Five stories that have North Texas talking: Local artist designed the plans for a Dallas police memorial; meet an Aggie helping civilians in war-torn Iraq; the best and worst Texas legislators; and more.
Plans for a permanent memorial honoring the five Dallas police officers killed on July 7 last year have been drawn. Now, they just need the OK from Dallas City Council, which will take up the matter in a meeting a week from today, the Dallas Observer reports.
The proposed limestone sculpture, designed by local artist Barvo Walker, would stand 10 to 12 feet tall and feature a bronze relief depicting Dallas police officers Lorne Ahrens, Michael Krol, Patrick Zamarripa and Michael Smith and DART officer Brent Thompson — along with the Dallas skyline.

The families of the fallen officers and the police department have approved the memorial, according to the Dallas Morning News.
The $400,000 sculpture would reside outside Jack Evans Police Headquarters in the Cedars. An anonymous group of donors plans to cover the cost of the memorial plus $40,000 for its maintenance.
[Dallas Observer, The Dallas Morning News]
- Every two years after the legislative session ends, Texas Monthly assembles a list of the best and worst state lawmakers. This year, the task was harder than usual. [Texas Monthly]
- This 1983 Texas A&M graduate who helps victims of the Islamic State is garnering the world’s attention for his dramatic rescue of a young girl in Mosul. [Los Angeles Times]
- About a dozen parents from across the country have committed just under $1 million to help a Dallas couple build a community in Denton County for young adults with autism. [The Dallas Morning News]
- Recent Flower Mound High School graduate, Ricky Rijos learned some hard lessons over the last four years, including one that may actually take a lifetime to deal with — the death of his best friend. [KERA News]
The High Five is KERA’s daily roundup of stories from Dallas-Fort Worth and across the state. Explore our archives here. And sign up for our weekly email for the North Texas news you need to know.