DALLAS COUNTY

During a deadly storm system that spawned tornadoes across parts of the U.S. South, Zakiya Sankara-Jabar’s cellphone buzzed relentlessly.

Officials in Dallas County, Texas, said six people were killed after two historic military planes collided and crashed during the Wings Over Dallas World War II Airshow.

Two historic military planes crashed mid-air during an air show in Dallas Saturday afternoon, killing six people, according to Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

A Dallas County medical examiner was killed in a suspected murder-suicide on Tuesday, officials said.

In Texas, 45.7% of the 17.7 million registered voters cast ballots in the 2022 midterm election. That’s 7.3 percentage points lower than the state’s total turnout in 2018 but higher than in every other midterm election in the last 20 years.

Jed Frost was a Kansas City All-Metro basketball player for Park Hill High and four-year player for the Missouri Tigers.

In three key local elections, the Austin mayoral race will be decided in a runoff, Republican Tim O’Hare won the Tarrant County judge race and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins won reelection.

Authorities say two Dallas hospital employees were fatally shot over the weekend by a 30-year-old man who opened fire after accusing his girlfriend who had just given birth of infidelity.

GOP candidate Lauren Davis’ campaign surfaced a Waco police report about a prank for which Jenkins apologized in 2010. He says he was only wearing camouflage at the time.

The National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a backyard poultry flock.

A Dallas County anesthesiologist dubbed a "medical terrorist" by the U.S. Attorney's Office has been indicted on 10 counts.

The Dallas County anesthesiologist dubbed a medical terrorist by the U.S. Attorney's Office has now been indicted on 10 counts.

A Jewish death row inmate who was part of a gang of prisoners who fatally shot a police officer in 2000 after they had escaped is one step closer to getting a new trial after prosecutors have agreed with defense claims that the judge who presided over his case held antisemitic views.

The declaration covers 23 counties across the state and comes after some saw more than 10 inches of rainfall Monday.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins declared a state of disaster in the region, and Gov. Greg Abbott directed the state’s emergency operations center to be ready to support communities impacted by the flooding.

Heavy rain across the drought-stricken Dallas-Fort Worth area is causing streets to flood and submerging vehicles as officials warn motorists to stay off the roads.

The National Weather Service in Forth Worth extended its warning in and around Dallas County about potentially “life threatening flash flooding.”

While there are currently 780 confirmed monkeypox cases statewide, Texas cities are bracing for an increase in infections.

A man accused of shooting three Asian American women at a hair salon has been indicted on multiple counts, including committing a hate crime.

The total number of cases in the U.S. is 306, seven of which have been confirmed in Texas.

Frederick Frazier’s runoff opponent accused him of posing as a city code compliance officer to get campaign signs taken down. Frazier said his opponent is to blame in the case.

Doctors in Mexico advised the man to not return to the U.S. after he showed symptoms of the disease, but he flew to Dallas-Fort Worth anyway, according to a report.

With the Texas case reported Tuesday, about 35 cases have now been identified across 14 states and Washington, D.C., this year, according to the CDC.

Dallas County health officials say they are investigating a monkeypox case involving a resident who traveled internationally in the past month to a country with reported cases.

The three men are accused of using excessive force during May 2020 protests following the murder of George Floyd.

A new AP analysis shows 13 percent of mail ballots were rejected. And while the problem appears solvable, it stands to reason that this would indeed hurt Democrats if replicated in other states.

In just 16 of the state’s largest counties, more than 18,000 mail-in ballots were rejected, most for failing to meet the new law’s ID requirements. A full statewide tally isn’t yet available.

The world knows the city of Selma, Alabama, as a historic beacon in the struggle for voting rights.

In some voting locations where a party’s appointed polling judge didn’t show up, election officials allowed the other party’s judge to operate both parties’ voting machines in an effort to keep the polling place running.

The federal agency’s new guidance says most healthy Americans don’t need to wear masks in public. It marks a turning point in the pandemic.

