Opinion: Intersections Podcast with Ken Hersh

Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton filed Thursday to end her marriage with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, citing infidelity in Collin County court documents. Angela Paxton’s attorney, Charla Bradshaw, alleged in documents obtained by The Dallas Morning News that Ken Paxton “has committed adultery.’ In other news, about 115 animals from Texas’ flood-ravaged Hill Country landed Thursday at a private tarmac in Fort Worth, flown by the nonprofit Wings of Rescue. A trio of organizations — Humane Society of North Texas in Fort Worth, SPCA of Texas in Dallas and Operation Kindness in Carrollton — took in the animals. Wings of Rescue flew the animals from shelters in San Angelo and San Marcos, inundated this week with cats and dogs rescued from the July 4 flood; the Texas Trees Foundation secured $25 million in state funding for the Southwestern Medical District Transformation Project in the Harry Hines Corridor. The $198 million project led by the Dallas-based nonprofit aims to transform the area; and as the Cowboys begin their 66th season in franchise history with a trip to Oxnard, California for training camp on July 20, the face of the franchise enters a crucial moment in his professional career. Dak Prescott enters his 10th season as the starting quarterback. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington and Evan Grant are joined by Joe Hoyt, covering the Cowboys in his return to the staff. [1:10] Kevin and Evan can’t argue with the fact that Jacob deGrom was the only Ranger on the preliminary list for Tuesday’s All-Star Game. Do they also fail to make any ripples at the trade deadline? Evan says he wouldn’t have a problem if Chris Young played the cards in his hand. Kevin says he’d dangle Adolis Garcia in a deal. [22:10] Joe renders his two biggest questions for the Cowboys’ season. The first: How will the offense assimilate George Pickens, who, despite massive talent, had problems in Pittsburgh. So far, so good. The other point? Tune in to find out.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nearly a week after heavy rain and flooding hit the Texas Hill Country, the search continued Wednesday for an untold number of missing people. Officials warned that the full extent of the catastrophe had yet to be revealed and unaccounted victims could still be found amid the massive piles of debris in the area that stretch for miles. In other news, office vacancies in Dallas’ downtown core have skyrocketed, prompting business and neighborhood leaders to call for better security to address crime and homelessness and bring workers and residents back. Between 2019 and 2024, vacancy rates for downtown office space surged from an average 21% to 27%; Dallas Area Rapid Transit is proposing the largest cuts in the agency’s 40-year history — and riders are pushing back. Hundreds packed the halls of DART’s downtown Dallas headquarters Tuesday evening, sharing their frustrations over nearly $60 million in proposed cuts to the agency’s buses, trains and on-demand services, along with fare changes that would leave riders paying more; and a Kentucky developer is planning to build a fully affordable apartment complex near one of the city’s logistics hubs. LDG Development, which is based in Kentucky and operates an office in Dallas, is planning to restrict the 330-unit Gateway at Trinity Forest apartment complex for residents making 60% of the area’s median income. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nope, it's not a repeat, just sounds like one. The fellas once again discuss a muddling offense that leaves the Rangers on the fringes of the playoff race. They break down the selection of Jacob deGrom to his first All-Star Game since 2021, and Evan muses on Kevin Pillar's take on the Rangers' clubhouse/chemistry. Then Will "The Thrill" Clark joins the guys to discuss joining the Rangers back when it didn't seem like a destination spot, what made the 1996 and 1998 Rangers teams special and what he thinks of hitting these days. Will might have some opinions. Finally, John cracks open the archives back to that 1996 season, which produced the Rangers' first playoff team, though there were some hairy moments late, and the clincher came in the middle of an extra-inning game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the number of people found dead from the July 4 floods in Central Texas grew to at least 109 on Tuesday, state officials revealed that even more people remain missing. In other news, Gaines County, the epicenter of the massive Texas measles outbreak that began in January, no longer has ongoing measles transmission. The Department of State Health Services released its weekly measles update, which included no new measles cases reported in the outbreak over the past week; the Dallas Police Department Fugitive Unit and the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force arrested 99 people in June as part of Operation Justice Trail; and Dale Petroskey, the CEO of the Dallas Regional Chamber, will step down at the end of the year. Petroskey has led the chamber for nearly 12 years and cited personal reasons for his departure, including his wife’s recent pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ken Hersh, energy entrepreneur and outgoing president and CEO of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, talks about the importance of education, pioneering private equity in the energy sector, leading an influential policy center in Dallas, and betting on yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As search and rescue efforts continued yesterday, Kerr county officials confirmed more than 100 people have been killed by the Texas floods over Fourth of July weekend. In Kerr County, the Sheriff’s office confirmed that searchers have found the bodies of 84 people: 56 adults and 28 children. Twenty-two adults and 10 children have yet to be identified. As of last night, 10 Camp Mystic campers and one counselor remain unaccounted for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kerr County, where dozens have died, does not have a flood warning system. The first warning came Thursday afternoon, shortly after 1 p.m. Meteorologists for the National Weather Service in New Braunfels predicted up to 7 inches of rain would fall in the flood-prone Texas Hill Country, which includes Kerr County, in the early morning hours on Friday the fourth. As the frantic search limped into a third day, grief-stricken Texans are asking if meteorologists and local officials did enough to prevent the catastrophe. Questions have emerged over whether federal job cuts by the Trump administration hobbled the weather service, and why Kerr County lacked an emergency response system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ward Sakeik said Thursday ‘the humanity that I was taught in middle school, elementary, high school and college growing up is not the humanity that I’ve seen' but also said she does not blame the country that has been her home for more than a decade. In other news, a man has been arrested for a shooting that happened on a Trinity Railway Express train headed to the Fort Worth Central Station on Thursday morning. All TRE trains returned to normal schedule Thursday afternoon; a Texas hemp company cashes in on Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s viral THC snack moment; and at Goodfriend Package in East Dallas, nothing is off limits when it comes to pushing the boundaries of the breakfast sandwich. This anything-goes approach has yielded arguably one of the best breakfast sandwiches Dallas called 'The Snakebite.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ward Sakeik, a North Texas woman detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in February as she was returning home from her honeymoon, has been released from detention. The decision comes after she spent more than 140 days in ICE custody. In other news, the victim in a fatal shooting at The Shops at RedBird had a restraining order against the woman accused of shooting him. The Fort Worth-based startup founded by celebrity psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Wednesday, while simultaneously suing Trinity Broadcasting Network for breach of contract. And Chefs: They eat great food all the time, right? It turns out, that’s not correct. What do some of Dallas’ best chefs reach for when they’re too tired to cook? You may be surprised. What do you like to snack on in secret? The Dallas Morning News wants to know. Check out our Facebook page and let us know here: https://www.facebook.com/dmnfood/posts/pfbid0ycZ8Vk8ZLb4W9d8t85m4dyr3WwHAX5HQ9uH1BhD7CQdvEXfdHi1BBCxgfWsfnf45l Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices