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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Dallas. Written by Michael Mooney, Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi and Tasha Tsiaperas.

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Data: U.S. Census; Map: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Median income in Dallas-Fort Worth dropped nearly 1% between 2019 and 2022, per new U.S. Census Bureau data.

The big picture: Nationally, the median income dropped 1.6%, adjusted for inflation.

Driving the news: The Census 2022 American Community Survey, released Thursday, details population changes and household incomes.

State of play: Wage increases in the past two years haven't kept up with inflation.

By the numbers: D-FW median income was $82,823 last year, compared with $83,537 in 2019, adjusted for inflation.

The statewide median income in 2022 fell to $72,284 from $74,022 in 2019.

Yes, but: The share of Dallas-area residents making more than $100,000 increased from about 35% in 2019 to nearly 42% last year.

The intrigue: The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the geography of income, with many high-earning Americans moving from major metros to the exurbs or rural areas.

Zoom in: That was true locally, with income moving out of Dallas County and more income moving into the suburbs.

Dallas County lost about 10,000 households filing tax returns — to Collin, Denton and Tarrant counties — between 2020 and 2021, per IRS data analysis by Cullum Clark, the director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative.

Plus, the households leaving Dallas County for Collin County had higher incomes than those moving from Collin to Dallas.

Meanwhile: Denton County added 5,000 tax-filing households from the other three major North Texas counties between 2020 and 2021, more than Collin County did. That move added $765 million in total taxable income to Denton.

Median income dropped last year in Dallas-Fort Worth

Wage increases in the past two years haven't kept up with inflation.

Census

Median income in Dallas-Fort Worth dropped nearly 1% between 2019 and 2022, per new U.S. Census Bureau data.The big picture: Nationally, the median income dropped 1.6%, adjusted for inflation.

News

Billy Chemirmir, a convicted murderer serving two life sentences in a Texas prison, was killed by his cellmate on Tuesday, authorities say.

The big picture: Dallas and Collin county prosecutors initially planned to seek the death penalty for Chemirmir. Instead, Chemirmir was tried twice in Dallas and received two life sentences without the possibility of parole.

The Collin County district attorney announced last month he would not seek capital punishment for Chemirmir because "he will never be a free man again."

Context: Chemirmir was convicted in the deaths of 87-year-old Mary Brooks and 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris and was accused of killing nearly two dozen people.

Authorities said he targeted the elderly in his killings, stole their jewelry, and then sold it.

At one point, Chemirmir faced 22 capital murder charges. He was convicted in 2018 in two of those killings.

Between the lines: The slayings of elderly women in high-end independent living communities, including The Tradition-Prestonwood, went unnoticed for nearly two years until Chemirmir's arrest in March 2018. The causes of death were initially classified as natural.

The cases inspired Marilyn's Law, which requires medical examiners to alert the next of kin when a cause of death is changed on a death certificate.

Details: Chemirmir arrived at the Coffield unit near Palestine in May 2022 to start serving his life sentences.

The 50-year-old was found dead in his cell early Tuesday.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said in an email that his cellmate, who was serving a sentence for a Harris County murder, was the "assailant." The cellmate hasn't been publicly identified.

What's next: The inspector general's office is investigating the death. The cause of death hasn't been released yet.

Convicted murderer Billy Chemirmir killed while serving prison sentence

Chemirmir was accused of killing nearly two dozen people.

Billy Chemirmir during a courthouse proceeding.

Chemirmir was serving a life sentence in a Texas prison. Screenshot: WFAA

Crime

Billy Chemirmir, a convicted murderer serving two life sentences in a Texas prison, was killed by his cellmate on Tuesday, authorities say.The big picture: Dallas and Collin county prosecutors initially planned to seek the death penalty for Chemirmir. Instead, Chemirmir was tried twice in Dallas and received two life sentences without the possibility of parole.

COVID cases are on the rise, but only 3% of Texans are up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, per the latest CDC estimates.

