This Week's Hot Headlines

Response to governor's mask decision tops this week's 5 hottest Dallas headlines

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines.

1. Dallas doubles down on mask mandate, Fort Worth takes them off. Dallas and Tarrant County officials are taking divergent paths following the controversial decision on March 2 by Gov. Greg Abbott to reopen the state for business and rescind the requirement to wear masks, effective March 10. Abbott's announcement leaves the decisions to counties and in North Texas, it's one yes for masks (Dallas) and one no (Tarrant).

2. Dallas contractor in Nusr-Et Steakhouse lawsuit has lengthy litigious history. Nusr-Et Steakhouse, a glitzy new restaurant from famously colorful Turkish restaurateur Nusret "Salt Bae" Gökçe, has finally opened in Uptown Dallas, despite a pair of lawsuits between the restaurant and the Dallas contractor who oversaw its construction. Gökçe is no stranger to lawsuits. But in Dallas, he's met his litigious match in Jim Benge, a contractor who specializes in restaurant construction and who's been involved in at least two dozen lawsuits with such restaurants as Mellow Mushroom, Haymaker, Stocks & Bondy, and TNT/Tacos & Tequila.

3. Longtime Dallas radio DJ Russ Martin found dead at Frisco home. Longtime Dallas DJ Russ Martin was found dead at his home in Frisco on February 27; he was 60. According to a police report, Frisco police responded to a call at Martin's residence in the 6300 block of Douglas Avenue in Frisco, after a friend found him unresponsive. Martin, who was born Russell Dale Martin on October 4, 1960 and grew up in Pleasant Grove, was a Dallas radio personality for more than 30 years.

4. How the winter storm could affect Texas' bluebonnets and wildflowers in spring 2021. Now that Texas has thawed out and we're back to shorts-weather, the question on every wildflower watcher’s mind is: What'll happen with our bluebonnets? Texans needn't worry. The state flower is still going to blanket fields, parks, and roadsides this year. We'll just need to be patient, experts say, because their grand entrance could be delayed.

5. Celebrity-famous turkey leg restaurant plans pop-up for Dallas. A restaurant that's nationally famous for its turkey legs is bringing them to Dallas: Turkey Leg Hut, a mom-and-pop from Houston, will host a food truck event in Dallas where it will serve its signature turkey legs and assorted Gulf treats. Details on the exact timeframe and location are still to come.

This is how you'll look in Dallas.

Photo by Thomas Garza

This is how you'll look in Dallas.

The Joke Has Landed

New comedy club at Toyota Music Factory in Irving gets set for laughs

Photo by Anna Dolmany

This is the fifth Punch Line location.

It's almost time for Punch Line Irving to open its doors, and Dave Chappelle is at the ready. The famous comedian will christen the new comedy club with four sold-out shows on December 17 and 18, but there's plenty more funny business in store for 2026.

First announced in November, this is Punch Line's fifth location — and second in Texas, the first opened in Houston in 2024 — and it's taking up residence at the Toyota Music Factory. The 240-seat club plans to host more than 350 shows and private events annually, featuring a blend of high-wattage celebrity and homegrown talent.

Its decor nods to the brand's belief that comedy is a sport, with feature wall showcasing punching bags and boxing bells signed by "heavy hitter" performers.

The menu also echoes the theme, with such cocktails as the Bellringer (bourbon, lemonade, and Liquid Death half-and-half iced tea), Ringside Ranch Water (blanco tequila, hibiscus, lime, and soda), and the Espresso All-Star, their take on the espresso martini. Food includes Punch Line favorites like the Mic Drop Burger, Punch Line Nachos, and Homemade Punch Pop Tarts in bourbon apple or strawberry cream.

There is also a second, more flexible space outside the main showroom called The Callback Bar that's designed to host smaller performances, as well as a furnished patio.

Punch Line Irving The Callback Bar.Photo by Anna Dolmany

Photo by Anna Dolmany

This is the fifth Punch Line location.

The talent gets treated as well as the audience, with a private comics lounge in place of a traditional dressing room. Designed as a shared gathering space, it sports a custom media wall showing the live-show feed, a dressing table, a private ensuite restroom, and a hospitality station.

Punch Line makes it a point to support the local comedy scene, and its Irving location will be no exception. Twenty-five cents from each ticket at participating shows benefits Comedy Gives Back, a nonprofit organization providing financial grants and resources to stand-up comedians in need. The club also hosted its first open mic on December 9 to welcome the community, with participating comics donating nonperishable items to the North Texas Food Bank.

Don't fret if you didn't snag tickets to Dave Chappelle — big names like Leslie Jones, Tone Bell, Pete Holmes, and Christina P. all have shows scheduled in the first few months of 2026 and tickets are on sale now.

openings dave chappelle punch line irving comedy club stand-up comedy comedians toyota music factory comedy