Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How Arlington’s police drones are reshaping 911 response across North Texas
Spotted on the Arlington calendar: Aries Spears
Good morning Arlington! We're back again in your inbox, keeping you updated with what's happening in and around town. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- How Arlington’s police drones are reshaping 911 response across North Texas
- How an eight-year DNA trail led Arlington police to an arrest
Also on today's calendar: Caregiver.
Find out what's happening in Arlingtonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Today's riddle: What two things can you never eat for breakfast? . 🤔 (Answer below!)
Find out what's happening in Arlingtonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Monday: Mostly cloudy; windy, cooler, with a high of 50 and low of 33 degrees.
- Tuesday: Partly sunny, temps: high: 56, low: 41.
- Wednesday: Warmer with plenty of sun, with a high of 66 and low of 44 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
• Dallas could be next for drone-first 911 response. Here's how Arlington does it (texarkanagazette.com) — Arlington police are already flying drones from headquarters to reach 911 calls faster, sometimes resolving incidents before officers arrive on scene. The program, studied with a UT Arlington criminology professor, has cut response times and cleared many calls without dispatching patrol cars, while raising privacy and oversight questions as Dallas considers a similar system. Local policies limit surveillance use and require public reporting to build trust. 
• Arlington Police Arrest Suspect in 2017 Murder Following DNA Match (irvingweekly.com) — Arlington police say a DNA match has led to the arrest of a 29-year-old man now charged with capital murder and aggravated robbery in the 2017 killing of 20-year-old Justin Dotson on Valleywood Drive. Investigators report that blood evidence collected at the scene matched the suspect’s DNA this fall, allowing them to obtain a warrant while he was already jailed in Tarrant County.
📸 Around Arlington
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Arlington
★ Featured events ★
- Aries Spears
Arlington Improv Comedy Club, 309 Curtis Mathes Way #147, Arlington
7:00 pm
Wednesday December 31
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Caregiver
, Arlington
9:00 am
Monday December 29
📣 Arlington Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Happy Noon-Years | Kid - Friendly New Year's Eve Event
United Performing Arts Company , 2018 Roosevelt Dr , Pantego
10:00 am - Boys JVA Soccer vs Coppell
L.D. Bell High School , 1601 Brown Trail , Hurst - Boys Varsity Soccer vs Duncanville
Mustang-Panther Stadium , 3051 Ira E. Woods Ave , Grapevine - Boys JVB Soccer vs Irving MacArthur
Heritage Middle School , 5300 Heritage Ave , Colleyville - Girls JV/Varsity Wrestling Lamar Invite
Arlington ISD Athletics Center , 1001 E Division St , Arlington - Boys Varsity Soccer vs Plano
Mustang-Panther Stadium , 3051 Ira E. Woods Ave , Grapevine - Boys JVA Soccer vs Irving MacArthur
Heritage Middle School , 5300 Heritage Ave , Colleyville - Boys Varsity Wrestling Melissa Classic
Melissa High School , 3030 Milrany Ln , Melissa - Boys JVB Soccer vs Little Elm
L.D. Bell High School , 1601 Brown Trail , Hurst - Boys Varsity Soccer vs LD Bell
Pennington Field , 1501 Central Dr , Bedford
Wednesday December 31
Thursday January 1
Friday January 2
Saturday January 3
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Arlington PatchAM possible:
- Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!
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💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- To the three people that came to help me outside of dollar tree (hobby lobby shopping center Arlington), I thank you so much for helping me.
I had fallen badly in the street when I saw no cars coming. But at a blind spot near Mardels, a car came around the corner, I stepped back on a speed… (Nextdoor Wimbledon) - This handsome pup at Silo and Mansfield Webb where the Valero is located.
A friend and I were able to get him out of danger and took him to the Arlington Shelter. He is a good boy and I know that his family is worried about… (Nextdoor Ridgecrest)
- Costco Wholesale Corporation posted a job opening for Bakery Wrapper / Clean Up in Arlington. Apply here.
- Albertsons Company posted a job opening for Meat Cutter in Arlington. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Arlington here.
🗞 Nearby News
Mansfield
- Mean Green Win 12th Game, Snap Bowl Skid - University of North Texas Athletics (meangreensports.com)
- Kimberly Bedford - November 11, 1963 - December 22, 2025 (fortworthreport.org)
Bedford
Ok Arlington! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Lunch and dinner. (From Norine S.)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!
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