Five stories that have North Texas talking: New names for new transit lines, the Soul Repair Center opens at TCU, rape gives reason for 鈥榯he talk鈥� in Highland Park and more.
Update, 4:50 p.m.: DART鈥檚 Revenue Committee took the first step today that could lead to hiring a Cleveland-based company to market sponsorships and naming rights to Dallas' public transit routes. In which case there鈥檇 be modifiers added to those colors we鈥檝e just memorized: the Orange Crush line to Irving, etc.
The Dallas Morning News鈥� Robert Wilonsky In it, DART鈥檚 Morgan Lyons reminds that Cowboys Stadium hasn鈥檛 even sold its naming rights yet, so it could be a while before bus routes and rail lines get branded.
Lyons says there will be two more votes, one in December and the final vote in January.
-- Lyndsay Knecht
TCU Helps Repair Souls; Robots Do Surgery
The is now open at TCU鈥檚 Brite Divinity School. It鈥檚 not purgatory on Earth, or an Eternal Sunshine-esque memory cleanse, or even a meditation symposium headquarters. It鈥檚 a new program focusing on veterans and members of the military who are recovering from what the founders call : 鈥減erpetrating, failing to prevent, bearing witness to, or learning about acts that transgress deeply held moral beliefs and expectations.鈥�
In advance of the center鈥檚 opening yesterday, on 鈥楾hink鈥� last week about why returning veterans would be in need of such a service.
More hope unearthed from the horrors of combat: Robotic surgery, which originates in ideas for military telesurgery. Check out the And if you missed the first one about proton beams as cancer zappers yesterday, .
-- Lyndsay Knecht
Highland Park Rape Arrest Gets Parents Talking -- To Their Kids
After a teenage girl reported she was raped by a Highland Park High School senior, parents in the area are apparently more eager to talk to their kids about sex. about how the incident is affecting the girl -- classmates are insisting the incident was 鈥渄ate rape,鈥� not 鈥渞ape鈥� -- and the talk is making it to breakfast tables accordingly:
A Highland Park mother of a teenage boy said that [the] arrest was a wake-up call. She had been reluctant to talk about sex because it was 鈥渁wkward and embarrassing.鈥� She wants her children to be abstinent and worried that the conversation might trigger more thoughts about sex.
Victims who鈥檝e long been quiet about their own experience have been mobilized to express support as well. One HP mom dropped a note off on the teenage girl鈥檚 doorstep, disclosing that she鈥檇 been raped and kept it secret for years.
-- Lyndsay Knecht
Twinkie鈥檚 鈥楬ostess鈥� Considers Liquidation
Irving-Based Hostess Brands Inc. , including Twinkies and Wonder Bread. The company is currently in bankruptcy and dealing with striking workers.
Hostess announced yesterday it was . Officials say the move was in reaction to profit loss from their striking workforce, and was designed to save money as the company deals with an uncertain economy.
The closures and layoffs might not be enough, according to Hostess CEO Gregory Rayburn:
-- Justin Martin
Animals Rescued From Denton County En Masse
A veritable menagerie was taken from a single owner near Sanger this weekend: 173 animals, including donkeys, guinea pigs, birds and an emu, were stolen away by authorities from deplorable conditions. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram on the mass exodus, which now finds the animals safe and potentially up for adoption if the Humane Society gets custody this week.
-- Lyndsay Knecht