This Week's Hot Headlines

Affordable beach town rides a wave into this week's 5 most-read Dallas stories

Rockport is one of the most affordable beach towns in the U.S.

Photo by Cissy Beasley via Visit Rockport Fulton

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. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here.

1. Charming Texas Gulf Coast community named one of the most affordable beach towns in U.S. There's some welcome news for Dallasites in search of a beach house that won't break the bank: Rockport, Texas, a coastal community about a six-hour drive from Dallas, lands at No. 7 on Realtor.com’s new list of most affordable beach towns in the country.

2. Upscale Dallas suburb's hottest shopping center to welcome 8 new stores and eateries. The post-pandemic retail comeback continues at Southlake Town Square, with a slew of new openings happening through the end of 2022. They include both stores and restaurants. Here's a rundown of what's coming soon, where, and when.

3. Beloved gourmet neighborhood grocery to open on Dallas' Knox Street. Dallas' Knox District is getting a boutique market with a dedicated following: Berkley's Market, the neighborhood grocery concept founded by entrepreneur Zac Porter, will open a location just off the Katy Trail at 3300 Knox St. The store is set to open later in 2022.

4. Former Arlington home of the late Pantera musician Vinnie Paul is drummed into rubble. The saga of the quirky Arlington home once owned by the late Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul has taken an interesting turn. Earlier this year, the home went on the market for $750,000. Just a few days later, a buyer snapped up the home for an undisclosed amount. Now, the home has been razed.

5. Miniature golf destination in West Dallas adds one-of-a-kind amusement. A fun miniature-golf destination in West Dallas has brought a new amusement that's now available in Dallas for the first time. Another Round, the indoor mini golf and bar venue in West Dallas, has added Duffleboard, a tabletop mini golf game that uses real golf balls and a tabletop putter.

The home was at 1209 Hickory Valley Ct. in Arlington.

Vinnie Paul house, 1209 Hickory Valley Ct., Arlington

Photo courtesy of Zillow

The home was at 1209 Hickory Valley Ct. in Arlington.

Holiday News

Revered Dallas holiday tradition Trains at NorthPark seeks volunteers

Ronald McDonald

Trains at Northpark

One of the traditions of the holiday season in Dallas is seeking volunteers: The Ronald McDonald House of Dallas is seeking volunteers for The Trains at NorthPark, the beloved holiday exhibition featuring an array of model trains rolling across 1,600 feet on a miniature cross-country journey.

Now in its 38th year, this fundraising tradition will return to NorthPark Center on Saturday, November 15, 2025, and run through Sunday, January 4, 2026.

RMHD is currently recruiting volunteers to support the eight-week exhibit. Volunteers are most needed during the week, and will assist with greeting guests, monitoring the exhibit, selling tickets and merchandise, and helping families create holiday memories.

Presented by Bank of Texas for the 17th consecutive year, The Trains at NorthPark helps support RMHD’s mission of providing a home-away-from-home for families with children receiving critical medical treatment at Dallas-area hospitals.

“Volunteers are the heart of this event,” says Ronald McDonald House of Dallas CEO Jill Cumnock in a release. "Their time and energy help support our mission of keeping families close to the care their children need."

Volunteering for the event is open to individuals, school groups, corporate teams, and families looking for a way to give back during the holiday season. Volunteers must be 15 years or older and can sign up for shifts online through the Trans at NorthPark website.

“Whether you volunteer one shift or come back every week, your presence makes a difference,” said Jane Finan, volunteer services manager at RMHD. “We simply couldn’t make this event happen without our dedicated volunteers who generously give their time to support our families and spread holiday cheer.”

In addition to volunteer opportunities, The Trains at NorthPark will feature several new attractions this year, including the Art on the Rails auction and Choo-Choo Tales live story-time performances, as well as Sensory Hours made possible by Children’s Health. The exhibit will be located on Level One in NorthPark Center.

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