A&M cancels rally, Texas bullet train operators chosen, Trump condemns white supremacists: Your Monday evening roundup

Good evening. Here are some stories you may have missed today. [Good evening. Here are some stories you may have missed today.] August 14,  2017 By Wayne Carter and Tara Bryant Good evening! Here is a look at the top headlines of the day. 🔎 Prefer the online view? [It's here.]( In this Dec. 6, 2016 file photo, Richard Spencer, who leads a movement that mixes racism, white nationalism and populism, speaks at the Texas A&M University campus in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) news Texas A&M cancels 9/11 white supremacist rally amid safety concerns [Texas A&M has cancelled an upcoming rally]( that was to include an appearance of "alt-right" figure Richard Spencer on Sept. 11th. University officials issued a statement saying it was doing so because of safety concerns. "On December 6, 2016 the university and law enforcement allowed the same speaker the opportunity to share his views, taking all of the necessary precautions to ensure a peaceful event," university officials said in a statement. "However, in this case, circumstances and information relating to the event have changed and the risks of threat to life and safety compel us to cancel the event." This is a developing story and will be updated. Visit [dallasnews.com]( for the latest. President Donald Trump speaks on Monday about the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va.  (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press) politics Trump brands KKK, neo-Nazis and white supremacists ‘repulsive and evil’ in new remarks on Charlottesville Battered from all sides for his muted response to deadly violence Saturday at a white supremacist rally, President Trump sought Monday to tamp down the criticism by [making clear that he condemns only one side](: the neo-Nazis and Klansmen, rather than the protesters who gathered to oppose them. "Racism is evil. And those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans," Trump said at the White House, delivering a written statement before a live TV audience and a small group of reporters, whose questions he ignored when he'd finished. The remarks were two days overdue in the view of civil rights leaders and political leaders from across the spectrum, who found it confounding that the president withheld such direct condemnation in the immediate aftermath of the unrest in Charlottesville, Va. Withdrawing support: Merck CEO quits [Trump’s manufacturing council]( as a "matter of personal conscience." Commentary: [Trump has cultivated the white supremacist alt-right for years](. Commentary: [Christians’ souls should be sickened]( by the events in Charlottesville. Advertisement A woman holds a flower and sign during a vigil Sunday in Chicago for the victim in Saturday's violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Joshua Lott/Agence France-Presse) Texas legislature Texas lawmaker: Bill to protect drivers who hit protesters would not apply to 'jackass' charged in Charlottesville murder State Rep. Pat Fallon [found himself the target of outrage on social media this weekend]( after the hit-and-run death of a young woman protesting white supremacists in Charlottesville, Va. Fallon filed a bill last month to protect motorists who hit demonstrators "blocking traffic in a public right-of-way" if the driver exercises "due care." The bill won’t pass this year — lawmakers are scheduled to gavel out the month-long special session Wednesday without even holding a hearing on the measure — but the Frisco Republican said Monday he'd received "hundreds" of angry responses from people upset over the events this weekend in Virginia. Fallon added he was "incredibly offended" that people tied his bill to Fields and those like him. Time’s running out: [Prospects are bleak for much of Gov. Greg Abbott's agenda]( as the special session’s end nears. As it approaches its potential Houston station near Interstates 10 and 610, a planned bullet train connecting the city to Dallas could run on Hempstead Road parallel to this existing rail line near Northwest Mall. (Brandon Formby/The Texas Tribune) business Fluor Enterprises, Lane Construction on track to design, build proposed Texas bullet train Irving-based Fluor Enterprises and the Lane Construction Corp. [have been chosen to operate the high-speed rail line]( that will carry travelers between Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston, developer Texas Central Partners said Monday. The 240-mile high speed rail line would take travelers between the cities in less than 90 minutes, with trains departing every 30 minutes during peak periods. The announcement comes after more than three years of development by Texas Central, the private company behind the $12 billion-plus venture. Construction is expected to begin in late 2018 or early 2019, and the train could be open for travelers four years later. Denim deal: Dickies, one of Fort Worth’s oldest family-owned companies, [has been bought by the parent company of Wrangler and Lee jeans](. Flow interrupted: Months after the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, Dallas' Energy Transfer Partners [faces barriers at many turns](. Advertisement Puppy yoga is coming to Dallas on Sept. 9, courtesy of Friends of the Northaven Trail. (Teresa Berg) Photo of the Day It seems Dallasites have endless ways to do yoga these days, including in the company of cats, goats, beer and, in September, puppies. A [new puppy yoga class on Sept. 9]( comes courtesy of the Friends of Northaven Trail, a nonprofit organization that supports the maintenance and beautification of its namesake hiking and biking trail located in North Dallas. "This idea is really exciting to us," said Meredith Powell, a yoga instructor at CorePower and board member for Friends of Northaven Trail. "One of the purposes of the trail is to get people out there with their dogs to explore the community." Around The Site - Amber Alert: Police are [asking for help finding a 13-year-old girl]( kidnapped by man last heard from in Dallas. - Immigrant danger: 17 people were [found inside locked 18-wheeler]( Sunday at a Texas truck stop. - Tax relief: A Denton grocery store [offers free candy bars]( with tampon purchases. - Too high: Citing altitude issues, Texas music legend Willie Nelson [cut short a Utah concert Sunday](. - Tattoo roulette: Forget plastic jewelry and aliens with parachutes — [Deep Ellum Tattoo’s coin-operated machine drops random designs]( for your new ink. Finally... Even when his own life hits rock bottom, Mikey Neumann thrives on being a voice of positivity. For most of his career, Neumann was a public face of local video game company Gearbox Software. There, he served as Chief Creative Champion and was the writer on several of their most popular games, including Borderlands. When he wasn't writing game dialogue he might be found providing voice work -- he's the voice of Scooter on Borderlands  -- editing trailers or writing comics. Having already recovered from a stroke in 2011 at age 29, Neumann fell seriously ill while returning from a trip earlier this year. He lost the ability to walk, talk and even think coherently, and came to the realization that even has he recovered, he could no longer perform his duties at Gearbox. But he is [carving out a new career]( with a YouTube show that started as a weekend side project during his Gearbox days. 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]( [Ello]( [Ello](  [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](#)