Beto O'Rourke's Cruz opinion, Texas Tech advances, St. Pat's pics: Your weekend roundup

March 18,  2018 By Todd Davis Good morning! Here is a look at the top headlines of the weekend so far. 🌦️ Weather: Scattered thunderstorms in the morning followed by partly cloudy skies. High of 83, low of 56. Prefer the online view? It's [here](. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) profile Dallas' Melinda Gates opens up on why it's important for her to speak up now Reflection and role modeling are where Melinda Gates is these days — realizing that the lessons she’s learned over the years about workplace success and personal fulfillment can impact the world. In the past, she was so reticent about making her personal journey the center of attention that not that many people realize she was born and raised in Dallas — the 1982 valedictorian of Ursuline Academy and onetime captain of its Rangerette drill team who was voted "Best Student" and "Most Likely to Succeed" by her classmates. [She agreed to a rare interview withÂ]([The News]( in what turned out to be a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation — as much as we could cram into the 30 minutes allotted to us in her highly scheduled life. Message for the president: If Melinda Gates could bend Donald Trump’s ear for five minutes, [here's what she'd say](. Generous gift: With an assist from Bill Murray, [Dallas' Cappy McGarr donates Twain Prize comedy posters]( to UT center. What music can do: The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra's performance of [Benjamin Britten's Serenade for tenor, horn and strings](was delightful. El Paso Rep. Beto O'Rourke, the Democrat challenging Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for his Senate seat this fall, appeared on 'Real Time with Bill Maher' on Friday. (DMN) politics Beto O'Rourke agrees with Bill Maher: Ted Cruz is a 'giant a--hole' [In an HBO appearance Friday](, El Paso Rep. Beto O’Rourke didn’t call Texas Sen. Ted Cruz a “giant a--hole.” He just agreed with late-night host Bill Maher, who described Cruz as one. The exchange occurred during O’Rourke’s roughly 10-minute interview with the host of Real Time with Bill Maher, as the Democrat hoping to defeat the powerhouse Republican in a closely watched Senate race described his decision to refuse money from political action committees. Case closed? Trump's personal lawyer [calls for the Mueller investigation]( to be shut down. Pilot program: Backed by the White House and $4 million from the Charles Koch Foundation, [Dallas will test a way to introduce inmates back into society](. Opinion: Ansel Adams images of Japanese American incarceration shows us-vs-them thinking hurt the U.S. in WWII -- and [we can't go back](. Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Keenan Evans smiles after making a shot on Saturday, March 17, 2018 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. (Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News) college basketball Texas Tech wins thriller in Dallas to advance in the NCAA tournament Texas Tech is back in the Sweet 16 - and the Big 12 just might be on the verge of a pretty good NCAA Tournament. Of course, the significant portion of Lubbock that migrated to the American Airlines Center on Saturday night was focused pretty much on advancing to the tournament's second weekend. The sea of red was not disappointed, [with Tech gutting out a 69-66 victory over Florida](. Tech had to survive two 3-point misses by Egor Koulechov and KeVaughn Allen after Tech's Keenan Evans lost the ball in a wild scramble at the end. "A little bit of destiny," said Tech coach Chris Beard. After press conference moderator Charlie Fiss noted that Tech was headed to the Sweet 16, Beard said: "Say that again." Upset in Dallas: With help from the 'basketball gods,' [11-seed Loyola-Chicago surprised Tennessee]( at the AAC. Secondary concern: Sources say [the Cowboys will release Orlando Scandrick]( on Monday, satisfying his request to leave the team. Bigger picture: [Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle]( finds a new friend and new perspective in his trip to St. Jude Children's Hospital. Advertisement (Louis DeLuca / Staff Photographer) Photo of the Morning Adam Newbern shows off his color-appropriate hairstyle at a block party during the Dallas St. Patrick's Parade and Festival along Greenville Avenue on Saturday. [Click here for images and video of the festivities.]( Around The Site - Southwest responds: [The Dallas-based airline]( has released a statement after kicking a man, woman and a girl off a flight. - Quarry Falls: [Developers in Fort Worth]( want to turn a quarry into a complex complete with hotels, condos and a ferris wheel. - Tech Mex: [Casa México]( is the Mexican government’s attempt at reframing the country’s narrative at SXSW. - Explosion aftermath: As crews continue search for missing worker at site of chemical plant blast, [a family clings to hope](. - Unfriendly interloper: A company that aided Trump exploited the Facebook data of millions of its users, [an investigation finds](. - Mother files suit: [A 16-year-old]( was sexually assaulted by her manager while on the job at a Dallas Long John Silver's, according to a lawsuit. - Animal cruelty: [Goat heads]( were found at a Texas home where ritual sacrifice led to arrests. Texas Rangers minor leaguer Rougned Jose Odor, younger brother of Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor, participates in fielding practice with the big league squadd during a spring training workout at the team's training facility on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, in Surprise, Ariz. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News) Finally... Spring training magic as Rougned Odor plays beside ... Rougned Odor SURPRISE, Ariz. - The Rangers went for double the Odor Saturday. In the sixth inning of their exhibition with Kansas City, the Rangers inserted 20-year-old minor league infielder Rougned Odor into the game at shortstop. His brother, also Rougned Odor, was still playing second base. [It was the first time the two brothers, four years apart in age, had played together.]( "I was really happy," said the senior Odor, who has a different middle name than his brother. "I know my mom and dad were really happy for this. And I hope it happens again." Odor - the major leaguer - said it was the first time he'd even had a chance to see his younger brother, who spent the last three seasons in Dominican Republic Summer League play since he signed a professional contract in 2013. Advertisement 👋 That's all for this morning! For up-to-the-minute news and analysis, check out [DallasNews.com](. 💖 Share the love! If you like this newsletter, please forward this email to a friend and [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=). 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