Authorities say they arrested a 60-year-old Dallas man on a capital murder charge in the 1984 killing of a 21-year-old woman after linking him to the crime through genealogical databases.

A Dallas college student was working as a part-time dog walker to earn some extra cash until a recent dog attack left her permanently disfigured, a civil lawsuit alleges.

A married Mesquite, Texas couple are on the run from police after they were charged with murdering a Seattle woman then fled while they were free on bond. Maranos and Dykes were released on a $500,000 bond in May 2021 on condition that they would remain under house arrest and wear GPS monitors. On Christmas Day, the couple cut off their ankle monitors. At that time, law enforcement officials had no luck in contacting either woman. It wasn’t until January 4 that Dallas County got the call, which means they had a 10-day head start.”

As 2021 comes to a close, here’s a look back at just some of our favorite images captured by Texas Tribune photographers all over the state — and across the nation — to tell the stories of Texans in a challenging year.

Most local officials insist they still have testing capacity at their public testing sites, but Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said demand has outpaced supply.

Dallas-area Latinos hoped their growing numbers would finally translate into political clout this year through the creation of a new congressional district anchored by their communities. Instead, their neighborhoods were splintered between numerous white-majority districts.

The artist creates an enduring legacy using found objects.

Dallas police say a woman has been arrested after punching a Southwest Airlines employee in the head during boarding for a flight out of a Dallas airport.

A Dallas County jury sentenced Ruben Alvarado, 24, of Mesquite, a day after finding him guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Chynal Lindsey, 26, in June 2019. Alvarado told jurors that he had taken the Dallas woman to White Rock Lake for sex but ordered her from his sport utility vehicle upon discovering her biological sex. Lindsey's death had marked the second killing of a transgender woman in Dallas in less than a month.

Authorities say a Dallas man previously arrested in the death of an 81-year-old woman has been charged with killing at least 11 more elderly women whose jewelry and other valuables he stole.

A state district judge says a Jewish death row inmate who was part of the so-called “Texas 7” gang should get a new capital murder trial because the judge who presided over his case held anti-Semitic views.

Officials in some counties targeted by audits accuse Republican Texas leaders of pandering to conspiracy theorists and undermining faith in elections. They also say the secretary of state’s office hasn’t provided details on what the audits entail.

With just under a month to go until the State Fair of Texas kicks off on Sept. 24, fair officials announced that masks will be required indoors and in outdoor crowded settings.

By Kate McGee, The Texas TribuneThe wife of Texas Republican gubernatorial candidate Allen West was arrested in Dallas County for allegedly driving while intoxicated Friday night, according to the Dallas Police Department and West himself. Graham-West was released from jail around 1 p.m. Saturday, according to West, who posted a video on Instagram early Saturday morning from the Dallas County jail. In the video, West angrily denied his wife had been drinking. West provided a photo of the receipt to the Tribune, which shows a lemonade, but lists no alcoholic beverages. West said his daughter and her husband picked up his grandson from the car on the side of the road.

The wife of Texas Republican gubernatorial candidate Allen West was arrested in Dallas County for allegedly driving while intoxicated Friday night, according to the Dallas...

Angela Graham-West, wife of GOP gubernatorial candidate Allen West, was arrested by Dallas Police Friday night for allegedly driving while intoxicated. Allen West said she hadn’t been drinking, that her three-month-old grandson was in the car with her, and called the arrest “insidious.”

Back-and-forth legal rulings have left some school districts with the choice of flouting Abbott and mandating masks — or waiting for the dust to settle.

HOUSTON (AP) — Some Texas cities, counties and school districts remained defiant Monday and kept in place mandates requiring students and others to wear facial coverings despite rulings a day earlier by the Texas Supreme Court halting mask mandates in two of the state's largest counties.

Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, the Dallas Independent School District announced​ Sunday night that masks will still be required while on district property.

Despite the Supreme Court's ruling, the Dallas Independent School District announced​ Sunday night that masks will still be required while on district property.

