🌱 Man Who Stole Monkeys Charged + Dallas ISD Closed Schools Friday

Welcome back, Dallas. I'm here in your inbox today to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on around town.

But first, today's weather:

Sun and areas of high clouds. High: 56 Low: 43.

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Here are the top three stories in Dallas today:

1. Davion Irvin, 24, was arrested last night in connection with the theft of two emperor tamarin monkeys. Dallas police said, "The preliminary investigation and help from the public identified Irvin as the man Dallas Police were looking to speak with regarding the missing monkeys at the Dallas Zoo." Irvin was spotted near the animal exhibits at the Dallas Aquarium, and police were able to apprehend him when he got off a DART train. The monkeys were recovered from a residence in Lancaster after the church that owned the unoccupied residence tipped the police off. Irvin is charged with six counts of animal cruelty. (D Magazine)
2. Most schools in the area canceled classes yesterday. Dallas Independent School District originally planned to reopen schools on Friday after being closed due to the weather but chose to join other districts and close the school before dawn. The district cited the deteriorating road conditions Thursday night as what made their decision. (FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth)
3. All southbound lanes on I-35 were shut down Friday morning. The Dallas County Sheriff's Office sent a tweet out on their Twitter account saying the highway was "completely frozen over." Dallas Fire & Rescue reported they had responded to 135 wrecks since midnight on Friday. (WFAA.com)

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Today in Dallas:

• Flutter Garden – Add A DIY Candle/Glitter At Painting With A Twist (11:30 AM)
• Pretty Woman At Music Hall At Fair Park (1:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Looking to try something new this weekend? How about Vietnamese food with a Mexican twist? That's what Cris and John in Dallas are serving up at their eatery. (CW33 Dallas)
• According to a report by Love Food, Salt Lick BBQ – which has a location at the DFW Airport – is the most popular restaurant in Texas. (CW33 Dallas)
• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Dallas area at the link! (Dallas Patch)

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That's it for today! I'll see you soon.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.