The Dallas Morning News

Tricolor is accused of double-pledging vehicles, meaning one vehicle would have two titles on it from two lenders, instead of the usual one. Prosecutors say this type of fraud deceived investors about the actual value of Tricolor's inventory and its loans. In other news, several families in North Texas traded holiday celebrations for funeral planning in the wake of recent, high-profile domestic violence cases in Dallas, Kaufman and Tarrant counties; University Park's city council will consider at its Jan. 6 meeting ordering a special election in May to dissolve its membership with DART; former Dallas Cowboy Trevon Diggs is signing with the Green Bay Packers, reuniting with Micah Parsons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Calvin Watkins analyze [00:13] the release of Trevon Diggs and whether it'd have been better to save a little more money by making him a post-June 1 cut. Calvin lays out his five big plans for the offseason (Hint: More Pickens; less Eberflus). [25:42] Evan asks if Nico Harrison was the worst GM in Dallas sports history and gets no challengers. Especially if the Mavs can't get enough back for Anthony Davis at the trade deadline. [34:00] And the guys make their CFP predictions, headed by the Red Raiders' remarkable season as the poster school for college athletics' new identity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Dallas County Republican Party abandoned plans Tuesday to hand-count tens of thousands of ballots on primary day, March 3, saying it could not recruit enough workers to carry out the manual tally. In other news, three weeks after immigration officers detained Maher Tarabishi, his son was rushed to the emergency room with life-threatening sepsis and pneumonia; an all-Republican state appeals court on Tuesday unanimously upheld a previous judicial order that put the brakes on Attorney General Ken Paxton's efforts to rein in “rogue” prosecutors in Texas' most urban areas; and former Dallas Cowboy greats Jason Witten and Darren Woodson were named among the 15 Modern Era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Tuesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

McKinney police charged the son of the city's former city manager with capital murder Monday after finding 73-year old Frank Ragan and his wife, 72-year old Jackie Ragan dead with stab wounds in their living room just days after Christmas. In other news, Rep. Jasmine Crockett said Monday she's the more experienced, proven progressive option for Democrats as she competes with state Rep. James Talarico for the party's Senate nomination; Federal officials on Monday announced funding amounts for its new rural health program. Texas will receive more than $281 million, more than any other state; nd Razzoo's, the Cajun restaurant chain that started in Dallas in 1991 and filed for bankruptcy in 2025, has been purchased by North Texas company M Crowd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A sprawling lot full of trees and shrubs in southern Dallas is set to transform into housing in 2026, fueling aspirations for a new grocery store in southeast Oak Cliff. More than $23 million in city infrastructure funding is helping pave the way for over 500 new homes and retail space. In other news, at South Dallas' Oakland Cemetery, life after death has a new meaning amid a field of resilient post oak trees, wildflowers and long-stem prairie grasses. Five years after a group of volunteers stepped in to save the cemetery from permanent closure, work has been underway to extend the lifespan of a site that's home to scores of the city's earliest residents and pioneers; Campisi's on Lovers Lane has temporarily closed its doors after a fire on Saturday. Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to a 911 call early Saturday morning from a passerby about a fire at 5405 West Lovers Lane; nd the Texas Tech Red Raiders will arrive in Fort Lauderdale for their game against Oregon in style. the American Hat Company partnered with Texas Tech Athletics Saturday to gift each Red Raider participating in the Capital One Orange Bowl with a custom-fitted black felt cowboy hat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Five years ago, the body of 28-year-old Christopher Whiteley was found near a wooded creek bed in Hood County, about 55 miles outside of Fort Worth.Deputies theorized a cougar had killed him. Texas wildlife experts said that was impossible. So what really happened?From its earliest moments, an investigation by The Dallas Morning News found the examination into Whiteley's death was riddled with false assumptions and errors that forensics and wildlife experts say left too many unanswered questions.Now, the fourth season of The Unforgotten podcast from Free Range Productions in association with The Dallas Morning News examines Whiteley's story in a six-part series entitled “Kill Site.” The series is hosted by Free Range's Wes Ferguson, a former Texas Monthly editor based near Austin. The podcast draws from a 2021 investigation by former News staff reporter Charles Scudder, who is