This week's hot headlines

French dessert bakery rises in this week's 5 hottest Dallas headlines

Strawberry madeleine by Everything Madeleine.

Photo courtesy of Everything Madeleine

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that list here.

1. Bakery specializing in the French madeleine rises in Carrollton. Macarons can step aside, there's a new a specialty French cake in town: Called Everything Madeleine, it's a bakery dedicated to the French cookie-cake treat called the madeleine, and it's in downtown Carrollton at 1105 Vandergriff Dr. #3103, on the ground floor of LYV Broadway, a new-ish mixed-use apartment building, where it opened in early August.

2. Dallas bar must reimburse bartenders for tips given to kitchen staff. Bartenders who worked for two Dallas bars are set to recoup a small windfall of nearly $200,000 in lost tips. According to a release from the U.S. Department of Labor, 20 bartenders who worked at The Peak Inn and Adair's Saloon will get $197,902 — money that the bars' owner shared with employees in the kitchen, who do not receive tips.

3. Estate of late sports broadcaster Harry Caray sues Dallas burger joint. A burger chain is being sued for infringing on a trademark: The restaurant is Holy Cow, a New York-based chain with one location in Dallas, and is facing a lawsuit filed by the company that manages the estate of late sportscaster Harry Caray. In the suit, the estate claims they own the phrase "Holy Cow!"

4. 4 affordable North Texas cities are booming with homes under $500,000. Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs have been soaring in popularity in 2024 as more residents escape the bigger cities. Now four more North Texas neighbors – Lewisville, Waxahachie, Midlothian, and Wylie – are earning accolades on a new list of the top 50 most affordable housing markets for homes under $500,000.

5. RSVP to Dallas' 12 most glorious galas and fabulous fêtes of fall 2024. It's time to steam the gowns, tailor the tuxes, and shine the shoes - fall fundraising season has arrived in Dallas. This fall sees Cattle Baron's Ball gunning for the $100 million mark, Bravo Gala celebrating 15 years of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, and Two x Two Gala saying goodbye with no fewer than three posh parties. Here are the 12 must-attend galas, parties, and luncheons of fall in Dallas, with a longer list below.

desserts galas reports bars hot-headlines

Park News

Dallas acquires 30-year-old amusement park for $13 million

Adventure Landing

An amusement park in Far North Dallas was purchased by the City of Dallas to be developed into a community park. The Dallas City Council voted during its December 11 meeting to buy Adventure Landing, a 30-year-old amusement park at 17717 Coit Rd. for the sum of $13.7 million with a goal to keep the park in business.

The 13.5-acre property has been an entertainment venue for the past 30 years, with mini golf, batting cages, soccer fields, and arcade games.

The previous owner, the Hildebrand family, previously turned down much bigger offers from developers because they wanted the buyer to carry on their mission and keep the park a park.

The Park and Recreation Department will operate the soccer fields, and Adventure Landing will manage all other facilities until a future park is constructed.

In November, the Park and Recreation Board unanimously approved the land acquisition item and recommended approval to the City Council.

“With the cost of land in the north Dallas area increasing in value, we are fortunate to secure this property to make sure residents have access to green spaces and new recreational amenities,” says Dallas Park and Recreation Board President Arun Agarwal in a statement. “Acquiring land in certain fully developed areas of the City for park purposes is exceedingly difficult, and this acquisition represents a unique opportunity for us as a city.”

A release says there aren't many parks in the area, and the closest parks are Preston Ridge Trail to the west, Twin Lakes Park to the south, and the Cotton Belt Trail, which is currently in the works.

“This acquisition represents far more than the purchase of land – it symbolizes a pivotal investment in addressing a critical need within a community with the fewest parks in the entire city," says District 12 Park and Recreation Board Member Lane Conner in a statement. "By creating this new park, we are taking a transformative step toward providing every resident, no matter their neighborhood, with access to exceptional green spaces."

Adventure Landing will keep the same name and management team under the new ownership.

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