Five stories that have North Texas talking: Gov. Greg Abbott gives his first State of the State address today; Lance Armstrong owes $10 million to a Dallas company; it’s No Car Week in DFW; and more.
Gov. Greg Abbott will give his first State of the State address at 11 this morning in Austin. In an interview with The Texas Tribune before his inauguration, Abbott said, “he would focus on ‘bread-and-butter issues that will continue to keep Texas on a pathway toward being the best state in the nation.’" In December, Abbott jump started his agenda as governor-elect by proposing a $4-million increase to TxDOT’s annual budget, pushing a new pre-k funding plan, improving transportation and upping border security with $300 million and hundreds more officers, according to a report by KERA’s Bill Zeeble. Before becoming the state’s 48th governor, succeeding Rick Perry, Abbott served as the longest-running attorney general in Texas history. During that time, he filed 31 lawsuits against the Obama administration, challenging several issues such as air quality, voting and immigration, which was just halted by a federal judge on Monday. Get to know the Republican governor and Duncanville native better by reading his bio. And ICYMI, watch Abbott’s inaugurationand a preview of his address below. [KERA and Texas Tribune]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcnaQ328IFw
- Cyclist Lance Armstrong was ordered to pay $10 million to a Dallas-based promotions company for fraud. The Associated Press reported: "SCA [Promotions] paid Armstrong and Tailwind [Sports Corp.], the since-dissolved team management company, about $12 million in bonuses during Armstrong's career, when he won seven Tour de France titles. Those victories were stripped after Armstrong and his U.S. Postal Service teams were found to have used banned performance-enhancing drugs.” Armstrong’s lawyer believes the ruling is contrary Texas law and predicts the ruling will be overturned. Read more about the case. [Associated Press]
- Dallas is the official home to a new type of cancer treatment. UT Southwestern Medical Center was chosen among six other competing centers in the U.S. to develop heavy ion radiation therapy. Dr. Hak Choy talked with KERA’s Justin Martin about the opportunity, saying the center will be in the building stage for four to five years and will accept its first patients sometime in 2020. Read more about heavy radiation therapy. [KERA]
- A panel discussion of traditional architecture in the modern world will take place tonight. The Dallas Architecture Forum will present, "Traditional Architecture: How Does It Fit Into Our Modern World?" Mark Lamster of The Dallas Morning News and UTA School of Architecture, Wilson Fuqua of J. Wilson Fuqua & Associates Architects as well as Stanley O. Graves and John P. Allender of ARCHITEXAS will talk about modern architects incorporating traditionalism into contemporary design. The free, public event will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Dallas Center for Architecture.
- Could you get around DFW without a car? The Dallas chapter of the American Institute of Architects is curious. The organization dubbed Feb. 16-20 “No Car Week” to encourage Dallasites to use other modes of transportation, like the DART, a bicycle or their own two feet. There isn’t a prize to participate beyond “showing other cities how cool and creative Dallasites can be,” but the weeklong event is fueling a Twitter conversation about going carless in the city. Use the hashtag #carlessdfw to let @AIADallas know where you’re going and how you’re getting there.