a contributor on the show.We're dropping a new episode each week here in your Dallas Morning News podcast feed.This is episode 3: “The showdown” — The dispute over Christopher Whiteley‘s cause of death turns hostile as medical examiners pivot to a different theory.This series contains mature subject matter and strong language, listener discretion is advised.Read The News' 2021 report on Whiteley's case, complete with maps, timelines and visuals: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/investigations/2021/09/23/authorities-say-a-hood-county-man-was-killed-by-a-cougar-texas-wildlife-experts-say-its-impossible/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Officials say the drones can reach volatile calls faster than patrol cars, stream live video and reduce risks for officers and civilians by showing what officers are walking into — or whether they need to go at all. Dallas' police chief has said the city may take part in a “drone first responder” program, as it looks for ways to cut emergency response times. That promise of speed using drones is what worries civil liberties and privacy advocates, who say the technology could normalize routine aerial surveillance. In other news, as President Donald Trump's administration has pushed forward with his mass deportation campaign, one of the consequences has been policy changes that affect individuals who have pending applications for victim-based immigration benefits; DFW Airport told The News last week that it expects nearly 5 million passengers to pass through between Dec. 18 and Jan. 6, officials said. That's more than a 3% increase in traffic compared to last year, the airport said. Love Field expects more than 500,000 travelers between Dec. 18 and New Year's Eve, a slight decrease from last year when the airport saw more than 560,000 travelers; and the Powerball jackpot has soared to $1.7 billion with the next drawing set for this evening. If someone wins Wednesday, it would be the fourth-largest prize in the game's history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An 18-year-old member of the South Oak Cliff football team was arrested early Sunday after accidentally shooting a teammate. In other news, more than 3 million package thefts with a value in excess of $159 million were reported in North Texas just this year. Dallas-Fort Worth ranked sixth among the 10 worst major metro areas for package theft; a man died during a house fire in Dallas' Singing Hills neighborhood Sunday. Firefighters responded around noon to reports of a fire at the one-story house in the 1200 block of Whispering Trail; and Anthony Davis had a dominant double-double of 35 points and 17 rebounds, but the Mavs lost 119-113 on Monday night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By virtue of the Eagles' win in Washington on Saturday night, the Cowboys found themselves playing the role of lame ducks in their home finale Sunday. The Cowboys went scoreless in the second half in a 34-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers at AT&T Stadium. In other news, Texas A&M won its first NCAA volleyball championship, sweeping Kentucky 3-0 on Sunday. The Aggies accomplished the rare feat of defeating three No. 1 seeds en route to their national title. They defeated Nebraska and Pittsburgh earlier in the tournament and they did not drop a set in the Final Four; a 72-year-old woman was critically injured Sunday morning after her husband allegedly shot her in their Rockwall home; Pilot Point police are investigating the deaths of two bicyclists who were fatally struck by a vehicle Saturday morning. and are you feeling lucky? The Powerball jackpot now stands at an estimated $1.6 billion, making it one of the largest lottery prizes in U.S. history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Dallas Morning News food team shares the best things they ate in 2025, many of which you can find in Dallas-Fort Worth. The team also shares one of its ultimate restaurant industry pet peeves, a restaurant that is lowering its prices, closures, and more, set against the backdrop of a holiday tea. Please note Eat Drink D-FW is taking a break for the holidays. It will return on Jan. 9, 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife, Angela, have agreed to unseal their divorce case after media organizations pressed to make the records public as Paxton campaigns for the Senate. In other news, East Dallas sports bar High Fives will close in early January after serving cocktails for more than a decade near a fast-changing Henderson Avenue. High Fives' Dallas-based parent company is focused on growing the Burger Schmurger restaurant brand; American Airlines is in the midst of a consequential transformation and executives at Skyview, the Fort Worth carrier's headquarters, are aware of the need for urgency; and WFAA meteorologist Mariel Ruiz, who revealed a breast cancer diagnosis in July, has been recovering from surgery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new version of the common flu is spreading globally, and health officials are monitoring this evolving strain of influenza A which has been increasingly detected worldwide. In other news, It's official: McKinney National Airport has its first airline. Avelo Airlines, the Houston-based budget carrier, signed a five-year use and lease agreement, the airport said Tuesday evening; Dallas Mavericks owner and casino magnate Miriam Adelson urged President Donald Trump to run for a third term in 2028; nd Romeo Santos and Prince Royce will perform together for the first time in Dallas next spring as part of their “Mejor Tarde Que Nunca” tour. In Dallas, they will perform on Saturday, May 9, at American Airlines Center. Tickets go on sale this Friday, Dec. 19. