RIP KIDD

Kidd Kraddick fans turn to social media to mourn loss of radio icon

It's been less than 48 hours since the death of nationally syndicated radio host David "Kidd" Kraddick, and his fans are still reeling from the news. Kraddick was best known as the host of morning radio show Kidd Kraddick in the Morning, broadcast in Dallas on KHKS 106.1 KISS-FM.

Reaction has been swift and sweeping, underscoring the ever-dominant role that social media plays in the way news spreads, beginning with the mode in which the news of his death was first discovered. At least an hour before traditional media weighed in, Kraddick's death was first revealed by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban via Twitter.

RIP Kidd Kraddick. You were an amazing man and a friend. You are already missed.

— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) July 28, 2013

As Twitter activity began to surge, someone updated Kraddick's Wikipedia page with news of his passing, a mere 30 minutes after Cuban's initial tweet. Meanwhile, the hashtags #RIPKiddKraddick and #KiddMemories quickly emerged, bringing forth a flurry of reflective tweets from listeners across the country.

And within just a few hours of his death, an "RIP KIDD Kraddick" page was created, one that currently stands with 208,000 followers, with a thousand more joining every minute.

Thanks to its electronic billboard technology, Clear Channel Communications was able to update its billboards around Dallas-Fort Worth instantly. By Sunday morning, Clear Channel billboards posted a message that simply read, "In loving memory of Kidd Kraddick."

Meanwhile, Kiss-FM has hosted basically a 24-hour memorial, with fans calling in to express their condolences; a makeshift memorial has been built outside his studio in Las Colinas.

Co-host Raspberry took to Facebook as well, posting a note July 28 that said in part, "My heart is broken. Nineteen years ago, Kidd Kraddick swept me up from the middle of nowhere and took me on as his on-air wife. It will always be the biggest honor of my life."

She and the rest of the crew from Kidd Kraddick in the Morning hosted a tribute show on Monday, July 29, eliciting a wave of emotions across the country.

I'm listening, laughing and crying right now. Radio will never be the same, ever. You will never be forgotten Kidd Kraddick #RIPKiddKraddick

— Billy The Kidd (@billyontheradio) July 29, 2013

Clear Channel put a message on its electronic billboards that read "In loving memory of Kidd Kraddick."

RIP Kidd Kraddick Facebook

Clear Channel put a message on its electronic billboards that read "In loving memory of Kidd Kraddick."

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This Week's Hot Headlines

Dallas Steak and Ale opening gets derailed in this week's top stories

Steak and Ale

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Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Dallas news of the week, which includes a change in plans for Steak and Ale and major transportation updates. Plus, two closures, including one with rock star ties. Get the details on the most popular Dallas stories below, then check out this guide to Memorial Day weekend fun.

1. Local opening of Dallas chain Steak and Ale gets derailed. The long-in-the-works return of Steak and Ale in Dallas is being shelved for now. The casual steakhouse chain, which in its heyday had nearly 300 locations, is no longer opening a location it planned for in Grand Prairie.

2. Dallas farm-to-table champion Profound Farms closes produce operation. A Dallas farm-to-table champion is pulling the plug: Profound Microfarms, the small farm in Lucas that provided locally grown produce to chefs and the general public for nearly a decade, is shutting down its growing operation and discontinuing deliveries.

Profound Microfarms is shutting down.Photo courtesy of Profound Microfarms

3. Greyhound bus finds new location to replace downtown Dallas terminal. There's a new location for the Greyhound bus terminal, which had been in downtown Dallas for more than 85 years. Flix North America, the parent company of FlixBus and Greyhound, will be relocating service to a new intercity bus terminal in northwest Dallas in late September 2025.

4. Dallas approves $14.5 million for Buckner DART station project. The Dallas City Council unanimously approved a $14.5 million incentive for the Palladium Buckner Station Project, a proposed mixed-income and transit-oriented development project at the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Buckner Light Rail Station at 8008 Elam Rd.

5. Rock & Brews restaurant founded by KISS members closes in The Colony. A restaurant chain with rock star ties is closing. Rock & Brews, founded by KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, will close its location in The Colony after nine years.