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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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ERCOT prepping for winter electric demand

The grid operator has been closely watched since mass outages in 2021.

News

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's vice-presidential chances

A prolific fundraiser, the border governor is a Trump loyalist.

Politics

Texas kids losing Medicaid insurance in overwhelmed system

Lapsed coverage means kids miss emergency medical care.

Texas' strongest THC gummy hits the market

It's 50% stronger than the strongest legal edibles previously available.

Health

Ben Fountain's new novel is a thriller set in Haiti

Fountain has become Dallas' most celebrated author.

Culture

Dallas author Ben Fountain&#x27;s first novel since the acclaimed &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Billy Lynn&#x27;s Long Halftime Walk" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/books/review/billy-lynns-long-halftime-walk-by-ben-fountain.html" data-vars-content-id="19ec3293-06d2-4e9f-a811-4161d1044883" data-vars-headline="Ben Fountain&#x27;s new novel is a thriller set in Haiti" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/books/review/billy-lynns-long-halftime-walk-by-ben-fountain.html" target="_blank">Billy Lynn&#x27;s Long Halftime Walk</a>&quot; is about a CIA agent and a treasure hunt, set in a recently upended Haiti.Driving the news: &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Devil Makes Three" data-vars-click-url="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250776525/devilmakesthree" data-vars-content-id="19ec3293-06d2-4e9f-a811-4161d1044883" data-vars-headline="Ben Fountain&#x27;s new novel is a thriller set in Haiti" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250776525/devilmakesthree" target="_blank">Devil Makes Three</a>&quot; goes on sale this week. A <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Kirkus review" data-vars-click-url="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ben-fountain/devil-makes-three/" data-vars-content-id="19ec3293-06d2-4e9f-a811-4161d1044883" data-vars-headline="Ben Fountain&#x27;s new novel is a thriller set in Haiti" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ben-fountain/devil-makes-three/" target="_blank">Kirkus review</a> calls it a &quot;tale of humanitarian and political tragedy.&quot;

A man in a black suit with a black tie, looking literary

Why downtown McKinney has so many tiny doors

Dozens of tiny doors are on display, with more in the works.

Tiny doors are appearing all over downtown McKinney — and they&#x27;re, well, absolutely adoorable.The tiny picture: The 7-inch doors are a public art exhibit, a collaboration among downtown businesses and local artists. Each miniature door is unique. Some include tiny mailboxes and flower pots. Some look like little bitty versions of storefronts they&#x27;re attached to.

New books could reshape Larry McMurtry's legacy

Two new books look at the perception of depictions of women and people of color in Texas literature.

Two new books about Larry McMurtry could reshape the legacy of the beloved Texas author.Why it matters: &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Larry McMurtry: A Life" data-vars-click-url="https://www.amazon.com/Larry-McMurtry-Life-Tracy-Daugherty/dp/1250282330" data-vars-content-id="79b041e8-60b9-440e-8af4-ba2bc4107454" data-vars-headline="New books could reshape Larry McMurtry&#x27;s legacy" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.amazon.com/Larry-McMurtry-Life-Tracy-Daugherty/dp/1250282330" target="_blank">Larry McMurtry: A Life</a>,&quot; by literary biographer Tracy Daugherty, and &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pastures of the Empty Page" data-vars-click-url="https://www.amazon.com/Pastures-Empty-Page-Writers-McMurtry/dp/1477327878/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2187LIIE9CQFW&amp;keywords=pastures+open+page&amp;qid=1694112050&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=pastures+open+pag%2Cstripbooks%2C99&amp;sr=1-1" data-vars-content-id="79b041e8-60b9-440e-8af4-ba2bc4107454" data-vars-headline="New books could reshape Larry McMurtry&#x27;s legacy" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.amazon.com/Pastures-Empty-Page-Writers-McMurtry/dp/1477327878/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2187LIIE9CQFW&amp;keywords=pastures+open+page&amp;qid=1694112050&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=pastures+open+pag%2Cstripbooks%2C99&amp;sr=1-1" target="_blank">Pastures of the Empty Page</a>,&quot; a collection of essays edited by former Wall Street Journal writer George Getschow, provide contrasting looks at the shifting public perceptions of the way women and people of color have been depicted in Texas literature over the last 50 years.

