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Reports Of Clown Sightings Have Led To Some Arrests, Mostly Hoax Threats Across Texas

Mark Brooks
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Flickr Creative Commons
Images and videos circulating across local social media channels have led North Texas schools to take security precautions.

Five stories that have North Texas talking: Dallas Bishop T.D. Jakes discusses violence between police and the black community on NPR; Do Texas-shaped things reflect the state’s unique pride or just make good business?; Frisco is the fastest-growing city in the U.S.; and more.

Update, Oct. 5: There have been at least seven clown-related arrests across Texas this week, mostly for hoax threats made toward schools, Texas Monthly reports. 

Reports of creepy clowns in Dallas and Fort Worth in recent days have people on edge. On Monday, security was tightened at Spruce, Carter, Madison and Skyline high schools in Dallas after clown-related threats surfaced on social media over the weekend, The Dallas Morning News reports. Dallas ISD Police Chief Craig Miller told KDFW the increased security was already in place for scheduled, routine drug-dog checks. Miller also said he thinks some of the images shared on social media originated outside of Dallas, KDFW reports. Other North Texas school districts have been investigating similar issues.

There have been a dozen arrests linked to clowns scaring people across the country, but some believe other sightings are a result of mass hysteria that’s gained momentum over the past several weeks. Regardless, authorities across the nation are taking each situation seriously, even though many have turned out to be a hoax. [The Dallas Morning News, KDFW]

  • Dallas pastor T.D. Jakes spoke on All Things Considered recently about the violence between law enforcement and the black community. Jakes, who was a prominent voice following the Dallas police shooting, is the senior pastor of the Potter's House in Dallas, the nondenominational Christian church is one of the country's largest with some 30,000 members. He spoke with Michel Martin saying recent shootings, like that of Keith Lamont Scott shooting in Charlotte, North Carolina are “more than a one-dimensional crisis in the community.” Listen to the full conversation. [All Things Considered]

 

  • Texas cities are some of the fastest-growing the country. Analysts from WalletHub, a personal finance website, compared 515 U.S. cities of varying population sizes based on 14 key metrics of rapid economic growth, using data from 2009 to 2015. In the top 10, Frisco took the No.1 spot, followed by League City, Texas (No. 2), Midland (No. 7), McKinney (No. 8) and Bryan (No. 10). Austin was the fastest-growing among large cities, Frisco among mid-size cities and League City in the small-town range. High income and job growth contributed to Texas’ overall performance. Explore the full study. [WalletHub]

 

  • Have you noticed how many Texas-shaped things there are in Texas? From the waffles at Vickery Cafe in Fort Worth to the Texas pool in Plano, Manny Fernandez, Houston bureau chief for The New York Times wonders if the uniqueness of the shape itself is the reason for Texas-shaped sinks, steaks and tattoos, or if it’s something deeper. He writes, “The shape of Texas is the Rorschach test deep in the heart of the Texas psyche: the singular, curiously drawn image that somehow encapsulates, with a few right angles and big bends, a state of 27 million people.” Or maybe, Texas-shaped things just sell well. Read the full article. [The New York Times]

 

  • A duplex has been stuck in the middle of Austin’s East Live Oak Street since Friday. The home sported a “wide load” banner, but that didn't stop it from getting lodged between tree branches when workers were moving it from one lot to another last weekend. The moving company spent hours attempting to free it, but couldn't. KXAN reports the company had the proper permits for moving the home, but now that it's stuck, they need a permit to close the road for a period of time before continuing to dislodge the duplex. [The Associated Press, KXAN]