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Joe Hoyt discuss [00:15] the Cowboys' plight after a miserable game against the Vikings virtually eliminated them from the playoffs. Is their primary need at OT? Safety? Linebacker? Good thing they've got extra picks, Joe says. And they may need more.[20:33] Evan breaks down the Rangers' additions and wonders what else Ray Davis might pay for. [34:05] Evan and Kevin also analyze the CFP hopes for Texas A&M and Oklahoma this week and what gives Texas Tech an advantage in the long run. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nearly a decade ago, a pension crisis in the police and fire retirement system put Dallas in a precarious financial position, making the city a national cautionary tale. The city's worst years in the past decade were 2016 and 2017, when Dallas had a $528 million deficit amid an exodus of police officers stemming from the pension crisis. Thirty-two year old Matthan Lough of Crandall was arrested last week after Mesquite police obtained a warrant on child grooming charges after investigators received a report in October about possible child grooming at the Christian Center of Mesquite. Lough worked as a teacher and coach at Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy, a charter school, in Mesquite; an office tower in Dallas' Arts District has traded to a new owner. An affiliate of TRT Holdings, a Dallas-based investment firm that owns the luxury Omni Hotels & Resorts chain, purchased St. Paul Place from Pacific Elm Properties. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host Talmage Boston interviews journalist and biographer Jonathan Eig about his biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. titled King: A Life. This episode, from the archives, was recorded in Dallas in October 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey will not run for Tarrant County judge in 2026. Veasey will instead serve out the remainder of his congressional term, which ends in January 2027. Veasey said the decision to withdraw from the race was tough. In other news, Dallas Area Rapid Transit announced it will be operating on a modified service schedule and offering free rides for the upcoming Christmas and New Year's holidays. DART, in partnership with Coors Light, will give away 10,500 free rides on New Year's Eve. Riders will just need to use the code COORSNYE25 on GoPass in order to receive the deal; a 13,000-square-foot mansion on Hunters Glen Road, ranked recently as the most expensive home in Texas, has been sold for $30.5 million; nd Sabar Barbecue, a trailer in Fort Worth that served smoked meat with Pakistani technique, will close after business Saturday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arnold Patrick's departure comes as the department remains under a state investigation prompted by reporting from The News in October that uncovered how Patrick paid his state advocacy association colleague $45,100 in a contract to vet vendors despite the consultant acknowledging in an email he did not complete the work. In other news, organizers of Arlington Pride announced Friday they will cancel next year's event after the City Council rejected a plan to ban discrimination against gay and transgender residents; the Lewisville Police Department said Sunday that one of its officers was arrested last week in connection with a child sex assault; and Sevy's Grill will close next June due to a failed lease negotiation with his landlord. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Five years ago, the body of 28-year-old Christopher Whiteley was found near a wooded creek bed in Hood County, about 55 miles outside of Fort Worth. Deputies theorized a cougar had killed him. Texas wildlife experts said that was impossible. So what really happened? From its earliest moments, an investigation by The Dallas Morning News found the examination into Whiteley's death was riddled with false assumptions and errors that forensics and wildlife experts say left too many unanswered questions.Now, the fourth season of The Unforgotten podcast from Free Range Productions in association with The Dallas Morning News examines Whiteley's story in a six-part series entitled “Kill Site.” The series is hosted by Free Range's Wes Ferguson, a former Texas Monthly editor based near Austin. The podcast draws from a 2021 investigation by former News staff reporter Charles Scudder, who is a contributor on the show. We're