street on which their shop is located will be closed.
One of the owners, Nick Rocha, said the closure will last six weeks, but if there are any delays, it could be extended until October.
The coffee shop, which opened in 2023, has recently gained a lot of popularity. One of their drinks, called the “do-si-dos,” has gone viral, and now they have lines out the door on a regular basis.
“It’s a peanut butter milk latte… We probably doubled our sales or more if I had to be honest,” said Rocha.
Since the drink’s release in April, the flow of customers has been nonstop.
“We were like, ‘We’ll go viral and then we’ll die out.’ Then we’re like, ‘Well, when is it going to be over, because we’re just getting slammed?’ We were both doing like 60- to 70-hour weeks… And it just kept going, and it turned from like, ‘Okay, we’re scared of it,’ to, ‘Okay, we can do this,’” said Rojas.
Rojas says that just as they were adjusting to the new normal, the notice from Oncor came.
“They were just like, ‘Yeah, so we’re going to close the street, sorry.’ That was tough… because we’re in the middle of dreaming and vision casting for what’s coming and what’s next,” said Rojas.
Starting July 20, La Vista Drive will be closed, sidewalk accessibility will be difficult, and street visibility will be too. Rojas believes the impact could drop their sales by about 50%. He says they’ve had meetings with the city and Oncor, but says there’s nothing they can do, and now their only plea is to their customers.
“Anybody that comes in and supports, it’s a genuine gratitude from us,” said Rojas.
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