🌱 Private Pickleball Courts For Rent + ISD Superintendent On TEA Suit

Hey, neighbors. I'm back with your new copy of the Dallas Patch newsletter. Let's get this Thursday started off right with a quick guide to everything you need to know about what's going on around town.

But first, today's weather:

Sunny and hot. High: 98 Low: 72.

Here are the top three stories in Dallas today:

1. After a woman was found dead inside a downtown Dallas apartment on Monday afternoon, Dallas police have reclassified the incident as a homicide. When police were dispatched to the scene and found the 46-year-old victim dead at the scene, they ruled her death as "unexplained." Following the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Officer's autopsy the next day, it was determined her death was a homicide and the police reclassified it as such. The exact cause of death remains publicly unknown at this time as police continue to investigate. (CBS Dallas)
2. Swimply, an online provider that allows homeowners to rent out their private pools by the hour, has expanded their services in the Dallas area to include tennis and pickleball courts. Courts will be listed for rent on the site, beginning at $25 an hour. There are currently nine pickleball courts for rent in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and one tennis court, spanning from Allen to Aubrey to Mansfield to McKinney, with more courts to open in the future. (CultureMap Dallas)
3. Following the Dallas ISD's joining of a lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency (TEA) earlier this month over a controversial update to the state’s system for school ratings, Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde doubled down on the decision this week. In a post on X to reignite the issue, Elizalde likened the TEA's ratings change to an "injustice," deriding the lack of notice surrounding the system update saying it would harm students, families, team members, and the broader Dallas community. No further updates about the lawsuit have been made, following the Dallas ISD’s trustees' unanimous vote to join the suit. (Dallas Observer)

Are you a real estate agent in Dallas struggling to get leads in the current housing market? It's tough out there, but there is a way to stand out from the crowd and attract new clients. Our exclusive sponsorship in the Dallas newsletter can help you do just that. Click here to learn more and discover how you can take your business to the next level today.

Today in Dallas:

Thursday, September 28

• Computer Help At Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch Library (10:00 AM)
• How To Improve Your Credit Score At Renner Frankford Branch Library (10:30 AM)

From our partner:

Do you know an outstanding community leader in Dallas? Nominate them here for a chance to be featured on Patch!

From my notebook:

• The Dallas Farmers Market's annual Pumpkin Patch is back, with a full offering of local Texas pumpkins to jump-start your fall. The Patch is open seven days a week until Oct. 31. (Dallas Farmers Market via Instagram)
• Looking to adopt a pet? The Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center will be hosting an "Empty the Shelters" event from Oct. 1-15, when all pets will be free to adopt. See what pets are available online ahead of attending. (Dallas Animal Services and Adoption Center via Facebook)
• The Dallas Zoo is hosting an upcoming "Toss the Tusk" event on Oct. 20 for the Dallas community to help play a role in elephant conservation. At the event, you will be able to surrender any wildlife products you may own, raising awareness about the devastating effects of the wildlife trafficking trade. (Dallas Zoo via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Zoom meeting regarding HVAC cleaning in Dallas (September 29)
• Add your event

You're officially in the loop for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— 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.