The top local stories this morning from KERA Newsroom: A state House bill to fix the troubled Dallas Police & Fire Pension system will get a final vote today.
Because of risky investments and overly generous benefits, the pension system will run out of money in 10 years without changes at the state level.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Dan Flynn of Van, acknowledges his plan will require police and firefighters to pay more into the system while accepting benefits reductions. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings was once a supporter, but now calls the bill a "bailout."
Other stories this morning:
- The death of 15 year-old Jordan Edwards by a Balch Springs police officer is drawing national attention. NAACP National President Cornell Brooks told the Agape AME Church near Fair Park to get ready for marches, demonstrations, and perhaps arrests.
- Democratic State Representative Eric Johnson of Dallas says the Balch Springs shooting is just the latest in a larger, systemic problem. But so far, the reaction here is different than previous shootings in Baltimore or Baton Rouge. Johnson says people are still in shock and grieving over the July 7 shooting death of five Dallas police officers last year.
- Our Big Screen team reviews “Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent.” The film profiles Jeremiah Tower, who in the 1980s helped create today’s celebrity chef culture.
You can listen to North Texas stories weekdays at 8:22 a.m. and 6:20 p.m. on KERA 90.1 FM.
