Five stories that have North Texas talking: PETA pursues possible monkey business with Dez Bryant; Dallas get its Wings; KXT hits 500 videos; and more.
On Monday, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called for the city of DeSoto to investigate Dez Bryant’s possession of his pet monkey, Dallas Bryant. The Cowboys' wide receiver, who lives in DeSoto, posted a photo of the little guy on Oct. 21, which triggered the question: Is that legal? Followed by: Is that really Dez Bryant’s monkey or just a ploy for Instagram likes? And then does the monkey live in DeSoto?
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Monday that PETA sent a letter last week requesting that DeSoto Animal Control take action against the “possible illegal possession of an infant capuchin monkey.” The animal rights group said the possession of monkeys in DeSoto is prohibited, unless given a special-use permit, “which private individuals like Bryant are not eligible for.”
Here’s what Brittany Peet from PETA said:
"Monkeys belong in the wild—not in the hands of football players who acquire exotic animals just to make a splash on Instagram. This baby capuchin was torn away from his mother shortly after birth and needs special care that can now only be provided by wildlife experts who will be able to ensure that he gets the love and attention he deserves."
The city of DeSoto, according to Peet, acknowledged that if Bryant does own the monkey, then it would have to be seized, the Star-Telegram reported. It was later learned that he does, in fact, own the monkey. But, not so fast, does the monkey live in DeSoto?
The Dallas Morning News reported that police were aware of the potential illegal situation, but they didn’t know for sure if Dallas (the monkey) lived in DeSoto and weren’t going to bother with getting the search warrant. Finally, the situation was resolved before 4 p.m. the same day with Bryant’s attorney confirming the monkey does NOT live in DeSoto and thus, all illegalities were negated.
To recap: Owning a capuchin monkey that lives in DeSoto is illegal.
It’s time for off-year elections, and today’s ballot has some weighty issues. Along with seven state constitutional amendments, some North Texas school districts also have bond proposals for voters to consider, including the $1.6 billion bond packagefor Dallas ISD. Before finding your nearest polling station, know your ballot with reports and explanations from KERA’s Stella Chavez and Krystina Martinez and The Texas Tribune. [KERA News]
Dallas has a WNBA team now — The Dallas Wings. Formerly the Tulsa Shock, the team’s new name and logo was announced Monday by Team President David Swatzell. The team will play at College Park Center on University of Texas-Arlington campus but Dallas will remain in the name because it’s a larger, more well known city, Swatzell said. KERA’s Gus Contreras reported: The Wings will be the first women’s professional basketball team in North Texas since the Dallas Diamonds played from 1979-1981.” The team will tip off next summer in Arlington. [KERA News]
The new N. Texas WNBA team will be called the Dallas Wings. Will use Dallas' Pegasus as its mascot @keranews pic.twitter.com/nyQMwFh7eN
— Gustavo Contreras (@GusContreras21) November 2, 2015
The architect behind the Clinton Presidential Library in Arkansas and the Newseum in D.C. will conduct a lecture tonight. Kevin McClurkan is Management Partner of Ennead Architects in New York. He has commissioned work for UNT — the Business Leadership Building and Health Science Center. The lecture is part of a series put on by Dallas Architecture Forum, a nonprofit that caters to architects and regular people who can appreciate a nice building. Tickets are $20 per lecture for general admission and $5 for students (with ID). The lecture starts at 7 p.m. in the Horchow Auditorium at the Dallas Museum of Art.
A KXT milestone: Watch the 500th (and 501st) videos on KXT’s YouTube channel. Denton’s indie outfit, Seryn, performed two songs for the latest On The Road installment. Now based in Nashville, Seryn sang “The Fire” from their 2015 album, Shadow Shows, and new single, “In The Walls of A Mausoleum”. Being an On The Road session, the foursome performed the tracks from Denton’s historic landmark, the Old Alton Bridge, built in 1884. [KXT]