dropping a new episode each Monday here in your Dallas Morning News podcast feed. This is episode 2: “The ghost” — A Texas sheriff blames a mountain lion for the death of Christopher Whiteley, but the search for a killer cat exposes disagreements — and a deeper mystery.This series contains mature subject matter and strong language, listener discretion is advised. Read The News' 2021 report on Whiteley's case, complete with maps, timelines and visuals: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/investigations/2021/09/23/authorities-say-a-hood-county-man-was-killed-by-a-cougar-texas-wildlife-experts-say-its-impossible/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Texas Education Agency will remove Lake Worth ISD's elected school board and superintendent, and appoint a board of managers to govern the district, Education Commissioner Mike Morath said on Thursday. In other news, a month has passed since Charles Hosch, a Southern Methodist University law professor and Dallas attorney, went missing. Family and friends continue the search in a remote hiking area in Georgia; the third phase of ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup opened Thursday, and the prices immediately sparked outrage among local fans. One Fort Worth resident who's attended the past three world cups in Brazil, Russia, and Qatar said, “what FIFA is doing is inconceivable,” and was stunned by the soaring costs in this latest sales window; and the Original Roy Hutchins Barbeque will open a second restaurant in the area near the home fields for the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers and the Interstate 30 frontage road. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dallas real estate CEO Robert “Bob” Lovell was ordered this week to pay $5.7 million in damages and fees after a judge determined he repeatedly forced a former employee to perform sex acts and then retaliated against her when she refused. In other news, some Texans are finding out from their doctor's offices that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas insurance plan would no longer be considered in-network; the Texas Rangers are not interested in trading Corey Seager. The Red Sox, Yankees, and Braves have all expressed interest though; and for years, officials at the highest level of Dallas city government knew crime was a problem at Roseland, a public housing complex in Old East Dallas. In twenty eighteen, the city entered into a special agreement with Dallas Housing Authority to keep crime in check. That arrangement was different from what was at the time a new, aggressive plan to protect the public at high-crime private properties. Police reports show that since the agreement was signed, at least seven people have been killed at Roseland, including a nine-year-old girl. Twenty others were wounded by gunfire. A Dallas Morning News investigation shows that over the following seven years, the agreement was never fully followed, and the violent crime at Roseland persisted. The News found numerous ways in which D-H-A and the city fell short in addressing crime and protecting residents, including failures to follow their own agreement. See the full investigation dallasnews.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Calvin Watkins discuss [00:12] the Cowboys' loss to the Lions and what it means for their playoff hopes, even after the Eagles' loss to the Chargers. They also argue over whether the Cowboys should pay George Pickens after his body language last week considering his track record in Pittsburgh. [22:12] Evan calls in from the MLB winter meetings to analyze the Rangers' outfield situation, particularly in center, where he makes the case that Wyatt Langford should start. [41:08] And Evan and Kevin dive into the CFP, Notre Dame's gripe and the chances for Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Arlington City Council voted 5-4 Tuesday night to suspend protections for its LGBTQ residents that are enshrined in the city's anti-discrimination ordinance. The speakers in support of reinstatement emphasized that Arlington residents are stronger together and the city will only be a community if everyone is accepted. In other news, as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton gears up for his race to unseat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn next year, his move leaves a large field of candidates vying for the position of the state's top attorney. Four Republicans and three Democrats will face off in the March 3 primary to whittle down the field to one nominee for the November contest; Lt. Gov Dan Patrick wants to lower the age requirement for senior property tax exemptions from 65 to 55, a tax plan that could shave hundreds off of tax bills for more than a million homeowners; and for years, officials at the highest level of Dallas city government knew crime was a problem at Roseland, a public housing complex in Old East Dallas. In twenty eighteen, the city entered into a special agreement with Dallas Housing Authority to keep crime in check. That arrangement was different from what was at the time a new, aggressive plan to protect the public at high-crime private properties. Police reports show that since the agreement was signed, at least seven people have been killed at Roseland, including a nine-year-old girl. Twenty others were wounded by gunfire. A Dallas Morning News investigation shows that over the following seven years, the agreement was never fully followed, and the violent crime at Roseland persisted. The News found numerous ways in which D-H-A and the city fell short in addressing crime and protecting residents, including failures to follow their own agreement. See the full investigation at dallasnews.