Five stories that have North Texas talking: Bevo has cancer; an Alamo face-lift; Terminal F at D/FW International?; and more.
The University of Texas says longhorn steer mascot Bevo XIV has been diagnosed with cancer and will retire. The university said Tuesday that the longhorn steer, whose given name is Sunrise Studly, was preliminarily diagnosed last week with bovine leukemia virus. The diagnosis was confirmed by several veterinarians. Bevo XIV began his tenure as the Texas mascot at the age of 2 in 2004. He was a part of back-to-back Rose Bowl victories, including the January 2006 win that resulted in the BCS national championship. The search for Bevo XV will begin immediately. It's anticipated that Bevo XV will be on the sidelines for the 2016 football season. [Associated Press]
- A sixth terminal could be coming to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The Dallas Morning News reports: “It doesn’t have a price tag, a timetable or even an exact location. … Terminal F would have at least 30 gates, [airport CEO Sean] Donohue said, but he wasn’t sure whether it would focus on domestic or international flights or a combination of both. D/FW Airport now has 165 gates and 63.6 million annual customers. … While D/FW has unlimited growth opportunities with seven runways, it won’t have enough gates to support the 70 million customers expected by the end of the decade, Donohue said.”
- The University of Texas professor who is quitting because of the campus carry law talks about his decision. Daniel Hamermesh talked with the public radio program The Takeaway. “Hamermesh, 72, says he will pursue teaching and academic opportunities at other institutions because his fear of being the target of on-campus gun violence has been ‘enhanced with the new law, which goes into effect in August 2016 — the 50th anniversary of a mass shooting at UT Austin that left 14 dead and 31 wounded. ‘I worry about the feeling of tension this would engender because somebody might do something, and you’re always going to be on alert,’ Hamermesh says. ‘I don’t need to put up with that. Life is short, I don’t need the money that much, so I’d rather do other things.’” [The Takeaway]
- The Alamo is preparing for a face-lift of at least $48 million. Some critics say it must be transformed from a one-dimensional attraction that's struggled to find its footing amid the clamor of downtown San Antonio. The 18th-century former Spanish mission is poised to undergo one of its most significant alterations as Texas moves to buy nearby commercial buildings and hire a firm to develop a master plan over the next year that could change the area dramatically. But critics like Jesus F. de la Teja, with the Center for the Study of the Southwest at Texas State University, said the landmark is too focused on the 1836 battle in which some 190 men were killed by Mexican forces. He says the Alamo doesn't capture the dynamic rise of the area in which many cultures built an important commercial hub over time. Some critics say the Alamo could learn from neighboring attractions and offer catchier exhibits and displays. [Associated Press]
- KERA’s Think is in Austin all week, broadcasting special shows. Today at noon on KERA 90.1, Krys Boyd talks with Peter Fix, who oversaw the reconstruction of the French ship La Belle for the Bullock Texas State History Museum. At 1 p.m.: Aaron Franklin talks about why his Franklin Barbecue is such a hit. Here’s a look at what else is coming up this week on Think from Austin.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
