At The Final Four, Bill Clinton And George W. Bush Were Side-By-Side Buds

Five stories that have North Texas talking: UConn wins in Arlington; former presidents to gather in Austin for a LBJ summit; what are Dallas-Fort Worth's emerging neighborhoods; and more.

Jerry Jones’ suite at AT&T Stadium was packed last night with boldfaced names catching the NCAA Final Four championship game. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush sat next to each other – and the former presidents were captured on the stadium’s gigantic video screen for the 79,000 folks in the stands to see. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo popped up at the bottom of the screen – the photobomb of the night.

• For those of you interested in the score, here's a recap. KERA’s Rick Holter was at the game: The University of Connecticut capped off the first North Texas Final Four in 28 years last night by winning the NCAA men’s basketball title. The Huskies topped Kentucky 60-54. UConn has made it to the championship game four times, and has come away with a title in every one. Monday night, the difference-maker was senior point guard Shabazz Napier. He scored 22 points, leading the experienced Huskies past Kentucky’s five freshman starters. The key statistic? Foul shooting: Connecticut was perfect in 10 tries; Kentucky missed 11. A downpour that started just before gametime couldn't stop more than 79,000 people from jamming into AT&T Stadium -- the largest crowd ever to witness an NCAA title game.
   
• Three former presidents will be in Austin this week. And after the big game, the ex-Presidents are staying in Texas. The LBJ Presidential Library in Austin is hosting a civil rights summit where three former presidents will speak: Jimmy Carter today; Bill Clinton tomorrow; and George W. Bush on Thursday. And the keynote speaker? The current White House occupant, President Obama, steps up to the mic at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. The three-day conference commemorates the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, signed into law by Johnson. Panel discussions will look back at the civil rights movement and address current topics such as immigration and gay marriage. LBJ Library Director Mark Updegrove said he hopes the summit will mark a turning point in Johnson's legacy, moving it away from the Vietnam War to the domestic policies Johnson pushed that transformed civil rights. The ceremony is a chance to reconsider Johnson’s presidency. The New York Times reports that his family and friends argue that his legacy has “been overwhelmed by the tragedy of the Vietnam War, and has failed to take into account the blizzard of domestic legislation enacted in the five years Johnson was in the White House.” [The Associated Press]

• The Dallas Historical Society says the city is home to many dozens of historically significant houses of worship. Learn about them at noon today as part of the society’s Brown Bag Lecture Series. Bob Jaeger, president and co-founder of Partners for Sacred Places, will “explore the rich history and significant impact of Dallas’ sacred places.” Partners for Sacred Places is “the only national, nonsectarian, non-profit organization dedicated to the sound stewardship and active community use of America’s older religious properties.” The free event is at the Hall of State at Fair Park, 3939 Grand Ave., Dallas.

• Trinity Groves, Oak Cliff and Lakewood are among the Dallas neighborhoods often mentioned as local hotspots. How did they develop that reputation – and will they be able to keep it? A panel by the Dallas Architecture Forum at 6:30 tonight focuses on “Dallas’ Emerging Neighborhood Hot Spots: Will They Survive?” Marcel Quimby, a principal of Quimby McCoy who's involved in Dallas’ preservation community, is the moderator. The free event is at 6:30 p.m. at 1909 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Suite 100. A reception starts at 6:15 p.m. No reservations are needed. The topic is also the subject of the 1 p.m. hour of “Think” with Krys Boyd on KERA 90.1 FM. Or listen online. Learn more about Trinity Groves, a 15-acre restaurant incubator that’s helped transform West Dallas. KERA’s Doualy Xaykaothao recently explored the area.