News for North Texas
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Fort Worth Stockyards Named One Of America’s Most Endangered Historic Places

T Photography
/
Shutterstock.com
The Fort Worth Stockyards is considered one of the country's most endangered historic places.

Five stories that have North Texas talking: the Fort Worth Stockyards is considered an endangered historic place; DISD’s Mike Miles resigns; Dwaine Caraway wants to be Dallas County commissioner; and more.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has put the Fort Worth Stockyards on its annual list of America's 11 most endangered historic places. The list seeks to bring attention to U.S. sites of architectural, cultural and natural heritage that the National Trust deems at risk due to neglect, development or an uncertain future. A multi-million dollar development is planned for the Fort Worth site. Also on the list: the Grand Canyon, Miami's Little Havana and a former gay nightclub in West Hollywood. The list, made public late Tuesday night, seeks to bring attention to U.S. sites of architectural, cultural and natural heritage that the National Trust deems at risk due to neglect, development or an uncertain future. The list has been published annually for 28 years. [Associated Press] 

Here's what the National Trust says about the Stockyards on its website:

Fort Worth Stockyards National Register historic district is emblematic of the establishment of the livestock industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and was central to the cultural and economic development of several western states. As the first industry in Forth Worth, the stockyards, and later the adjacent packing plants, transformed Fort Worth from a small frontier community into a major economic center. Today, the area attracts more than three million visitors annually, and its historic architecture, streetscapes and cultural identity are economic drivers for heritage tourism and local businesses. The stockyards are threatened by plans to implement a nearly one billion square-foot, $175 million redevelopment project in the Historic District.

  • Mike Miles, Dallas ISD’s superintendent since 2012, is resigning. He announced the news Tuesday morning. Today at 1 p.m., Miles talks with KERA’s Krys Boyd on Think – that’s on KERA 90.1 or you can listen online. “It’s been a privilege to serve this community and the staff and students of Dallas ISD,” Miles said at a news conference. “I will always be grateful for the opportunity that has been given to me.” Miles will serve through Thursday’s board meeting. Ann Smisko, the district’s deputy superintendent, will then take over as interim superintendent. Some Dallas school trustees have long been concerned about Miles' performance and management style, saying he's not a good communicator. Some trustees weren't satisfied with Miles' school reforms, including evaluations for teachers and principals that he called the most rigorous in the country. Several management-related scandals rocked the district -- and critics say the mismanagement was a result of Miles' lack of leadership. Learn more here from KERA News.

  • Former Dallas council member Dwaine Caraway is challenging John Wiley Price for his Dallas County commissioner’s seat in 2016. KERA’s Krystina Martinez reports: “Price is the longest serving county commissioner, but he faces a federal indictment over charges of bribery, conspiracy, and tax fraud. He plans to run for re-election. Caraway just finished his fourth term as a Dallas City council member yesterday. He and five other members reached their term limit of eight years. Caraway says now is not the time to sit on the sidelines. ‘I’m going to make another step because I still believe that the dots in our region have not been completely connected. My campaign will run on connecting the dots.’”

  • Daniel Weiser, a Dallas statistician who was an expert in voter demographics, has died. The Dallas Morning News reports: “Daniel Weiser is arguably the most powerful Dallas political figure who never sought elected office. A statistician, he was a leader in ending the poll tax and bringing single-member districts to city and county and state elections. In 1973, he took his Texas redistricting argument to the U.S. Supreme Court and won. He helped clear a path to public office for minorities, women and gays. During his 55 years in politics he became a respected and sought-after authority on voter demographics. Weiser, 81, died Saturday of heart disease at Medical City Dallas Hospital.” [The Dallas Morning News]

  • The entire staff of a small newspaper in Jefferson in northeastern Texas has quit. The Longview News-Journal reports: “The staff of the Jefferson Jimplecute, the fifth-oldest newspaper in Texas, decided to leave the newspaper over disagreements regarding pay. The owner has said the paper still will be produced. The last issue the former staff worked on was Wednesday's. ‘There were a number of issues that had been going on related to being paid for the work we were doing,’ former General Manager Hugh Lewis said, not elaborating more than saying the staff spent more than a month trying to resolve those issues. … Bob Palmer, editor, publisher and owner of the Jefferson Jimplecute, said he walked in Monday to an empty office, adding the staff had quit without notice, though listing their grievances. He said the paper had been having funding issues.” [Longview News-Journal]

Photo: T Photography/Shutterstock.com

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.