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. Dallas actress sings onstage with Broadway's Idina Menzel and nails it. When Sarah Elizabeth Smith took the microphone following a performance of Broadway's If/Then last weekend, it's hard to tell who was more surprised: Smith, whose family had just won a charity auction to get her onstage, or the show's star, Idina Menzel, when Smith brought down the house.
2. Last call for cinnamon rolls: Mecca Restaurant is closing. If you want your oversized cinnamon roll, you'd best get it this weekend: The Mecca Restaurant will close its current location in Lakewood on Sunday, April 27, at 5 pm. However, the owners are searching for a new and better home. "There won't be a new Mecca until we find a new location," manager Alicia Ramon said.
3. Best new restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth square off in Tastemaker challenge. CultureMap is proud to introduce the Tastemaker Awards, an annual celebration of the talent in Dallas' food and drink community, as selected by their peers. But readers can cast their votes to determine the winner in one important category: Best New Restaurant. All of the winners will be unveiled at the big event May 6.
4. Dallas police reveal disturbing new details about shooting death of car chase suspect. Michael Mayo, a 30-year-old white male, was shot and killed by police when he allegedly pointed a weapon at officers outside Southwest Center Mall. Mayo led police on a 30-minute chase through Dallas. During his getaway, police say that Mayo nearly struck an officer with the car.
5. Dallas breaks ground on $8 million housing project for chronically homeless. Funded by a public-private partnership between the City of Dallas and charity groups, the Cottages at Hickory Crossing will provide homes and supportive services for 50 Dallas residents with a history of mental illness and incarceration. The project is located on a wooded, 2.7-acre site just south of downtown Dallas.
Sarah Elizabeth Smith (left) might have a future on Broadway after an impromptu performance with Idina Menzel.
