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Letters to the Editor – Three cheers for Dallas library, a city contractor, customer care

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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



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Dallas weighs $500 million‑plus repair plans as City Hall’s future comes up for debate

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Dallas weighs 0 million‑plus repair plans as City Hall’s future comes up for debate


Dallas officials are weighing two costly options for City Hall’s future: either relocate entirely or spend more than half a billion dollars on repairs. One proposal would cost about $532 million over six years, while a second plan would spread repairs over a decade at an estimated cost of $557 million. The City Council is expected to outline the next steps on the project tomorrow.



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Dallas weather: Flash flooding strands vehicles near DFW Airport after heavy rain

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Dallas weather: Flash flooding strands vehicles near DFW Airport after heavy rain


Slow-moving thunderstorms brought localized flash flooding to parts of North Texas on Tuesday evening, blocking highways near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and dropping several inches of rain in portions of Tarrant and Parker counties.

Flash Flood Warnings

Local perspective:

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Flash flood warnings are in effect for Hopkins, Hunt, Rains and Van Zandt counties until 7:45 p.m.

Flooding was reported along Texas 183 near Valley View Lane south of DFW Airport, where stranded vehicles and water-covered roadways created hazardous travel conditions.

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A flash flood warning remained in effect near the airport, although rainfall rates had begun to diminish as the storm weakened.

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings

The National Weather Service also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northern Hood County, citing the potential for gusty winds and small hail. Forecasters reported hail ranging from pea-sized to marble-sized in parts of Hood, Parker and Denton counties. 

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Forecasters attributed the weakening storms in Denton County to an outflow boundary, a meteorological feature that can disrupt thunderstorm development.

The warning area was reduced as the storm weakened near sunset.

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What they’re saying:

FOX 4’s Kylie Capps said the storms moved unusually slowly from east to west, allowing heavy rain to accumulate over the same areas for several hours. 

Rainfall estimates showed some locations in eastern Parker County and western Tarrant County received nearly 5 inches of rain during a six-hour period, while areas near DFW Airport recorded more than 2 inches.

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Elsewhere in North Texas, northern Rains County received nearly 5 inches of rain.

7-Day Forecast

What’s next:

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Forecasters expect a quieter overnight period, with only isolated showers lingering into the evening. Additional thunderstorms are possible Wednesday afternoon, though coverage and the threat of severe weather are expected to remain limited.

Temperatures are forecast to reach about 90 degrees Wednesday. 

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Rain chances are expected to continue through the remainder of the workweek and into the weekend as an upper-level low-pressure system sends multiple disturbances across North Texas.

The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 4’s Weather Team

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Dallas Cowboys’ Path To NFC East Crown Gets Easier After June 1 NFL Trade Frenzy

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Dallas Cowboys’ Path To NFC East Crown Gets Easier After June 1 NFL Trade Frenzy


Monday was a wild day for the NFL with two blockbuster trades. First was Myles Garrett, who both the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles were rumored to have interest in.

Cowboys fans never bought into these rumors, knowing that Jerry Jones was unlikely to make such an investment. The Eagles, however, have been known to get aggressive. Thankfully for Dallas fans, they didn’t make the move as the Cleveland Browns sent Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Verse and a package of picks.

Not long after that trade was finalized, the Eagles did wind up making a trade. After months of speculation surrounding A.J. Brown and the New England Patriots, the two sides made it official as Brown was reunited with Mike Vrabel in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.

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Dallas Cowboys could take the NFC East crown in 2026

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown catches a pass against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Caelen Carson. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
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The writing has been on the wall all offseason regarding Brown, who has been unhappy with the Eagles for a while. His departure seemed confirmed when they traded up with Dallas in the 2026 NFL draft for USC receiver Makai Lemon.

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While Lemon has the tools to be a difference-maker, he won’t be able to perform at the same level as Brown during his rookie season. The Eagles do still have DeVonta Smith at receiver as well as running back Saquon Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts.

That said, there’s no denying that they’re weaker this season than they were with Brown. Just as important, however, is the fact that general manager Howie Roseman didn’t pull off a shocking move for Garrett, which would have made them the overwhelming favorites in the division.

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Cowboys chances hinge on defensive changes

Dallas Cowboys DB Caleb Downs is coached through a drill with defensive coordinator Christian Parker at the Ford Center. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Another reason the Cowboys are confident they can hang with Philadelphia this season is the presence of Christian Parker, who they hired as their defensive coordinator after he spent the past two seasons as the passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach with the Eagles.

Parker brings in a new scheme and plenty of confidence, but more importantly, he has several new weapons at his disposal. Dallas traded for veterans Rashan Gary and Dee Winters, signed Jalen Thompson and Cobie Durant, and selected Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence in the draft.

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Those are just some of the moves they made on defense, and they’re banking on that to be enough to help propel them past the team that has won the division the past two seasons.

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