By BJ Austin, KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX – Fourth of July Fireworks are back "on" at Dallas Fair Park but there's a catch. They're on July 5th.
The annual Fair Park "4th" event was cancelled because of lack of funding. But, at the last minute, Dr. Pepper and Gold Metals Recycling stepped up, and will fund the celebration on the 5th.
Kenny Goldberg, with Gold Metals, says he and his brother grew up going to events at Fair Park. And they're happy to help keep the fireworks alive.
Goldberg: It's one thing that we want to do to initiate several things that we'll have going on in South Dallas to help revitalize that part of town. South Dallas and Fair Park are very dear to us.
Dallas Council members Ron Natinsky and Dwaine Caraway led the effort to revive the fireworks. Caraway says fireworks on the 5th will be a perfect end to the long holiday weekend.
Dallas Delays Controversial Love Field Concession Vote
At Dallas City Hall today, the anticipated fireworks over a no-bid, concession contract at Love Field were doused by a delay until August. Mayor Tom Leppert instructed the city staff to come back with new alternatives.
The issue has divided the council along racial lines.
The Mayor is leading the push to put the lucrative concession contracts to competitive bid. Minority council members wanted to follow the city staff's recommendation to extend the contracts without a bid to a company partially owned by State Representative Helen Giddings and Star Concessions, owned by political contributor Gilbert Aranza.
FAA OKs drone flights on entire Texas-Mexico line
The Federal Aviation Administration has approved the expansion of unmanned drone aircraft flights to patrol the entire Texas-Mexico border.
In a prepared statement, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison announced the Wednesday decision expanding the flights long sought by Texas officials.
According to the statement, U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement will be allowed to begin the flights along the entire length of the Texas-Mexico border on Sept. 1.
On May 14, the FAA approved the use of unarmed, unmanned surveillance drones over the border between Mexico and West Texas and New Mexico. Those flights began June 1. Drone flights were approved previously for the Arizona-Mexico border.