Dallas high schoolers balancing work & school in a pandemic, an internet crisis in rural Texas: Your weekend roundup

Also, Matthew McConaughey talks running for governor and how a Frisco mom became a trailblazer. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [Morning roundup]( [NEWS]( | [BUSINESS]( | [SPORTS]( | [HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS]( | [ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT]( | [FOOD]( |[STATE OF THE CITY]( | [THINGS TO DO]( | [OPINION]( | [GAMES AND PUZZLES]( 11/28/2021 By Narda Pérez & Ariyon Dailey Good morning! Here is a look at the top headlines of the weekend so far. 🌞 Weather:  Sunday will be sunny with temperatures climbing to the lower to middle 60s.  The wind will blow from the north around 10-15 mph but will lessen in the afternoon. 🔎 Prefer the online view? It's [here.]( Graduates look for their parents in the audience during the Wilmer-Hutchins High School graduation in June. (Nathan Hunsinger/Staff Photographer) EDUCATION [Dallas high schoolers who went to work during COVID-19 finding ways to catch up]( It was hard for Adam Carrera to stay motivated in class as his high school years were upended by the pandemic, and he was stuck at home behind a computer. But the senior hasn’t lost sight of earning his diploma so he can go on to pursue an architecture degree. So during the week, he [attends credit recovery classes in the mornings,]( his work in the afternoon and then heads to his job in the evening. Carrera is among more than 6,700 students who enrolled in courses designed to help them catch up when life interrupts their traditional schooling. Such programs are particularly important to Dallas ISD this year as officials work to get high school students back on track after so many pandemic disruptions.  Jeffers: An internet[crisis in rural Texas]( threatens access for families as money runs out   Also: Are divided Texas politics [killing school bond packages?](  ADVERTISEMENT POLITICS [Reports detail Texas Railroad Commissioners’ ties to oil and gas industry]( A series of reports from an advocacy group has made broad allegations that all three elected members of the [Texas Railroad Commission are too closely tied to the oil and gas industry]( that they regulate. The nonprofit group Commission Shift, in a series of reports undertaken with Texans for Public Justice, alleges that the Railroad Commission is a "captured" agency — one that has become so entwined with the industry it regulates that it can no longer effectively oversee it.  Opinion: President Biden is in good health. But can [he hit the campaign trail]( like a younger man?   Also: Texas has spent $7B in federal money to [pay temporary health care workers]( during COVID pandemic  Actor Matthew McConaughey holds up the "Hook 'Em Horns" sign to Texas fans before a game against Oklahoma State on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019, at Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. (Nick Wagner/TNS) ADVERTISEMENT PHOTO OF THE WEEKEND [McConaughey will let us know shortly and other top quotes of the week]( "I’m a storyteller. I’m a CEO. But being CEO of a state? Am I best equipped for the people in the state, and for my family and myself? There’s great sacrifice that comes with a decision. That’s what I’ve been doing, and there’s no tease to it. [There’s me doing my diligence, and I will let you know shortly]( — Actor Matthew McConaughey on whether he will run for governor AROUND THE SITE - Crime: [15-year-old accused of killing mother]( west Oak Cliff home, Dallas police say - Curious Texas: What’s the history of [Rockwall’s ancient rock wall?]( Curious Texas goes digging - Watchdog: Does the leak of stolen Dallas police helicopter video [indicate a bigger hack?]( One group thinks so FINALLY... [As her son faces uphill fight against rare genetic disease, Frisco mom became scientific trailblazer]( "I’m fighting like that third monkey who’s trying to get on Noah’s ark — and it’s just started to rain." Frisco mom Amber Freed isn’t the first to invoke that battle cry, but I’ve never met anyone more relentless, more desperate to live every day by its words. Amber is fighting for the future of her 4-year-old son, Maxwell, who has a [debilitating neurological disorder so rare]( that it’s known only by its genetic location, SLC6A1. In the terrible months of regression, Maxwell’s neurological system catches fire and, day after day, he screams incessantly. "Nobody can help him," Amber told me as she described what life was like just a month ago. "At my lowest moment, I’ll lock him in his room, where he is safe, and go into the backyard and bawl until I can’t breathe." 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 [the newsroom.]( [Free Newsletters]( | [Account Login]( | [Help Center]( | [Terms of Service]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Unsubscribe]( The Dallas Morning News, 1954 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75201, United States © Copyright 2021