Driving the news: The Food and Drug Administration approved updated COVID-19 vaccines this week targeting the XBB.1.5 variant, the dominant strain circulating this summer.

The variant remains the dominant strain in Texas, but cases of the EG.5 omicron descendant are increasing.

Why it matters: Just 18% of Americans say they are worried about contracting COVID, suggesting people may be less interested in getting the updated vaccines.

Only 20% of U.S. adults have gotten an updated vaccine in the past year.

State of play: This fall could bring another tripledemic, a confluence of respiratory illnesses including COVID, the seasonal flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

The viruses have similar symptoms, making it tough to discern which disease sickens us without robust testing.

Threat level: There was a dramatic increase in RSV cases last year, which may provide some immunity this year, Trish Perl, a professor of medicine at UT Southwestern, tells Axios.

But it's difficult to predict how serious RSV, new coronavirus strains or the latest influenza strain will be.

Plus, COVID tracking has dropped off significantly since the national public health emergencies ended May 11.

Of note: An RSV vaccine has been approved for babies under 1, pregnant women and people over 60.

By the numbers: New coronavirus cases in Texas have more than doubled in the past month.

More than 30,000 cases were reported in the week ending Sept. 2, up from about 11,800 reported in the week ending Aug. 5.

Yes, but: That's still below the more than 59,000 new cases reported in the week ending Sept. 5, 2022.

What they're saying: "Be respectful of the people around you, and don't go into work when you're sick," Perl says.

The bottom line: Public health experts recommend getting the flu vaccine and an updated COVID shot this month or in October before the illnesses become more prevalent later in the year.

What's next: The new vaccine could be available in pharmacies as soon as this week after Centers for Disease Control advisers voted Tuesday to recommend the updated vaccines be given to anyone over 6 months old.

They no longer recommend the bivalent vaccine that has been available for the past year.

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New COVID vaccines coming as cases rise in Texas

Another one. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

COVID-19

COVID cases are on the rise, but only 3% of Texans are up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, per the latest <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="CDC estimates" data-vars-click-url="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-states-jurisdictions" data-vars-content-id="ad3c987c-ee9f-4b5a-8a1f-2076d074a9e6" data-vars-headline="New COVID vaccines coming as cases rise in Texas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-states-jurisdictions" target="_blank">CDC estimates</a>.Driving the news: The Food and Drug Administration approved <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="updated COVID-19 vaccines" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/11/fda-approves-updated-covid-19-vaccines" data-vars-content-id="ad3c987c-ee9f-4b5a-8a1f-2076d074a9e6" data-vars-headline="New COVID vaccines coming as cases rise in Texas" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/11/fda-approves-updated-covid-19-vaccines" target="_self">updated COVID-19 vaccines</a> this week targeting the XBB.1.5 variant, the dominant strain circulating this summer.

Large swaths of Dallas County lack internet access, but a variety of public groups are working to change that.

Why it matters: Dallas has a sordid history of disinvestment that disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic residents, especially in the southern half of the county.

The big picture: Areas that lack internet access also tend to be infrastructure deserts, Bill Zielinski, the City of Dallas' chief information officer, told Axios during an event Thursday about the issue. The gap in the digital divide also leads to gaps in outcomes in health and life expectancy.

Flashback: An SMU study published last year identified 62 Dallas neighborhoods as infrastructure deserts — low-income areas without access to services including public transportation, hospitals and food that create a safe, functional and economically viable area.

What's happening: Dallas has worked to identify the communities that need the assistance, provide them with devices for digital access, and help in signing up for service, Zielinski says.

The city has also invested in free Wi-Fi at parks and recreation centers to expand access.

Yes, but: "Over time, we all need to look for solutions that don't just provide a Band-Aid on the front end of this," Zielinski says.

Details: An estimated 76,000 low-income households in the county qualify for but aren't subscribed to low-cost internet.

