Five stories that have North Texas talking: Playboy Marfa has settled in Dallas; today is runoff election day; Robert Gates tells KERA he doesn’t plan to end the ban on adult gay leaders in the Boy Scouts; and more:
The controversial Playboy Marfa sculpture has a new life in Dallas – and it seems to be enjoying the attention. Last summer, Playboy installed the piece, a 40-foot sign with a neon-lit bunny, on Highway 90 near Marfa. The state ordered Playboy to remove its sign. The Texas Department of Transportation said it’s considered an advertisement and can’t be placed by a U.S. highway. The piece was eventually transported to Dallas and it debuted in April outside the Dallas Contemporary. Richard Phillips’ sculpture will be there through August. “Phillips’ exhibition will feature both past and new works that emphasize his career-long exploration of political and social identity, consumerism, eroticized desire and social constructs,” the Contemporary says. It’s his first U.S. solo museum exhibition. Architectural Digest takes a look at his work.
Here’s video of Playboy Marfa coming down near Marfa:
Here’s some video from KXAS-TV (Channel 5):
- Today is runoff election day in Texas. The Republican lieutenant governor runoff features incumbent David Dewhurst and State Sen. Dan Patrick. The race has been particularly nasty, featuring a 'Frozen'-fueled battle and Patrick's mental health history. Dewhurst sat down with KERA earlier this month to talk about why he finished 13 points behind Patrick in the March primary. Will Rep. Dan Branch of Dallas or State Sen. Ken Paxton of McKinney win the GOP nomination for attorney general? At age 90, Ralph Hall is the oldest person in Congress – and he faced some stiff competition in the March 4 primary. How will he fare in his runoff? There are other races, too. Before you head to the voting booth, get up to speed on the various races by listening to our KERA News Election Special. And click here for sample ballots and voter guides.
- Incoming Boy Scouts president Robert Gates told KERA he doesn’t plan on pursuing an end to the group’s ban on gay adult leaders because it would be “divisive.” Gates, the former defense secretary, CIA director and Texas A&M president, spoke with KERA before he delivered remarks in Nashville at the Boy Scouts of America’s annual meeting. Gates said he supports the Scouts’ decision last year to end its ban on openly gay youth -- and would have supported an end to the ban on adults. He called the compromise "an important step forward." Gates says he'll be focused on Scout youth during his two-year term as president of the Irving-based Boy Scouts. “I supported moving forward and would have supported a decision to include gay Scout masters and adult volunteers in Scouting,” Gates told KERA. “Given the passions and the strong views that exist on both sides of the issue, to try and pursue it while I am president would be very divisive to the movement and could permanently fracture it.” Read more about what he said.
On Monday, military veterans got together in Gainesville, perhaps for the last time. Seven decades ago, a group of Army recruits went through basic training in Gainesville. They were part of the 103rd Infantry Division -- they called themselves the “Cactus Division” and went on to help liberate the Dachau concentration camp. These men get together every year during Memorial Day weekend to remember their fallen comrades. KERA’s Doualy Xaykaothao spent some time with these 90-year-olds.
- There’s a glittering new exhibit at The Dallas Museum of Art, and the featured attraction is 1,000 years old. It’s a rock-crystal pitcher called the ewer. It’s a rare piece of Islamic art – just one of seven in the world. KERA’s Jerome Weeks tracks the history of the piece on Art&Seek: “It was made from a single chunk of mineral quartz in 10th century Cairo. Yet its clear, glass-like surface is carved with delicate designs of cheetahs and flowers. Then the ewer disappeared, but in the 19th century, a master French goldsmith gave it an ornate spout and handle. Then it disappeared -- again.” The ewer is part of the Keir Collection, which is coming to the DMA on a renewable, 15-year loan. Thanks to the collection, the DMA will have the third largest Islamic art collection in the country.