Post Malone, Mark Cuban featured on popular local podcasts

Post Malone was on "Call Her Daddy," and Mark Cuban was on "The Really Good Podcast."

This was a big week for North Texas — two of our local celebrities appeared on two popular podcasts.Driving the news: Post Malone was featured on the new episode of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;Call Her Daddy,&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/show/7bnjJ7Va1nM07Um4Od55dW?si=bab15f4b5d314856" data-vars-content-id="edf060e8-4610-437d-bb08-dc3b4bdc619c" data-vars-headline="Post Malone, Mark Cuban featured on popular local podcasts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/7bnjJ7Va1nM07Um4Od55dW?si=bab15f4b5d314856" target="_blank">&quot;Call Her Daddy,&quot;</a> and Mark Cuban was featured on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;The Really Good Podcast.&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keN-qiRfU3c" data-vars-content-id="edf060e8-4610-437d-bb08-dc3b4bdc619c" data-vars-headline="Post Malone, Mark Cuban featured on popular local podcasts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keN-qiRfU3c" target="_blank">&quot;The Really Good Podcast.&quot;</a>

Mark Cuban talks to podcaster Bobbi Althoff

Dallas Museum of Art imagines its future with design competition

The museum is taking feedback from the public on designs.

The Dallas Museum of Art needs help deciding on its future look.Driving the news: The downtown museum launched an international design competition this year to get ideas for its future expansion.

Texas group Mama Bears supports moms of LGBTQ+ kids

A documentary airing on PBS spotlights Mama Bears.

A private Facebook group started in North Texas for the mothers of LGBTQ+ kids has grown to include tens of thousands of moms around the world — and now it&#x27;s getting national attention.Driving the news: A documentary airing this month on PBS spotlights several members of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Mama Bears" data-vars-click-url="https://www.realmamabears.org/" data-vars-content-id="1eef44af-7451-4cf3-a2a4-8184a109d4a7" data-vars-headline="Texas group Mama Bears supports moms of LGBTQ+ kids" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.realmamabears.org/" target="_blank">Mama Bears</a>, a support group started by an Evangelical Christian mother in Coppell.

Amanda Shires carries the torch of Texas music

"I love the songs, whether they're in fashion or not."

Music

Singer-songwriter Amanda Shires is carrying on the legacy of historic Texas music.Driving the news: Shires&#x27; <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new album" data-vars-click-url="https://stores.portmerch.com/amandashires/loving-you.html" data-vars-content-id="257bea7a-3b80-4832-9325-9fedeb36f24e" data-vars-headline="Amanda Shires carries the torch of Texas music" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://stores.portmerch.com/amandashires/loving-you.html" target="_blank">new album</a>, &quot;Loving You,&quot; is a collection of covers of classic songs recorded with pianist Bobbie Nelson, the late sister of Willie Nelson.

Amanda Shires holds a fiddle on stage in front of a microphone.

Screen Time with The Arts Community Alliance president Maura Sheffler

Maura Sheffler has been immersed in music since she was a young girl, from playing violin by the time she was 6 to earning master&#x27;s degrees in business administration and arts management from SMU in 2013.<ul><li>She&#x27;s now president and executive director of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The Arts Community Alliance" data-vars-click-url="https://taca-arts.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjw44mlBhAQEiwAqP3eVqlBMzcf8BtOiSkP_sIUR28lFNVg0YlSDIZ1RnUl8mVxOSlpNQopTRoCBGgQAvD_BwE" data-vars-content-id="d69ffde1-52e4-49bf-83e7-af37633016a3" data-vars-headline="Screen Time with The Arts Community Alliance president Maura Sheffler" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://taca-arts.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjw44mlBhAQEiwAqP3eVqlBMzcf8BtOiSkP_sIUR28lFNVg0YlSDIZ1RnUl8mVxOSlpNQopTRoCBGgQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">The Arts Community Alliance</a>, a nonprofit that supports arts organizations and artists in North Texas and offers professional development for local arts leaders.</li></ul>

Photo illustration of a grid of smartphone screens, the center one showing an image of Maura Sheffler.

A Dallas resident's perspective on Chicago

Can Dallas compete with the culture and history in Chicago?

The population shift south is putting the Dallas region on the path to becoming the third largest metro in the country, supplanting Chicago.<ul><li>But can Dallas really compete with the culture, history and experience of living in Chicago?</li></ul>