Gun News

Anti-gun-violence groups peacefully protest NRA's possible Richardson relo

Gallery rifle, NRA.

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A grassroots group is hoping to discourage the city of Richardson of becoming the next headquarters of the NRA.

The group is Moms Demand Action, a grassroots movement fighting to protect people from gun violence, and they're coming out in response to the news that the National Rifle Association is considering relocating its national headquarters from the state of Virginia to Richardson.

The group plans to express its opposition to the idea at a meeting of the Richardson City Council on July 10.

According to the Dallas Business Journal, the NRA has explored office space previously owned by State Farm Insurance. Real estate veteran Steve Triolet told the DBJ that the NRA has already toured the State Farm facility.

"They’ve got it down to a shorter list where they have physically inspected properties," Triolet said. "That doesn't mean that they will ultimately land in Richardson or Dallas-Fort Worth. They could go somewhere else in Texas."

Moms Demand Action works with communities and business leaders to encourage a culture of responsible gun ownership. They have a volunteer chapter in every state and are part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with nearly 10 million supporters.

They'll attend the Richardson City Council meeting at 6 pm to "peacefully oppose the NRA relocating its headquarters to Richardson."

In addition, a petition has been launched by a group Richardson residents, religious leaders, and businesspeople expressing their opposition to the possible relocation.

"We, concerned citizens of North Texas, oppose the proposed State Farm sublease of space at their headquarters in the CityLine development in Richardson, Texas, to the National Rifle Association (NRA). We also oppose the NRA moving into other cities in North Texas," the petition says.

"We are citizens, employees, business owners, parents, teachers, members of faith organizations, and more. We are consumers, the service industry, medical professionals, first responders, and mechanics. We are neighbors."

They describe the NRA as a "dishonest organization that not only promotes increased gun sales and use, but also lobbies against common sense gun laws," and that "historically, invites division and unrest to the communities in which its headquarters are located."

In 2021, the NRA was sued by the New York Attorney General's office for fraud and abuse. The lawsuit accused the NRA of misusing charitable funds to the tune of millions of dollars. tried to wriggle out of a lawsuit but was rebuffed by a bankruptcy judge in Dallas. The NRA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and said it plans to register as a nonprofit in Texas.

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Free Food

Food Bank to host summer food giveaway at UNT Dallas campus

Photo by Michael Martin

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Two Dallas organizations are partnering on a big summer food giveaway: The North Texas Food Bank is joining forces with the University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) with a mobile food distribution event at the UNT Dallas campus on Friday, July 18.

UNT Dallas and the NTFB already host a drive-through mobile pantry each month, but this one is specifically focused on children who are out of school for the summer.

Each participating family will receive about 60 pounds of food, including fresh produce, to help fill the gap left when school-provided meals are unavailable.

So far this year, the monthly mobile pantry events at UNT Dallas have provided approximately 140,000 pounds of food to more than 1,500 families and 7,000 people. Long lines usually form on University Hills Blvd. well before the gates open.

UNT Dallas has partnered with NTFB since 2020, hosting monthly mobile food distributions on campus. Each event is supported by student, faculty, and staff volunteers, providing relief to campus and community members. The university also operates the Trailblazers Care Pantry, an on-campus resource that provides groceries, hygiene products, and a Career Closet for students preparing for interviews or internships.

A recent Feeding America study found that Texas has the highest number of food-insecure people of any state, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area ranks third in the nation. Within NTFB’s 12-county service area, nearly 744,000 people, including more than 250,000 children, don’t always know where their next meal will come from. Over 60 percent of that population lives in Dallas County.

The July 18 food distribution is first-come, first-served, and no ID or pre-registration is required. Participants must arrive in a vehicle, as this is a drive-through-only event. It'll run from 8-11 am, or while supplies last, at the UNT Dallas campus in southern Dallas, at 7300 University Hills Blvd.

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