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T.D. Jakes’ MegaFest Is Underway In Dallas

T.D. Jakes
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Twitter/@BishopJakes
T.D. Jakes greeted crowds at Klyde Warren Park Thursday to help kick off MegaFest.

Five stories that have North Texas talking: MegaFest is in Dallas; Parkland Hospital moves into a new facility; watch a large sculpture get dismantled in the Dallas Arts District; and more.

About 85,000 people are expected to attend MegaFest, the mega faith and family-oriented event being held in Dallas for the second time. T.D. Jakes, the founder of the Potter’s House megachurch who created the festival, told KERA earlier this summer that there’s something for everybody at the event. “Faith has been trying to break through stained glass windows for a while,” Jakes said. “To have events like this create an opportunity for us to come and bring our families and have a lot of fun. And not just faith-based people. We want everybody to come. We don’t want to be segregated like we have some terminal disease. We welcome everybody to come and fellowship. You don’t have to think like me to eat with me, to laugh with me. … That’s where I think the fault line is between me and some ministers who think ‘they don’t’ agree with us; don’t touch them.’ Jesus touched everybody.” The Dallas Morning News reports a couple thousand people showed up at Klyde Warren Park Thursday to help kick off MegaFest. “MegaFest features self-help, financial planning and inspirational sessions for men, women and children, along with entertainment and a church service at American Airlines Center to cap the weekend,” The News says. MegaFest runs through Sunday. [Krystina Martinez/KERA]

  • A team at UT-Austin is working on a campus carry plan. The Texas Tribune reports: “University of Texas at Austin President Greg Fenves announced Thursday that he has convened a working group of students, faculty and staff to recommend new rules to comply with a state law allowing people to carry guns on public college campuses. State lawmakers passed the campus carry legislation this spring, but it doesn't go into effect until 2016. It was originally written to allow the concealed carry of handguns on virtually all areas of campus, but it was amended at the last minute to allow schools greater autonomy to choose where guns can and cannot be carried. Each policy must be approved by the school's governing board of regents, and will probably face strict scrutiny from gun rights advocates and opponents of the law.” [Texas Tribune]

  • Thursday was moving day at Parkland Hospital – and officials said it went well. BJ Austin reports for KERA News: “Doctors, nurses, patients and equipment are making the shift from the 61-year-old hospital on Harry Hines Boulevard to the $1.3 billion New Parkland across the street.” At 6:20 a.m., the first patients arrived in the emergency room: two men in their 30s were injured in a car crash. The first patient to move from the old Parkland to the new building arrived at 7:01 a.m.: a 28-year-old with gestational diabetes who’s expecting her third child soon. Read more here.

  • Here’s your cool Friday video. How do you dismantle a huge sculpture in the Dallas Arts District? KERA’s Dane Walters captured the scene earlier this week as crews took down the Proverb sculpture, which was on loan from artist Mark di Suvero. Watch the time-lapse below and learn more from Art&Seek.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqh3UaB9NdU

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.