Zeke's holdout, Texas Democratic fundraising, Big Tex Choice semifinalists: Your Friday evening roundup

No matter who swerves first, an old question will be answered before this is through: Why did the chicken cross the road? To shake hands with another chicken, that's why.  [Evening roundup]( 07/26/2019 By Wayne Carter Good Evening! Here is a look at the top headlines of the day. 🔎 Prefer the online view? It's [here.]( Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott removes his helmet during a May 29 practice at The Star in Frisco. COWBOYS TRAINING CAMP [Ezekiel Elliott is officially a holdout, but history and leverage will prevail once again]( From SportsDay columnist Kevin Sherrington: The Cowboys and Zeke Elliott — officially late — would appear to be playing a high-stakes game of chicken if not for [indications that neither party has the nerve for it.]( We know this because: The Cowboys tipped their hand when they said they not only planned to re-sign Zeke, negotiations would start where Todd Gurley's $45 million guarantee left off. And Zeke was so noncommittal about a holdout, he still had a seat assignment on the flight to Oxnard. Most holdouts made by players still under contract don't result in new deals. Le'Veon Bell doesn't qualify under those terms. The Steelers put a tag on him to prevent him from becoming a free agent, and he chose to sit out last season instead. Under the category of players under contract over the last four years, two holdouts have taken their cases into the regular season: Seattle's Kam Chancellor, who held out 54 days in 2015, and the Texans' Duane Brown, who sat out almost three months in 2017. Chancellor returned to the Seahawks' secondary without any changes in his contract. Houston traded Brown to the Seahawks shortly after his ignominious return. As if those prospects weren't bad enough, not only does a holdout face various financial penalties, including a daily five-figure rate, he could lose service time accrued toward free agency. Behind the scenes: A source says the Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott's agent talked contract Thursday [– here are some important things to know about his holdout.]( ADVERTISEMENT POLITICS [Are top Democratic presidential hopefuls cannibalizing O’Rourke and Castro’s Texas fundraising?]( The fundraising grip that presidential hopefuls Beto O’Rourke and Julián Castro have on their home state of Texas is undergoing a serious test as other Democratic contenders make headway in the crowded 2020 field. That challenge is most apparent among deep-pocketed Lone Star State donors. A Dallas Morning News review of itemized contributions -- those of $200 or more -- given by Texans to Democratic presidential candidates in the second quarter of this year shows that Castro and O’Rourke trailed both former Vice President Joe Biden and Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg. But the native sons remain confident about their home turf, thanks to backing from multitudes of small-dollar Texas donors who could be vital in the delegate-rich and, for the Texas candidates, [almost must-win battleground early on the primary calendar.]( "We're excited to see Beto's support across Texas continue to build on his historic Senate campaign," O’Rourke campaign spokesman Chris Evans said, referring to the former El Paso congressman’s near-upset last year of Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.   Editorial: Eddie Bernice Johnson’s courageous stand for the 1994 crime bill [shows she’s wiser than her progressive critics.](   BUSINESS [Where does J.C. Penney's turnaround stand? It's testing new ideas in Texas]( J.C. Penney has time, options and skilled new management. But the company’s stock and corporate bond prices signal that the odds are stacking up against the 117-year-old, Plano-based chain of 840 department stores. Can CEO Jill Soltau fashion a turnaround? Since she was hired nine months ago, Soltau hasn’t minced words while reporting weaker quarters that she inherited and saying "we need to move faster." She also said Penney "has the capacity to deliver improved results." Looking around the retail landscape, some say there’s an inevitable outcome when debt is an issue. Penney, which always prided itself in having a strong balance sheet, took on more debt after a failed attempt to remake the department store. That episode burned through the chain’s cash and then some, [and it’s still feeling the heat of those heady-turned-scary days of 2011-13.](  New connection: U.S. regulators [have approved]( $26.5 billion Sprint deal]( despite competition fears.   ADVERTISEMENT (Nan Coulter/Special Contributor) PHOTO OF THE DAY Francisco Moreno works on Chapel for its original installation at Erin Cluley Gallery in Dallas. The work has been acquired by Dallas Museum of Art, [making it the]( by Moreno to enter a museum collection.]( Critic Rick Brettell says its binary nature is fascinating — at once architecture and drawing/painting (it looks like a huge drawing); black and white; heaven and hell; popular and high imagery; contemporary and historical. Moreno’s chapel is the work of an artist born in Mexico City who came to full maturity in the United States and, particularly in Dallas. EDITORS' PICKS - Editorial: Bringing water to Sandbranch [isn’t the answer to helping people there.]( - Back on boil: Heat and humidity [are set to return to Dallas-Fort Worth this weekend.]( - Traffic tie-up: An 18-wheeler crash [shut down parts of Interstate 45 Friday]( near Hutchins in southern Dallas County. FINALLY... [Pig in a Cannoli, Cajun Crab Bombs among this year's contenders in State Fair's Big Tex Choice Awards]( Where can you get a Fried Burnt End Burrito, Deep Fried Bayou Fruit Bites or a Stuffed Fried Mexi-Cone? You already know the answer. The State Fair of Texas! And it’s on its way back with everyone’s favorite annual contest. Thirty-three semifinalists have been announced for the 2019 Big Tex Choice Awards at the State Fair of Texas. Starting with 49 competitors that have at least one year of concessionaire experience at the fair, the panel of judges narrowed them down through blind taste testing. The list is made up of 20 savory and 13 sweet entries. On the savory side, there’s a Deep Fried Texican and a Loaded Baked Potato Funnel Cake, while the sweet side is bringing something called a Fla’Mango Tango and Fried Bourbon Bread Pudding. Those, along with the rest of the list, are competing for [a spot in the top 10 and the live, final round at the Big Tex Choice Awards ceremony.]( 👋 That's all for this afternoon! 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]( [Reddit]( [OTHER FREE NEWSLETTERS]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Dallasnews.com]() | [Subscriber login]() | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact]( You received this message because you signed up for this Dallas Morning News newsletter or it was forwarded to you. Copyright 2019 - [The Dallas Morning News, 1954 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75201, United States]()