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NFL sportscaster for FOX Sports and former Dallas Cowboys fullback joins the show to talk about his sports journey, from growing up playing soccer and football in western New York to earning a spot at Syracuse University and ultimately being drafted by the Cowboys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred is ending his Senate campaign and will instead run for Congress in Dallas County's revamped District 33. Allred's decision comes as U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas filed to join the Democratic Senate contest that also includes state Rep. James Talarico of Austin. Dallas minister Frederick Haynes III, leader of Friendship-West Baptist Church, on Monday filed his candidacy for Dallas' 30th Congressional District. Haynes' candidacy comes as the district's current representative, Jasmine Crockett, filed paperwork to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by John Cornyn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Five years ago, the body of 28-year-old Christopher Whiteley was found near a wooded creek bed in Hood County, about 55 miles outside of Fort Worth. Deputies theorized a cougar had killed him. Texas wildlife experts said that was impossible. So what really happened? From its earliest moments, an investigation by The Dallas Morning News found the examination into Whiteley's death was riddled with false assumptions and errors that forensics and wildlife experts say left too many unanswered questions.Now, the fourth season of The Unforgotten podcast from Free Range Productions in association with The Dallas Morning News revisits Whiteley's story in a six-part series entitled “Kill Site.” The series is hosted by Free Range's Wes Ferguson, a former Texas Monthly editor based near Austin. The podcast draws from a 2021 investigation by former News staff reporter Charles Scudder, who is a contributor on the show. We're dropping a new episode each Monday here in your Dallas Morning News podcast feed. This is episode 1: “Just do it” — Christopher Whiteley makes a desperate phone call then vanishes into the woods, igniting one of Texas' strangest and most controversial true-crime cases.This series contains mature subject matter and strong language, listener discretion is advised. Read The News' 2021 report on Whiteley's case, complete with maps, timelines and visuals: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/investigations/2021/09/23/authorities-say-a-hood-county-man-was-killed-by-a-cougar-texas-wildlife-experts-say-its-impossible/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thomas Hicks, who parlayed early mastery of leveraged buyouts to create one of the world's first modern professional sports empires, died Saturday in Dallas surrounded by family. He was 79. In other news, Donald Trump is angry that Rep. Henry Cuellar is running again as a Democrat rather than switch parties after the president pardoned the Texas congressman and his wife in a federal bribery and conspiracy case;  the Dallas-based O'Donnell Foundation is committing $60 million to Southern Methodist University to help the school advance its vision of becoming a national leader in energy studies amid the industry's boom in North Texas. The donation is the second-largest gift in the university's history after a $100 million commitment from the Moody Foundation in 2019 created the Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies; and five years ago, the body of 28-year-old Christopher Whiteley was found near a wooded creek bed in Hood County, about 55 miles outside of Fort Worth.  Now, the fourth season of ‘The Unforgotten' podcast from Free Range Productions in association with The Dallas Morning News revisits Whiteley's story in a six-part series entitled “Kill Site.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the Winter Meetings approaching, John and Evan prepare to break down the Rangers' needs heading to Orlando. There are a lot. But wait, what's this about John and turnips? Yeah, he's a big turnip guy, it turns out. Evan takes a moment to wistfully look back at the contributions of the quartet of Marcus Semien, Adolis García, Jonah Heim and Josh Sborz to the World Championship team. Then Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins joins the guys to talk about his time with the Rangers and owning Reggie Jackson. Fergie is also going to be a coach at the Rangers' upcoming Fantasy Camp and he tells stories of previous camps. Finally, John and Evan reminisce about the good old days, when they'd break into annual screaming matches at the winter meetings. Where has tradition gone in baseball? