Five stories that have North Texas talking: “Back to the Future II” referenced in special session; “Wonder Woman” battle with Alamo Drafthouse ends; a fruit and veggie garden at the Dallas Arboretum; and more.
A resolution was filed Tuesday in the Texas House to observe "Hoverboard Safety Awareness Day" on Oct. 21.
That’s the anniversary of “the popular introduction of the hoverboard concept,” according to the resolution authored by state Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso. Some of you might start to recognize the “Back to the Future II” reference. If not, it’s made clear in the second paragraph:
“WHEREAS, On November 22, 1989, the course of personal transportation was forever altered by a vision of an October 21, 2015 future that included, among other amazing developments, a wheel-less skateboard which hovered above the ground; and
“WHEREAS, The term "hoverboard" is now being applied to self-balancing scooters, which do not hover and therefore require the use of roads; and
“WHEREAS, Self-balancing scooters have posed hazards to consumers who did not appreciate the care and attention needed to operate them safely…”
The resolution lists several potential harmful outcomes from riding a "hoverboard," which in 2017 are more like electric scooters.
State Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, is listed as a joint author on the resolution. He recently realized how dangerous hoverboards could be. The 46-year-old lawmaker tried out his own hoverboard at home on July 28, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and he shattered his left wrist, an injury that required five and a half hours of surgery.
“I will never get on a hoverboard again and my children won’t either,” he said. [KERA News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram]
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- Back in May, Alamo Drafthouse announced female-only screenings of “Wonder Woman.” Some men found it discriminatory. To settle the matter months later, the Drafthouse has offered to send two men who filed formal complaints a DVD of the film. [Austin American-Statesman]
- In the week after the Texas Legislature introduced the so-called “bathroom bill,” calls from transgender youth to a suicide hotline doubled 14.7 percent, according to The Trevor Project, a national LGBTQ organization that offers crisis intervention. [Rolling Stone]
- The Dallas Arboretum is opening a fruit and vegetable garden this fall to educate visitors on planting and eating through tastings, cooking classes and demonstrations. [WFAA-TV]
- A law that takes effect in January will allow Texas merchants to ask for photo identification for credit and debit card purchases — and turn down transactions if a buyer won’t show it. It’s aimed at reducing debit and credit card purchases. [The Texas Tribune]
The High Five is KERA’s daily roundup of stories from Dallas-Fort Worth and across the state.Explore our archives here. And sign up forour weekly emailfor the North Texas news you need to know.
