Carolyn King Arnold wins runoff, secret Santa gives over $600k to teachers: Your Wednesday morning roundup

December 12,  2018 By Dom DiFurio Good morning! Here is a look at the top headlines as we start the day. 🌥️ Weather: Mostly cloudy. High of 64 degrees. 🔎 Prefer the online view? It's [here](. Candidate Carolyn King Arnold reacted after winning the Dallas City Council District 4 seat against Keyaira Saunders on Tuesday. At right is supporter Bobbie McGee. (Ben Torres/Special Contributor) 2018 runoff election Carolyn King Arnold wins runoff to fill Dwaine Caraway's vacant Dallas City Council seat Oak Cliff’s long wait for a [new City Council member is finally over](. Former council member Carolyn King Arnold on Tuesday cruised to a win — claiming 59 percent of the vote — over activist Keyaira Saunders in the Dallas City Council District 4 runoff. After the results become official, Arnold will serve the remaining seven months of former council member Dwaine Caraway’s term, which he vacated when he resigned in August. Also: In Dallas, Rex Tillerson [refuses to respond to Trump's criticism]( of him as "dumb" and "lazy." Commentary: Whatever happened to Dallas' plan [to revive The Bottom neighborhood along the Trinity River](? Courts Mom of Cowboy killed in DWI crash says she sued Dallas club to spare others her pain The mother of a Dallas Cowboy killed when his drunken teammate crashed six years ago testified Tuesday that she sued a Dallas nightclub because [she didn't want any other parent to go through what she did](: buying a casket and suit for her son, seeing his body, burying him. "This is unbearable," said Stacey Jackson, the mother of linebacker Jerry Brown. "They don't see the days and the nights that I cry behind closed doors." Jackson has said in the family’s lawsuit that now-defunct Dallas club Beamers overserved Brown's teammate Josh Brent before he flipped his Mercedes-Benz on an Irving highway in December 2012, killing his best friend. Both sides rested Tuesday. Jurors will return Wednesday afternoon for closing arguments before they begin deliberating. Also: A longtime State Fair of Texas performer accused of [sexually abusing a teenage girl for years has pleaded guilty](. And: How much snow will Dallas-Fort Worth get this winter? [We asked North Texas meteorologists](. education Mystery donor fulfills more than $600,000 worth of Dallas-area teachers' wishes in time for Christmas A secret Santa [surprised hundreds of teachers across North Texas on Tuesday by funding each of their classroom projects]( that had been posted on DonorsChoose.org. Projects included a turtle and aquarium setup for a prekindergarten class at Winnetka Elementary in Dallas, fidget toys for special education students at Uplift Peak Preparatory and even a kit to teach students how to build a computer at Richardson High School "While you don't know me, I know the good work you do -- You're a teacher ... For all your hard work, this gift is meant to inspire, to spread holiday joy and help you acquire the things that will help your students succeed," wrote "DFW Mystery Friend" on one educator's request page for exercise trackers at J.O. Davis Elementary School in Irving. Also: A computer model making the rounds on social media this week shows the chance for more than a foot of snow in North Texas toward the end of the week. [But be careful what you read](. And: Netflix is [creating a scripted TV series about the Queen of Tejano](, Selena Quintanilla-Perez. EDITORS' PICKS - Arts: A [new 'Solstice' at Theatre Three]( offers local laughs and romance. - Cowboys: How Amari Cooper [is delivering on the Cowboys' aspirations for him]( -- all while living out a dream. - Real estate: Dallas homebuilder Dunhill [sells for $60 million to a national housing firm](. - Execution: Killer who shot a newlywed and raped his wife [on a Mesquite walking trail was executed](. - Crime: A child molester [has been added to Texas' most-wanted list]( after months on the run. Sarah Boyles, 18, of Plano posed for a photo during a Santa Cares event for people with special sensory needs at Santa's Village at Galleria Dallas on Sunday. (Stewart F. House/Special Contributor) Finally... 'Caring Santa' events make Christmas merrier for North Texans with sensory and developmental differences Bright twinkling lights, bustling crowds and the cacophony of jingle bells, holiday tunes and shouts of glee exhilarate many children awaiting an annual tête-à -tête with Santa. But, for those with sensory processing issues and their families, the tradition's frenetic energy can create intense stress rather than happy memories. In the past, families affected by autism, ADHD and other social and developmental differences often avoided holiday bustle altogether. But, [shopping centers and community venues have increasingly offered inclusive "Caring Santa" events]( to ensure more North Texas children can have a moment with St. Nick in an intentionally reconfigured North Pole setting. Such events often feature dimmer lighting and softer music. At Galleria Dallas, for example, parents can avoid lines and holiday shopping crowds altogether. That mall's annual Santa Cares event, which took place Dec. 9, allows caregivers to sign up for private meetings with Santa during a three-hour window before shops open to the public. 👋 That's all for this morning! For up-to-the-minute news and analysis, check out [DallasNews.com](. Share the love! 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