A Jordan Edwards special report, Cowboys lose, Howdy: Your Monday morning roundup

October 08,  2018 By Todd Davis and Tommy Cummings Good morning! Here is a look at the top headlines as we start the day. ⛈️ Weather: Scattered thunderstorms throughout the day. Chance of rain 40%. High 84, low 72. Prefer the online view? It's [here](. SPECIAL REPORT | 9 SECONDS A look inside the quest for justice in the killing of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards For the family of Jordan Edwards, there will always be a void and an unmitigable pain where Jordan was. His father no longer has his sports buddy. His mother no longer has her cheesy-Lifetime-movie-watching companion. And his siblings no longer have their best friend. The Dallas Morning News spent months looking into how 15-year-old Jordan Edwards’ tragic death and the subsequent trial of former officer Roy Oliver [echoed across the nation’s history of racial division and oppression and rekindled an ongoing culture war over whose lives matter.]( Want more in-depth local journalism? [Subscribe for free to The Big Story newsletter]( and have it delivered directly to your inbox. Texans 19, Cowboys 16 (OT) What Jason Garrett's decision to punt in overtime says about Cowboys' lost offense HOUSTON -- In a league that places a premium on offense, the Cowboys appear more out of step with each passing week. Sure, Dallas was competitive in this one, something it was unable to accomplish in its first two road losses of the season. But the inability of the Cowboys offense to generate any sort of spark or sustained performance was again their undoing. [The refusal of their head coach to show confidence in them in overtime was telling.]( Ka'imi Fairbairn's 36-yard field goal in overtime put the Cowboys out of their misery. The 19-16 loss to Houston drops Dallas below .500 for the third time this season and underscores how lost this team is on offense. On the flip side ... Point to the letdown in OT all you want, but [blaming Cowboys' defense for loss to Texans is a hard sell](. Photos: Xavier Woods grabs an interception, Damien Wilson wraps up Alfred Blue, and [the Cowboys watch a kick break their hearts](. BUSINESS Can the Baylor-Memorial hospital merger lower the costs of health care for Texans? From Mitchell Schnurman, business columnist: What do you get from putting together the top hospital systems in Dallas and Houston? Maybe a company that can compete with Amazon and Warren Buffett. [Or even better, a company that can collaborate with them.]( Last week, Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas and Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston agreed to a merger that would combine two faith-based, not-for-profit organizations that control about a quarter of the hospital business in their respective hometowns. Together, the companies generate almost $15 billion in annual revenue and have over $19 billion in assets. They have 68 hospitals, nearly 14,000 affiliated physicians, 73,000 employees and two insurance plans. That’s big by any standard, but [the question is whether that size will pay off in more affordable service.]( Master-planned community: North Texas job growth is fueling a [new bumper farmland crop: homes in northern Tarrant County.]( Have airlines' lofty aspirations been grounded? They're happy settling for [stability after high hopes at start of the Trump administration.]( (Michael Hogue / Staff Photographer) 2018 ELECTIONs 1 day left until the Oct. 9 deadline to participate in the Nov. 6 elections The stakes are high for Democrats and Republicans as Texans head to the polls this November to decide this year’s midterm elections. Do your part to have a say in what happens next in your town, your state and your nation. [Find more on the process, what's up for you to consider and if you're eligible with our primer on voting in the midterm elections.]( EDITORS' PICKS - Mavericks make a move: Sources say [Dallas has fired its longtime team photographer]( amid sexual harassment allegations. - Crimes against critters: Abused animals have new defenders in two Dallas police detectives, [but advocates say it's not enough.]( - Art critic's plea: Why are the Dallas Cowboys never portrayed as heroes by Hollywood? Why are they always the anti-hero? [This is Us]([tells us.]( - Editorial: We can add half-baked and ill-prepared to Trump's ['cruel, unconscionable' family-separation policy.]( - Editorial: The policy change that denies visas to diplomats' same-sex partners [paints U.S. as being hard-hearted.]( - Far North Dallas shooting: A girl was fatally shot in the head Sunday at a [party where several people were playing with a handgun, police said.]( - Northwest Dallas shooting: A man was fatally [shot early Sunday after leaving a strip club with his girlfriend](, Dallas police said. - Points of no return: [Oklahoma fires Mike Stoops]( after the Longhorns scored 48 points against his defense in Dallas. Howdy Homemade Ice Cream owner Tom Landis opened his shop on Lovers Lane nearly three years ago. The business is staffed by high-functioning people with Down syndrome, autism or other developmental challenges. (Ryan Michalesko/Staff photographer) Finally ... Entrepreneur and special-need 'peeps' pick up steam with ice cream business From Cheryl Hall, business columnist: Tom Landis [wants to change the word one scoop at a time.]( Nearly three years ago, he opened Howdy Homemade Ice Cream on Lovers Lane, staffed by high-functioning people with Down syndrome, autism or other developmental challenges. Today his Howdy “peeps” — as Landis lovingly calls his employees — are also serving up creamy frozen concoctions on the main drag of the State Fair within earshot of Big Tex’s “Howdy, folks!” Landis says the idea came from Howdy vice president Coleman Jones, who has Down syndrome, and the crew in the kitchen throwing around ideas for the fair. “Your first thought might be, ‘Oh, that’s not upscale or different or whatever.’ [But, hey, this is the state fair.”]( 👋 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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