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🌱 Patch AM: Why Dallas County GOP is ditching machines for hand-counted ballots

And check out Crain & Wooley: Free Estate Planning Webinar on the Dallas Patch calendar

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Good morning Dallas! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Why Dallas County GOP is ditching machines for hand-counted ballots
  • What Morris’ retirement means for Dallas roads and DART’s future
  • Why are some 2029 Dallas convention bookings suddenly looking elsewhere?

Also on today's calendar: Crain & Wooley: Free Estate Planning Webinar and 9 more events.

Find out what's happening in Dallasfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Dallas? Post it to Dallas photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: The doctor told me to drink carrot juice after a hot bath. - Did it help? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Find out what's happening in Dallasfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Weather forecast:

  • Wednesday: Partly sunny and pleasant, with a high of 66 and low of 56 degrees.
  • Thursday: Breezy in the afternoon, temps: high: 67, low: 38.
  • Friday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 62 and low of 50 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Dallas County Republicans to vote on paper, hand-count ballots for 2026 Primary Election (fox4news.com) — Dallas County Republicans will run a separate March 2026 primary using paper, hand-counted ballots and about 100 fewer Election Day polling places, breaking from the usual joint primary with Democrats. Local election officials now must manage two parallel primaries, making Dallas County the largest jurisdiction in the country to hand-count ballots on Election Day.
   

2. Detour Ahead: Michael Morris, Longtime 'King of the Roads,' Announces Retirement Transition (dallasexpress.com) — A powerful behind-the-scenes transportation leader for the Dallas–Fort Worth region is stepping back, with longtime NCTCOG director Michael Morris planning a transition to director emeritus while a successor is chosen. His continued role will influence planning for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Dallas and ongoing debates over DART funding, regional highways, and major mobility projects affecting daily commutes.
   

3. Some of the Dallas convention center's 2029 event organizers are looking for alternatives (dallasnews.com) — Dallas’ $3 billion-plus convention center rebuild is already prompting some organizers with 2029 bookings to request moves to other cities, though officials call it standard during major construction. Inspire Dallas says the new downtown facility remains on track to open by 2029, with at least 68 major conventions booked from that year onward. City tourism leaders are helping clients find alternative locations while trying to keep future business in Dallas.
   

4. Two 12-year-old Plano ISD students hospitalized after being hit by truck in Dallas (wfaa.com) — Two 12-year-old Plano ISD students are still hospitalized at Children’s Medical Center Dallas after being struck by a truck while walking to a bus stop in North Dallas, leaving both with multiple fractures and spleen injuries. Dallas police say the driver stayed at the scene and the investigation continues, while the girls’ families face mounting medical bills and are fundraising during what was to be their first Texas Christmas.
   

5. Dallas man sentenced to federal prison in ATM robbery spree (wfaa.com) — A 29-year-old Dallas resident has been sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison for helping steal ATMs from convenience stores across the Dallas–Fort Worth area in 2023. Prosecutors say the crew smashed storefronts, dragged out machines with stolen vehicles, and emptied the cash before abandoning the trucks, as part of a broader federal push against violent crime.
   

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Some of the Nation’s Top High School Basketball Teams and Prospects are Headed to Fort Worth This Weekend —Gale Legend Read on Patch
  • Serenity Mental Health Centers Opens New Treatment Clinic in Las Colinas —Jillian DiMarco Read on Patch
  • The District Office will be closed this Thursday as we will be at Jubilee Park and Recreation Center for office hours. If you want to stop by for... (X: CityofDallasD2)
  • The extent of the damage in Washington state is profound but unclear after more than a week of heavy rains and record flooding, Gov. Bob Ferguson... (X: wfaa)
  • TradeJobsWorkforce posted a job opening for HouseKeeping & Cleaning jobs in Dallas. Apply here.
  • Mattel Inc. posted a job opening for American Girl Merchandise Handler in Dallas. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Dallas here.

Ok Dallas! 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: I don’t know. I can never finish drinking the hot bath!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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