Lupe Valdez's gun missing, Dan Patrick unlikely to debate, delivery robots in Dallas: Your Tuesday morning roundup

August 14,  2018 By Carla Solórzano Good morning! Here is a look at the top headlines as we start the day. 🌤️ Weather: A 20% chance for morning showers or storms (mainly up north) and partly cloudy in the afternoon. High of 90 degrees. 🔎 Prefer the online view? It's [here](. Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez rode atop a Hummer in Garland's annual Labor Day Parade on Monday Sept. 7, 2015. (Rex C. Curry/Special Contributor) Dallas Police Dallas County Sheriff's office looking for gun issued to Texas governor candidate Lupe Valdez [A gun used by Texas Democratic governor candidate Lupe Valdez when she was Dallas County sheriff has not been returned](, Sheriff's Department records show. Valdez was supplied with the Beretta 9mm pistol in 2011 when a gun of the same model she owned "sustained a malfunction," according to a sheriff's department report obtained by The Dallas Morning News. "It is likely that this weapon could have been stolen or misplaced during Sheriff Valdez's moving transition," the report stated. A police report had to be generated because the weapon could be in the hands of a criminal or used to commit a crime. And: A year after dockless vehicles began appearing on Dallas' streets, and along its sidewalks, [Dallas police said they have almost no issues with rental bikes and electric scooters](. Also: [Dallas County's]([Â](['cite-and-release' program for marijuana possession has been used in only a small portion of cases]( since its inception in December. Politics Houston Fox affiliate offers to host lieutenant governor debate. But will Dan Patrick agree? The Fox News affiliate in Houston [has offered to host a debate between Dan Patrick and his Democratic opponent, but it's unlikely the lieutenant governor will accept](. "We understand that currently there are no plans for a debate or discussion between the candidates. However, we would be honored to host such an event," Aprille Meek, executive producer for special projects for Houston's KRIV-TV said in the invitation, which was sent Monday and provided to The Dallas Morning News by opponent Mike Collier's campaign. "We feel that it's important for voters to hear from the candidates themselves on the issues that are of concern to the citizens of Texas." Meek suggested a prime-time debate, on any Sunday to Wednesday between Sept. 10 and Oct. 20. It's unclear whether Collier asked for the debate or KRIV reached out independently of either campaign. Commentary: Can Democrats win in Texas? [National contests show that 2018 is their best shot yet, writes Gromer Jeffers Jr](. Business Rolling robots could be coming to a Dallas sidewalk near you [Dallas officials are considering whether to green-light a pilot of autonomous delivery devices](. The robots, which are powered by an electric battery, could deliver groceries, takeout, medicine or other items to customers' doorsteps. If it gets City Council's blessing at a meeting later this month, the rolling robots could be deployed as early as November. Delivery robots have become an appealing alternative for retailers and restaurants who are trying to keep up with consumers' changing habits. From meal deliveries to ride-hailing to same-day deliveries, customers have gotten used to ordering online or through an app and then getting what they want on-demand — or at least in a few hours. Delivery by robot has already been tested in major cities, including Austin, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. The first of the rolling robots in Dallas could be from San Francisco-based robotics company Marble, according to Michael Rogers, director of department of transportation. The robots — which are about the size of a motorized wheelchair — would travel at the maximum of 10 miles per hour for one or two miles. They use sensors and cameras to detect and autonomously steer around obstacles like cyclists, dogs and fire hydrants. For the pilot, however, the number of devices would be limited and a human would walk behind the device to monitor its safety, he said. Meanwhile: [Tesla founder Elon Musk has a friend in a friend in Dallas Mavs owner and tech entrepreneur Mark Cuban](, who recently defended him. And: [The menu offerings at the rebounding Victory Park will expand]( over the next few months with ramen, sweets and booze. Advertisement Around The Site - Grand Prairie: Police are looking for man in a hoodie [who robbed a Dollar General at gunpoint](. - Highland Park: [A woman was robbed at gunpoint while walking near Airline Road and Drexel Drive]( Sunday night, police say. - Airlines: The suicide-by-plane incident in Seattle [points out a flaw in U.S. airport security](. - High school sports: [Mansfield coach Daniel Maberry overcomes cancer](and is back on the field for first day of practice. - Real estate: The Dallas hotel building boom [is second only to New York City](. - Out of this world: [Sweet Tooth Hotel's creators have just announced a second art installation]( that will showcase "beloved design from mid-century atomic to the Space Age." The interior of Smokey John's was gutted and is being reconstructed now. Brothers Juan and Brent Reaves think the restaurant will reopen in late September 2018. (Jeffrey McWhorter/Special Contributor) Finally... Dallas barbecue joint Smokey John's rises from the ashes after devastating fire Photos of the charred barbecue restaurant are tough to look at. The walls inside Smokey John's Bar-B-Que were streaked in gray, as if the ceiling had cried black tears. It's tougher to ask the two brothers to retell the story -- one of "hurt, anger and despair," Brent Reaves says. [This was Brent and his brother Juan's family business, in operation for 41 years and now theirs after they purchased the barbecue joint in 2013 from their dad, John "Smokey" Reaves](. When Brent arrived at the restaurant on Mockingbird Lane, near Dallas Love Field Airport, on Sept. 9, 2017, it was filled with black smoke, he recalls. He and Juan would soon learn that the grease fire in the kitchen -- which wasn't wholly covered by insurance -- would require the restaurant be gutted, if they even wanted to save it. A Dallas Fire Department spokesman says 34 firefighters and two fire investigators were on site. The damage was bad enough that the brothers considered starting over, someplace else. [But after almost a year without a restaurant, the Reaves brothers will reopen in that same old shopping center]( near the airport, where the only evidence of a fire now is way up in the rafters, on a few pieces of black singed metal. 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=). 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 2018 - [The Dallas Morning News]( | [1954 Commerce St., Dallas, TX 75201](#)