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two North Texas women are representing the region on a new T.V. show, "Next Level Baker," from Gordon Ramsay. There's also plenty more food news to catch up on: a new location for Kirin Court, a Wagyu omakase restaurant opening in Design District, and more Tex-Mex hitting Lower Greenville. Later in the show, The Dallas Morning News food team gets into the dishes they loved so much at Thanksgiving, they're making them again for the holidays. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jeremy Painkin, former president of the Allen Firefighters Association, was sentenced Wednesday to 13 months in federal prison for wire fraud, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Texas announced. In other news, Texas can use its newly-drawn congressional map in next year's elections, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday, reversing a lower court ruling and dealing a victory to President Donald Trump's hopes of keeping control of Congress in the midterm elections; The ramp connecting southbound Dallas North Tollway to southbound Interstate 35E in Dallas, near Oak Lawn, will be closed for routine maintenance, according to a traffic advisory from North Texas Tollway Authority. Nightly closures starting at 10 PM began Monday and will continue through Saturday. Additional closures are planned in the Celina and Prosper areas starting this evening for construction work that's part of the Dallas North Tollway Phase 4A project. All lanes of east- and westbound Frontier Parkway between north- and southbound Dallas Parkway will be closed overnight Thursday through Saturday from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. The closures are needed for deck work. An overnight closure is planned for east- and westbound Addison Airport Toll Tunnel for routine maintenance. The advisory said the AATT will be closed to traffic starting tonight from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.; And the Dallas Cowboys playoff hopes took a big hit last night after a 44-30 loss on the road at Detroit. According to the Athletic, the Cowboys now have less than a 10% chance of making the playoffs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amid budgetary constraints and federal directives to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Dallas officials have developed a plan to help them decide when to take the lead in addressing resident needs and when not to. In other news, DFW International Airport contributes more than $78 billion to the North Texas economy. That's  according to a new impact study released Wednesday from the Perryman Group; the Academy of Country Music Awards are leaving Frisco for Las Vegas next year. For three consecutive years, country luminaries and rising acts have descended upon the Ford Center at The Star; and the largest online retailer in the U.S. has brought its drone delivery service to North Texas. Amazon has gone live in Richardson for local customers as it makes its first big push into the region. Customers in the area can use the technology for tens of thousands of items in as little as one hour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Joe Hoyt discuss the improbable rise of the Cowboys and what they have to do to make the playoffs. Hint: Probably ought to win out. Joe says Quinnen Williams has made all the difference on defense, and Kevin says George Pickens is the biggest reason for Dak Prescott's newfound confidence in the offense. Evan and Kevin salute the departed heroes from the Rangers' World Series title, then they consider the CFP prospects for Texas Tech, Texas A&M . . . and Texas?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A group of Texas families filed a class action lawsuit Tuesday to stop all Texas school districts from displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms. The new state law requiring the classroom displays has faced multiple legal challenges, with two federal judges finding it unconstitutional and blocking 25 school districts across the state from implementing it. In other news, Austin authorities said Tuesday that an ongoing investigation into the weekend falling death of Texas A&M student Brianna Aguilera continues to suggest the 19-year-old did not die by homicide, but also cautioned they have not reached any conclusions; attorneys for a North Texas woman who was shown in a video screaming through contractions while hospital staff appeared to slow-roll her admission are requesting a meeting with the facility to discuss what happened and the possibility of financial compensation; a Dallas Morning News analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau found more North Texas adults with college degrees live in poverty today compared to a decade ago. That mirrors a trend across major metropolitan areas in the state and country. Since 2014, the