This Week's Hot Headlines

Fort Worth food news and best furniture store top 5 most popular stories this week

Editor's note: Another week has come and gone, and there's a lot we all probably missed. But we're looking out for you, kid. Here are the most popular stories from this past week:

1. Fort Worth openings and inevitable Dallas closing rule this edition of restaurant news. Teresa Gubbins breaks down all the tasty developments on the local restaurant scene. If hitting the newest restaurants is your thing, then you need to head to Fort Worth, where most of the notable openings in January have taken place.

2. Dallas home decor favorite named best furniture store in United States. IBB Design Fine Furnishings recently stole the show at the 25th annual ARTS Awards held at the Hilton Anatole: The Frisco-based home retailer was named the best furniture store in the United States at the premier awards program dedicated to the home industry.

3. Best U.S. companies to work? They're in Texas, naturally. According to Fortune magazine’s 2014 list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For,” Texas companies are some of the best employers in the nation, including two in Dallas: The Container Store and TDIndustries, which have made the list for 15 and 17 years, respectively.

4. Dallas police contend two mysterious deaths in Reverchon Park are unrelated. A 36-year-old man was found dead in Reverchon Park on January 16, the second unexplained death near the park and the Katy Trail since December 29. In both cases, the bodies had no visible signs of trauma, but police said the cases were unrelated.

5. Black Forest Biergarten adds German accent to Henderson Avenue. With all the German heritage in Texas, it makes sense for Dallas to have a German-style biergarten. In February, we will, when Black Forest Biergarten opens off Henderson Avenue at the corner of McMillan.

IBB Design Fine Furnishings was recently named best furniture store in America.

IBB Design Fine Furnishings Facebook

IBB Design Fine Furnishings was recently named best furniture store in America.

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RIP Joe

Texas country music singer-songwriter Joe Ely dies at 78

Joe Ely/Facebook

Joe Ely was a major figure in Texas' progressive country scene.

Joe Ely, the legendary songwriter, singer, and storyteller whose career spanned more than five decades, has died from complications related to Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and pneumonia. He was 78.

According to a statement posted to his Facebook page, Ely died at his home in Taos, New Mexico, with his wife Sharon, and daughter Marie, at his side.

Born February 9, 1947, in Amarillo, Texas, Ely was raised in Lubbock and became a central figure among a generation of influential West Texas musicians. He later settled in Austin, helping shape the city’s reputation as a hub for live music.

"Joe Ely performed American roots music with the fervor of a true believer who knew music could transport souls," said Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

In the 1970s, Ely signed with MCA Records, launching a career that included decades of recording and touring around the world. His work and performances left a lasting impact on the music scene and influenced a wide range of artists, including the Clash and Bruce Springsteen, according to Rolling Stone.

"His distinctive musical style could only have emerged from Texas, with its southwestern blend of honky-tonk, rock & roll, roadhouse blues, western swing, and conjunto. He began his career in the Flatlanders, with fellow Lubbock natives Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, and he would mix their songs with his through 50 years of critically acclaimed recordings."

Read the full story at KVUE.com.

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