Back to 1908

We’ve seen a lot of sun and triple digit temperatures this summer.  But it was a much different story one hundred years ago.  Recently, the Spotlight team looked at The Fort Worth Telegram (the Star hadn’t been added yet) and The Fort Worth Record from 1908.

Weather was a top story back then… news crews covered the Trinity River’s major Flood in May 1908.  It caused many deaths and knocked out electricity and utilities for days in Dallas. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just like this year, the Democrats were preparing to have their National Convention in Denver back in 1908.  The Fort Worth Record gave a detailed drawing of the convention facility – then the largest of its kind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some headlines were not as jovial.  The reporting of African-Americans in the newspaper gives us a picture of race relations at the turn of the century. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An alleged assault of a white teenager by a black suspect in Beaumont resulted in the burning of several parks for black citizens.  The article indicated if the suspect was caught, he would be lynched without any sort of trial or justice.  Another article referred to African-Americans visiting a Fort Worth park as a “Black Cancer.”

The treatment of women was also not kind.  This article “suggested” the woman with “too much flesh” should reduce her weight, hide her figure or hide herself altogether. 

 

Local Historic Adventures

Thanks for watching our Spotlight Special on places you can go to learn local history without emptying your gas tank.  Here are the links:

 

 

 

 

Frisco Heritage Museum- www.friscomuseum.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black History Museum, Fort Worth – www.freearmorbearer.info/Home_Page.php

McKinney Ave. Street Cars – www.mata.org/

 

 Swiss Ave. Historic Homes – www.sahd.org/

 

 

Luna’s Tortillas – http://www.lunastortillas.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copeland House, Grand Prairie – www.gptx.org/documents/copelandhome.pdf

Nash Farmstead, Grapevine – www.grapevinetexasusa.com/Heritage/NashFarm/tabid/522/Default.aspx

River Legacy Living Science Center, Arlington – www.riverlegacy.org/livingsciencecenter.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inwood Movie Theater, Dallas – www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/Dallas/InwoodTheatre.htm

 

“The Lost Girls” Story

 

In February, we told you about a North Texas community of Sudanese “Lost Boys.”  They escaped extraordinary violence and a thousand mile walk to escape their war torn country.

Author Beverly Parkhurst Moss is now bringing us the story of ”The Lost Girls.”  Its rare that you hear about the female  point of view of this tragedy.  Beverly’s book includes Rebecca’s survival story.  Proceeds benefit local Sudanese refugees.

Here is a link to Kristi Nelson’s report: www.nbc5i.com/spotlight/index.html

Here’s a link to the book: www.lostgirlsdarkexodus.com

Local Mom’s Invention

NBC 5’s Kristi Nelson introduced you to North Richland Hills mother Jennifer Spencer.  She’s not only a parent but also an inventor. 

 

 Her Take-Along Tether allows you to stay connected with your kids literally and figuratively.  Her invention allowed her to stay closer to her family while bringing more money home!

 

Here’s a link: http://www.takealongtether.com/

 

Military Mom’s Story

This Thursday at 4:00 p.m., Kristi Nelson shared the story of Nicole Duckwall.  Here is a link to the video:

http://video.nbc5i.com/player/?fid=0#videoid=260092

She is a wife, mother of four and a medic in the military.  Duckwall loves her family and her country.  This month, she is being deployed for a third tour of duty in Iraq.  As a flight medic in the Air National Guard, she said she is there to help make sure her fellow military members get home from Iraq.  But as you can imagine, her family will also worry about her as she is away.  Her husband also served in the military and was injured during the opening months of the war in Iraq.

If you’d like to send Nicole Duckwall or her family well-wishes, please leave your comments on the comments section above and we’ll pass them on!

New Southern Cuisine in Dallas

This morning, Fitzgerald Dodd, the Executive Chef of the new restaurant Screen Door stopped by to talk about the new restaurant in the Dallas Arts District.

