Five stories that have North Texas talking: Uber’s ridership is growing in southern Dallas; Donald Trump and his kids are heading back to Texas this week; meet a graffiti artist that’s painting walls, not building them; and more.
In May, Dallas Mavericks owner and “Shark Tank” investor, Mark Cuban said he’d consider being the running mate for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. But, that talk was mostly tongue-in-cheek, Cuban clarified in an interview on Weekend Edition with NPR’s Scott Simon. And, speaking four months later, there’s no way he'd be on the GOP ticket in this election.
Cuban explained his support for Clinton, whom he endorsed in August. “The prospects of Donald Trump being president just scare the hell out of me. And that's coming after having initially, you know, supported him and hoped that he would be 180 degrees different from what he turned out to be.”
Cuban affirmed Clinton as a trustworthy person and praised her intelligence, pragmatism and public service. He’s not prepping Clinton for the debates, but he offered some advice in his conversation with Simon: Question Trump’s biggest insecurity — his intellect. Read the full interview transcript. [NPR]
- Uber ridership is up 40 percent in southern Dallas. Five months ago, Uber and Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings announced an initiative to increase the number of drivers and trips in southern Dallas.The Dallas Morning News reports: “As part of Rawlings' GrowSouth initiative, the elected official and the private company earlier this year announced plans to sign up 2,500 drivers who live in southern Dallas. An Uber spokeswoman said the company is on par to hit that goal by March, one year after the initiative was launched.” See “heat maps” showing how ridership has grown in the past year. [The Dallas Morning News]
- Donald Trump and his two oldest children are heading back to Texas to raise money for the Republican campaign. “Texas proved in August to be a lucrative stop for the GOP presidential nominee, and the family is returning to the well,” The Texas Tribune reports. Donald Trump, Jr. is set to headline a fundraiser in Midland today and two more on Tuesday — one in Longview and one later in San Antonio. The elder Trump will headline an event in Houston on Saturday. And, Ivanka Trump will headline a Dallas luncheon fundraiser on Sept. 21. Requested donations at the events range from $1,000 per individual to $250,000 per couple. [The Texas Tribune]
- “You’d be surprised how much a little color on a wall can change the dialogue in a community.” Dallas graffiti artist Carlos Donjuan used spray paint to avoid trouble in his neighborhood as a teenager. His parents were “cool enough” to let him and his brothers, Arturo and Miguel, practice their art on boards in the backyard. Next, they offered to paint free murals on local businesses to deter other people from tagging the walls. Since then, Donjuan's artworks have been seen in Milan, San Francisco and Barcelona. Read more about Donjuan and his Oak Cliff artist collective, Sour Grapes, in the latest Artist Spotlight. [Art&Seek]
- Lady Gaga’s stylist incorporates his Longview upbringing into the New York grind. Brandon Maxwell has climbed the fashion world’s ladder swiftly since graduating from St. Edwards in 2008. He moved to New York and caught a break in 2010 working for Lady Gaga’s stylist, Nicola Formichetti. Since then, he’s assumed Formichetti’s position, designed for Michelle Obama and completed his third collection for New York Fashion Week, Texas Monthly reports. Maxwell doesn’t make it back to Longview very often, but memories of his mother’s ‘80s evening wear and exploring fashion within the boundaries of the small East Texas town never stray too far. [Texas Monthly]
