North Texas holiday events canceled ahead of cold weather and rain

Published

2 years ago

December 7, 2024

North Texas holiday events canceled ahead of cold weather and rain

The promise of cold weather and precipitation Saturday forced several North Texas cities to cancel or postpone holiday events.

The City of Mesquite was one of the first to make the call. The stage and props are set at Mesquite’s Westlake Park. But the festivities will have to wait just a bit longer. City manager Cliff Keheley said city leaders made the difficult decision to postpone the annual Christmas in the Park event, moving it from December 7-8 to the 14-15.

“With the heavier rains that we had earlier this week, we just did not have time to wait for the park to dry out and set things up and then with the forecast of rain we didn’t know what we were going to get,” said Kehley. “There’s a lot of phone calls, a lot of discussions, a lot of handwringing trying to make sure we’re making the right decision.”

Mesquite was not alone in this decision. A handful of cities throughout North Texas have also postponed or canceled holiday festivals.

Irving’s tree Lighting, Live Music and Drone Show are postponed until Tuesday, Dec. 10.
The city of Rowlett postponed its festival parade until Dec. 14.
Watauga’s Hometown Holiday will now take place on Dec. 10.

Richardson’s annual Christmas Parade was also canceled. Organizers made the decision after several participants withdrew.

Keheley said scheduling vendors and city employees can be especially challenging but they’re fortunate that all but one vendor will be in attendance next week.

“I think most people will understand that we want to put on a good quality event, and they would understand that we need to postpone it to maintain that quality,” he said.

The Dallas Holiday Parade is expected go on Saturday as planned. Organizers said it will begin at 9 a.m. rain or shine.

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Texas man admits embezzling $3.2 million to pay student loans, fuel online gambling, prosecutors say

Published

33 minutes ago

June 30, 2026

Press Room

Texas man admits embezzling .2 million to pay student loans, fuel online gambling, prosecutors say

June 30, 2026 / 4:22 PM CDT
/ CBS Texas

A Texas man who siphoned off millions from his employer to wipe out tens of thousands in student loan debt and bankroll extensive online gambling has pleaded guilty to federal embezzlement charges, prosecutors said.

Mitchell David Slentz, 34, of Kyle, pleaded guilty in federal court to embezzling more than $3.2 million from Austin Freight Systems, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

Financial oversight role detailed

Prosecutors said Slentz held broad responsibility for Austin Freight Systems’ finances, managing accounting operations, overseeing financial reports and internal controls, and handling vendor payment requests submitted to JPMorgan Chase.

Between October 2023 and March 2025, Slentz executed 147 fraudulent payments, diverting $3,277,937.35 into his personal accounts via interstate wire transfers. He used part of the stolen money to make two student loan payments — $25,000 and $33,887. He also gambled heavily on an online platform, depositing and winning more than $1 million, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Charges and court proceedings

Slentz was charged on May 14, appeared on June 8, and pleaded guilty Monday to wire fraud and engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived proceeds.

A federal judge will determine Slentz’s sentence based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutory factors.

Investigation led by the FBI task force

The FBI Austin White Collar Crime Task Force handled the investigation.

CBS News Texas will provide updates as more information becomes available.

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Texas

Hot, muggy and breezy conditions continue for North Texas ahead of Fourth of July

Published

11 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Press Room

Hot, muggy and breezy conditions continue for North Texas ahead of Fourth of July

June 30, 2026 / 6:22 AM CDT
/ CBS Texas

Tuesday morning is off to another warm start, with temperatures in the 70s. Expect another day with breezy winds, hot temperatures and Saharan dust in the sky. Most of the dust will move out of North Texas by Wednesday.

Temperatures on Tuesday afternoon will feel like triple digits, and this trend will continue into the Fourth of July weekend. Because dew points will drop slightly toward the end of the workweek, high temperatures should finally reach the 100° mark by Saturday.

There’s just a slim 10% chance of showers in the forecast for Friday and Saturday, with slightly better rain chances on Sunday and Monday at 20%. Until then, temperatures will continue to heat up, and the feel-like temperatures will be at 100°+ each day. Stay cool.

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Texas

Texas Lands Major Commitment From In-State DL

Published

21 hours ago

June 29, 2026

Press Room

Texas Lands Major Commitment From In-State DL

The Texas Longhorns are in a lull before firing on all cylinders ahead of the 2026 season, looking to once again handle expectations that are larger than most programs experience, for the season year in a row.

Ahead of the season, though, head coach Steve Sarkisian is already gaining victories on the road before even kicking off. After a slow start on the recruiting trail, the Longhorns are in full swing, stacking elite pieces for the 2027 cycle.

Now it is no different, as the program has landed a commitment from Jason Johnson, one of the most sought-after defensive line prospects in the country, and a big piece of the Longhorns recruiting class for the cycle.

Who is Johnson?

Texas Longhorns defensive end Colin Simmons (1) celebrates with the golden hat following the Red River Rivalry college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Johnson is widely viewed as one of the most slept on prospects in the class. He is ranked as the No. 42 defensive line prospect in the class and is a top 60 prospect in the state of Texas. Despite his star rating, though, he is one of the most sought-after prospects in the class, including multiple offers from elite programs around the country.

Standing at 6-foot-3, 270 pounds, he has the size of an edge defender but the strength and bull-rush ability of an interior defender, combining an elite mix of speed and power that makes him difficult to handle in the interior.

Johnson has a lot of projectability in his frame, and has the strength already to go with it. As he continues developing at the next level, he has the chance to turn into a legitimate interior wrecker at the college level.

Where Johnson Will Impact the Longhorns Future

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian leads his team onto the field before a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The Longhorns have been the beneficiaries of elite defensive linemen under the reign of Sarkisian, and that won’t change for the upcoming season or beyond. The program has shown a profound ability to develop talent across the front of the defense and will continue to do so.

For Johnson, the defensive front is manned by veterans across it, with talented underclassmen waiting in the wings for their turn on the field. It also doesn’t help that, so far, he is the lowest-rated defensive line commit of the class for the Longhorns.

Still, the coaching staff, including defensive coordinator Will Muschamp love what Johnson brings to the field, and that was one of the reasons that his class ranking didn’t bother them. He will get the time to develop in the program, and could turn into a vital piece of the future.

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