Five stories that have North Texas talking: Halloween and politics after the superstorm, domestic partner benefits in Dallas County, cracking a case with fried chicken and more.
With a death toll in the dozens, power out for millions and damage estimates in the tens of billions, the last thing on a lot of East Coast minds today is Halloween.
Chris Christie, governor of storm-wrecked New Jersey, tweeted this:
If conditions are not safe on Wednesday for Trick or Treating, I will sign an Executive Order rescheduling #Halloween.
Across the country, folks are rethinking their plans for tonight. Even supermodel Heidi Klum canceled her legendary costume party.
And the storm’s impact has reached Sesame Street: Elmo was a bit shaken up when he talked with WNYC’s Brian Lehrer yesterday. The puppet teamed with Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, of the Sesame Street Education and Research Department, to explain how affected kids can benefit from helping “put Big Bird’s nest back together.”
-- Lyndsay Knecht and Rick Holter
The Political Show Will Go On
Mitt Romney’s back on the campaign trail today (along Texas’ Big Two U.S. Senate candidates, Paul Sadler, who’s in North Texas today, and Republican Ted Cruz, who visits tomorrow). President Obama hops back on the campaign bus tomorrow, too.
There’s been endless speculation about the impact the storm will have on next week’s election, but NPR’s Alan Greenblatt raises a good question: What if Sandy had hit on Election Day, instead of a little more than a week before? The answer, in short: There’s no contingency plan for rescheduling a national election.
Special bonus video tidbit: If you're feeling burned out by the campaign, you might be feelingthis 4-year-old's pain (HT NPR's Two Way blog).
-- Rick Holter
Halloween Treats For The Mind And The Tummy
For most of us, the holiday will go on. And if you’ve got kids 12 or under, they can get some free BBQ with their boos. Dickey’s BBQ is offering up the free grub today, but only for costumed kids. We’re stillsuggesting you call ahead for details, lest we repeat the KFC coupon debacle.
And in a more cerebral realm, Oliver Burkeman of Slate makes a provocative, if poorly timed, argument: that Halloween Needs More Death, to help us all face our own mortality.
-- Justin Martin and Lyndsay Knecht
Domestic Partner Benefits Are Here, But Controversy Hasn't Left
Dallas became the third county in Texas to adopt a domestic partner policy yesterda, but not without a heated exchange at commissioner’s court. KERA’s Bill Zeeble has the story, which includes comments from Republican Commissioner Maurine Dickey:
Now we’re taking a small group that we’re setting up as a special issue, as a special group. This is a slippery slope. And the slippery slope is, 'What other groups are we going to fund individually in Dallas County?' Are we going to fund obese people? Are we going to fund smokers? Are we going to fund people with blue Pontiacs before 1978?
-- Lyndsay Knecht
Half-Eaten Chicken Tips Off Cops In DART Killing
It pays to know your Grandy’s from your Chicken Express from your Henderson’s.
Last Wednesday,an altercation on DART’s green line between suspect Keith Edwards and victim Samuel Anderson turned lethal. Police say Edwards took off after stabbing Anderson in the neck with a “sharp object;” the victim died Friday.
During the investigation a DART detective noticed some discarded half-eaten chicken of a particular “texture and coating,” which the sleuth recognized as being from the landmark Henderson chain.
After checking video surveillance, police interviewed the owner of the involved Henderson’s and confirmed the man was a regular at the restaurant. Policearrested Edwards on Monday, and report he confessed to the crime shortly after capture.
-- Justin Martin