number of North Texans with college degrees has increased by more than 50%; nd on a new list of the 50 best steakhouses in North America, two Dallas restaurants were recognized. The list, compiled by Robb Report, ranked Al Biernat's at 43rd and Nuri Steakhouse at 39th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former U.S. Secretary of Education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center Margaret Spellings on the state of American education. She reflects on shaping national education policy under President George W. Bush, the push for No Child Left Behind and how school choice and school voucher programs work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Texas Tech University System restricted how professors can discuss race and gender in the classroom Monday, banning content that advocates for one race or sex as “inherently superior to another,” according to a memo sent by Chancellor Brandon Creighton to the system's presidents. In other news, the Texas attorney general is investigating global retailer Shein for potentially violating Texas law. Ken Paxton is looking into Shein US Services LLC Corp. and its affiliates for possibly breaking statutes related to unethical labor practices and the sale of unsafe consumer products; eight people were arrested Friday after the Collin County Sheriff's Office busted an alleged cockfighting operation in the Farmersville area, a sting that occurred during the opening week of the illicit cockfighting season; and if you are planning to travel through DFW International Airport or Dallas Love Field without a REAL ID, you could pay a $45 fee. Starting Feb. 1, travelers who do not present acceptable identification and still want to fly will be given an option to pay the fee to use “TSA Confirm.ID”, an alternative identification system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host Talmage Boston interviews Bret Baier, author and chief political anchor at Fox News. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Arlington police had help potentially cracking the case. Fifteen students enrolled in a new class offered by the University of Texas at Arlington called Special Topics in Crime and Criminology: Forensic Assessment of Cold Case Files, who brought new eyes to an investigation that had long perplexed the original Arlington homicide detective, who died without ever identifying a suspect. In other news, the next Powerball drawing of $740 million will take place Monday night after no one claimed the hefty jackpot prize Saturday; for all the details about each lawsuit Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been involved in including how each case unfolded and the current status of each suit, check out the Dallas Morning News; Trevon Diggs  is expected to return from injured reserve for Thursday's game against the Lions, his first since Oct. 12 at Carolina. Diggs opened his 21-day practice window Sunday, and if everything goes right, he'll play.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A popular Dallas restaurant has a new executive chef; Torchy's is getting a classy makeover at its Uptown outpost; and Tom Brady dined out at a classic North Texas steakhouse. The Dallas Morning News food team jumps in on these topics, more local news and a preview of trends that are played out and those to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Grapevine-raised singer Post Malone electrified Arlington's AT&T Stadium on Thursday at the Cowboys-Chiefs halftime show. In other news, the residents of the Sage Oak boutique senior living community enjoy an intimate, hyper-personalized dining experience where each dish is guided by the preferences and specificities of the person it's made for. This personalized culinary strategy is uncommon in the senior living space, but as the demand for senior housing rises, boutique options such as this are likely to grow, especially in Texas, where the senior population is expected to increase by more than 24% in the next decade; volunteers recently helped clean up Mountain Creek Lake of “nurdles.” The lentil-sized plastic pellets — often smaller than 5 millimeters in size — are the raw material used to make plastic products like grocery bags and water bottles; and if Texas beats Texas A&M, do Longhorns deserve a spot in the College Football Playoff? Texas coach Steve Sarkisian doesn't think it's appropriate to talk about whether his Longhorns deserve a spot in the College Football Playoff until after today's game against Texas A&M. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Call it the Sherrington Swoon Episode. As Calvin Watkins joins the fellas to break down the Cowboys' big comeback over Philadelphia and the looming date with the Kansas City Chiefs, Kevin Sherrington can't stop raving about George Pickens. Does Kevin really believe Pickens is a better talent than Michael Irvin? And do the guys think the Cowboys' roll can extend into a three-game winning streak? Optimism (mostly) abounds. On to the Rangers, Kevin is in love with new outfielder Brandon Nimmo. Evan Grant, meanwhile, marvels at all the elements of a long, difficult offseason checklist the Rangers have already accomplished even before the winter meetings. And finally, it's a huge week in college football in Texas. How many Texas teams will advance to their conference championships and to the CFP? Here, Evan takes over the love fest for SMU. