🌱 Harwood Park Update + UFO Identified + Santos Rodriguez Memorial

Hello all. It's me, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here's all the local news you need to know right now.

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But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny, breezy and hot. High: 103 Low: 79.

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Here are the top three stories today in Dallas:

1. Harwood Park is slated to open in mid-September in the East Quarter neighborhood of Dallas. This area has seen extensive development, and the new park will transform a four-acre area that was previously dominated by parking lots into green space for the growing community. The park will include a pickleball court, a splash pad, an amphitheatre, space for food trucks, and children's playground equipment that highlights Texas history with Columbian mammoth designs. (Dallas Morning News)
2. Several Dallas residents saw a strange light in the sky on Sunday, Jul. 23 around 9:30 p.m. The reported light was fuzzy and traveling eastward across the sky as it emitted a cloud of smoke. The odd sight was a Falcon 9 rocket launched by SpaceX in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket was carrying a payload of 22 Starlink Satellites, which likely created a fuzzy appearance for viewers. The burst of smoke came from the rocket's second stage as SpaceX made plans to de-orbit it over the ocean. (Fox 4 News)
3. This week, Dallas residents are commemorating the murder of Santos Rodriguez, a 12-year-old who was fatally shot by a Dallas police officer 50 years ago. The incident occurred on Jul. 24, 1973, when Officer Darrell Cain placed Rodriguez and his brother in handcuffs in his police car while investigating a recent gas station robbery. Cain aimed his firearm at Rodriguez, and when Rodriguez denied involvement in the robbery, Cain fired. A march took place on Sunday, Jul. 23 to honor Rodriguez's memory, and today (Jul. 26), there will be a presentation via Zoom called, "The Life and Tragedy of Santos Rodriguez," presented by Dr. Richard Gonzales. (KERA News)

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Today in Dallas:

Wednesday, July 26

• Toddler Storytime With ASL Interpretation At White Rock Hills Branch Library (10:30 AM)
• Pizza Lab: A Neapolitan-Style Class And Lunch At Eataly Dallas (11:00 AM)

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From my notebook:

• Eugene the opossum is the newest star at the Dallas Zoo's Wild Encounters Stage! Program attendees will learn how opossums play a critical role in keeping our environment clean while also enjoying Eugene's handsome stage presence. (Dallas Zoo via Facebook)
• The Dallas Police Department has lots of great upcoming events! A Back-to-School Health and Safety Fair will be held on Saturday, Jul. 29 at 10:00 a.m. at W.H. Adamson High School. Click the link to see other events happening soon. (Dallas Police Department via Facebook)
• Dallas Parks and Recreation is seeking volunteers for a community service day on Saturday, Aug. 12 at Kiest Park at 9:00 a.m. You can find volunteer sign-ups here. (Dallas Park and Recreation Department via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Wednesday! See you all tomorrow for your next update.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.