Cub and Boy Scouts open to girls, Cowboys quiet on anthem edict: Your Wednesday evening news roundup

Good evening. Here are some stories you may have missed today. [Good evening. Here are some stories you may have missed today.] October 11,  2017 By Wayne Carter Good evening! Here is a look at the top headlines of the day. 🔎 Prefer the online view? It's [here](. [Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts salute during a Memorial Day ceremony in Linden, Mich. The Boy Scouts of America Board of Directors on Wednesday unanimously approved a measure to welcome girls into its Cub Scout program and to deliver a Scouting program to allow older girls to earn the highest rank of Eagle Scout. (The Flint Journal/2017 File Photo)]( Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts salute during a Memorial Day ceremony in Linden, Mich. The Boy Scouts of America Board of Directors on Wednesday unanimously approved a measure to welcome girls into its Cub Scout program and to deliver a Scouting program to allow older girls to earn the highest rank of Eagle Scout. (2017 File Photo/The Flint Journal) U.S. News Girls will be allowed to join Cub Scouts starting in 2018, Boy Scouts in 2019 Embracing a historic change, the Irving-based Boy Scouts of America announced Wednesday [plans to admit girls into the Cub Scouts starting next year]( and to establish a new program for older girls using the same curriculum as the Boy Scouts. Under the plan, Cub Scout dens — the smallest unit — will be single-gender, either all-boys or all-girls. The larger Cub Scout packs will have the option to remain single gender or welcome both genders. The program for older girls is expected to start in 2019 and will enable girls to earn the coveted rank of Eagle Scout. "We believe it is critical to evolve how our programs meet the needs of families interested in positive and lifelong experiences for their children," said Michael Surbaugh, the BSA's chief scout executive. The announcement follows many months of outreach by the BSA, which distributed videos and held meetings with the Boy Scout community. Tell us: [What do you think]( about the Boy Scouts of America allowing girls to join in 2018? Previously: Girl Scouts of the USA [accused Boy Scouts of America of conducting a "covert campaign"]( to recruit girls into its programs and boost the Boy Scouts' falling membership. special offer U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke (left) and Sen. Ted Cruz on Wednesday released their latest quarterly fundraising reports. O'Rourke, an El Paso Democrat, is challenging Cruz in next year's election for the Senate seat he's held since 2013. (O'Rourke: The Associated Press; Cruz: Ron Baselice/Staff Photographer) Texas Politics Ted Cruz raises $2M, challenger Beto O’Rourke close behind at $1.7M The rivals for the U.S. Senate seat that Cruz has held since 2013 [announced their latest three-month tallies Wednesday.]( O’Rourke’s haul marks a slight drop from  his tally for the previous quarter, when he out-raised Cruz, $2.1 million to $1.6 million. The senator still has more than $6.3 million in the bank, up from $5.7 million, his campaign said. O'Rourke aides say he has about $2.8 million. Next Wednesday, O’Rourke, a three-term Democratic congressman, will seek a boost at a Silicon Valley fundraiser hosted by California venture capitalist Irwin Federman, Recode reported. Democrats have flocked to the tech hub for years in search of campaign cash. And: With the 2018 GOP primary looming, Texas House Speaker Joe Straus [wants business leaders to stay engaged](. Also: What Texas senators Cornyn and Cruz [highlighted about the Dallas area]( in an HQ2 pitch to Amazon's CEO. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stand locked in arms with players and and other team personnel during the playing of the national anthem before their game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 25 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. (Staff Photographer/Andy Jacobsohn) Dallas Cowboys Behind the scenes of today's locker room, after Cowboys met with Jerry Jones on anthem edict Cowboys players are not speaking out about how they feel about team owner Jerry Jones' recent edict that all players will stand for the national anthem or be benched. [But it was not business as usual Wednesday at The Star.]( "It was a private meeting we had, we can't really speak on it," said defensive end David Irving, one of two Cowboys players who have raised fists at the conclusion of the anthem. Irving declined to elaborate and said he didn't know if he would do anything during the anthem going forward. Did the meeting provide answers or raise more questions? "A little bit of both," Irving said. Commentary: Columnist James Ragland says Jerry Jones [is delivering a lesson in plantation politics]( — a ruling class of wealthy white owners unwilling to meet black players halfway. First person: Mildred Whittier[ writes about her brother Julius Whittier](, the first African-American to play and letter in football at the University of Texas. She is his main caregiver as he suffers from Alzheimer's disease. On his behalf, she has filed suit against the NCAA for failing to protect athletes in its care. [Sign up for breaking news alerts]( (Jae S. Lee/Staff Photographer) Photo of the Day Coming out of the chutes clad in racing silks, four "thoroughbred" pigs [leap forward around a track](, racing for an Oreo. Four times daily at the State Fair of Texas, Joe Hedrick hosts pig races in the Pan Am Arena that sits nearly 5,000 onlookers. According to Hedrick, who has been hosting these races for 35 years, the pig races undoubtedly "reach everybody" of all ages. Around The Site - Watershed moment: A longstanding dispute over Lake Fork reservoir water [ends with a "major win'" for Dallas](, Mayor Mike Rawlings says. - Big boom: Fort Worth police [explain the blasts that shook downtown workers and buildings]( Wednesday. - Gunmen at large: A [shooting at a Dallas strip club]( left one person dead and one injured. - Suspect suicide: A child abuse suspect [killed himself as deputies tried to arrest him]( in Dallas. - Bands on the run: What not to do at Austin City Limits — [from a guy who literally did it all](. (Mark Joyella) Finally... In an exclusive column for The Dallas Morning News, writer and mental health advocate Mark Joyella writes about how we associate mental illness with mass killings — and [what it may be like to discuss his own mental illness]( with his daughters in the aftermath of the Las Vegas massacre. One day, we'll talk about the destructive power of hurricanes, tornadoes and floods. And I know one day soon my daughter will come to me, carrying her personalized gold and blue bunny backpack brimming with questions about the cruelty and horror that human beings inflict on each other. Will she ask about Jessica Rekos, the girl whose face adorns the playground near our home? Will she ask how a 6-year-old could be murdered in a school in Newtown, Conn., just 24 miles from my daughter's own school? I could tell her, sick men do evil things. But wouldn't that force my daughter to ask an even tougher question? About the sick man who lives in her house, reads her books at bedtime and rides Mommy's silly bike to the train? Wouldn't she start to wonder what would happen if he put on his glasses, brushed his teeth, but forgot to take his medicine in the morning? Would he hurt people kids, even? Would my daughter find herself wondering if her own father is a crazed lunatic full of hate? [Read the full column here.]( 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](#)