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. We're full of bright outlooks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some residents say they are increasingly frustrated with frequent closures of busy thoroughfares, difficulty accessing their neighborhoods during shoots and too-little communication from filmmakers. They welcome the jobs and growth but say they would like city leaders to protect neighborhoods from becoming makeshift soundstages. In other news, the Dallas Stars are taking us back to 1999 with a new jersey announced Tuesday. The team unveiled a new alternate uniform with a legacy Dallas Stars logo and the modern Victory green color scheme. The logo is inspired by the Stars' uniforms back in the late 1990s and early 2000s; and tune into Gordon Ramsay's new competition show that's dropping next month and you'll see two familiar faces. Dallas-Fort Worth bakers Maricsa Trejo of La Casita Bakeshop and Nikki Jackson of Absolutely Edible Cakes and Catering are competitors on the new series Next Level Baker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Randall Wallace, screenwriter of Braveheart, We Were Soldiers and Secretariat, is this week's guest on Intersections podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host Talmage Boston interviews Peter Baker and Susan Glasser: journalists, presidential historians and bestselling authors of The Man Who Ran Washington and the Divider. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After leaders in four member cities scheduled elections to consider leaving the Dallas Area Rapid Transit agency next May, a fifth North Texas town may join the ranks. Addison's City Council could join Irving, Plano, Highland Park and Farmers Branch if town leaders vote at a special meeting Tuesday, Dec. 2, to put its membership in DART on the ballot. In other news, Dallas police are investigating a disturbance call in downtown that turned into an officer-involved shooting early Monday; Informercial star Offer Vince Shlomi, best known as the “ShamWow guy” who hawked super absorbent towels on late-night television, is running for Congress in Texas. The 61-year old  Shlomi is vying for the Republican primary nod against 84-year old incumbent Rep. John Carter to represent a swath of Central Texas, which includes the northern suburbs of Austin, Temple and Fort Hood; and a beefy chain restaurant called Fatburger opened in Dallas' Preston Hollow Village over the weekend.  It's the first Fatburger in Dallas and the eighth in Texas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People from all walks of life lined up by the entrance to Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center on Saturday to receive homemade Thanksgiving meals. In other news, last month, AT&T filed suit against the National Advertising Division, seeking legal approval for the right to speak publicly about T-Mobile's marketing claims that the Dallas-based telecom company has blasted as “misleading;" travelers who attempt to fly without a Real ID or a passport could be subject to a new airport security screening program that carries an $18 fee. On Thursday, the TSA announced another option for travelers who have yet to get their Real ID or are flying without their passport: the modernized alternative identity-verification program; and Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott passed Tony Romo to become the franchise's all-time leader in passing yards in Sunday's game against the Eagles. The Cowboys erased a 21-point first half deficit to beat Philadelphia 24-21. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Texas Restaurant Association sounded the alarm as the state's restaurants experience their worst month in years. Dwindling disposable income, inflation, tariffs and an employment challenges are to blame, and the Dallas Morning News food team adds context to the state of the industry in D-FW heading into the holidays. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Five people have pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists in connection with a July 4 attack outside an immigration detention center that left an Alvarado officer shot. In other news, the Council on American-Islamic Relations filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton after Abbott issued a proclamation declaring the group a foreign terrorist organization; two military fighter jets buzzed over North Texas earlier this week for unknown reasons — shaking some residents — before visiting Dallas Love Field and taking off again; and do you earn enough to live comfortably in the Metroplex? Not if you're making less than six figures, according to a report published Tuesday — even if you don't have children to support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices