City News Roundup
Winter storm watch issued for North Texas and more Dallas news
Ice and wintry weather is forecast for the next three days.
In this roundup of Dallas news, DFW is girding itself for an imminent winter weather event, condemning a brutal death in Memphis, banning TikTok, and waving goodbye to an old-school technology.
Here's what's happening in Dallas this week:
Winter weather
The weather is going to be bad this week. A Winter Storm Watch has been issued across North Texas, beginning Monday January 30 through Wednesday February 1. They're predicting freezing rain, sleet, and ice, with roads becoming most hazardous on Tuesday January 31. TxDOT has already begun pre-treating the roads, and the National Weather Service recommends avoiding travel unless necessary.
Tyre Nichols RIP
Police departments in North Texas and across the U.S. released statements condemning the death of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old man who was beaten by five Memphis police officers following a traffic stop on January 7; Nichols died in the hospital three days later. The Memphis PD released videos of the encounter on January 27. Demonstrations were held across the country including a vigil outside Dallas City Hall. The Atlantic posted a story about the ways that public officials have managed the aftermath to reduce violence. The five officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith — have been fired and charged with second-degree murder, assault and kidnapping.
TikTok ban
DISD has banned TikTok. Dallas students, teachers, and visitors can no longer access TikTok from school district devices and networks. A DISD official issued a statement said the move is in response to cybersecurity concerns that said “experts believe the cybersecurity risk stems from the belief that TikTok’s parent company tracks data from users — including when, where and how a person uses the internet — that could be used to share sensitive information and ultimately harm our IT infrastructure."
DISD joins a number of Texas universities who've also banned TikTok, including UT Dallas, UNT, UT Arlington, and UT Austin. In 2022, Gov. Greg Abbott banned state employees from downloading or using TikTok on government-issued devices, joining a growing number of states.
Landlines going away
Old-school landline phones are on their way out. In August 2022, the FCC ended a requirement for companies to provide copper landline services. Among major cities, Dallas has the least number of landlines, found in 16 percent of homes. Their demise is anticipated to affect small business owners, people over 65, people with Parkinson's disease who can’t use a smartphone, or people who need a back-up phone.