"Your child will wait for another child to die," Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said Friday.

"Your child will wait for another child to die," Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said Friday.

A federal judge on Tuesday night temporarily halted an order from Abbott that banned mask mandates.

In the face of skyrocketing hospitalizations, the heads of cities, counties and school districts have grown desperate for ways to contain the virus.

A federal judge on Tuesday night temporarily halted an order from Abbott that banned mask mandates.

Republican governor Greg Abbott of Texas and Texas attorney general Ken Paxton jointly petitioned the Fifth Court of Appeals Wednesday to strike down Dallas County's mask mandate, claiming it was an infringement on an earlier executive order prohibiting their requirement in the state by government entities or officials.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the filing of a petition Wednesday to strike down an emergency order mandating masks in schools, businesses and county buildings in Dallas County.Why it matters: Their statement threatens that "any school district, public university or local government official that decides to defy the order will be taken to court." Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for freeState of play

COVID-19 is surging again in Texas. Hospitalizations are increasing faster than at any other time. Local officials and school leaders are pushing back against Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates. Here’s the latest.

A Texas man accused of kidnapping a 4-year-old boy who was found dead on a Dallas street has been indicted on a capital murder charge.

The local officials are asking for courts to rule that Abbott’s ban on local mask mandates is unenforceable.

Herschel Walker did not cast a presidential vote in 2016 despite talking up the eventual winner, Donald Trump. And with the exception of 2020, Walker has not pulled the lever in any election since at least 2003, according to records reviewed by the Washington Examiner.

The case occurred in Dallas County

It’s challenging to know the exact number of variants out there globally or in Texas, health experts say. Texas health experts have also recommended staying away from people who aren’t following COVID-19 safety protocols. If you’re able to do so, health experts say the best thing to do is to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Texas health experts have also recommended staying away from people who aren’t following COVID-19 safety protocols. Studies have shown that the delta variant is up to 60% more transmissible than the previous leading variant, the alpha variant.

COVID-19 cases have been increasing in Texas and nationally — mostly among unvaccinated people — as the highly contagious delta variant has become dominant. Here's what that means for Texans, both vaccinated and unvaccinated.

COVID-19 cases have been surging in Texas and nationally — mostly among unvaccinated people — as the highly contagious delta variant has become dominant. While dozens of...

Inside the state’s biggest hospitals, doctors say a surge of unvaccinated COVID patients is almost too bewildering to believe.

I helped break the story on the convicted surgeon, but Peacock’s dramatized series made me reconsider how I wrote about the case.

In a story July 11, 2021, about an upcoming fight between Manny Pacquiao and Errol Spence Jr., The Associated Press erroneously reported that Spence had been convicted of driving while intoxicated after a single-car crash in October 2019.

Instead of a drug bust or theft leading to a shocking immediate consequence, defendants can stuff a citation into their pockets and plan dinner, talk host Mark Davis writes.

Their Texas swing is part of a larger effort by senior administration officials who are fanning out across the country this week to encourage vaccinations ahead of the administration’s self-imposed goal of hitting a 70% countrywide vaccination rate by July 4.

"6locc 6a6y" racked up 28 million views and got him a deal with Epic Records. The cause of death hasn't been disclosed.

A former Dallas County prosecutor has surrendered his law license after the State Bar of Texas said he withheld evidence that led to the wrongful convictions of two men who spent 14 years in prison in the fatal stabbing of a pastor.

Parts of Dallas County saw up to 5 inches of rain on Sunday.

Prosecutors say a man was sentenced to life in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to killing a 22-year-old Dallas woman as she went to celebrate her birthday with friends.

An AMBER Alert has been issued early Monday for two missing teenagers in North Texas.

