Five stories that have North Texas talking: an anti-parasite medication kills a bunch of fish in Corpus Christi; the sorry state of streets in Dallas; help the Dallas Zoo name the new baby giraffe; and more.
A reaction to an anti-parasite medication is being blamed for a die-off of the indoor fish collection at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi. In a statement issued Wednesday, aquarium officials say the die-off happened late Tuesday night and early Wednesday. Aquarium staff members worked through the night to save as much of the collection as possible, but officials described the loss as "considerable." The die-off affected the Islands of Steel, Flower Gardens and Lionfish exhibits. Unaffected were the Living Shores, Nearshore and Floating Phantoms exhibits, as well as outdoor and numerous smaller exhibits. According to the statement, staff members had tested the treatment on a smaller exhibit previously without any adverse reaction. Aquarium spokesman Richard Glover says an investigation is underway to determine what caused the adverse reaction. [Associated Press]
- The Dallas Zoo has announced three potential names for the baby giraffe that was born in front of a world-wide audience last week. The three possibilities: Adia (uh-DEE-uh) Kanzi (KAHN-zee) and Kapenzi (kih-PEHN-zee) -- you can go online to vote starting at 5 a.m. Thursday. Voting ends April 23. The name will be announced April 24. It’s been a wild week for the zoo. Last Friday, Katie the giraffe gave birth to a calf – and Animal Planet provided live coverage. You could watch a livestream online. Since then, Katie’s become a celebrity and the zoo’s been inundated with messages. The livestream is still up and running -- and you can catch Katie and her baby hanging out. Learn more here from KERA.
- More than one in four Dallas streets are in bad shape, according to a city survey of 11,700 miles of roads. Those streets took center stage at Wednesday’s Dallas City Council meeting. KERA's Krystina Martinez reports: "There isn’t nearly enough money to improve all of the city’s roads. The city's goal is to have 87 percent of streets get a passing grade. If funding for street repairs doesn't change, the survey estimates that only 69 percent of streets will have a passing grade by 2017. City officials proposed some ideas this afternoon to raise funds. A 2017 bond election could include $650 million for street improvements, although that wouldn’t cover everything. The city could also boost sanitation and water fees to pay for repairs and improvements or spend more money each year from the general fund." Learn more here from KERA.
- The debate over the proposed Trinity Toll Road has focused mostly on traffic and cost. KERA's Stephen Becker reports: "On Wednesday on KERA’s Think, Krys Boyd talked with a toll road supporter and detractor about those sticking points. And they also got into a lesser-talked about element of the project – how it would affect the city’s levee system. The program explored the pros and cons of the road and featured Michael Morris, director of transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, and Robert Meckfessel, an architect with DSGN Associates." Catch up on their conversation here.
- A Proof + Pantry cocktail makes an appearance in April’s Texas Monthly. The magazine reports: “The Stalks of Rye highball at Dallas’s Proof + Pantry proves that cocktails don’t have to be complicated to be interesting. Consisting of rye whiskey, celery soda, and a dash of bitters, this food-friendly potation evokes the flavors of a New York delicatessen. Owner-operator Michael Martensen collaborated with bar manager Josh McEachern to create this drink. ‘I like to eat food that comes from someone’s soul, not something arranged with tweezers,’ says Martensen. ‘And the same goes for cocktails.’ [Texas Monthly -- h/t Kristen Taylor with KERA]
