🌱 Vehicle Crashes Through Home + New Focus For Dallas ISD

Hello, neighbors. It's me, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Dallas Patch newsletter — here to explain everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Very warm with plenty of sun. High: 99 Low: 74.

Here are the top three stories in Dallas today:

1. On Sunday, Aug. 13, a vehicle drove through a house in the Dallas neighborhood of Oak Cliff. The vehicle's driver and passenger were killed in the accident, although two occupants in the home were unharmed. According to homeowner Ricky Hawkins, the vehicle entered through the bedroom and exited through the kitchen, narrowly missing his wife. According to police, speed may have been a factor in the incident, and it is currently unclear if other factors contributed to the crash. (Fox 4)
2. Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde is aiming to make some changes to Dallas schools this year. Over the summer, she addressed district principals and announced a reduced focus on test scores for the upcoming school year. Following a successful pilot program in 2022-2023, Elizalde is also rolling out new math and reading curriculum for the entire district. (NBC DFW)
3. On Monday, Aug. 14, the Dallas-Fort Worth area set a new record for the longest duration with temperatures of 80 degrees or higher. According to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth, the record-breaking stretch began on Jul. 30 at 8:00 a.m., and on Aug. 14, the area recorded 359 straight hours of temperatures in excess of 80 degrees. The previous record was set 25 years ago. The National Weather Service is anticipating a break in temperatures this week as a cool front moves through, bringing nighttime temperatures into the 70s. (NBC DFW)

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Today in Dallas:

Wednesday, August 16

• Baby Splash Story Time At Highland Park Wading Pool (10:00 AM)
• Write And Sip At White Rock Coffee (6:00 PM)
• Karaoke At The Wounded Ostrich (8:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The DFW Airport Department of Public Safety is now hiring, and you can learn more today, Aug. 16, at the Fort Cavazos Career Fair. This event is being held from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Lone Star Conference Center. If you can't make it to the job fair, you can click here to learn more. (DFW Airport via Facebook)
• The City of Dallas shared some helpful tips for scooter safety. Scooter riders are reminded to not operate scooters on sidewalks and to abide by the 9:00 p.m. curfew. Scooters should be parked on the curb or a street-level corral. (City of Dallas - City Hall via Facebook)
• Registration is now open for a free UAV/Drone Class for girls ages 11-17 to learn about electrical engineering. This course will run from Sep. 13 through Oct. 25 at the Teen Tech Center. Click here to learn more. (Dallas Park and Recreation Department via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Wednesday off right. I'll see you around!

— 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.