Five stories that have North Texas talking: Young Texans are competing in the national spelling bee; check in with New Hope鈥檚 openly transgender mayor; the Cliburn runs on volunteers; and more.
The word 鈥渕aintenance鈥� is the for Texans to spell, according to Google. That鈥檚 likely not the case for the competing this week in the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Texas is known to be a in the annual bee. Last year, from Austin was co-winner with . Being just 11 at the time, Janga was the youngest speller to make the top 10, reports. And don't forget the , who was the youngest speller overall in 2016.
It was the third straight year the bee had . Hoping to discontinue the trend, Scripps officials have a bit, creating an effective tie-breaker.
Texans ages 9 to 14 are spelling their hearts out this morning and afternoon in the preliminary rounds. Then, finals are tomorrow. You can watch the bee on E-S-P-N. [四虎影院]
- It鈥檚 been five months since the mayor of New Hope as transgender in an open letter. After Jess Herbst shared the personal news with her constituents in the Collin County town of 700, the story traveled far 鈥� and fast. But, as reports, 鈥淭here was no outcry, no wringing of hands鈥� from the New Hope community, but rather 鈥渟upport for a person they鈥檇 known for years and who had served them almost as long.鈥� Herbst took her first steps as Jess years ago, and now she鈥檚 the first openly transgender mayor in Texas. [D Magazine]
- There鈥檚 a new farmers market in town that serves a Dallas neighborhood where fresh food is hard to find. in southern Dallas turned its football field into an organic farm in 2010. The produce is regularly donated or sold to restaurants and grocery stores. Now, Paul Quinn and its new partner have established on campus. The partnership is funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant. The market is open 3 to 7 p.m. every Thursday through fall. Find it east of the main entrance at 3837 Simpson Stuart Road. [The Dallas Morning News]
- This Dallas cellist was classical through and through until she was schooled on jazz. Now, has co-written more than 100 songs for , the jazz-funk fusion band she co-founded with Nigel Newton. Sargent picked up the electric bass in college after her friends gave her immediate, immersion course in Coltrane, Coleman and Clarke. 鈥淭ell a classical musician to improvise and he鈥檒l most likely just look at you,鈥� she says about the transition from Bach to funk. Now, she鈥檚 learned how to wing it. . [Art&Seek]
- Not a single Cliburn has been held without the help of one Fort Worth volunteer. Every four years, scores of helping hands pitch in to make run smoothly. has been a volunteer since the beginning of the Cliburn in 1962, when she was 12. This year, more than 1,000 volunteers are handing out programs, managing VIPs and hosting pianists from around the world for the 15th competition. The Cliburn runs through June 10 鈥� . [Fort Worth Star-Telegram]
The High Five is 四虎影院鈥檚 daily roundup of stories from Dallas-Fort Worth and across the state. . And sign up for for the North Texas news you need to know.
