Dallas Judge Stuffs Her Docket to Make a Statement. Judge Amber Givens assigned her court over 119 jury trials in a single day, on April 1. The thinking is that doing so will encourage plea deals or a quicker trial, but most defense attorneys are furious and the district attorney says his prosecutors will have no way to prepare for such a workload. The Dallas Morning News reports that both sides have to prepare as if the court would hear these cases, despite the likelihood that the week will see just two trials.
Construction Begins on Opal Lee’s Childhood Home. The grandmother of Juneteenth hasn’t lived in that Fort Worth home since a mob of White racists burned it down in 1930. On Thursday, Trinity Habitat, HistoryMaker Homes, and Texas Capital Bank broke ground on a new home on the same plot, where the 97-year-old will live after it is completed.
Richardson ISD Votes to Close 5 Schools. The district is trying to solve a budget deficit exacerbated by the fact that the state of Texas hasn’t adjusted its funding per student in many years. Closing Greenwood Hills, Springdale, Spring Valley, Thurgood Marshall, and Dobie will save the district about $11 million. The board voted 7-0 in favor of the closures, despite the heckling from parents in the audience.
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