Five stories that have North Texas talking: Dallas has to prove it spent HUD funds wisely on affordable housing projects; Wendy Davis still sees a possibility of Texas going blue; ArtCon takes over The Cedars Saturday; and more.
About 300 people gathered Thursday night at Dealey Plaza in Dallas to speak against the election of Donald Trump. The demonstration began at 6:30 p.m. Protesters marched into downtown and returned to the plaza about 3.5 hours later, according to the Associated Press and the Dallas Morning News. Three people were arrested, police said, according to the Morning News. Thursday night’s protest was organized by six North Texas activists.
The anti-Trump protest is now marching down Main Street through downtown Dallas pic.twitter.com/8RVf6veWDn
— Robert Wilonsky (@RobertWilonsky) November 11, 2016
A third Dallas protest organized by the Next Generation Action Network is planned for 7 p.m. in Main Street Garden. The Tarrant County chapter of Next Generation also has an event planned for 7 p.m. in Fort Worth.
Protests across the state, including the daylong demonstration at Texas State University Thursday, and across the country have been ongoing since the Republican candidate clinched the nomination over Democrat Hillary Clinton. [The Associated Press, The Dallas Morning News]
Just had a very open and successful presidential election. Now professional protesters, incited by the media, are protesting. Very unfair!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 11, 2016
- Dallas has by the end of the month to prove it properly spent $29.9 million for 54 affordable housing projects. The directive from The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) comes as “Dallas residents, like those in the state’s other urban areas, face increasing difficulties finding affordable housing and City Hall is being confronted on multiple fronts about the matter that’s been characterized as a crisis,” the Texas Tribune reports. HUD is asking for documents that could “confirm the allowability” of how the city disbursed HUD money from 2012 to 2014. [The Texas Tribune]
- Former gubernatorial candidate and state senator Wendy Davis sees a silver lining for Democrats in Texas. Democrat Hillary Clinton won in most of the state's largest urban areas and along much of the border, and Trump dominated in the rest of the state (see the voting map from the Texas Tribune). “The only major urban county that Donald Trump won in was my former home county of Tarrant County,” Davis tells Texas Standard. “What we see really is a state with two highly different populations.” Listen to the full conversation. [Texas Standard]
- Actor Tom Selleck wrote in former Dallas Police Chief David Brown for president. Selleck told the hosts of ABC talk show The View Thursday that he wrote in Brown’s name on his ballot. “That man showed such grace and leadership,” Selleck said. “I was just deeply touched by him.” Following the Dallas police shootings in July, social media users unofficially nominated Brown for president and Mayor Mike Rawlings as his running mate for their handling of the aftermath. [KERA News]
- Musicians, artists and patrons of the arts community will come together in Dallas this Saturday. Art Con 12, first held in 2005, will feature more than 150 local artists who have been challenged to create a piece of collectible art within 24 hours on an 18-by-18-inch board. Completed works will be presented for live auction starting at $20, raising money for this year’s beneficiary, Music is Our Weapon. The event is taking place at 7 p.m at The Cedars Union. [Art&Seek, ArtCon]
