Lowe guilty, Houston flooding, 'Satan's plan': Your Wednesday evening roundup

Good evening. Here are some stories you may have missed today. [Good evening. Here are some stories you may have missed today.] September 20,  2017 By Holly Rusak Good evening! Here is a look at the top headlines of the day. 🔎 Prefer the online view? [It's here](. [Defendant Jason Lowe bows his head after the jury finds him guilty of murder in the death of girlfriend Jessie Bardwell during his murder trial at Collin County Courthouse in McKinney on Wednesday. (Jae S. Lee/Staff Photographer)]( Defendant Jason Lowe bowed his head after the jury found him guilty of murder in the death of girlfriend Jessie Bardwell during his murder trial at Collin County Courthouse in McKinney on Wednesday. (Jae S. Lee/Staff Photographer) Courts Richardson man found guilty of murder after killing girlfriend, hiding her body in Farmersville A Richardson man was found [guilty of murder today in the death of his girlfriend last year](. A prior agreement with prosecutors calls for Jason Lowe to serve no more than 50 years in prison. He is also eligible for probation. The jury of eight women and four men was polled, and the verdict was unanimous. The body of 27-year-old Jessie Bardwell was found in rural Farmersville on May 19, 2016. Lowe, 28, testified during the trial that Bardwell's death was an accident. He described how the two had taken a common date rape drug called GHB and were having sex in the shower when he slipped and pushed her. This is a developing story. [For the latest updates, visit Dallasnews.com](. SPECIAL OFFER For a limited time, newsletter readers can enjoy unlimited digital access to DallasNews.com for only $2.99 a week. [Sign up today]( and stay informed about the latest news that's important to you. Flood waters have risen into the Lakes on Eldridge North neighborhood near the Addicks Reservoir in West Houston on Aug. 30.  (Tom Fox/Staff Photographer) Hurricane Harvey Flooded Houston-area homeowners might have been spared ruin — but only if they read the fine print They sat tucked away in a Fort Bend county clerk's file for the past two decades: [25 words on a public document that could have spared thousands of homeowners from losing everything](. If only the homeowners had seen them. In the finest of fine print, the county warned in 1997: "This subdivision is adjacent to the Barker Reservoir and is subject to extended controlled inundation under the management of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers." In other words, during a major storm, the corps could choose to flood the subdivision in an effort to protect greater Houston. Which is exactly what happened during Hurricane Harvey. Editorial: Another quake, another hurricane — [this is evidence not of end-times but of steely human resolve](, writes our Editorial Board. Maria: The [strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in more than 80 years]( destroyed hundreds of homes, knocked out power across the entire island and unleashed heavy flooding. In this 2016 file photo, Jeff Mateer enters the courtroom where the federal lawsuit on transgender bathroom rules will be held at Eldon B. Mahon U.S. Courthouse in Fort Worth. (Nathan Hunsinger/Staff Photographer) Politics Top Texas AG official called transgender kids part of 'Satan's plan' Jeff Mateer, a top official in Texas' attorney general's office and [one of President Donald Trump's picks for a federal judge position in Texas, described transgender children as evidence of "Satan's plan"]( in a 2015 speech for First Liberty Institute, first reported by CNN on Wednesday. In May 2015, Mateer gave a speech titled "The Church and Homosexuality" for the Plano-based First Liberty Institute — a conservative law firm focused on bringing forward religious liberty cases known as Liberty Institute before 2016. Mateer discussed a Colorado lawsuit in which a transgender girl's parents sued after the school district said she could no longer use the girls' bathroom because it did not match the sex on her birth certificate. "Now, I submit to you, a parent of three children who are now young adults, a first grader really knows what their sexual identity [is]? I mean it just really shows you how Satan's plan is working and the destruction that's going on," Mateer said in a video of the speech. Raising Marilyn: [A family’s journey to support their transgender daughter](. 