Five stories that have North Texas talking: will red light cameras get the red light?; it鈥檚 a bumpy road for self-driving cars in Texas; technology and innovation take center stage at State of the Arts; and more.
Texas could put red light cameras in the rearview mirror under a bill that has cleared the Texas Senate. Republican Sen. Bob Hall said Wednesday that red light cameras "have failed miserably" before his bill was sent over to the House. Dozens of Texas cities have contracted companies to install red light cameras, which generate millions in revenue for municipalities. The companies photograph vehicles that run red lights, and then send the vehicle owner a $75 ticket. Texas lawmakers now want to prohibit a camera system on anything other than toll roads. Hall said studies show the devices don't improve overall traffic safety as advertised. Also, since ticketed drivers can't confront their accusers, Hall said the cameras violate citizens' due process rights. [Associated Press]
- A self-driving car bill has stalled in Texas thanks to Google and car makers. A bill to update Texas law for the age of driverless cars has stalled due to two serious roadblocks: Google and major car manufacturers. Both the technology giant and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, an industry group, have come out against a proposal from state Sen., D-Houston, to create a pilot program aimed at monitoring and encouraging autonomous vehicle testing in Texas. [Texas Tribune]
- Enjoy an evening with the hosts of public radio鈥檚 A Way With Words. Hosts Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett will appear at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Majestic Theater in Dallas. The event benefits the Aberg Center for Literacy. Barnette and Barrett appeared on 四虎影院鈥檚 Think Wednesday afternoon. A Way With Words airs at 1 p.m. Saturdays on 四虎影院 90.1 FM.
- Technology and innovation take center stage at State of the Arts. 四虎影院鈥檚 Jeff Whittington hosts the conversation at Featured panelists are Dale Carman, founder and executive creative director of Reel FX Studios; artist Alison Jardine; and Dan Kohl, vice president of innovation at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science.
- Architect Charles Renfro will appear at the Dallas Architecture Forum on Thursday. He received the 2015 Texas Medal of Arts Award in Architecture by the Texas Cultural Trust. The forum says he鈥檚 鈥渙ne of the country鈥檚 leading designers of arts institutions, including the renovation and expansion of the Julliard School, the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, the Broad Museum in Los Angeles, and the Alice Tully Hall and Hypar Pavilion at Lincoln Center in New York.鈥� A reception starts at 6:15 p.m. General admission tickets are $20 and $5 for students with ID.
