Five stories that have North Texas talking; Dallas Animal Services criticized after euthanizing four dogs; Chris Christie loves, loves, loves the Dallas Cowboys; and more.
Dallas Animal Services officials are reviewing whether four dogs put to death two days after being given up by an owner were euthanized in error. Some community members on Monday said potential homes were found for the dogs picked up Dec. 30, the Associated Press reports. The animals were listed as surrendered by the owner in hopes of finding them new homes. The investigation began after agency records indicated the animals were euthanized on New Year's Day based on their health and behavior. Deborah Whittington helped rescue the dogs and says she believed the animals would have 10 days at the shelter before possibly being euthanized. Whittington says the dogs died a senseless death. Dallas Animal Services said in a statement: “To know that four dogs may have been euthanized in error has devastated staff, and they are also eager to look for ways to prevent incidents like this in the future. We mourn the loss of homeless animals that can be saved.” [Associated Press/KERA]
- Chris Christie seems to be one of the Dallas Cowboys’ biggest fans. The Associated Press reports: “Christie's fanboy ways were again on display Sunday, when he was spotted gleefully celebrating the team's comeback win against the Detroit Lions in the NFL playoffs. He was hard to miss in owner Jerry Jones' box, wearing his sure-to-be-noticed orange good luck sweater, bouncing around and looking for a hug after the Cowboys' 24-20 wild-card victory.” NPR reports: In an interview with WFAN, Christie said nobody was "giving me a hard time" when the Cowboys were losing. ‘We all know what this is about,’ he said. ‘I would take all the abuse ... in return for a Cowboys playoff win.’ As for the sweater, Christie explained that it was not red but orange, and that it has become a good-luck charm for team. ‘Here's the thing: The first Cowboys game I went to this year, I wore the orange sweater,’ he said. ‘As it turns out, there are some people in my universe who believe that [the sweater] then becomes a good-luck thing.’" [Associated Press/NPR]
- This month 15 years ago, Mark Cuban bought the Dallas Mavericks. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram takes a look back. “Cuban … gave them a vote of unbridled confidence that allowed them to do their work while he threw a pile of cash at player after player. ‘Coming in and cleaning house wasn’t either the right thing for me to do or the smart thing for me to do,’ Cuban said. ‘I was new at this, so I wanted to learn from them.’” Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki said Cuban “changed the culture” of the Mavericks. “The ’90s was a tough time for basketball in Dallas, and Mark came in, he created some excitement back for basketball for the Mavericks, and I owe him a lot,” Nowtizki told the Star-Telegram. “He’s been great to me, he’s been loyal, he’s been supportive of me from Day One.”
- The 84th Texas Legislature is just around the corner. (It starts next Tuesday.) Today on KERA’s Think, Erica Grieder of Texas Monthly will offer a preview of what we should expect. That’s at noon on KERA 90.1 FM.
- We know more about the upcoming memoir by Louise Troh, the fiancée of Thomas Eric Duncan, the Liberian national who died from Ebola in Dallas. It will be called “My Spirit Took You In.” That’s according to WFAA-TV, which reports that many people close to Troh have signed non-disclosure agreements. The book is to be released in April. The publisher is Weinstein Books -- a page on the publisher’s website lists the title and offers a few more details. The website says Christine Wicker, a former religion reporter for The Dallas Morning News, is writing the book with Troh. According to the publisher: Troh “breaks her silence about her experience in this deeply moving memoir, chronicling the decade-long love story that starts in Liberia and ends in an isolation ward in Dallas.” The book is due out this spring. KERA’s Doualy Xaykaothao recently traveled to North Carolina to visit Duncan’s relatives.
