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As Senate Debate Looms, Sadler And Cruz Split Endorsements

Paul Sadler and Ted Cruz debate tonight in our studios at 7 p.m.

Five stories that have North Texas talking: #txdebates tonight, 'hoods for singles, theater in complete darkness.

It's debate day! No, not forthese guys, who spent last night joking around in New York and won't hit the stage together again until Monday's foreign policy debate in Boca Raton, Fla.

Tonight, the debate spotlight shines right here: East Texan Paul Sadler and Houstonian Ted Cruz are headed to KERA's Dallas studios for the final debate in their battle to replace Kay Bailey Hutchinson in the U.S. Senate. The festivities, moderated by KERA News managing editor Shelley Kofler, kick off at 7 p.m.; you can watch locally on Channel 13 orlisten on 90.1 FM. Find statewide TV and radio plans attexasdebates.org, where we'll also be live-blogging and tweeting during the debate. And it’s not just us -- you can get in on the Twitter conversation by using the hashtag#txdebates.

This morning, the state's two biggest newspapers issued mixed signals on the race. Republican Cruzgot the endorsement of his hometown paper, the Houston Chronicle. But the bigger surprise came from the traditionally conservative Dallas Morning News. Just a couple of weeks afterendorsing Mitt Romney for president, the DMN threw its editorial weight behind Sadler, writing that the Democrat comes from "the 'muscular middle:' constructive debate, bipartisan collaboration, the application of private-sector principles to public problems and, when necessary, government involvement. We also see him trying to persuade Democratic colleagues to govern from the center."

Polling in the race has been scant:A Texas Lyceum survey showed Cruz leading by a 2-to-1 margin before their first debate.

-- Rick Holter

Dating Site: Boomers In Love Live Large In Carrollton

Seems Carrollton singles over 50 who self-identify as “big and beautiful” in the “body type” field are doing particularly well for themselves on OurTime.com: The site rated the DFW suburb third of all American cities for “Big and Beautiful Boomers.”

Oak Cliff, on the other hand, is not so much a place for singles of any size -- at least according to Match.com. I’d bet it’s because there are so many young couples among the flight of creatives to the neighborhood. Oak Cliff isn’t where you find “the one;” it’s where you move together and help them open an adorable pie shop.

If you aren’t already nauseated about the hard reality of dating sites and their passive communication through image management, make sure and check out Sherry Turkle on Fresh Air. She talked to Terry Gross yesterday about the demise of simply speaking to others in person. Texting and Google chat has even overtaken the interactions of dorm room suitemates, she lamented. I mean, why even take photos of yourself for dating profiles when you’ve got emoticons?

HT to GuideLive’s Whatever blog.

-- Lyndsay Knecht

Ugliest Woman, Newest Fort Worth Theater Introduced In The Dark

An entity that does recognize it’s what’s on the inside that counts: Amphibian Productions. The company’s latest play is based on a true story about a Mexican woman with a most unfortunate genetic condition that ravaged her appearance, and Amphibian won’t obscure the meaning of her plight or the theatrical debut of its new space with anything distracting, like lighting.

Art&Seek’s Jerome Weeks explores the dynamics of The True History of the Tragic Life and Triumphant Death of Julia Pastrana, the Ugliest Woman in the World, a play performed completely in the dark. Throwback radio and theater techniques make the sound experience king.

Another good reason to go dark: The theater itself won’t be completed when the play opens. Fittingly, the lighting installation will be finished later.

-- Lyndsay Knecht

Bon Vivre ’Til Late At Dallas Museum of Art

Light graffiti, Parisian sunset interludes and acrobats? Not bad for a one-stop Friday night -- especially one that can include children in pajamas for yoga class. The Dallas Museum of Art’s Late Nights series especially comes through with tonight’s lineup.

The new exhibit Posters of Paris: Toulouse-Lautrec and His Contemporaries inspired lectures for ad brains constantly processing the intersection of art and commerce: “The Art of Persuasion: Posters and Promotion in Fin-de-Siècle Paris” and “The Poster as Advertisement and Art.” (Our discerning, cool sister station KXT 91.7 knows posters, especially when it comes to commissioning memorable prints for fall pledge. The station netted Denton artist Nevada Hill as designer.)

Naturally, KXT co-presents the concert portion featuring cellist Buffi Jacobs, who’ll perform with her new orchestral rock project Anaphase. Jacobs is known best for her work with Polyphonic Spree; the members of Anaphase play on upcoming records by Jon Grant, Sarah Jaffe and Vanessa Peters.

Proceedings begin at 6 p.m. and museum doors won’t close until midnight. Even if a packed evening of debate-watching sends you tumbling in at 11 p.m. (which often seems to happen on rich nights like these), you can still wander through the European galleries while DJ Wild In The Streets spins mixes of Brigitte Bardot and Jacques Dutronc.

-- Lyndsay Knecht

Vegan-Fryers Set To Maximum @ Sunday’s ‘Texas State Veggie Fair’

Being a strict meatatarian, I reluctantly admit... the Texas State Veggie Fair looks delicious.

Usually, Texans associate anything with the word “fair” as something that’ll host a fried sammich with 42 layers of bacon, steak, and chocolate.

But not so in Dallas! (At least for one day.) The 3rd annual ‘Texas State Veggie Fair is this Sunday at Reverchon Park from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Here’s a video covering last year’s highlights from the folks at You+ Dallas.

-- Justin Martin