Five stories that have North Texas talking: A Dallas college student will be among the guests at tonight’s State of the Union; a big day for Greg Abbott, Texas’ new governor; a controversial African elephant hunt has been canceled; and more.
A Dallas college student who was brought to the U.S. illegally as a child will be among first lady Michelle Obama’s guests at tonight’s State of the Union address. Ana Zamora, a student at Northwood University, says she’s benefited under President Barack Obama’s program to defer deportations for eligible immigrants. The Associated Press reports that Zamora wrote to Obama about her experience and says her parents will also be eligible for protection under Obama's recent executive actions on immigration. USA Today has more on Zamora and other guests. The AP notes that every president since Ronald Reagan has invited guests whose stories highlight public policy. KERA will air the president’s address live tonight at 8 on KERA 90.1 FM, KERA-TV (Channel 13) and KERANews.org -- click here to watch/listen online.[Associated Press/USA Today]
- Greg Abbott will be sworn in as Texas’ newest governor today. The Texas Tribune has the details: “Gov.-elect Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov.-elect Dan Patrick will officially drop the ‘elect’ from their titles on Tuesday during an elaborate daylong inauguration celebration that has been months in the making. Abbott will become the 48th governor of Texas, taking over from outgoing Gov. Rick Perry, who — as Abbott did in the attorney general's office — held the position longer than anybody preceding him. …As the state's 42nd lieutenant governor, Patrick, who served eight years in the Texas Senate, will replace Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who lost to his successor in a heated primary battle.”
- Did you know Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke at SMU nearly 50 years ago? KERA’s Dianna Douglas reported on the speech, focusing on SMU alum Charles Cox – the story aired on the radio yesterday: “Cox was a member of the student senate that invited Dr. King to address the campus. He and his friend picked up Dr. King at the airport. They ferried him to Oak Lawn United Methodist Church to speak to the Dallas Pastors Association, and then on to SMU. Riding in the car with Dr. King was thrilling for the young student. ‘Oh my goodness -- just the excitement of meeting a Nobel prize winner,’ Cox recalled. ‘He wasn’t just a famous person who gives a great speech, but [he had] all this charisma and natural charm.’” Read – and listen -- to the story here.
- A meteorologist who was shot last month outside the Waco-area TV station where he works has returned to the air - wearing a Superman T-shirt. Patrick Crawford presented the Monday morning forecast at KCEN. KCEN's on-air and control room staff wore T-shirts Monday bearing the Superman logo on the front and the words "Crawford Strong" on the back. Crawford then opened his button-down shirt to reveal his own Superman T-shirt. Authorities are hunting for the man who shot Crawford three times on Dec. 17 as the meteorologist was starting to drive home from the station. Crawford spent several days in a hospital. [Associated Press]
- A controversial African elephant hunt auction has been canceled. Ben Carter of the Dallas Safari Club told The Associated Press that the donor of the hunt had withdrawn his donation. The Dallas Safari Club faced international criticism last year for auctioning a permit to shoot an endangered black rhino. That hunt has been postponed until the winner receives permission to import the carcass from Namibia. Revisit last year’s issue here from KERA News. [Associated Press]
