Texas Education Agency Takes Over Fort Worth ISD, Lawsuit Filed Over Coach's Arrest, and State Fair Attendance Dips

Fort Worth ISD Under State Control

• 🏛️ The Texas Education Agency will take over Fort Worth ISD due to years of unacceptable campus ratings.
• 📉 Commissioner Morath cited an increase in chronically underperforming schools, with up to 20 campuses academically unacceptable for multiple years.
• 🤝 The TEA will install a board of managers to replace the current board of trustees and potentially the superintendent.
• ❓ While the district respects the commitment to student success, it is disappointed and hopes the decision will be reconsidered.
• 🗓️ An informal review meeting is scheduled for next week, and applications for the board of managers are open to Fort Worth residents.

Lawsuit Filed Against Salina ISD Coach

• ⚖️ Families in Salina are suing Salina ISD and a former coach/teacher, William Caleb Elliot, accused of secretly recording students in locker rooms.
• 💰 The lawsuit seeks $1 million for intentional torts, alleging the district knew about Elliot's behavior prior to his arrest for child pornography possession.
• 🚫 The suit claims Elliot had an improper relationship with a senior and was moved to the middle school instead of being fired.
• 🔍 Investigators found photos of naked or partially clothed boys, with Elliot claiming he didn't know it was illegal and was trying to deter theft.
• 🗣️ Attorneys for the families are seeking justice and accountability for the students who were victimized.

UPS Truck Driver Rescued in McKinney Crash

• 🚒 A UPS truck driver, Martin Vasquez, was miraculously rescued after his truck dangled over an overpass on the Sam Raburn tollway in McKinney.
• 💥 The crash occurred when Vasquez swerved to avoid a disabled car, striking the vehicle and a concrete barrier.
• 🪜 McKinney firefighters used a ladder to reach Vasquez, breaking the cab's glass and allowing him to exit through the air.
• ✅ Vasquez sustained only minor injuries, a cut on his head, and walked away from the terrifying ordeal.

State Fair of Texas Attendance Decline

• 📉 Attendance at the State Fair of Texas dropped to its lowest point in a decade, with just over two million attendees.
• 🌡️ Organizers blamed a combination of hot temperatures, a government shutdown, fears over immigration, global uncertainty, and the economy.
• 💰 A UT Dallas professor suggests the decline is due to a lack of disposable income, not a lack of interest.
• 💸 The concept of 'funflation' is discussed, predicting retailers will feel the squeeze as consumer spending on entertainment decreases.