'Fearfully and wonderfully made': [What one Dallas transgender man wants lawmakers to know](. Business Six Texans score spots among Forbes' 100 greatest living business minds To mark its centennial, Forbes identified what it considers to be the 100 greatest living business minds. It had each share a lesson they've learned from their successful careers. [Six Texans are represented](: - Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who the magazine described as "oil wildcatter, football revolutionary,” relates a lesson learned in his 30s about the importance of operating lean. - Dallas oil magnate T. Boone Pickens shares his philosophy on being bullish. - Dallas entrepreneur H. Ross Perot Sr. tells a story about believing in big ideas. - Austin's Michael Dell, "dorm-room legend; founder, Dell Technologies," talks about why artificial intelligence will determine future business winners and losers. - Austin's Robert Smith, chemical engineer-turned-financier, discusses how to find purpose in the messiness of human interactions. - Austin's John Paul Dejoria, co-founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems and Patron, shares his golden rule. Making a splash: Developers [plan to start work before the end of the year on the huge Crystal Lagoon]( waterpark and fountains that will be constructed east of Dallas on Lake Ray Hubbard. Plan ahead: Wal-Mart said Wednesday that [it won't be hiring additional staff for its stores this holiday shopping season](. Advertisement (Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty Images) Photo of the Day Residents look at papers with the names of persons who went missing since Tuesday's 7.1-magnitude quake in Mexico City. Rescuers frantically searched Wednesday for survivors of a powerful earthquake that killed more than 200 people in Mexico [on the anniversary of another massive quake that left thousands dead and still haunts the country](. Around The Site - Over the goal line: After nearly 23 years of service, [Oklahoma President David Boren, an outspoken voice and influence on Big 12, announces retirement](. - Not his best friend: A shooting suspect who fled from police was hospitalized Wednesday morning [after hiding inside the Dallas Zoo and being sniffed out by a police dog](. - You’re welcome, America: In this story from the DMN archives, [buffalo wings and onion strings debuted]( at State Fair of Texas in 1982. - Speaking of the fair: Find out what local [celebrities count as their "must-dos" at the State Fair]( of Texas. - Accidental death: Football player Robert Grays, who attends Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, [died following injuries suffered in last weekend's game](. - Identity released: A graduate student who collapsed at the University of North Texas last week and [later died has been identified as 67-year-old Margaret R. King](. - Q&A: Criminal court Judge Roberto Cañas discusses talks with Editorial Board member Leona Allen about [a gun surrender program aimed at getting guns out of abusers' hands](. Finally... [Joel Potasznik has not set foot on his property off Dowdy Ferry Road in two years](. He hasn’t been there since the county fire marshal padlocked it and hung “no trespassing” signs. The reason? Code violations. Fire Marshal Robert De Los Santos says in court records that he took custody of the 51 acres because it’s littered with old tires, broken appliances, vehicle fluids and other junk that violates fire and safety codes. Potasznik, 71, says the fire marshal violated his constitutional property rights and won’t give him an opportunity to fix the problems. “I can’t get on the property to inspect it,” he said. “I can’t get in. That’s the crux of the problem.” Advertisement 👋 That's all for this evening! For up-to-the-minute news and analysis, check out [DallasNews.com](. 💖 Share the love! If you like this newsletter, please [check out our other newsletters here](. 📧 Do you have feedback? Send your thoughts, questions, praise and corrections to [newsletter-feedback@dallasnews.com](mailto:newsletter-feedback@dallasnews.com?subject=Evening%20Roundup%20Feedback).[Dennis Jansen](mailto:djansen@dallasnews.com?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) STAY CONNECTED WITH US  [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( [Tumblr]( [Google]( [Reddit](  [OTHER NEWSLETTERS]( [SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS]( [Unsubscribe](  |  [Manage Preferences](  |  [Privacy Policy](  |  [Contact](  |  [Advertise]( You received this message because you signed up for this Dallas Morning News newsletter or it was forwarded to you. Copyright 2017 - [The Dallas Morning News]( | [508 Young St., Dallas, TX 75202](#)