(AP Photo/LM Otero, File)AUSTIN, Texas – Federal and military crews began playing catch-up with second-dose COVID-19 vaccinations in Texas interrupted by last week’s cold wave. On Friday, they move on to a vaccination mega-site at Globe Life Field in Arlington. FEMA is also administering second doses at NRG Stadium in Houston to those signed up for them. The newly reported cases and deaths pushed the total number of Texas cases reported during the pandemic to 2,613,792 and the state’s pandemic death toll to almost 41,980, according to statistics compiled by the Texas Department of State Health Services. The state estimated that 185,190 COVID-19 cases are active, with 6,738 cases needing hospitalization.

(AP Photo/LM Otero)AUSTIN, Texas – Texas will likely partner with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to open two vaccination “supersites” in Dallas and Houston, and more could be on the way, Gov. The mutated version of the virus spreads more easily, and health officials worry vaccines could be less effective against it. The governor said adding more sites is possible, but his office did not immediately release further details, including whether that meant Texas would get more vaccine doses or if those sites would pull vaccine from other areas. AdThe announcement came one month after the first new known COVID-19 variant, one first identified in the United Kingdom, was identified in Houston. Meantime, the Texas COVID-19 death toll rose to 38,700.

click to enlarge Wikimedia Commons / Gage SkidmoreThe Cruz serum transforms Republicans into amplified, over-the-top, sniveling, self-serving, double-talking assholes. Hispanics are just 19.4% of the population but 38% of the COVID-19 deaths. “We believe the threat of the Cruz serum would remind them of where their priorities should be.”The Cruz serum is similar to the Super Soldier serum that turned Steve Rogers into Captain America. But instead of amplifying strength as well as someone’s character traits, it makes Republicans into amplified, over-the-top, sniveling, self-serving, double-talking assholes.“The Dallas economy was built in the 1980s by sniveling, self-serving, double-talking assholes,” County Judge Clay Jenkins said. When that happens, they are given booster shots and forced to sit in a locked room with state GOP Chairman Allen West for an hour.

Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas TribuneNeed to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? The mythic idea of "herd immunity" from COVID-19 in the long journey back to normal may be out of reach for Texas any time soon, state health officials and medical experts say. “We do not know when, or if, Texas will reach herd immunity through vaccination,” Chief State Epidemiologist Dr. Jennifer Shuford told The Texas Tribune in an emailed statement. “Therefore, you could potentially start gradually loosening up things once the pressure on the hospitals has significantly decreased even in the absence of full herd immunity." At that point, Abbott added, the state can start “very quickly” making vaccines available to a broader swath of the population.

Howard Holland, 82, receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from Wes Vaughn at the Dallas County mass vaccination site at Fair Park Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)AUSTIN, Texas – The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Texas continues to fall from record highs as the state nears the end of what has been its deadliest month of the pandemic. State health officials Monday reported fewer than 13,000 people were being treated for the virus in Texas hospitals, marking the seventh consecutive day of declining patient loads. More than 34,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Texas, the second-most in the nation behind California. The U.S. is recording just under 3,100 deaths a day on average, down from more than 3,350 less than two weeks ago.

Dallas County commissioners agreed on Tuesday to prioritize vaccinating residents in zip codes that appear to be most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. "You'll always have a little bit [of appointments] for the rest of Dallas County," Commissioner J.J. Koch said. "We just need to do what they ask us to do," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. But Commissioner J.J. Koch criticized Jenkins at the meeting, saying he had been "disingenuous" with the state when informing it of Dallas' vaccination plan. "[Dallas County Commissioners Court] can use some of their vaccine to target specific groups or areas, but they can't do that with everything and remain a hub provider."

Long lines of people waited to receive their COVID-19 vaccine at Fair Park, where Dallas County opened its first ìmegaî vaccination site. (Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Trib)Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Greg Abbott praised the state’s vaccine rollout as officials warned the COVID-19 pandemic is at its worst here. Texas is outpacing other states in administering the vaccine, last week topping 1 million total doses administered. In the letter to Garcia, Patrick thanked Abbott for his “leadership” on the state’s vaccine distribution plan and hailed state officials for doing a “good job” on vaccine rollout — “better than most states,” Patrick said.

