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Wendy Davis Gives Clearest Signs Yet That She’ll Run For Texas Governor

State Senator Wendy Davis
Wendy Davis campaign
/
KERA News
Wendy Davis is making it pretty clear that she plans to run for governor.

Five stories that have North Texas talking: Looks like Wendy Davis will run, creationists are helping choose Texas biology textbooks, look at Dallas from high above, and more:

While State Sen. Wendy Davis hasn’t announced that she’s running for Texas governor, she gave her clearest indication yet over the weekend. The Fort Worth Democrat spoke to a packed crowd at the 2013 Texas Tribune Festival in Austin. Davis, who is expected to announce her candidacy for governor on Thursday, began striking the tone she may need to attract some Republican and independent supporters and to rid herself of the “liberal” label often attached to Democrats, KERA’s Shelley Kofler reports. Attorney General Greg Abbott, a Houston Republican, also participated in the weekend event. State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, from San Antonio, says she may join Davis on the statewide Democratic ticket as a candidate for lieutenant governor. “This state needs better leadership, not just because of my kids but because of everybody’s grandkids and I don’t see it,” Van de Putte said.  “And that’s what’s going to compel me to throw my hat in,” she said.

Creationists on Texas biology textbook panel: As Texas selects biology textbooks for high school students, the panel responsible for reviewing submissions has stirred controversy because several members don’t accept evolution and climate change as scientific truth, The New York Times reports. “One is a nutritionist who believes ‘creation science’ based on biblical principles should be taught in the classroom,” The Times reports. “Another is a chemical engineer who is listed as a “Darwin Skeptic” on the Web site of the Creation Science Hall of Fame. A third is a trained biologist who also happens to be a fellow of the Discovery Institute, the Seattle-based center of the intelligent-design movement and a vice president at an evangelical ministry in Plano.”

The Rangers are still in it!: The Texas Rangers get to play another game tonight after beating the Angels 6-2 Sunday – their seventh win in a row, ESPN reports. The Rangers have forced a one-game tiebreaker with the Tampa Bay Rays for the second American League wild-card spot. Meanwhile, in other sports news, the Dallas Cowboys lost to the San Diego Chargers Sunday afternoon, 30-21. The Dallas Morning News offers some analysis here.

How have artists responded to Oswald’s lone gunman legacy? Pop culture is saturated with the image of the lone gunman, the sniper assassin, that’s permeated Hollywood movies (Parallax View, Targets, Winter Kills, Dead Zone) and the atmosphere of paranoia the JFK assassination helped spawn. KERA’s Jerome Weeks talks with John Weidman, the writer of Assassins (the musical that’s opening at Theatre Three), and Peter Landesman, writer-director of the new movie Parkland.

See Big Tex – and the State Fair of Texas – from above: Brian Aiken is at it again, soaring above Dallas to capture arresting scenes set to dramatic music. On Friday, the filmmaker released a video that shows the new Big Tex in place at Big Tex Circle. Aiken uses a drone to film overhead. On Thursday, the Dallas park board will screen Aiken’s other Dallas video – Dallas From Above, The Dallas Morning News reports.

Here’s his Big Tex video:

And here’s his video showing off Dallas:

Eric Aasen is KERA’s managing editor. He helps lead the station's news department, including radio and digital reporters, producers and newscasters. He also oversees keranews.org, the station’s news website, and manages the station's digital news projects. He reports and writes stories for the website and contributes pieces to KERA radio. He's discussed breaking news live on various public radio programs, including The Takeaway, Here & Now and Texas Standard, as well as radio and TV programs in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.