Happy Thursday! If it breaks your heart but opens your eyes, it’s a win.

☀️ Today's weather: High near 105. At least we're consistent day after day.

🎵 Sounds like: "Choosin' Texas"

✍️ Situational awareness: We're still taking suggestions from readers on how they keep their electric bill as low as possible during the summer.

• Share your tips here by 5pm.

Today's newsletter is 818 setting words — a 3-minute read.

A Collin County judge will no longer preside over the case of a 19-year-old man convicted of murder in the killing of a 17-year-old athlete during a track meet in Frisco last year.

Why it matters: The case has drawn national attention for over a year, with court watchers focused on questions over whether Karmelo Anthony was justified in fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf during an argument between the two.

• Now, Anthony's defense team is seeking a new trial and hoping to overturn his murder conviction and 35-year prison sentence.

Friction point: Anthony's attorneys had argued that he acted in self-defense. Metcalf's family says the escalation was unnecessary.

• Anthony has a new defense team that is questioning his previous defense team's strategy.

The latest: A judge from San Antonio ruled yesterday that Collin County Judge John Roach Jr. should be recused from the next leg of Anthony's case.

• The judge said that while he personally believes Roach would be fair while presiding over the motion for a new trial, a "reasonable member of the public" may not feel the same way, per the Dallas Morning News.

Between the lines: The defense's argument for a recusal referenced a June interview that Roach did with WFAA, defending his decisions.

• "I know I made people mad, but I'm not here to make them happy either," said Roach, who has served as a district judge since 2007.
• The judge's office did not respond to Axios' request for comment yesterday.

Zoom out: Metcalf's father, Jeff Metcalf, has created a foundation focusing on conflict resolution.

• "Austin could have done something different, so could have the other person. We don't need split second decisions changing lives forever. You don't want to visit your son in a cemetery or a jail cell," Jeff Metcalf told WFAA last month.

What's next: A new judge will be appointed to oversee future proceedings in the case. A hearing is scheduled for 9am today to consider Anthony's defense team's request for a new trial.

Our final 8pm sunset of the year will likely occur in the next week or so.

The big picture: We lose a little more daylight every day as the Earth's Northern Hemisphere tilts away from the Sun through Dec. 21, which will be the shortest day of the year.

Zoom in: North Texas' last 8pm sunset typically happens Aug. 21-31, federal data shows.

• We're on the later end of the spectrum. Most of the largest U.S. metro areas are already in 8pm twilight.
• Parts of southeastern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and all of Hawaii never see an 8pm sunset, even at the height of summer.

Go deeper: Why shorter days could change your mood

🚨 A 5-year-old girl died in Garland after a family member left her in a hot car after school pickup. (WFAA)

🚒 A Middle Eastern restaurant, bookstore and four other businesses were destroyed in a four-alarm fire in Arlington earlier this week. (FOX4)

🏀 The Dallas Wings and Paige Bueckers face off against Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark at American Airlines Center today. (DMN)

🥅 The NHL could expand to Austin or Houston. The league is exploring if either of the cities is suitable for a professional ice hockey team. (Texas Standard)

🤨 Sniff out fraud. Learn how to identify fraudsters and keep your wealth intact at a scam prevention workshop hosted by the Senior Source, Fifth Third Bank and a representative of the Federal Trade commission.

• 10am-noon Thursday at the Comerica Business HQ resource center in Dallas. Free, but register in advance.

🍽️ Ball on a budget. DFW Restaurant Week is still going strong, benefiting local charities through Sept. 7. Options range from lunch for $29 and $99 signature experiences.

• Make a reservation before going.

💰 Offer your two cents. Dallas and Fort Worth are hosting district-specific town halls to give residents an opportunity to learn about their city's proposed budget and offer their opinion on it.

• Dallas' events end Aug. 25 and Fort Worth's end Sept. 3.

🐕 Treat your pup. Dog Day 2026 is celebrating National Dog Day a few days early, with a birthday cake eating contest, caricatures, dog ball pit and pet adoptions.

• 11:30am-4:30pm Sunday at Backyard Dallas. Tickets cost $8.

This newsletter was edited by Bob Gee.

Our picks:

🤠 Naheed is listening to the kangaroo story that inspired "Choosin' Texas."

Love two-stepping 'round the room with us five days a week? Become an Axios Dallas member for as little as $25 a year.