Five stories that have North Texas talking: It’s opening day for the Rangers; Texas country singers clean up at ACM awards; DMA acquires rare Jackson Pollock work; and more.
For Texas Rangers fans, today officially marks the start of spring: It’s opening day. Unlike last year, the game, the first in a series of three this week against the Cleveland Indians, starts in the evening (precisely 6:05 p.m.). That means fans won’t have to cut their work or school day as short to get to Globe Life Park. But there’s still traffic and parking to consider beforehand. And if you’re planning at the last minute, here’s the schedule with ticket options.
According to SportsDay, Yu Darvish is going to throw the first pitch of the season. He’s the ninth different starting pitcher the Rangers have used for opening day since 2009, which is the highest turnover in that time period among professional baseball teams. Some other familiar faces have moved on from the Rangers, including “Derek Holland (White Sox), Colby Lewis (free agent), Shawn Tolleson (Rays), Ian Desmond (Rockies), Prince Fielder (retirement), Mitch Moreland (Red Sox), Carlos Beltran (Astros),” SportsDay reports. Here’s the full roster.
Last but certainly not least, there are new, insane foods to try at the park. The Most Valuable Tamale, the M.V.T, is a $27, two-foot-long tamale that several people are supposed to share. In case you’re missing the State Fair of Texas, there are Texas Snowballs, “which are brisket balls dipped into funnel cake batter and deep fried,” according to GuideLive. And they’re topped with powdered sugar. And to round out the new foods, a chili dog with Fritos and kimchi, a staple in Korean cuisine. [SportsDay, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, GuideLive]
- South Carolina defeated Mississippi State 67-55 to win its first NCAA women’s championship. The Final Four dwindled over the weekend in Dallas’ American Airlines Center as Mississippi State Friday took down the seemingly unstoppable UConn Huskies, breaking the team’s 111-game winning streak with an overtime buzzer-beating shot. South Carolina beat Stanford, a team with two NCAA titles to its name. NPR reports: “Not only was this South Carolina's first ever women's championship, it's the first for head coach Dawn Staley. Staley was a highly decorated player in high school, college and the Olympics. She made several Final Fours playing for Virginia, but never won.” [NPR]
- The Dallas Museum of Art has acquired its fifth piece by iconic artist Jackson Pollock. Unlike the colorful, chaotic works that made Pollock a legend, the DMA’s recent acquisition is an early work from circa 1934-1938 titled “Figure Kneeling Before Arch with Skulls.” According to the museum, the oil on canvas “demonstrates Pollock’s deep engagement with both Renaissance art and Mexican modernism, a period with strong representation in the DMA’s collection.” An expansive exhibition of Mexican art from the first half of the 20th century is currently on display at the museum. Learn more about it from Art&Seek. [Dallas Museum of Art]
- Maren Morris was named Best New Female Vocalist at the Academy of Country Music Awards Sunday. The Arlington native and breakout country singer was nominated also nominated for Single Record of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for “Hero”. She lost in latter two categories to fellow Texan Miranda Lambert, who now has the most Female Vocalist of the Year wins in the show’s history. In February, Morris won her first Grammy for Best Country Solo Performance for “My Church” and was nominated in three other categories. [Rolling Stone]
- Lawmaking in Texas can be pretty complicated. What do you want to know about it? Throughout the 85th Legislature, public radio stations across Texas, including KERA, have been taking listeners’ questions about the state’s lawmaking process. It’s all part of a project we’re calling “Texas Decides.” We want to shine some light on the often confusing inner workings of the Texas Capitol. We’ve answered several questions so far this legislative session. And it’s not too late to contribute your own. [Texas Station Collaborative]
The High Five is KERA's daily roundup of news stories from Dallas-Fort Worth and across the state. Explore our archives here. And sign up for our weekly email for the North Texas news you need to know.
