Testimony Begins in Duntsch Assault Trail. Two of Dr. Christopher Duntsch’s former patients testified against him Thursday, noting the continual pain they now experience. D Magazine examined the neurosurgeon’s background in a November cover story that raised questions about his medical training and chronicled his life after the Texas Medical Board revoked his license to practice. A surgeon who corrected one of Duntsch’s procedures called the result “an atrocity.” Duntsch is criminally charged with harming six patients during surgeries that took place between 2012 and 2013 at four North Texas hospitals. Testimony continues today, and the trial is expected to continue throughout the next three or four weeks. Read Matt Goodman’s recap of the opening arguments here.
Parents, Teachers Want Answers in ‘Mystery’ Illnesses at an Arlington School. The school district says it’s done what it can to inform parents and find the cause of the illnesses. Since September, roughly 60 teachers and students at Nichols Junior High School have experienced symptoms such as nausea, trouble concentrating and dizziness.
West Dallas Tenants Give Housing Plan to Controversial Landlord. In a surprise visit, the residents presented Khraish Khraish, co-owner of HMK, with an eight-point plan outlining ways to keep their housing affordable. The more than 50 tenants who signed the document want HMK to sell the houses at a reasonable price to every tenant who wants to purchase their home. In Khraish’s five-point plan, new houses would replace some of the 305 rental homes his company took off the market last fall. Some lots would be sold to Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity. Khraish also wants to build apartment units.
George Takei visits SMU. The activist and author’s lecture was arranged through a partnership between the Embrey Human Rights Program at SMU and the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance. Takei talked about his time in a Japanese internment camp as a child and his disdain for Trump’s executive order temporarily banning the entrance of immigrants and refugees from select countries. Earlier in the day, he sat down with KERA’s Krys Boyd for an enlightening conversation.