A divided Dallas County Commissioners Court had voted Tuesday to prioritize vaccines at its Fair Park distribution center for individuals in mostly Black and Latino neighborhoods, a reflection of increased vulnerability to the coronavirus in 11 Dallas County ZIP codes, according to the Dallas Morning News. But Texas health officials pushed back on the proposal, warning that it was “not acceptable to [the Department of State Health Services. Her letter came after Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins wrote to state officials asking whether the county’s plan was permissible. The county government is responsible for just 10% of the vaccines distributed in Dallas County. “I’m certain” that the order will be acceptable to state officials, Koch shot back.

The Dallas County health department reported 33 available intensive care beds on Sunday for the county’s 2.6 million residents. Jenkins said most Dallas County businesses are likewise adhering to Abbott’s restrictions. But many county officials, including Jenkins, said bars are openly flouting guidelines and the TABC is not enforcing the rules. In most cases, local officials said they focus on educating wrongdoers instead of punishing them. Meanwhile, the city reported 245 people hospitalized with the virus on Sunday, down from a peak of 360 in late November but still enough to concern local health officials.

Texas is preparing for a general election for which election officials are expecting unprecedented turnout — and unprecedented demand for election workers. In Hidalgo County, officials are hoping for around 800 election workers, nearly doubling the number from past general elections. Election workers are paid hourly for the days they work during the election. Counties set their own wages for their election workers, but they have to pay at least the federal minimum wage. You can use this tool to find your county’s contact and election worker information.

REUTERS/Nuri VallbonaShell evacuates employees after outbreak on rig in Gulf of MexicoNine Shell employees were evacuated from an offshore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico after five people tested positive for the new coronavirus, the Houston Chronicle reported. Shell operates nine offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, and about 160 people work on the rig that was the site of coronavirus cases, KHOU-TV reported. On Wednesday, the state reported 1,361 more cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the total number of known cases to 57,921. Reagan County reported its first case Wednesday; almost every county in Texas has reported at least one confirmed case of the virus. Harris County has reported the most cases, 11,281, followed by Dallas County, which has reported 9,188 cases.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistribu)What you need to know Tuesday:Texas GOP chair welcomes RNC convention if North Carolina faltersTexas GOP would welcome Republican National Convention if moved from North Carolina[9:10 a.m.] Texas Republican Party Chair James Dickey said Monday that the state would gladly host the Republican National Convention in August if North Carolina cant guarantee full occupancy, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Texas would welcome President Trump and the RNC Convention, Dickey told the American-Statesman. As scheduled, the convention will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, from August 24-27. Presidio County reported its first case Monday; over 85% of the states 254 counties have reported at least one case. Harris County reported one additional death, bringing its total to 220 deaths, more than any other county.

Thursdays biggest developments:Dallas County judge expresses measured optimism as case numbers show improvement. Hall County reported its first case Wednesday; over 85% of the states 254 counties have reported at least one case. Harris County has reported the most cases, 9,859, followed by Dallas County, which has reported 7,904 cases. See maps of the latest case numbers for each county and case rates per 1,000 residents. Harris County reported two additional deaths, bringing its total to 207 deaths, more than any other county.

San Antonio isn't the only big Texas metro ordering residents to hunker down. Harris is home to Houston, the Lone Star State's most-populous city.Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley issued a similar order later the same morning. "As a state, Texas has the highest level of uninsured people in the nation," U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen said in a statement demanding a statewide order. From local politics and culture to national news that hits close to home, San Antonio Current has been keeping San Antonio informed for years. If quality journalism is important to you, please consider a donation to San Antonio Current.

Halprin's attorneys alleged in his appeal that friends and people who worked with ex-Judge Vickers Cunningham from Dallas County said he "did not like anyone not of his race, religion or creed" and used racial slurs and anti-Semitic language to refer to Halprin and some of the other "Texas 7" inmates who were convicted. Cunningham oversaw the trials of Halprin and other members of the gang.