About a quarter of Dallas County households earning less than $50,000 don't own a computer, per a county analysis.

By the numbers: U.S. Census data from 2020 showed that 42% of Dallas households lacked fixed internet access. Dallas had the worst household connection rate among major Texas cities and was the sixth worst city in the country, per KERA.

When Dallas schools switched to virtual learning during the early stages of the pandemic, DISD learned that more than one-third of Dallas families lacked internet access.

What's next: County leaders will select a company to build a fiber network between county buildings and housing sites that could bring high-speed internet to unserved communities.

The county has $35 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds for the project.

North Texas' digital divide affects thousands of residents

About 76,000 low-income households in the county qualify for but aren't subscribed to low-cost internet.

Dallas chief information officer Bill Zielinski and Axios Dallas reporter Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi at yesterday's "Building Connections Across the Divide" event. Photo: Jacque Manaugh/Axios

Large swaths of Dallas County lack internet access, but a variety of public groups are working to change that.Why it matters: Dallas has a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="sordid" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2022/08/25/dallas-acknowledges-racist-history" data-vars-content-id="d30605a2-9dde-4dda-899e-027b41b1a34b" data-vars-headline="North Texas&#x27; digital divide affects thousands of residents" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2022/08/25/dallas-acknowledges-racist-history" target="_self">sordid</a> <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="history" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2022/06/26/community-park-dallas-right-historic-wrongs" data-vars-content-id="d30605a2-9dde-4dda-899e-027b41b1a34b" data-vars-headline="North Texas&#x27; digital divide affects thousands of residents" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2022/06/26/community-park-dallas-right-historic-wrongs" target="_self">history</a> of disinvestment that disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic residents, especially in the southern half of the county.

Texas could have nearly $5 billion directed toward expanding broadband availability statewide if voters approve a state constitutional amendment on the ballot in November.

State of play: Texas will receive more than $3.3 billion in federal money — more than any other state — to help expand broadband access, the Biden administration announced this year.

Texans will be able to vote on whether to create a Broadband Infrastructure Fund allocating $1.5 billion in state money to expand broadband availability.

Zoom out: As of 2022, almost 2.8 million Texas households and 7 million people in the state lack broadband access, according to the state comptroller. 

"Twenty-three percent of Texans are unable to attend online classes ... fill out a job application online or access online marketplaces from their kitchen table," the comptroller's report states

Reality check: Residents will need consistent and long-term broadband access after state and federal funds run out.

What they're saying: "We're really interested in seeing what you can do to increase that equity and that affordability and that connectivity, and speed is one of the important things," Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins told Axios during Thursday's program about bridging the digital divide. "This is not like building the convention center where it should take 10 years."

Texans to vote on statewide broadband funding in November

Texas could have nearly $5 billion directed toward expanding broadband availability.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the county is using bilingual advertising to inform residents about affordable broadband options. Photo: Jacque Manaugh/Axios

Texas could have nearly $5 billion directed toward expanding broadband availability statewide if voters approve a state constitutional amendment on the ballot in November.State of play: Texas will receive more than $3.3 billion in federal money — more than any other state — to help expand broadband access, the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Biden administration announced" data-vars-click-url="https://internet4all.gov/news-media/biden-harris-administration-announces-state-allocations-4245-billion-high-speed-internet" data-vars-content-id="e41871e6-0fbb-44f6-bd60-e28fcaeb946c" data-vars-headline="Texans to vote on statewide broadband funding in November" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://internet4all.gov/news-media/biden-harris-administration-announces-state-allocations-4245-billion-high-speed-internet" target="_blank">Biden administration announced</a> this year.

Tasha Tsiaperas

Featured stories

Convicted murderer Billy Chemirmir killed while serving prison sentence

Texans to vote on statewide broadband funding in November

North Texas' digital divide affects thousands of residents

Median income dropped last year in Dallas-Fort Worth

New COVID vaccines coming as cases rise in Texas