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Top Stories: Disagreement Over Fall Gubernatorial Debate; Teen Actors Discuss Gun Violence

Courtesy of Karen Almond
Josh Bowman and Maren Bennett perform in Cry Havoc Theater's "Babel."

The top local stories this evening from KERA News:

The candidates in November’s gubernatorial race are in disagreement about where and when to hold an upcoming debate.

On Wednesday, Irving-based Nexstar Media Group announced that Republican Governor Greg Abbott had accepted the company's invitation for a televised debate.

The debate would be held in Austin on Sept. 28, a Friday night. The timing would mean competing for attention with Texas high school football and the opening day of the State Fair of Texas.

The campaign for Democrat Lupe Valdez told KERA it’s still negotiating on the location and date for the debate. The former Dallas County sheriff wants to avoid Friday nights, and she thinks the debate shouldn’t be held on either candidate’s home turf, Dallas or Austin.

Other stories this evening:

  • Democratic Congressman Beto O'Rourke has generated national attention as he attempts to unseat Senator Ted Cruz. That attention has helped him raise money, and this spring he's more than doubled the Republican incumbent in fundraising. Christopher Hooks is a freelance journalist who's been traveling with the O'Rourke campaign. He talked with David Brown, host of Texas Standard, about how O’Rourke is the strongest candidate Texas Democrats have seen in 20 years.

  • KERA's Art&Seek team has been following a group of teen actors through six months of research, interviews and rehearsals, all focused on gun violence. Hady Mawajdeh has been following the making of “Babel” by Cry Havoc Theater Company. In this week’s Artist Spotlight, he takes us from rehearsal to opening night.

You can listen to North Texas stories weekdays at 8:22 a.m. and 6:20 p.m. on KERA 90.1 FM.