The restaurant has what Executive Chef Fitzgerald Dodd’s touts a “Then & Now” menu concept. He says: “here you’ll find old friends that will take you back in time and a new generation of dishes that think in fresh ways about Southern cuisine.”  He says the name comes from his grandmother and mother’s cooking in the South.  You could smell the food coming through the screen door of the kitchen.

Housed in the new jewel of Downtown Dallas, One Arts Plaza, Screen Door is just steps away from the Performance Arts Center.

Here is a link to the restaurant: www.screendoordallas.com

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Here is the recipe that Chef Fitzgerald showed Scott live:

 

Summer Pea Soup

 

 

1 cup                smoked bacon pieces (can use diced smoked turkey)

1 cup                small diced carrots

1 cup                small diced celery

2 cups              small diced yellow onions

3 Tbsp             minced garlic

2ea                   fresh bay leaf

3 cups              freshly shelled summer peas (lady peas, spring peas, purple hulls)

1 ½ cups             white wine

1 Tbsp             Fresh thyme

1 Tbsp             fresh oregano

5 Qts                low sodium chicken broth

 

 

In a stock pot, begin rendering bacon pieces until crisp.  Strain all rendered fat but return bacon pieces to the pot.  Sweat carrots, celery and onions until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and peas and sauté for 5 minutes.  Add bay leaf and white wine and reduce until wine is almost gone.  Pour in broth and bring to a boil.  Add herbs and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes until peas and fully cooked.

 

A Graduation Story To Remember

This Thursday (May 29) at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday (June 1) at 8:00 a.m., we’re bringing you Laney’s Story.  Here is a link to the video: http://video.nbc5i.com/player/?id=257465

Like a lot of high schools around North Texas this time of year, it’s graduation time!  Fred Moore H.S. in Denton allows students with additional challenges outside of the classroom to finish with a diploma (not GED) on time or early. 

NBC 5 photojournalist Patric Alva spent the day with one graduate, Laney Sims.  You will see a story of determination and pride.  About this story, Patric wrote: “It is always refreshing to hear a positive story, especially from someone so young and so full of life with great support at home and at school.”

For a link to Fred Moore H.S., click on www.dentonisd.org/fredmoorehs

 

Spotlight Special Resources

Thank you for watching our Spotlight Special Sunday at 11:30 a.m. on NBC 5.

Here are the resources we featured on the show:

Dark Exodus Book about Lost Girls of Sudan – www.lostgirlsdarkexodus.com

Fred Moore School – www.dentonisd.org/fredmoorehs

2000 Roses – charity helping former female prisoners – www.2000roses.org

Take-Along Tether – parent invention – www.takealongtether.com

Genesis Shelter – www.genesisshelter.org 

Crossfit Challenge on Memorial Day

On NBC 5 Today at 8:00 a.m., Troy Dodson from Crossfit Plano joined us to talk about a special event/fundraiser.  The Crossfit Plano gym will hold a fitness challenge on Monday, Memorial Day.

Participants must complete the routine called “The Murph.”  It includes a 1 mile Run, 100 Pull-ups, 200 Push-ups, 300 Squats and ANOTHER 1 mile Run.  Some of the men and women will be wearing a 20 pound vest or body armor as they complete the routine.

 

It’s in honor of Lt. Michael Murphy, a Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan in 2005.  Crossfit training was his favorite forms of strength training. 

Here is more information on him: http://www.navy.mil/moh/mpmurphy/

The event also raises funds and awareness of a program to give full ride scholarships to the children of military parents killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.

For more information: http://www.crossfitplano.com/eventlist/49.html or www.poundfitness.com.

Eat Texas Foods!

On Sunday, Texas AgriLIFE Program Specialist Dotty Woodson talked with NBC 5’s James Aydelott about eating Texas fruits, vegetables and more. Locally based foods are fresher, which taste better and purchasing helps your local farmers and ranchers. 

For a link to places around the state where you can buy Texan foods: http://www.gotexan.org/internet/gotexan/search.jsp

There is a great search engine for where you can find specific fruit, meat, clothing and more.  Enjoy!

You can contact Dotty Woodson at 972-952-9688 or email her at d-woodson@tamu.edu