🌱 DPD Offers $40K Incentive + Swipe Fee Fairness Bill + Dallas Bloom

Hello, hello! It's me, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Dallas Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in the community.

But first, today's weather:

Not as warm with a t-storm. High: 70 Low: 61.

Are you a business owner or marketer in Dallas who wants to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales? If that's you, then I invite you to see how our newsletter sponsorships combine our local audience reach with your expertise to attract new customers. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories in Dallas today:

1. The Dallas Police Department is rolling out a $40,000 payout incentive for officers with 30 years of sworn service under their belt. In an effort to retain more senior officers, any full-time officer with at least 28 years of sworn service with the department will be able to apply for the incentive. Officers with 28 years or more of service will need to work an additional two years as a sworn full-time, active duty officer to be eligible for the one-time $40,000 payment. The Public Safety Committee will look toward implementing the incentive sometime this month. (Dallas Observer)
2. Several bills have been filed that could help small businesses save over $587 million a year without creating any new costs for the government or Texas consumers. SB 1541 and HB 3395, filed by Senator Tan Parker and Representative Giovanni Capriglione, would prevent banks and card companies from charging merchants a swipe fee when they collect sales, alcohol, hotel occupancy, and other consumption taxes on behalf of the government. If passed, the bills would go into effect this September. The current legislative session ends on May 29. (NBCDFW)
3. Dallas Blooms is now open to the public and will run through Apr. 16 at the Dallas Arboretum. Dallas Blooms, the largest annual floral festival in the Southwest, features about 500,000 blooms with 100 different varieties of bulbs. Planted months ago to bloom now, the festival will also have various activities planned throughout the month. Tickets are sold by time slot. (NBCDFW)

From our sponsor:

Today’s Dallas Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Dallas Patch newsletter possible.

Today in Dallas:

• Carrie Underwood - The Denim & Rhinestones Tour, At American Airlines Center (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• In honor of National Adoption Week, SCPA of Texas is bringing adoptable pets to the Greenville, Waxahachie, and Denton PetSmart locations Mar. 6-12. For more information, check out the link. (SPCA of Texas via Instagram)
• Applications are now open for Dallas Police Department's Advanced Dallas Junior Police Academy! The next class will take place Mar. 25 at 8:00 a.m. and is open to teens in grades nine through 12. Learn more at the link! (Dallas Police Department via Facebook)
• High School Choir Director Demetrius Ethley is helping young musicians get access to free and virtual private music lessons. Learn more about the project at the link. (Dallas ISD via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Improovy Painters Plano — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow with a new 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.