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Denton City Council Votes No On Fracking Ban, But Voters Have The Final Say

Doualy Xaykaothao
/
KERA News
The Denton City Council listened to seven hours of public testimonies from more than 100 people.

Five stories that have North Texas talking: the verdict -- for now -- on Denton’s proposed fracking ban, meet the young mayor of Archer City, a 220-ton cyclotron will deliver proton therapy to North Texas cancer patients, and more.

Denton City Council members have given a proposed ban on hydraulic fracturing a thumb's down. The council voted the proposal down 5-2 after listening to seven hours of public testimony from more than 100 people on both sides of the issue, KERA’s Doualy Xaykaothao reports.

The final vote was handed down just before 3 a.m., according to CBS 11. But the marathon didn't end there: Because of the way the petition drive was written, the ordinance will now go to voters in November.

  • Meet “Mr. Archer City.” 18-year-old Kelvin Cletus Green ran unopposed in the mayoral election and was sworn in back in May as Archer City’s youngest mayor. He’s well known around town, which is 30 minutes south of Wichita Falls. Green was active in sports before taking his new job; in fact, he was boarding a bus for a game in Mineral Wells the day he was sworn in, Texas Monthly reports. Council members have been generally supportive of the young mayor, but one person had doubts; a 16-year-old Boy Scout who sat in on a council meeting to earn his communications merit badge.

  • Thanks to some entrepreneurial families, North Texas boasts some amazing Tex-Mex food. The Latino Cultural Center will be hosting an exhibition on the influence of Tex-Mex cuisine on southwestern culture. The exhibition includes original items from restaurants, vintage menus, and photographs. No word on if there will be food, but if the exhibit whets your appetite, we suggest getting some grub after.

  • Dallas Zoo’s iconic giraffe sculpture needs a friend. The city is looking for artists to help make a piece to compliment the giraffe, which will be located near the Zoo’s entrance. Through August 8, the Office of Cultural Affairs is accepting applications from artists and sculptors. 
Former KERA staffer Krystina Martinez was an assistant producer. She produced local content for Morning Edition and KERANews.org. She also produced The Friday Conversation, a weekly series of conversations with North Texas newsmakers. Krystina was also the backup newscaster for the Texas Standard.