🌱Dallas County Drought Status Lowered + Lightning Strikes In Irving

Get on up, Irving! Here's everything you need to know to get this Friday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Windy with plenty of sunshine. High: 70 Low: 43.

Here are the top five stories in Irving today:

1. Drought status was lowered to ‘severe’ in Dallas County after the recent spring storms. Find out more at The Dallas Morning News (subscription required).
2. Lightning struck in Irving on Monday, and two local homes caught fire. All residents were able to evacuate and notify emergency services without injury. (Irving Weekly)
3. An Oak Cliff man beat his roommate with a stick when an argument about mosquitoes got heated, police say. Officers responded to a call in the 1500 block of Cape Cod Drive to discover the roommate with a bloodied face outside their shared room. Victor Symone Shavers, 43, was taken into custody and is facing charges of aggravated assault. (NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth)
4. There will be one less watering hole in the area by late April, at least temporarily. Ten Bells Tavern in Oak Cliff is being forced to close by developer Alamo Manhatten, which has plans for the block. Have no fear, locals: Ten Bells Tavern's owner, Meri Dahlke, has found a spot for relocation nearly adjacent to the original. (D Magazine)
5. DART unveiled a new D2 subway route through downtown Dallas last month. Big changes are in store for the Blue and Green lines. Click over to the article to see a map and get more details to plan ahead for your upcoming public transit adventures! (CultureMap Dallas)

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Today in Irving:

• Trivia Night at Heritage Park - Come for fun, facts and food. Join in one or two rounds: Test your knowledge of animation in the first round, and stick around for the second if you have an affinity for weird facts. (6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.)
• Craftastic: Flower Power Painted Pots - The West Irving Library hosts an opportunity to design and decorate a flower pot. (2 p.m. - 3 p.m.)
• Deric Merrill @ The Ranch At Las Colinas - Head on over for live music from local talent alongside ranch-to-table fare. No cover. (7 p.m. - 10 p.m.)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you soon.

— Ash DeMello